Reckless Hate To Love Me ⚊ Enhypen Jay

THE FIRST BITE

Darkness. It's all that consumes you for a long while. You're not sure how long, but it certainly feels like an eternity.

Then light flutters at the edge of your senses. There's a noise too. Something familiar. A sound that makes your skin crawl.

"Detective?", the voice asks. "Come on. You have to be alive"

Your eyes peel open slowly, and you instantly squeeze them shut again as the dim light pierces into your head, "Ow…."

"Oh!", the voice exclaims. "You're alive! You're really alive! Ha ha!", a hand shoves back the matted hair from your sweat-lined face, the gesture almost as heavy as a slap.

The excitement in the voice sends a ripple of pounding acheyness through your head and body. There's a definite taste of metallic blood lining your tongue.

Finally, you force your eyes open again and get a sickening sense of déjà vu. The same dilapidated room greets you; peeling walls, wood-blocked windows, mouldy furniture…and Dr. Kim.

The machines and needles are gone, at least.

"It worked!", he cries, mouth contorted into the biggest grin I've ever seen, "Can you believe it?"

With no energy to respond, you're thankful when a sudden clatter echoes from outside the room and interrupts his very loud celebration.

Dr. Kim spins on his heel, glaring at the door, before returning his gaze to you, "Excuse me, Detective, I shall be but a minute. I want to make sure we are enjoying this moment alone. Don't, uh, go anywhere"

And with a chuckle at his own joke, he heads out of the room, snapping the door shut behind him.

Silence settles over the room, the lack of sound soothing to your pain-racked body.

You were alone.

Your gaze flops to the door, not hearing footsteps.

You probably won't get another chance like this if you want to escape. But even the idea makes you retch at the thought of moving; your energy is currently running near empty.

You flash your limited gaze around as much as possible. It's difficult to see as your vision blurs, pain racking at your body. But you narrow your eyes, focusing your mind even harder on finding something to help with these bonds.

After just a moment, your eyes land on a pen by your hand on the metal hospital bed. Dr. Kim must have left it before he went.

You smile…and then wince as your face aches with the expression.

It's difficult to curl your fingers towards it with your wrist strapped down tightly, but after a few attempts and one heart-stopping moment when you almost push the pen off the bed, you grasp the pen tightly in your fist.

After taking a moment to draw in a steadying breath, you set to work, wiggling the pen beneath the strap and between the buckle.

Your fingers twist into painfully awkward positions, but you force yourself on.

And then it finally gives!

The strap flips out of the metal buckle, and you yank yourhand free, almost letting out a choked sob of relief.

Not wasting any time, you set about undoing the other straps.

When all your limbs are finally free, you slowly swing around, gritting your teeth as pain streaks through your body at the movement. Then you clamber from the table.

As soon as your feet hit the floor, your knees buckle. You barely contain your yelp of pain as your kneecaps crash onto the cracked tile ground.

Exhaustion threatens to keep you pinned. But you push through, your breaths short and laboured. You force myself onto your feet. Using whatever furniture is nearby for support, you stumble towards the door.