non omnis moriar (2/2)
DAY 2, 6:00 A.M.
"It's time for morning exercise! Wake up kids!"
Music starts to play from the speakers hidden around the island, loud and grating to the ears. In the parade ground in the school, their teacher-in-charge bends his torso forward, hands on his hips. One two, one two, he chants out loud. There is nothing greater than morning exercise.
After the music ends and he is perspiring a good amount from all the stretches he has done in his tracksuit under the hot sun, he picks up the microphone again, only to shout into it. "Good morning everybody! I hope all of you are ready for another day of killing."
Chanyeol groans and curses at the teacher, having been woken up by the dreadful morning exercise music the nation plays every morning. It plays on radios too, so that those who are not schooling are not spared from the torture that is the morning exercise regime and are to get healthier together. Chanyeol calls bullshit. Where people use it as workout music, Chanyeol uses it as an alarm. Healthy or not, who the hell does exercise at six a.m.? The nation's government is corrupted and useless at managing things, but Chanyeol would never say that aloud. He'd rather not have a gun pointed to his forehead for speaking his own opinions.
//
Slightly further down, Kyungsoo pushes himself out from under his temporary home and does the morning exercise regime along with the teacher. Spread your legs, stretch your arm out, bend to your side, one two, one two. It's all drilled into their heads. If it was any other day, Kyungsoo would have rolled his eyes and refuse to participate until a teacher starts to walk down his row. Today, he is on the verge of falling asleep, so he gets up and tries to wake himself by moving around to the beat of the cringe-worthy workout music. He can't have his perfect plan collapsing on him.
//
Luhan shakes Yixing awake, mumbling soft incoherent Chinese phrases under his breath, not yet fully awake. Yixing groans and swats at where he thinks Luhan is, though he does open his eyes this time. They have survived one day. They will survive another.
Yesterday was spent walking around looking for their classmates and a suitable spot for rest. The amount of trees are more than confusing and they couldn't even spot a mere shadow. Is it even possible to meet others other than themselves? It is already day two, since they can't seem to find anyone else, they will just have to carry out their backup plan by themselves. The map says that there is a farm right on top of the sloping mountain where they built their base at the previous night, and they are going to set out towards it later.
Jongdae had crushed his name list yesterday, while Yixing had angrily scribbled all over it when they heard the announcements. They had refused to cancel any of those names because as Jongdae said, "Cancelling them means acknowledging their deaths. It means that we have indirectly helped in killing them too because we did nothing about it. I want none of that."
More of them are dying and no one is doing anything to stop it. Luhan had watched from the sidelines, unsure who he should take care of first since they were both upset, unsure if he should try to take care of them at all. In the end, Luhan left them to sort out things on their own while he marked out the danger zones for them, letting the names of their deceased classmates enter his ears and exit through the other side. There is no point in dwelling in the past. The most important thing right now is to carry out their plan and they need to start it soon.
"The danger zones from yesterday night will now be activated, do get out of them soon if you are in any! Also, in the last six hours, student no. 3 Huang Zitao is the only one who has left us. But of course, he is now a part of all seven of you. All seven cowards, I mean.
"Even if you don't want to kill, you still want to go home, right? To be able to go home, all your friends must be dead. Get that into your heads. Happy killing!"
DAY 2, 9:00 A.M.
The sky is darkening when Chanyeol sets out again, this time with a new blooming bruise on his shoulder and two equally purple patches around his neck in the shape of thin, long fingers. He only knows it because he felt it the first time he slung his bag back across his shoulder again after he got ready to face another day where he doesn't know if the next moment might be his last, only to wince at the immense pain that had him dropping his bag back down onto the ground. All he needed was to press and feel around a little, besides, Zitao wasn't exactly very gentle with him yesterday.
Yesterday. Thinking back, Chanyeol has to resist the urge to snort. That idiot was so scared that he had forgotten to check if Chanyeol was really dead even. Thank God he still had the ability to think even when he could barely breathe. Needless to say, Chanyeol wasn't-and still isn't-very impressed by Zitao's act of... He couldn't even call it bravado because Zitao obviously had none. He couldn't even stab Chanyeol when he had the chance. Yesterday's experiences, though, have made him realize that even if he is not going to kill, other people are. There is probably someone who is actively looking out for targets, two people or more even, but Chanyeol sees himself slowly being less repulsed by this idea. It does reflect this dog-eat-dog world and horrible society they live in anyway.
Chanyeol shakes his head, like that will shake those thoughts away and help him focus. He has to continue moving only because new danger zones are being activated every hour, and he wants to keep his head intact. Though he doesn't see the harm in having fun with a classmate or two if he does bump into any. It'd be better if it was Zitao. He would take the chance to inflict those bruises right back at the same places, or add a few other ones even. He deserves it.
Then again, the map shows that this island is an incredibly big one. Chanyeol isn't able to pinpoint his location, but he is at least sure of the area he is in right now.
Standing in front of a house that is mostly hidden by the vines that are creeping up its walls, even up to the second floor, Chanyeol looks down at his map again. F-1. That's where he is now. He had set out from the pavilion before, and it wasn't very far at all. The pavilion was in G-1, and he walked north from it.
Maybe they forgot to mention that they had surprises hidden around this island, Chanyeol thinks. Moving closer, he sees that the vines have crept up to the door too. It looks every part like any house in any horror movie, complete with the background nature sounds of crickets chirping and random birds making some kind of mating call. There is no way he is going to be able to get in without anyone knowing. If there is anyone inside, of course. Since it is not on the map, Chanyeol thinks that nobody would ever find it unless they happen to be on this side of the island.
The sky had been ominously dark before, but that still isn’t warning enough for when it suddenly rains. At the first strike of thunder, Chanyeol jumps. Even if there was someone inside, he’d have to get in. He has no choice.
That doesn't stop him from trying to be careful at least, using two fingers to slowly push the door that was already open beforehand while he prays that the door will not creak or make any sound while he is at it. He makes sure the gap is wide enough for him to get through, along with his bag, before he starts to move, holding his breath in like he is waiting for something.
One, two, three, four. Chanyeol repeats after himself, inching in carefully. Once he is inside, his eyes immediately dart around to see if anyone else might be there. Upon seeing no other presence, Chanyeol moves further into the house, reaching into his bag for Zitao's dagger before he sets the bag down by the door.
It looks habitable enough, Chanyeol guesses. The couch looks like it'll cave in should he sit on it, so he does not, but there is a toilet and kitchen on the first floor, bedrooms on the second. As far as Chanyeol knows, the government actually does evacuate the people on an entire island for this game. It actually seems perverse now that he thinks about it-how a game of people killing one another could be seen as this important when there are other people in the country who worry about whether they are able to have their next meal. It does look like a family lived here. He could probably use this as his temporary shelter until he decides to move out again, and even then he could come back here for the night. Chanyeol must be fucking lucky to have found a home in this island with its cruel nature and even more cruel humans.
Just then, Chanyeol's stomach starts to rumble softly and it is only then does he remember that he hasn't eaten in almost a day. There is bread in his bag, but he doubts that it'll taste good or keep him full enough until the game ends, so he sets towards the kitchen, hoping that he can find some food that the previous family left behind.
The family might have left a long time ago though, Chanyeol can't really tell. All he hopes now is that they have left some food behind, and that the food is edible. More edible than the bread, at least.
The kitchen doesn't look too different compared to the rest of the house, if not a little more well-maintained. There is only one chair for the dining table but there is a bag of rice in a corner, along with some utensils lying around the sink. There are four pairs of chopsticks, drawings from children lying around the floor of the living room, but a chair for only one person...? Chanyeol stuffs the dagger into the back pocket of his pants before he makes for the bag, the soft rumbling of his stomach raising in volume at the prospect of actual food being available now.
As he moves closer, he hears a sharp intake of breath that he didn’t take. Looking down slowly, Chanyeol considers the chances of someone actually hiding beneath that counter. He had been too preoccupied with looking for food to properly look around him, his eyes focused on only the bag of rice when he first looked in. What if….
Chanyeol gives a kick of his leg and it is met with some resistance, along with a soft sound of what he thinks is surprise but sounds more like pain. That definitely didn’t come out of him. He tenses up immediately, even as he groans mentally. He only wanted food, not company. And definitely not another person to fight with. “Fuck it,” he mutters under his breath before he crouches down to meet the person hiding under it.
Fuckfuckfuckfuck, Kyungsoo swears. I told you you couldn’t let your guard down and you refused to listen. Now look where it’s leading you? Straight into your own grave! He is suddenly wide awake now even if his eyes hurt when he blinks. His mind-he himself-is unrelenting in their scolding and he suddenly wishes time could turn back. Kyungsoo shuts his eyes tightly until someone is suddenly speaking in front of him. The counter suddenly doesn’t feel like such a good shelter anymore.
“You seem pretty tired, you haven’t been sleeping well, have you?” There is no mistake in the smirk he sees in Chanyeol’s expression, and Kyungsoo almost cowers. Chanyeol is going to kill him for sure. Even if he was under the kitchen counter and was far away from the wild, he heard the announcements, heard the names of those who died. None of his classmates are people he knows anymore, because they have all turned into bad, bad people. Kyungsoo must be the only one with his hands clean, but if he has to kill Chanyeol, he is going to do it. He is going to be the only person who has found this place anyway. Not much time is left and no other has come. He is safe, he will be safe. But first he has to deal with Chanyeol.
“No, I’m perfectly fine. I’m just… scared of the thunder, is all,” Kyungsoo finishes lamely. He knows that Chanyeol doesn’t fully believe him when he sees the other cock his eyebrow, but Chanyeol doesn’t question it further, only offering a hand to help Kyungsoo out of what was his temporary home. Chanyeol’s hand is slightly wet when he takes it, and he guesses that it must not have been long since Chanyeol had entered this house.
“Since I’m kind of wet, you wouldn’t mind if I dried myself here, would you? I can cook you a meal while I’m at it.” Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. “No poison added, I can assure you.” He gives a nod then, since he needs all the energy he can get if he wants to continue staying awake, and takes a seat in the only chair available. Chanyeol can’t possibly sit while cooking anyway. Patting at his side pocket, Kyungsoo slowly retrieves the small bottle of arsenic. He is going to find a chance to dump the entire bottle into the food.
Chanyeol dumps the rice into the rice cooker before he leans back against the kitchen counter with folded arms. Kyungsoo has a bottle of arsenic. He has a bunch of ropes and Zitao’s dagger now. The easiest way to do this would be to use the dagger, obviously. But how?
The rice cooker dings and startles him, and he quickly turns around to scoop out some of the cooked rice into the bowls he had washed earlier. They don’t smell like anything delicious, but Chanyeol’s stomach is already making noises again.
His legs hurt but there is only one chair available. Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to be getting up from it anytime soon. Chanyeol makes sure to keep his back turned to Kyungsoo’s after he sets the first bowl down on the table. A person would really be stupid if they didn’t take this chance to poison the food when all they have to do is tip the bottle over and pour everything in. Kyungsoo didn’t even bother to hide the bottle, it was as if he had wanted Chanyeol to know.
Then again, his eyes were bloodshot and he could barely open his eyes. This must be what a lack of sleep does to you-it makes you lose your ability to think.
Walking over to grab two sets of cutleries, Chanyeol returns and picks up the first bowl he had set on the table, pushing the second over to Kyungsoo. The bottle is now gone from the table and Chanyeol has to pinch himself on the thigh to keep himself from digging into the food.
It must be poisoned, Chanyeol thinks. There is no way Kyungsoo would pass up this chance.
Balancing a pair of chopsticks on top of the barely filled bowl, Chanyeol holds it with one hand, pulling his dagger out with the other. Right in front of him, even with a bowl of warm, freshly cooked rice in front of him, Kyungsoo is struggling not to fall asleep on his food. His head falls forward before he wakes up just in time to keep himself from face planting into the rice and Chanyeol has to resist the urge to laugh each time it happens.
“Hey Kyungsoo?”
Kyungsoo turns around upon being called, and Chanyeol drives the dagger straight into his forehead. Bull’s eye.
Chanyeol feels a strange sense of satisfaction surge through him when Kyungsoo actually does fall face first into the rice this time, even if it is only the side of his face. He is unable to stop the smirk that makes its way onto his face. Another one down.
Setting the bowl down in the sink, Chanyeol moves to take another. He only has himself to thank for leaving some rice left in the cooker lest Kyungsoo really does poison the first bowl. Now that he thinks about it, even if the rice wasn’t poisoned, Chanyeol wouldn’t have eaten from the bowl anyway. He’d rather not risk it.
Rice has never tasted this good, and he finally remembers something only after he is halfway through the bowl. If he was back at home, he would have gotten scolded already, for not having manners.
“Dig in, Kyungsoo.”
DAY 2, 1:00 P.M.
Yixing is the only one left in the farm house. It is big, but it is also empty. Or at least mostly. Yixing has been tasked to plan out the route for the bomb to take so that the school and its system will ultimately be the ones suffering the most. Jongdae and Luhan are out and about trying to collect some of the materials that Yixing had asked for, and Yixing plays around with the coin in his pocket as he waits, the route already drawn out at the back of the map. The hill isn’t too far from them, and there is a tractor they could use to ferry the bombs there. There was some rain and thunder, but they have thankfully stopped. Hopefully the wet ground won’t hinder their plan later on. For now though, everything seems to be working out fine so far, but Yixing can’t stop himself from taking the coin out, smoothing his thumb over a face.
Heads for success-which means that the remaining few of them get to go home and live on. Tails for failure.
Yixing takes in a deep breath, and flips the coin.
Fertilizer, check. Cotton, check. Kerosene, check. A box of matches, check.
Luhan and Jongdae had dragged back a few bags of fertilizers and a cylinder or two of kerosene but it all seems too little for something big to be created. Giving his friends pats on their back after they finally move everything in, Yixing smiles and gets them to settle down so that he can brief them about what is going to happen. He guesses that they could make a few at least now that he knows what they have, or at least start with trying a small one first, testing the compositions that they should use so that the bomb can be more powerful.
It is at times like this that he thinks of his uncle. His uncle that had taught him all these, his uncle who went into war feeling proud of himself for being able to defend his country. His uncle who went to war and never came back.
Yixing’s parents were absent for most part of his childhood, which meant that he had grown up listening to stories about people running for their lives and soldiers painting themselves to be able to camouflage well enough to hide from their enemies. His uncle had written postcards to him in military training in preparation for the war, but they only got sent years later. If I don’t make it back, make sure to take care of yourself well, his uncle had written in his last postcard, along with his favourite coin that he always used. There wasn’t anything special about that because his uncle had always ended each of his postcards that way, it was as if he was afraid he would leave without a proper goodbye. Yixing will make his uncle proud, he will get out of this here but not alone, he will-
“Hello. Earth to Yixing?” Luhan stares at him with a puzzled look, and Yixing quickly straightens himself.
“Hey, I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
“I was just asking, what if it gets too loud and other people find out? It is a bomb after all.” Yixing sees Jongdae walk up behind Luhan, and he shrugs. “Wouldn’t that be better? It might let the other people know where we are, and we’d be able to get some help. I’m sure they’ll help if they know what we’re trying to do, our classmates are all nice friends. You seem to be very tired after carrying those cylinders too.” Yixing snickers. Luhan’s face immediately twists into an offended expression and Jongdae stands by the side, laughing as he watches Luhan try to wrestle Yixing. For a few moments, Yixing forgets what they have to do and he laughs along while he lets Luhan fight him.
“Ready?” Luhan gives one of those weird smiles of his that usually mean that he is up to no good, and Yixing wastes no time in getting up and standing far enough from the bomb. They had ended the wrestle with Luhan as the winner, but it was only because Yixing was too busy laughing. Two pairs of eyes are fixed on Luhan douses a good amount of kerosene over the rope, though he makes sure not to waste any for they still need it for later. A look to his left finds Jongdae there too, and they both hold their breaths in as Luhan approaches the thin rope they connected to the bomb with a lighted match in hand, flame bright and unwavering.
“One, two, three…” Luhan makes sure the rope is lighted before he runs, Yixing dragging him along as Jongdae drags Yixing. Scrambling along, Yixing shuts his eyes and prepares himself for the loud sound that is to come for sure. The fire was already halfway through the rope the last time he saw, and they don’t have a lot of time.
Just then, not too far behind them, the bomb explodes with a force that throws them off their feet, and for a few moments they are afraid to turn behind to look at the mess they have created. Their ears are ringing and they are panting as they look at each other, but Yixing thinks that he understands the look they all share. We have hope, he reads from their faces.
In retrospect, it wasn’t the best decision to have done it at the main opening of the farmhouse. Turning around, Yixing finds that a small, correction, huge fire has broken out. They are all sweaty and Jongdae had suffered from some floor burn from when they all fell before. “No pain, no gain,” Jongdae had brushed off with a smile.
Now that they all know how powerful such a small sized bomb can be, they are able to create the most explosive bomb with whatever they have now.
The three of them form a line as they hurry to ferry water around, trying to put the fire out as best as they can before it gets too big. As they run, they allow themselves to laugh and smile. The taste of victory is this near.
//
What is victory? Will Baekhyun really one winning if he survives this game? At the expense of his friends?
He continues moving forth towards where he thinks the loud explosion came from, machine gun in hand. Of course, the explosion might have already killed the people there, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to miss a show should there be something else happening.
Immediately crouching down when he thinks he is near enough to get a good look of what is happening, Baekhyun’s eyes shine with interest. He sees someone passing a bucket of what he presumes is water to Luhan, before he runs and passes it to Yixing, who uses it to douse the fire they had created. Interesting. So they are thinking of making a bomb or something now? Thinking back, it makes sense. Yixing was really into guns and weapons, and it was no surprise, really, that he would be the one to come up with this. Luhan isn’t smart enough for that and right where he is, he can’t see who the other person is. He would have waited, or he would have let them kill themselves off because how much is friendship worth when your life is on the line?
Baekhyun’s hand itches right where it is holding onto the machine gun and he gets up and moves closer. Luhan and Yixing do not move until the water is passed to them, and Luhan is in his direct line of sight now, so he takes his aim. Closing an eye to make sure his aim is as accurate as possible, he waits for a cycle to finish, for the last guy to receive the container to fill up the water before he fires.
Right as he does, Luhan suddenly runs towards the unknown guy to take the container over. He should be rejoicing over how Luhan is now on the ground, but he is pretty sure he had heard him correctly.
Jongdae, hurry up!
Jongdae? His boyfriend? Making a bomb?
Baekhyun snorts. He must have heard Luhan wrongly.
Or has he?
Luhan is now holding onto his arm, and Yixing is right beside him. Baekhyun raises his gun again, about to fire a second time, and maybe he could hit Yixing with this one too, but Jongdae suddenly comes running out of the back of the farmhouse. There he is. Brown hair, sharp jawline, pretty eyes. It really is him.
There were never any plans of killing Jongdae as far as he knows, and Baekhyun has never wished for Jongdae to get away this much until this moment. Drops of perspiration are collecting along his hairline but none of them seem to be moving from their current position soon, where they are worrying over Luhan's arm. It must have been the distance, Baekhyun thinks. So he moves closer with his gun, grip so tight his fingers are already starting to cramp.
He hasn't gotten this far for nothing, he killed Yifan, and he isn't planning to stop. Baekhyun can't let his feelings interfere with what he is going to do next. It is him or them, and he knows full well what his answer to that is. Wiping his forehead against a sleeve, Baekhyun squints an eye close and makes his aim again, closing his eyes when he actually pulls the trigger.
Like every time, the gunshots still ring in his ear, but his heart hurts less the more he does it. When Baekhyun looks up to check though, he sees that Yixing is the one who is on the ground now instead of Luhan. Damn it, he curses. He could have aimed better and take Luhan out once and for all. At least Yixing is halfway there now. There is no way he is going to be able to fully heal from this within two days, and he had made sure to take most of the infirmary's supplies before he made his way to the scene. It was more out of selfishness than planning for any injured person to not be able to get medical treatment and die though.
Since his boyfriend is there, Baekhyun stays and waits, waiting for a chance to be able to get together with him again. Even if he isn't able to, he would at least know where his boyfriend is heading.
//
He takes his gun out, pulling it out from where it was previously stuck in place behind his belt. It felt uncomfortable, but they all agreed that Yixing would be the one to keep his weapon with him at all times since it is definitely more useful than a pot lid or a bow and arrow. Taking a few steps backwards, Yixing takes in the sight of Jongdae looking worried, and Luhan trying to flex his arm only to wince in pain. His side is bleeding and it hurts, but he doesn't have time to tend to it. It is now or never. "I have had enough."
From his somehow half dead state on the floor, Luhan looks up. Yixing wants to scoff. It's only a shot at the arm, barely anywhere important, barely anywhere near his vital organs for it to require this much attention. "What are you talking about? We can still do this together! We might be injured, but we can go to the infirmary, there's always Jongdae too-"
"Shut up! Look at this! How much time do you think I have left?" Yixing then gestures at the wound on his side, pressing a hand into his side to try to stop the bleeding for a while. It is a futile attempt because more blood oozes out instead, and his white shirt is tainted with an even darker shade of red. Biting on his lip to stop himself from wincing, Yixing continues, lifting his weapon to point it at his friends.
"Was it you? Or you?" His revolver’s muzzle meets Jongdae's confused face. "It was you wasn't it? You asked someone to ambush on us. That's why you're the only one who didn't get shot. You planned this right from the start, didn't you?" The muzzle is suddenly pressed against Jongdae's forehead and his eyes are wide as ever. Jongdae shakes his head and Yixing hates that look. Is it out of true fear, or is it an act? Why can't he just admit it? Yixing could spare him one or two shots, three at most.
"Not you? Must be you then. Ah, but I forgot. Minseok is dead, because of you, right? If not because you decided to talk to him, he wouldn't have gotten shot for being disrespectful." This time, Luhan actually stares right into Yixing's eyes. Luhan's lips are starting to lose its colour and he's breaking out into cold sweat, but his glare isn't any less scary. Only that Yixing isn't one bit scared. If he was going to die, he might as well bring people down with him.
"Shut your fucking mouth. What the fuck do you know?"
"Like hell I would. I've let you boss me around for so long, and one can only take so much. Do you really think you're the boss here? I am the one with a proper gun here, pot lid and bow and arrow." He hears Jongdae gasp, and that's when he knows there's no turning back. Even the most mild-mannered Jongdae is angered now. Yixing could say sorry and Jongdae might buy it, but he will always remember that Yixing did that, he is sure.
"I never thought so-"
"You did! Just because you're the oldest you treat us like we're below you!" The route planning is the only thing Yixing had been allowed to take charge of after three years of their friendship, and Yixing is sure the reason why Luhan didn’t let him go and carry materials around with Jongdae was because he didn’t trust him. The raise in volume of his voice cannot be helped, but Yixing doesn't even realize he has just shouted until he registers the obvious shock in Luhan and Jongdae's faces. He never shouts. He doesn't shout because he thinks that it wouldn't help in getting points across, but now....
"I never thought so! We are brothers, remember-"
"Shut up!"
"-and brothers look out for each other-" Yixing fires.
Yixing fires and the bullets go right through Luhan's chest. His friend collapses without another sound, but Jongdae actually inhales so sharply it's as if he's the one who got shot instead. Yixing ignores it and pulls his hand away from his side for a moment when he starts to feel dizzy. He will go soon.
"Always so fucking noisy," he mutters under his breath. Clasping his hand back against his side after he wipes the blood on a pant leg, he looks at Jongdae, who looks pleasantly appalled. Jongdae starts to take a few steps back, but no, he must not reach Luhan's bag. A set of bow and arrows can't fight a revolver, but him having a weapon means half the battle is won because Yixing doesn't have much time left.
"Wait, Jongdae. I can explain!" Jongdae is shaking his head again as Yixing advances towards him, and he has that look again.
"Before I joined you two, I flipped a coin. I flipped a coin, Jongdae. Heads, I’d join. Tails, I wouldn’t. It was tails, Jongdae. Believe me. That was an accident!” Yixing’s hand is moving out of its own accord, he swears. This must not be him wanting to bring someone down along with him, this is just his hand growing a mind of its own. Before he knows it, he’s firing at Jongdae’s back view, and he chases after Jongdae despite every part of his body telling him no. He shouldn’t waste his remaining energy like that.
He is pretty sure Jongdae has suffered some, because the figure that was previously getting smaller and smaller is suddenly getting closer. When he gets close enough, Jongdae is already kneeling on the ground, body bent over while he supports himself with an arm. Yixing smirks.
Lifting his arm, Yixing prepares himself for the last shot. Given how he was blindly shooting around earlier, he’s guessing that he doesn’t have much bullets left. This is it.
Wait, why is he the one falling onto the ground instead?
Baekhyun immediately rushes up to Jongdae after turning Yixing’s body and making sure that he is dead. Pulling his bag over from behind him, Baekhyun frantically digs out the bandages and alcohol he had kept in his bag. Throwing them all onto the floor, Baekhyun looks at all of them, then at Jongdae. First, he needs cotton swabs and alcohol to disinfect the wound. He has learnt this before, he can do this. But the image of the bandages suddenly become blurry and his hands are trembling, he thinks someone is calling out for him but the only one around to do that is Jongdae-
“Baekhyun… Baekhyun.” He turns around and slowly brings Jongdae’s head to lie on his lap. Blood is smeared onto his clothes and Jongdae’s eyes are already threatening to close on him. “Where were you shot? I have plasters here, gauzes, almost everything from the infirmary-“
“Pinch me, Baekhyun. Pinch me.” Jongdae’s usually loud voice sounds so weak now, Baekhyun almost misses what he says. His heart wrenches, and he has to bite on his lip to keep his tears from springing up and ruin his last moments with someone he loves.
Jongdae winces when Baekhyun actually does, but it is soon followed by a chuckle.
“It hurts. You must be real then.” Only then does Baekhyun feel Jongdae fully relax, assured that at least if he dies, he would be dying in the arms of someone he loves.
His hand immediately follows Jongdae’s when he sees him lift his, but he feels coldness touch his cheek instead of his hand. Blood replaces where tears previously were but Baekhyun quickly holds Jongdae’s hand instead of letting him continue. He doesn’t want him wasting his energy anywhere else.
Having the usually bright and loud Jongdae be this quiet is definitely something new for Baekhyun, and it hurts to know that he’s only like this because his light is burning out. It was stupid to think that bandages could help because if he really looked, the only reason why Jongdae is still able to look at Baekhyun now is because of his will. He’s sure more than three shots had hit him, he should have known.
“Remember what we agreed on? Our dream…? I don’t think I can do that now…” A few coughs and blood comes out. “Go on and sing for everybody… make me proud.”
Baekhyun nods, pushing stray strands of Jongdae’s fringe away from his shining eyes before his warm hand touches Jongdae’s cold skin. “I will.”
He chokes on the last word and brings Jongdae’s face closer to his chest briefly to bury it there so that Jongdae doesn’t have to see him crying. Jongdae doesn’t even say anything, probably too tired to. When Baekhyun pulls apart, Jongdae is looking at him. He only gifts Baekhyun with his feline-like smile for one last time before his eyes close. He looks so peaceful, and Baekhyun would have thought that he had simply fallen asleep had his hand not lose their grip on Baekhyun’s fingers, now as lifeless as any part of him.
"What do I do now..." Baekhyun squeezes Jongdae, finding his hand to hold for one last time. He knows he would have to let go of it eventually. Jongdae used to be so, so warm, but now his fingers are starting to turn cold. Resting his forehead against Jongdae's, Baekhyun freely allows his tears to fall this time. Jongdae wouldn't be here to call him ugly or to tell him to stop this time, because he isn't even here already. Just then.
"Die."
//
(“Yixing ah, what are you going to do after we get out of here?”
“Me? I don’t really know. Go home and continue living. Go to university and get a job. Get a girlfriend or something.”
“Ah right, you have someone you like, right?”
“…You can say so.”
“What about you, Jongdae?”
“I’ll probably resume practice like this hasn’t happened. There is no use getting hung up over the past anyway. Hopefully Baekhyun will be by my side. How about you, Luhan?”
“I want to do my parents proud, so after I get out of here, I’ll take up Business in college and graduate with a degree. Then… I’ll look for someone. Life is going to be good.”)
DAY 2, 4:00 P.M.
Chanyeol drags a human burrito along behind him-only that it is wrapped up in ropes-and stops when he thinks he has walked far enough. Thank goodness he actually listened during his self-defence classes, or else he would not have been able to knock Baekhyun out at all.
Chanyeol is still not very interested in killing people, but the game is ending and only three of them are left. He is sure Sehun would come searching for the other two, because he wants to go home. Everyone does. Going home is now the new synonym for killing all your friends, it seems.
There was no real technique used in tying Baekhyun up. Chanyeol just made sure to bound his hands and feet and most importantly, his neck, and leave the ends long enough for his plan. Looks like ropes can be pretty useful, after all.
When he stops he starts to survey the area around him. Picking up an end of the rope, Chanyeol makes sure he sets it high enough for people to trip over it, but not fall too badly before he secures one end around a tree bark. He sets Baekhyun down beside another tree and lets the boy rest against it, his eyes still closed. Chanyeol reaches down to check for his breathing just in case he killed his target by accident, seeing as how the boy has still not woken up.
Throwing another end of the rope over the thickest and sturdiest branch on this tree, Chanyeol makes sure the ropes are tight enough so that Baekhyun would not fall this easily. He makes a few changes, making sure to be quick lest Baekhyun suddenly rouses. After going through the plan in his head one last time, he pulls out a small towel from his bag-that they presumably packed for them to wash up-and stuffs it into Baekhyun's mouth.
It is a pretty innovative idea, if he might say so himself. Retrieving that small packet of bread that is in the bag, Chanyeol sits himself far enough to not be seen, but close enough to still see what will happen while he eats what will probably be his last meal on this island. Now all he has to do is sit back, and enjoy the show.
//
There isn't any need for panicking, but there is a time limit, and that alone calls for panicking.
Sehun has already checked all the locations marked out on the map, the farmhouse, tourists' association and the others. What he has left is the lighthouse.
(The farmhouse was still burning when I visited and don't tell anyone this, but I secretly poured more kerosene over Luhan's body and watched the flames roar and engulf what used to be my rival in the track team.)
The sea had always been shown on the map, but Sehun never thought to walk along the perimeter because he never thought anyone would spend much of their time there. The only time he came was after he had killed Jongin. Looking at the big patch of blue, he is reminded of how he had to continuously convince himself that what he was doing was okay.
He needs none of that now.
As he walks on further, he is convinced that there must be at least one person there. Or the other two could be moving around, searching for him like how he is searching for them too. That would make things difficult. When he crossed out the last four names, he felt more dread than relief. Aside from his name, there are only two other names that aren’t crossed out now.
Looking forth, there seems to be no other human in sight, but Sehun continues walking forward anyway. If there isn't anyone here he might as well take a rest and enjoy the breeze.
What he doesn't expect, is for him to trip over something hard that is definitely not his feet. Sehun lands ungracefully almost face first, and he groans at how he has just made himself dirtier than he already is. He is pretty sure he heard leaves rustle and sudden movement after he fell though. Now there is the sound of someone struggling too.
Looking to his right, Sehun finds Baekhyun suspended in the air, face quickly turning red. Sehun's breath stops when he takes in how the rope clings to Baekhyun’s neck, effectively cutting off his air supply, it's almost like he is the one getting strangled. Without much thinking, Sehun immediately gets up without bothering to brush dirt off of his pants and shirt, hands reaching out instead like he is going to untie the ropes and let Baekhyun down. Between painful sounds, Sehun looks into Baekhyun's eyes and takes in his silent plea for help. Then, he stops in his actions and thinks.
He has a sickle, it will be easy for him to just end Baekhyun's suffering by cutting the ropes and letting him fall. But that would also mean that he has another person to fight. Baekhyun could have been like him, searching for people to kill, and Sehun isn't willing to let himself become his next prey. He can save Baekhyun and be able to sleep better at night, hoping that this one life he helped snatch back from Death's grasp would help to make up for the other two he had so heartlessly robbed. But should he?
Retracting his hands like he had been burned (by the thought of saving someone's life?), Sehun stands there and simply looks at Baekhyun, the one guy everyone in class had a soft spot for, sometimes even teachers. It was no secret how Baekhyun sometimes managed to whine his way out of doing cleaning duty in the classroom, or how he could talk his way out of having to take part in gym lessons because he was sick, or so he said. Sehun wouldn't deny that he thinks that Baekhyun is cute too, everyone does. His fists clench, he is torn.
If I let him live, will he end up killing me instead?
Baekhyun continues to struggle against the ropes, body wiggling about as he tries to free himself, or make the branch crack and fall, presumably. What Baekhyun doesn't know is that the person behind this was smart enough to choose the thickest branch of the entire tree, which means that the chances of him being able to make it snap is greatly lessened.
What Sehun doesn't know is that Baekhyun will kill him if he had let him survive, but not before killing Chanyeol, that goddamn bastard who had tied him up and left him like this. They all have their own reasons to kill, their own reasons to want to survive, what makes them so different from the other, since all their hands are already dirty?
Sehun snaps back to the present and out of his mind, and Baekhyun seems to have lost most of his energy already. Then, he remembers what they had told them on the first day. Kill or die.
His hands won't get dirty if he lets Baekhyun die here. They don't even have to move or touch anything at all. There will not be any red splattering onto his shirt, or any red drying under his fingernails but there will be pained sounds and incoherent cries for help.
Sehun only has two choices, so he simply stands there and watches Baekhyun's face twist into one of desperation as the seconds crawl pass, as his strength slips away from his fingers. Sehun watches as he feels his own body itch to move and help Baekhyun out, whether it be to kill him off or free him-either way, Sehun realizes, he'd be helping him.Sehun watches as Baekhyun eventually stops struggling, the eyes that were begging for help just seconds ago fall shut, and the body that was twisting around in a fight for survival slows to become stationary.
That's when Sehun knew.
10 down, 2 left.
That was his choice.
He would have stayed there for a while longer to mull over what his choice meant, what the consequences would bring him because he is one to do that, even if he knows nothing can be done already. Sehun wonders if he is cruel. But his insticts had told him to save Baekhyun, and that was what he almost did. Maybe he is selfish.
But someone suddenly appears from behind a few tall trees and claps, an impressed look on his face. Surprised, Sehun remains impossibly still, unsure of what he should do next. He considers running, but there is no use. Only the two of them are left now. He could run, but eventually he'd still have to face him.
"Now it's your turn."
Sehun runs. Sehun runs for all he's worth. Sehun runs.
Behind him, Chanyeol is trying to keep up with a deadly machine gun in hand. Sehun clutches onto his left shoulder, where he had gotten shot before. The sound of blood rushing into his ears and his own loud breathing overpower everything else, and this time not even tripping can stop him. He is this close.
Stopping so quickly he almost falls over the edge, Sehun looks down and checks. He can fall right now, and everything would be over. Or he can make Chanyeol fall, and everything would be over too. Only that he will be the one who gets to see his parents again. He doesn't have much time left.
"We meet again, Oh Sehun." He hates the way his name rolls off Chanyeol's tongue, hates the way it sounds so foreign when they were joking around just a day or two ago.
"Look, maybe we can sit down somewhere and talk this out." Sehun isn't even sure of himself right now. What the hell is he even talking about?
"Talk about what? You watched Baekhyun die, what makes you think that I'll trust you?"
Ah, so Chanyeol knows. Chanyeol probably doesn't know that Sehun had killed his own best friend though, and that if he can kill his childhood best friend, he is fully capable of killing someone he has known for three years only.
Take a deep breath. Walk up to him.
The press of the gun muzzle against his forehead is cold and unforgiving and almost ominous, telling of how he would be if he lets himself give up now. Cold, and most importantly, dead.
"You don't have to." Sehun then lifts his sickle with his good arm to rest its sharp blade against Chanyeol's neck, eyes meeting Chanyeol's in a silent challenge.
Chanyeol doesn't shoot, Sehun doesn't try to add pressure onto the sickle. Behind them, the sun seems to be dissolving into the sea, and Sehun's face becomes darker with the shadows cast upon it.
One, two, three. They both throw their weapons aside and instantly wrap each other's hands around the other's neck, unrelenting in the way they both press down without thinking. Sehun presses down on the bruises that are already there, telling of the previous experience he had with someone who tried to strangle him as well. Chanyeol presses down on unmarred skin with the intent to bruise it and make it look like his, drag someone down with him so that he won't be alone.
When he sees that the plan doesn't seem to be working, Sehun immediately switches tactic and changes to sending his fists flying forth to collide with the skin of Chanyeol's cheeks instead. That throws Chanyeol off and it is enough to buy Sehun a few seconds. He quickly pushes the hands that were once around his neck away and gives a kick hard enough to send Chanyeol falling onto the ground.
The bullet digs into his flesh with every movement he makes with his left arm, but it doesn't matter, not when he has the upperhand now. Sehun takes advantage of the fact that Chanyeol needs a few seconds to regain his bearings, but Chanyeol wastes no time in curling a fist in Sehun's hair, tugging hard enough for strands to come off. The pain is immense and they are both hurt everywhere, but they both know that none of this will matter when they finally get a taste of victory.
Punches and kicks are sent everywhere but one should not mistake it for simply rough housing for every punch and kick is thrown with the intent of wanting to push the other a step closer towards death.
They wrestle and they fight. They tumble, and Sehun is suddenly on top again. Chanyeol's arm slips and the sudden sound of rocks falling alerts them of their dangerous position. Chanyeol could roll Sehun over once or twice and that would be the end. Sehun shifts and rearranges himself. The skin on his knuckles are torn and bruised from all the punches he had thrown, and his bottom lip is busted from where Chanyeol had tried to meet those puches with one of his own. Chanyeol doesn't look very good himself, what with the new bruises layered on top of old ones.
Sehun, however, realizes that there are no hands on him anymore.
Just then.
"Say goodbye, you sick fuck." Chanyeol pulls out a dagger from his back pocket, the lift of his hips to retrieve it the only signal that he is taking something, and before he knows it, paroxysms of pain jolt right through his right shoulder. Sehun barely manages to hold himself up but when the dagger is pulled out forcefully, he reaches for it with his left hand and grabs onto Chanyeol's wrist. Sehun's face twists as he uses both hands to keep the dagger away from him. It is of no use, Chanyeol is much stronger than him now because both his shoulders are wounded. The smell of fresh blood reaches his nose and the image of the sharp edge of the dagger is slowly getting bigger.
"Now it's your turn. Say goodbye, my friend," Sehun forces out amidst frantic breaths and struggling. Chanyeol's fight loses by just a bit, and it is as if he is surprised by how Sehun is calling him his friend. Either that, or that he already knows what Sehun is going to do next.
Making good use of his borrowed time as Chanyeol is distracted, Sehun hooks his legs underneath Chanyeol's strong thighs and flips them over once more. Then, using all his remaining strength, he aims a kick right into Chanyeol's stomach, effectively pushing him off Sehun. Right when Chanyeol is trying to lunge at him again, Sehun gives him one last hard push before his arms go limp.
The sound of Chanyeol's body crashing straight into the rocks is louder than the sound of the waves hitting the shore, or maybe it is just Sehun. He looks down despite himself, and a soft sigh of relief finally leaves him when he sees red seep into the endings of the waves and further into the sea.
(Chanyeol would have liked to die of old age. He believed that that was the only way one would be able to experience life fully, since there would be nothing to cut your life short. When Chanyeol died, if he still had any family members, he would want them to burn his body into ashes before scattering them into the sea.
That's the only way he'll be truly free.)
Lying on his back on the ground, Sehun closes his eyes, feeling all his energy fade away. Alarms are sounding around him and his ears hurt. So does his arm, his lip, his legs. His chest heaves with every intake of air and the world seems to be spinning even when he isn't moving. He is tired.
"Survivor Oh Sehun, stay right where you are. We will be coming for you soon."
//
(They all have their own reasons to kill, their own reasons to want to survive, what makes them so different from the other, since all their hands are already dirty?
Sehun's difference is that he no longer knows where his heart is anymore. It could have died along with every one of those classmates of his, or it could have been swept away along with Chanyeol's blood in the sea, the only thing he is sure of is that not all of it belongs to him anymore.)
//
Lights are flashing in his face but he still manages to find his parents' faces. They are looking at him with obvious pride, and Sehun manages a half-smile in return, not knowing what to do with all the attention focused on him at the moment.
If it was graduation or anything, he will be happier. After he receives his degree, he will have friends to go to. They will cheer for him-cheer with him-and celebrate their graduation.
But it isn't, and after this, he only has his home to return to. All his friends are dead, and he is here only because it is the damned government's order. When he scans the room though, everyone present has a smile on their face. Sehun feels a wave of nausea hit him and he tries his best to keep the smile on his face while lights continue flashing and the stressful sounds of camera shutters continue flickering.
His hair is carefully styled up and he is donned in a perfectly crease-free suit because he has to look presentable. Apparently that's the least one should look after almost losing all the strength in both of his arms and killing all of his friends. Just because he is able to fully ignore the tug at his heart-sometimes it isn't even there anymore, Sehun wonders if his conscience is truly lost as well-doesn't mean that he is interested in boasting his sins around.
In fact, he had wanted to skip this press conference for the longest time. The veterans who lived for the longest time always passed down stories about how the press conference after them was the worst, and Sehun never believed them until now. They are going to make him retell everything, from the moment he brought that sickle down on Jongin’s neck to the moment he pushed Chanyeol off that edge. There is no escaping this either, so Sehun takes in a deep breath to calm himself down before he speaks into the mic.
“I have killed all my friends. I am the only survivor. I am student no. 9, Oh Sehun.”