Blood Brothers

Chapter 2

"Kai come on hurry up. We better get going before it begins to rain," I called out from behind me.

I zipped up my coat up all the way and pulled the hood onto my head to keep my ears warm. We've been out here for at least a few years and there still seems to have no sign in this apocalypse coming to an end. I began to trek my way back up on the hill towards out little cabin we found a few months back. It's been hard on Kai the most these past few weeks because of an incident that happened a few weeks back.

*flash back*

I was out and about in the woods, hunting for some food for us to eat when I was jumped on from behind and I got knocked out cold. I soon woke up and found myself at some weird campsite with all these men guarding me. They had stripped me from my weapons and began interrogate me if I was out here with anyone. One of them recognised me as Kai's sister and immediately set out to look for him. They'd beaten me up and tied me up against a tree trunk so I couldn't escape. They left two guys behind to guard me whilst the other guys ran off in search for my brother.

The two guys began to see how vulnerable I was in my current situation and began to advance on me. One of them began to untie on my hands and asked me some personal questions to which I only spat at them and turned the other way. Those ignorant idiots thought I was playing hard to get and continued to use such sexual slurs it made me want to vomit. I thought I would never make it out alive but one of them let out a scream which turned both our attention to him. It was Kai. He had one of them in a headlock holding a gun to his head.

"Let her go or your little friend here won't be hanging around so often," he ordered.

"Well, well, well. Little Jongin always comes in to save the day doesn't he? Do it I dare you. You don't have the guts. Can't even hold a gun without trembling and choking on their words," the man teased,"If you kill my pal there, then your sister here will have to meet the same fate."

"You bastard you wouldn't..." he cursed.

"Oh I would," he repeated himself before taking out his blade holding it against my neck.

The fear in Kai's eyes were beginning to express itself through his body as his knees began to grow weak, thinking what would happen if I was to leave the world. As his fear was overcame his body, his grip on his ransom began to slightly loosen and his gun shaking uncontrollably. I gave him a glare and mouthed some instructions to which he understood. My words gave him strength again but he was hesitant to do what he was told.

He got a hold of himself before fixing his position and pointed his gun. Within a blink of an eye he had shot the guy next to me before shooting the one in his arms. Kai was trembling and dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands as he realised he had taken a man's life.

"Kai...Kai! Hurry. Those gunshots probably grabbed us so much attention. Quickly untie me!" I yelled at him.

He didn't seem to hear me at first but stumbled his ways towards me, shakingly untying me. We grabbed of what was left of their supplies and began to run away from that place. Kai was jogging behind me for a while but then soon fell behind and fell to his knees. He was crying and was shaking violently, unable to move any more. I crouched down beside him and took him into my arms.

"Kim Jongin...You are better than this. You did what was right to save me and I couldn't be more proud of you. It had to be done at some point and living in the world we're in currently, we're going to face more of that. Come on bubby stand up," I hushed him.

*End of flashback*

"Hey...I've been thinking, should we go back to Seoul to see how things are going back there? I mean what if they've began to have quarantine zones and mother and father are safe?" I asked him once we got back into the cabin.

"I don't think so. Just the other day when we were up here staring at the city from here, there were flashing lights everywhere and gunshots so loud they echoed all the way here. It's not safe to go back. Plus we ran out of gas months ago and I sure as hell won't walk all the way to that place," he grunted.

I knew Kai didn't want to go back to Seoul and I guess he was really hurt by our parent's decision but I want to go back. I want to see if they're still around and I wanted to see if Suho was too. I went to skin the rabbit we caught this morning and cook it for dinner. It really dawned on me how I used to squirm at the sight of blood but I've gotten used to it, seeing as we basically share the land with the walking dead and blood is shed every single day. I'm ashamed to even say that I've taken the lives of more than one person and it still haunts me every night before I sleep. The look on their faces as their last tear streams down on their face before dropping to the ground lifeless. Kai would always give me a cold shoulder whenever I would do this because he didn't want me doing this but he needs to realise that this is how the way things are going to work.

We finished up dinner and Kai went straight to his room and locked himself like he's been doing ever since he killed the man. I decided that if he didn't want to come with me to Seoul, I would go alone. I walk into my room and grabbed my bag and stuffed a few bits of food packs into it before putting on my boots. I grabbed a pen from the kitchen draw and scribbled him a little note before sticking it on the fridge and carefully opened the cabin's door.

"Where are you going?" Kai popped out of no where.

"Uh just for a stroll..." I lied.

"Then why do you have your boots on...and your bag too?" he questioned me.

"Well what if I get jumped on again. I don't want to take any risks," I reassured him.

"Listen. We're not going back to Seoul and that's it. I don't want to see that place. I don't want to see what may lie behind those doors when we come back home. I'm...not prepared for any more new experiences," he sighed.

"Baby brother... it wouldn't hurt to just go and look at how life has changed. We can just stand on the outskirts of the town, we don't have to go all the way into the city," I persuaded him.

"No. That's final. Get back in," he ordered.

I rolled my eyes and closed the door before storming into my room. Who does he think he is. How can he have the audacity to be angry at mother and father after all they've done for us. It was for the better of our future and he's acting like this. I made up my mind before about running away and beginning my journey back home and nothing can stop me. His ignorance is growing more and more by the day and he's acting like he's my older brother. I anxiously wait for him to fall asleep on the couch before creeping out my room. I gave him a peck on the cheek and fixed his blanket before heading out.

The weather truly was cold but I didn't want to wait until morning, way more riskier where other people are able to see me roam around in broad daylight. I had my blade in my hand, ready just in case something unexpected was thrown in my way, my gun in my back pocket for any more worse things to come along. I didn't feel tired one bit after walking what felt like hours but I could feel my nose lose it's ability to let me smell properly due to the cold. I got out my face mask and put it on my face before continuing trekking. By my estimation, I have already travelled a good 10 km from our place, leaving me maybe 600km to go? I really could get to Seoul in maybe less than a week if I was determined to walk non stop for 12 hours.

I tapped on my watch which illuminated itself to show me it was 3 am. I've walked for at least 4 hours now and I really should find a place to crash for the night. I was still in the woodland areas so I decided to make do sleeping under a small cave like structure for the night. I layed out a small blanket before curling up with my backpack. I'm so sorry that I left you in such a vulnerable state Kai. I wished I was more considerate of your decision but I want to see if mother and father are okay and I will never forgive you for not coming with me if they're no longer in that home we grew up together. With those last thoughts stirring around in my mind, I began to allow my eyelids to become heavy and allowed my dreams to take me away.