Silence ○ Lee Haechan

○ 45

I know it's strange, I'm dealing with the pain
I'm having nightmares
Nightmares
And you're to blame
~~~

Eyes blinking open slowly, a bright fluorescent light blinded the girl whose hand raised above her to fragment the light.

A ringing headache pulsing through her head as she squinted, sitting up finally with her head hung low. Hand rubbing at the side of her skull as it pounded in agony. 

The strands of her hair feeling as though they've been stretched to the point of breaking but they never actually break.

The back of her eyes pulsating from the bright light added to the raging thumping of her brain.

Was she hungover? Though she had never experienced this much pain when hungover usually, it wasn't unlikely.

Finally lifting her head and opening her eyes a little wider, she realised she was in a diner. Red and white striped seats and glossy counter tops with coffee stains and abandoned news papers.

She languidly pushed herself up to her feet, stumbling a little at the lightheadedness she was experiencing. Hand reaching out to stabilise her weak body but when all she felt was the heat of flames licking at her skin she retracted her hand in pain.

The chair next to her lit aflame and as she cradled her sizzling hand with the other, she looked further into the flames- eyes captured by the orange and red hues dancing around each other and swirling up into the air.

Eyes scrutinising the flames as she tried to study the way they danced, but ultimately her eyebrows furrowed when noticing the girl hidden behind bars deep within.

"Eunjoo?" Mari whispered confused, head tilting to the side as she looked at the girl whose hands gripped the poles in front of her.

"Mari, help! I'm trapped," the girl called out, pushing at the poles trying to escape. The orange and red flames pushing against her side as the girl within got struck by the heat.

Trying to dodge the fiery strokes but they prevailed and took advantage.

Mari's body filled with worry, "I'm coming Eunjoo," she said as she reached out once more, trying to reach for her extended hand and instead of the scared face she saw when looking at the girl- her eyes turned black and her lips pulled up into the most eldritch grin.

A menacing flint in her eyes as she tilted her head, voice echoing through the diner deep and baleful. "Come save me Mari."

Mari's eyebrows furrowed as she took a step back, eyes widening as the flames in front of her exploded and started to dance on top of every surface possible.

The bright flickering light excreting an unbearable heat began to pick at Mari. Her exposed skin burning as she frantically looked around for an exit.

"Common Mari, just follow me," Eunjoo smiled sinisterly as she held out her hand towards the girl.
Mari tilted her head in confusion as she watched her friends face contort.

"Just come here Mari-"
"No stop, stop it," Mari's hands came to her head to stop the calls from her friend.
"I won't harm you Mari, just take a step closer to me-"
"Please just stop."
"Mari, you need to come to me"
"Stop it."
"Mari, you need to wake up."

At the sound of that Mari let out a "huh?" And looked up, only to be hit by another flame.

Eyes closing tightly as she felt the clothes around her spark with the energy of the flames.

A stentorian boisterous laugh echoed around her, it's familiar sound making her eyes open.

Head whipping around to see both Eunjoo and Donghyuck surrounding her, eyes wide as the words of her friends morphed into a symphony of jumbled sounds.

It was like there were ten of them all around her, chanting this almost hypnotic, dark hymn.

"Mari come to me-"
"Just come closer-"
"Why don't you just take a step-"
"I won' hurt YOU-"
"Come CLOSER-"
"JUST take a step Mari-"
"WHY DONT YOU just come to me-"
"WAKE UP MARI-"
"WAKE UP (I've missed you)-"
"COMMON MARI JUST COME TO ME(WAKE UP)-"
"WAKE UP!!"

The vigorous shaking awoke to girl, eyes shooting open and she sat up abruptly, gasping for air as all she could feel was the smoke from the fire coating and infesting her lungs.

Blackening them and making them greasy, impossibly hard to breath as she inhaled large breaths, coughing out to rid her lungs of the smoke that wasn't there.

"You alright dude?" Daeun bent down to look at the girl, hand patting her back as she continued to cough. Eyes squinting at the burning sensation and she inhaled enough air to stabilise herself.

Mari held up her thumb saying she was okay and her best friend leant away from her, hand still running itself on the girls back to calm her down.

"Sorry for scaring you Ma," Daeun spoke as she sat next to the girl on the bed.

"Y-you didn't scare me, don't worry," she spoke through painfully tight muscles. Chest stinging still but she still managed to flash her best friend a smile.

"Okay, we'll if you really okay, we're late."
"Late? For what?" Mari tilted her head as her eyes followed Daeun as she stood up, dressed in leggings and a large jumper.

"For hiking, silly," Karina said as she walked out of the bathroom with her hands pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

"Fuck," Mari muttered under her breath, reaching over to her phone on the bed side table to see they had 7 minutes to get down into the lobby.
"Fuck," she said louder as she pulled the duvet off of her and quickly rummaged through her suitcase.

Pulling out articles of clothes and rushing into the bathroom to freshen herself up quickly.

"I'm gonna head down early, I want to talk to Jeno about something," Mari could hear Karina say before the door opened and shut, only making the girl stress more as she rapidly brushed her teeth.

Putting on her leggings and top quickly, she stumbled out of the bathroom to see Daeun leaning against the wall near the door scrolling through her phone.

"Karina went to go talk to Jeno," Daeun announced unbothered despite the girl already hearing her departure.

"Okay," Mari said as she rushed around the room.

"Dude stop stressing, it's not like they'd leave without us," Daeun chuckled as she watched the frantic girl.

Grabbing her phone and water bottle the girl slipped on her shoes and grabbed her puffer jacket before stopping in front of the girl.

"You done?" She said locking her phone and uncrossing her arms, pushing herself off of the wall and opening the door.
"Perfect let's go then."

Mari watched Daeun back as she walked down the hallway and she finally had a chance to breathe.

Exhaling as she finally felt her eyes soften, pulse dropping back to normal as she followed behind the girl.

Her mind finally having time to think back over her nightmare and her heart palpitated harder, the flames from within burning at the walls and she felt heavy- clouded.

"Common Mari, or we'll really be late!"