Sweet Soul (Sweet Home Fanfiction/Lee Eunhyuk)

Fighter.

The hallways were quiet, dense cobwebs forming in the rotting corners of the roof. Areum had already made it up 6 storeys but the higher she got, the further she got from help if something happened and paranoia was creeping in. Areum banged her head against the wall she was sitting against. 

She gripped the knife with white knuckles, the deep cut on her hand setting her whole arm on fire. Areum closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she focused on the noises around her but everything seemed quiet. 

Areum built up enough courage to quickly peek into the hallway. 

Nothing. 

All she saw was the sun rays bouncing off the tiles, small specs of dust floating peacefully in the air. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, but she swore she saw someone in that hallway. 

"Come on!" Areum banged her head against the wall again, trying to get her legs to move. "I need to get home." She cried, beating her thighs. 

Areum sucked in a sharp breath before quickly crawling across the hallway, filled with apprehension that something had seen her, Areum curled up into a ball, burying her head between her knees and slapping her hands over her ears. 

She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for something to drag her down the hallway to her death, but nothing happened and Areum slowly peeled her eyes open.

The flushed girl let out a nervous laugh as she picked up her knife. "Totally knew there was nothing there." She laughed as she walked onwards to the staircase. 

Areum confidently marched her way up the stairs until a plump rat dashed its way across her path. Areum gasped, promptly stumbling backwards. 

In the split second that Areum was filled with fear she forgot she was standing at the top of a staircase, Areum fell back further than she expected, and the second her ankle landed on the stair it gave way, snapping violently to the side. Her bodyweight followed her momentum, sending her tumbling down the stairs. 

The final impact on the cold tiles at the bottom of the stairs knocked the air out of her lungs and she whimpered like a small pup as the ache from her ankle and throbs of discomfort from her shoulder clashed in her small body.

Areum's chest heaved for air as she jerked in pain. The pain was so immense that she began to feel nauseous, she cried out as her fingers kneaded against the tile. 

She took a while to get her breath back and by that time the sun had set, leaving only the moonlight shining through the dirty windows to illuminate the hallways. She lifted herself up with her good arm, causing the cut in her palm to push against the dirty, cold tile. 

Her back hit the wall with a thud causing her to grimace in distress. She ran her fingers over her shoulder and immediately felt the hard bump on it. Her arm was bent over her lap as she looked up the staircase. Should she go on? It would be quicker to go back down. 

Areum shook her head softly, in this state she would only be more of a burden. At home, it would be easier to cover up her injuries if she hid away in her room. 

Areum's lips were cracked and her throat was dry as she used her good leg to slide herself up the wall, using her good arm to keep the other arm in the bent position. Once she was standing straight she put weight on her twisted ankle, even with the little pressure she applied she still whimpered in pain. 

It was bad. 

Little by little, she lowered her arm, the pain causing tears to flood down her cheeks, her painful sobs carrying down the hallways. She finally stopped biting her lip when her arm laid numbly by her side.