𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗞𝗘 [ UNDER HEAVY REVISION ]

AWAKE : FOUR

Y/N'S POINT OF VIEW

We decided to pile into Jihyo's van – the only one big enough for all 10 of us. The Blue Moon bar wasn't far from the Han River, and the urgency gnawing at me wouldn't let us waste a single second.

Normally, it would've been a quick fifteen-minute walk. Not today. Even before we could turn the corner out of sight of the river, obstacles slammed into our path.

The screech of tires sent a jolt through me. Jeongyeon, ever the steady driver, slammed on the brakes, the van lurching forward before coming to a halt. Jeongyeon swore under her breath, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.

"Damn," she muttered, "looks like a tornado ripped through here last night."

My gaze darted towards the windshield. The once bustling street was a scene of utter chaos. Cars were strewn everywhere, some mangled and smoking, others miraculously intact. But the most unsettling part wasn't the wreckage. 

It was the people. 

Bodies slumped over steering wheels, sprawled across sidewalks – the sleeping figures were a chilling reminder of the world's bizarre slumber.

"They were probably driving when whatever happened hit," Mina murmured from her seat by the window, her voice barely a whisper.

A shiver ran down my spine. We were crammed into Jihyo's van – the three japanese girls are in the front, Dahyun and her friends in the middle, and Nayeon and I squeezed into the back. As I looked past Nayeon's shoulder, my breath caught in my throat.

Dahyun slammed her eyes shut with a curse, her face contorted in disgust. 

The source of her distress became instantly clear as I focused on the obstacle blocking our path. A mangled car, its windshield shattered, lay directly in front of us. But what truly horrified me wasn't the wreck itself. 

Inside, slumped over the steering wheel, was a figure unlike the others. Its grotesque, contorted form, its skin stretched taut over its bones, sent a wave of nausea crashing over me. This wasn't sleep. This was something far more sinister.

Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat. Our first encounter with the unsettling reality of this new world, and already the hope that flickered within me threatened to extinguish.

There are a lot of people at the side of the road, covered in blood, while others are burning alive. Yet, no one dares to shout for help or scream in pain, even though they are all suffering. 

Not even the fire is enough to wake them.

Jeongyeon slammed the gas pedal down, the van lurching forward as we shot past the horrifying scene. A chorus of gasps and choked sounds filled the vehicle.

"Ugh," Dahyun groaned, her face pale. "Please tell me we won't see anything like that again. I swear, if I see one more..." her voice trailed off, replaced by a dry heave.

Momo shot her a withering look. "Weak," she scoffed.

"Weak?" Dahyun shot back, her voice laced with defiance. "Try watching someone burn to a crisp, completely silent, and not feel anything twist in your gut. It's unnatural."

Momo fell silent, the weight of Dahyun's words hanging heavy in the air. 

The horror of the twisted figure we'd just witnessed settled on the group like a shroud. It wasn't just the sight of death; it was the unnatural stillness, the absence of any struggle, any scream for help. 

We finally reached the Blue Moon bar. The half-hour journey, which would normally have flown by, felt like an eternity under the oppressive silence. Thankfully, we hadn't encountered any more horrifying figures, only the unsettling scene of sleeping bodies scattered across the street. Jeongyeon parked the van with a practiced ease, her jaw clenched tight.