9 Layers Down (Twice)

Chapter 7 - Locked in Euphoria

"Time's up. Lift your hands please." He stated as if they were in a math quiz bee.
Dahyun did as he instructed.

The lights stopped dancing. And that's when Dahyun's answer was revealed.

2x+10-7=3x-6
2x+3=3x-6
2x+3-3x=3x-6-3x
-x+3=-6
-x+3-3=-6-3
-x = -9
___ ___
-1 -1
x=9

Her writing was a bit sloppy but her final answer was clear.
Their jaws dropped in awe.
It certainly amazed everyone that's watching.

"How the hell did she do that?" Nayeon commented, her eyes pinned on the screen.

Sana took a deep breath and looked really proud of her.
"If I were in there, I'd probably just agreed with the 45 whips."

Mr. Choi burst out laughing in reverence.
"See?! Damn, you really are a genius, Kim Dahyun!" He clapped slowly and shook his head as if he just watched the most amazing act he have ever seen.
"You've always been amazing." He slowly walked towards her and stood in front of her, getting to her eye-level.
He delicately caressed the side of her face in which she tried to push away but he quickly grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling it so she held still.
"But you have sinned, Dahyun. Envy, wrath, using narcotics to intoxicate oneself and escape reality."

The dangerous atmosphere on the screens was enough to wrap the girls in quivers and agitation.

He dragged her to the other side of the room with what looks like a monkey bar with chains and metal shackles up and down installed directly on the floor. He restrained her hands with the shackles, connected with chains on the bar. He did the same to her feet.

Now she's positioned with arms wide open and her feet cuffed as well.
He sported the whip and began to hit the floor, demo training how powerful he can be.
It made the girls flinch and whimper.
"I can't watch this." Sana cried. Chaeyoung who's sat next to her in the lower bunk bed, moved closer and stroked her back. The weeping girl hid her face on the crook of Chaeyoung's neck.

While Dahyun just glared at him.
He started to hit her back. The girls cringed as Dahyun groan in pain.

"Envy is one of the deadly sins." He stated.

Whip.

Her excruciating cry filled the room as her white shirt turned to red while blood stream down from the open wounds that the whip created.

"A thirsty desire to possess someone else's possession."

Whip.

Blood started to drip down her back. The red, hot fluid was darker as it glide slitherly down her porcelain skin.

"Jealousy."

Whip.

"You have violated the law of your land and the moral code, Dahyun. Embrace your fate. Tell me you'd stay in this hell with the rest of us."

She didn't care to reply.

"Answer me!"

"No!" She firmly responded, still standing on her ground despite the hurting and suffering she's being senselessly subjected to.

Whip.

Moans. Tears of agony. Blood and physical damage.
The girls couldn't even grasp where to find a way to make this stop. They couldn't even begin to embody what kind of pain and anguish that Dahyun is going through.
But the girl in chains still managed to lift her face and give the villain a mandate.