The Blood Shop

Labeling

Hans led me into a farm house and sat me down at the table.

"Don't you move," he warned, "if you do, you will be caught. Andy is outside if you cause any problems."

Then he walked away, leaving me alone. 

What was all this hype about with getting branded? He literally acted scary then walked away, leaving me at a table, of all places.

I heard shouting in another room. I turned and slowly got up to look down the hallway.

Did Hans know Korean? Because he was speaking fluently in it to Yoongi...more like yelling it.

I sat back down and waited, my mind spinning. This game was not too far away from now. There were only, according to Yoongi, one other person here other than myself. 

Were they going to get more victims?

Hans came back to the room I was waiting in. 

There was a rod in his hand and I could faintly see that it glowed at the end.

My eyes widened and I jumped to my feet, instantly wanting to get away.

Hans shrugged, "It's either this or Andy's wrath."

Andreas was a dangerous man when he was angry...I sat back down, my hands shaking as Hans grabbed my arm and held the rod close to it.

Hans stuffed a rag in my mouth then I screamed and my teeth grinded into the cloth painfully as he branded my arm. There was a symbol he was drawing on it. I could smell my burning flesh and I felt like throwing up.

For some reason, I did not faint. 

The one time that I wanted to actually faint and forget this was happening, it didn't happen.

I had to endure the whole process. During the whole thing, Hans was cracking jokes about my facial expressions. 

I wished I could yell at him and even bite him. Perhaps he would regret bringing me if I gave him trouble.

Then I remembered Andy outside.

............................................

I was sweating so much it felt like I took a clammy shower.

Hans left me to deal with my pain at the table all by myself.

My breaths calmed down after a while and I finally dared to look at what Hans had engraved in my skin.

It was a bar code?

I stared at it. 

Did Yoongi have this? I never saw one on his arm.

A door slammed and I looked to see that Hans had walked outside, leaving me alone in the house for real.

That is...Yoongi and I.

I heard the floor creak behind me in the hallway. I looked and saw that Yoongi had taken a step out of his room.

He was really pale. Had he not eaten?

He slowly made his way down the hallway, his eyes always on the door, watching for Hans.

"Yoongi," I said quietly, pointing to the bar code on my arm, "what...."

His eyes studied the bar for a moment then he whispered, "I have one too."

"You do? I never saw it..."

He pointed to his neck.

Then he pushed aside the hair covering the nape of his neck. There was a bar code there.

I could not imagine getting branded on his neck. That must have hurt so much!

"What is this for?" I asked, making sure to keep my voice down.

Yoongi crouched to the floor to stay away from the windows to remain less conspicuous. 

"It's cattle. Numbering system...I think." He stroked his chin, then looked up at me with those dark, sad eyes.

"Oh. So this is a business."

Yoongi lowered his eyes, "It seems."

He then touched my wrist. His fingers wrapped around in a warm hold.

"You need to get away before the tracker." He told me.

"But...how..."

"I will help you."

"But--"

"What?" he looked up at me. His grip became firmer, "you must. It is your only chance."

"I won't leave without you."

"Bullshit." 

That was the first time he said such a thing in my presence. 

"I won't let you not leave." Yoongi's eyes pierced through me, "you are the only one without tracker yet. You must leave while you can."

"NO."

He stood up and let go of my wrist.

"YES."

"NO!"

"YES! Leave I cannot do. This chip--" he touched his wrist, "I cannot take out. It will cause my death. I will die either way."

I stood up and stomped my foot.

I hated this.

I looked down at his wrist. I was going to get that out of him somehow. There had to be a way.

The voices outside became louder. Yoongi's eyes shifted to the window. 

Hans and Andy were heading up the stairs.

Yoongi gave me one last glance before rushing back to his room, just in time.

..............................