In Other Words ✔

To The Moon

word count: 872

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Ali walked in a brisk pace. His head swivelling wildly around, muttering numbers under his breath as he counted categories of players he encountered. Sangwoo told him it was the only way. It could help them survive.

Sangwoo had offered help to him multiple times. And Ali trusted him, believed in him. We're going to survive. He's smart, he knows what he's doing.

Tears stung Ali's eyes as he continued at his task desperately. I'm going to see you again, my love. He thought of his wife and their child with deep longing. I'm coming home.

A gunshot sounded somewhere from his left and he faltered in his steps. He tried to ignore the masked men in red coats as he continued on his way.

He heard a triumphant yell and a wail of despair as he glance to a fake alleyway. A man was holding a bunch of marble in his hands as he laughed and pointed at his playmate. "Ha! I won! I won you godamn bitch!"

His playmate didn't seem to notice his hysterical ravings. She was on her knees, her palm rubbed viciously together as she cried and pleaded to the masked man. The masked man only raised the gun to her forehead.

Ali looked away, flinching at the sound of the gunshot that followed. He felt a slick wetness hit the side of his arms. He glanced down to find the woman's blood splattered on him. He grimaced, chest tightening as he walked on.

"Yah! Paliwa noh saekya! (Hurry up you bastard!) Time is nearly up!" Someone shouted from the other side of the wall

Ali unconsciously glanced at the big timer on the wall. A minute left.

This spurred Ali into action, he immediately ran towards where he played with Sangwoo earlier.

He was greeted only by a masked man and Sangwoo was nowhere to be found, only his clothing on the floor.

"Hyung?" Ali asked, looking around trying to spot where the man was.

He glanced at the time and was now on a verge of hysterical panicking. Where was he? We don't have enough time!

"Sangwoo-hyung!" He called out.

Fuck it. He thought as he was met with eerie silence then he immediately unhooked the small pouch from his neck. He fisted the pouch and immediately halted in his actions when he felt the wrong shapes instead of the roundness of each marbles.

Ali's eyes widened. No. With trembling hands, he poured the contents out of the pouch.

No. No. No. No. No.

Sangwoo...

Fly me...

He glanced up as a tear slid down at the side of his face. The masked man was already raising his gun to his forehead.

Ali closed his eyes as tears continued to stream down.

To the moon

With pain.
With betrayal.
With resignation.

He opened his eyes again and looked at the sky. I'll never see the moon in my homeland again.

And let me play

He heard the cock of a gun. Then there was a shot.

The impact and the blinding pain were brief. Immediately, he fell.

among the stars...

He was still breathing but his eyes were closed. His ragged breath sounded loud in his ears as someone suddenly grabbed his hands and feet. He felt immensely uncomfortable and the part where he got shot was stinging with pain.

Somehow, miraculously, the masked man didn't shot at his vital points. He was still alive.

He was being lowered and he remembered all those times when the masked men brought in the caskets which were designed as gift boxes to collect the dead.

I'm not dead.

Let me see what spring is like

He opened his eyes and was met with darkness. Ali knew he was still inside the casket. He felt sick as the box swayed. He could imagine the masked men carrying him to- what? He didn't know where these lunatics dump their victims. Do they bury us? Dump our bodies on the sewer? The sea?

Then he felt sick at the thought of being buried, still alive and breathing.

He maneuvered his arms painfully then thumped against the underside of the casket cover. It wouldn't budge.

"Jebal. Anyone. I'm alive! Let me out!" He tried to scream but his voice was hoarse.

On Jupiter and Mars...

No one paid attention to him and the casket only swayed continuously, being lead to one room and another. He continued thumping, his remaining strength was quickly dwindling. He felt his eyes drooping with exhaustion, his consciousness slipping away.

"Please..."

Then he went slack as he succumbed to his drowsiness.

He didn't hear as someone whispered at the rim of his casket, "Hang in there. We've got you."

In other words...

"Ireona."

Ali's eyelids immediately flew open as the word jolted him from his slumber. His vision was a little blurry as he looked around. There were people milling around his bed. He sat up in surprise, groaning and wincing as he felt pain.

"Nice of you to join us back, foreigner."

Ali could only stare with shock at the man in front of him.

The man's smirk turned into a gentle smile.

"You're safe now."

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