granny

19// the great escape

when jisung heard the screams from the other side of the door it was clear that he couldn't wait anymore. a bright orange light was coming from under the door and he gulped but tied his rope to the bed. he looked outside and felt his stomach turn but still decided to jump.

jisung thought about the end. not necessarily death but just the end that this jump could lead to, until the words that he used to hear a lot from minho came up in his head. fortune favours the brave.

he used to say that whenever he was trying to make him take a chance, be it while teaching him how to skateboard or when he was trying to make friends with his classmates. then he thought about minho. if he was going to die in the house, then jisung would die falling out of the window gladly. and he jumped.

the rope was sturdy at first but then randomly tore apart and sent him down in a free fall towards the green lawn between the house and the barn.

the landing was rough and he felt an excruciating pain over his left side, which was the one he ended up landing on. everything was spinning but he could clearly see the multi-coloured flames that came out of the old house and the smoke was invading his lungs.

suddenly, two arms wrapped around his waist and a familiar voice whispered, "jisung.. jisung, get up," and minho's angelic face was pending over him. the younger thought that this might be his last wish coming true and didn't try to answer.

"come on, help me get you out of here," minho urged and started coughing from the smoke.

jisung promptly lifted himself to sit up with the older's support and he moaned in pain but tried to get to his feet. minho supported him with an arm around his waist and they hobbled over to the side of the street, since the wind was carrying the smoke in the other direction.

"where were you?," jisung asked between coughs and sat down on the pavement in exhaustion.

"i went to jungwoo's to seek help," minho explained and brushed jisung's hair with his hand. two people noticed them from the other side of the street and started walking over to them, "did you get hurt?," he worriedly asked, noticing that the shorter was holding his arm.

"did you find him?," a young man loudly demanded as he approached minho.

"yes, here," the older pointed to jisung and plopped down next to him. sirens were heard coming closer.

"how are you, son? this doesn't seem well," an elderly woman, probably one of jungwoo's family, looked to jisung's arm that had a bump on it and was getting red.

"it hurts," the boy admitted and mewled, resting his head on minho's shoulder. the older caressed his cheek gently but looked terrified. a fire truck pulled up in front of the house and jungwoo and his grandma went to talk to the firemen.

"it's alright, it's over now," minho whispered comfortingly as jisung was groaning and his tears were streaming out of his eyes.

a couple of minutes later, the boys were approached by two police officers who asked to take them in for questioning but sent them to the paramedics first thing.

"follow the light," the doctor told minho when granny emerged from the house, dishevelled and coughing, barely staying on her feet. jisung saw her and shivered, then took the girl who was getting his samples by the hand.

"what the hell?," she asked, ready to slap him but then noticed the old woman, "hey, don't worry. you'll tell us what happened later, okay?"

jisung put his hand over his mouth but nodded. soon enough, they were taken to the hospital with a police escort.

*

the hours until the morning were long and jisung got his arm in a cast, then got questioned and voluntarily gave a sample of his fingerprints, same as minho, and they were finally left at a room at the hospital, right next to the one granny was in.

"what do you think happened to grandpa?," minho whispered, not realising that jisung was already asleep.

"he died," the younger sleepily replied and felt the tears well up in his eyes, "i heard him scream as he burned."

"i'm sorry, forget that," the taller's hand glided over jisung's chest and healthy arm, "the important thing is that we're safe. we'll be fine."

jisung's tears started streaming down and he nuzzled his face into the other's shoulder.

a knock on the door was heard suddenly and the two slowly addressed the person at the door with their eyes.

"hello. sorry to interrupt but we would like to ask if everything's alright around here?," the same doctor who attended minho the day before, came in.

"we're okay, i think," jisung smiled painfully, "my arm hurts a little but it's fine."

"i'm sorry, we didn't give you a painkiller because of the interrogation but as i'm hearing you're expected to get released soon so i can give you a medicine now," the man smiled back and got something from a cart in the room, "here. that should make it better."

jisung thanked him and took the pill, "did you say we'll get out of here soon?"

"i think so," the doctor nodded, "i told them about your concussion and the wood pieces. apparently, your grandmother also mentioned that. she blamed her husband for it."

minho's brows furrowed and he opened his mouth to say something but the visitor lifted his arms, "i said too much already. call someone if you need anything."

and thus, they were left alone again. jisung's painkiller was effective and in a couple of minutes, he was already sleeping soundly on minho's chest and the day progressed uneventfully, but filled with tension and nerve-racking suspense.