Run.

28

It all came back in small fragments.

You're first aware of pressure on your chest.

...what's going on...

Gradually, sound returns.

...where am I....

First, ringing. The sound of rushing water. Jungkook's voice, pleading with someone to wake up.

...who...

"Y/n! Come on, wake up! Please wake up!"

...me...?

Dark, crushing water. Monsters closing in. The cliff. Snowy forest. Boss Kang.

Jungkook.

Your eyes fly open, propelled by the memories now rushing back to you.

"Jungkook" you croak, voice barely a whisper.

"Y/n!" Relief floods his voice. You can feel his hands cupping your face gently.

As your surroundings come back into focus, your eyes finally find Jungkook's face. He runs a hand across his tear-stained cheeks. His face is drained of color, the cold wind rustling his dark hair. His doe eyes are red and puffy. Despite this, your favorite bunny smile lights up his features. You reach a shaky hand up, brushing away a stray tear. He covers your hand with his, closing his eyes as he intertwines his fingers with yours.

Somehow, by some miracle, you're both here, alive.

"You're alive...I thought I lost you..how did you get away?" You whisper, eyes never leaving his.

"It's a crazy story, and I'll tell you it sometime, but for now we have to move. We're too exposed. Can you stand?" He says, opening his eyes and quickly composing himself, glancing around quickly. You follow his gaze, finally taking stock of your surroundings. He was right - the oppressive darkness makes it difficult to see clearly, but from what you can tell, you're far too exposed. Lying on the bank of the river, you can just make out the other side. You look to your right and left. The embankment is too wide, with nothing nearby to shelter under or behind. Beyond that lies a seemingly endless amount of forest, blanketed in white, shimmery snow.

You need to find shelter, now.

The sand beneath you shifts as you hoist yourself up, leaning heavily on Jungkook as you use all of your strength. He drapes your arm across his shoulders and wraps his own arm around your waist. You can feel his body tremble, no doubt a mixture of the freezing temperature and pure adrenaline. For now, you feel numb, as though you're still wrapped in death's clutches. You hobble and stumble slightly as you make your way towards the tree line.

The snow falls relentlessly, painting the ground and trees shades of white, in stark contrast to the pressing black night. It piles higher and higher, till it's up past your ankles. You trudge onwards, crossing the tree line and delving into the forest. You're not sure which way you're headed, or even where you are. All you know is that you need to get out of the open as fast as possible. Slowly, your body comes back to life, the blood pumping and flowing through you. As death slips away and the numbness fades, the cold sets in. Your teeth chatter, body shaking uncontrollably as the wind continues to whip harshly across your exposed skin. Jungkook squeezes you tighter.

"Wh-where a-are we?"  You ask, hoping that somehow Jungkook has a better grasp of how long you were in the river for and where it may have carried you.

"It's hard to say. The current was strong, so there's no telling just how far we were pulled. All I know for sure is that the river was running east. So we should be heading in the right direction now." He sighs, glancing up, as though he was asking the stars for directions. But the darkness makes it even harder to tell exactly where you are.