BLACK MAMBA ✔️

CHAPTER 17

Inky blackness.

That's all Giselle and NingNing could see.

"Wait hold on, I have a flashlight."

"You do?"

NingNing shrugged, "I keep a small one on me just in case."

The younger girl rummaged through her bag, a beam of light showing as she stood up.

"Here, I have two actually."

NingNing handed another flashlight to Giselle, the older girl thanking her as she turned the light on.

"Let's g-"

"WINTER!"

The two froze, their heads snapping to the hallway.

"T-that was... Karina..."

At the sound of her best friend's name, Giselle grabbed NingNing's hand and sprinted to the room the other two were supposed to be in, pleading to whoever was listening to let her closest friend be okay.

The older of the two thrusted the door open, the small beams of light illuminating the room to show a blonde girl sitting on top of an raven-haired girl, the smaller girl's eyes seeming to be closed.

Giselle and NingNing ran up to the two, "what happened?"

Karina shook her head at the floor, her widened eyes filled with fear, desperation slowly kicking in.

Giselle held Karina's head steady to meet eyes, "Karina, what happened to Winter."

"I-I- S-she s-saved me f-from... it."

The Japanese girl's eyes widened from her reply, and she slowly backed away, slumping into another chair in the room as she held her mouth with one hand.

NingNing gently held Karina's shoulder, "a-are you okay though? Unnie?"

"Y-yeah... I-I think so..."

Giselle said nothing, her eyes unable to leave the girl's body that Karina held in her arms.

Of course she cared for both of their well-beings. She was glad to see that Karina wasn't hurt...

But all she could think about right now was Winter, her friend since they were little kids.

Winter, the only person who cared to show her around Korea when Giselle first moved here, almost five years ago.

Winter, who was such a loving and soft girl who hated when Giselle used to come over uninvited with bruises all over from getting into a fight with some stupid kid, nagging at her as she tended to the Japanese girl's wounds.

Winter, who was there for Giselle like an inseparable sister when her parents weren't there for her.

Winter, the one who made Giselle into the person she was now...

Winter...

Her best friend...

She couldn't help but tear up, weakening herself for the first time around anyone besides the younger girl.

"M-Minjeong..."

The only thing she promised the girl was that she'd protect her.

But she failed.

Karina looked away, unable to watch as one of her strongest friends struggled not to break, knowing that this wouldn't have happened if they were more careful, if they didn't even try to attempt something like this at all.

NingNing gazed at the floor, her hand still on Karina's shoulder, staying in her spot since she knew Giselle, and she knew that the girl needed her space right now.