Alive but Shattered | All of us are dead

: ̗̀➛ Chapter 59

They were safe, they know. But the trauma it gave to them kept them up every night. Every time the survivors from Hyo-san High closes their eyes, they could still vividly see those monstrous faces, baring their blood-covered teeth and salivating. Every time they closes their eyes, they could still the deaths that happened right in front of them. And every silence feels like torture as they could still hear the growls and screams for help of the students that failed to survive.

They are alive but they feel like they are dead...

So, when a knock, albeit it was soft and quiet, sounded from the other side of the door where they stay, they all could hear it.

Exchanging silence glance, it was Ha-ri who stood up from the sleeping bag that was provided for them. The rustle of the blanket and her movement sounds like it enhanced due to the silence enveloping them.

Their eyes move to follow Ha-ri, sitting up from their own laying position as the door slowly swung open.

"Hee-seul?"

The girl's name was what was needed for Wu-jin to jolt up and literally jump towards the door. The others, who's curious but doesn't have enough energy to investigate sprung up, approaching the door with hurried look as they see the familiar figure of their friend. Wu-jin had told them that she's gone missing, all of them had an inkling clue where she had went seeing her puffy eyes and redden nose. Yet, what surprised them was the drenched figure of the girl, so vulnerable and pain as she shiver due to the coldness.

"What happened to you? Where were you? Why are you drenched?" Wu-jin nags her, unknowingly pushing Ha-ri to the side just so he could hold Hee-seul with both of his hands and turn her around, inspecting if she has any wounds.

And then, Hee-seul suddenly broke, her sobs made them freeze on their spot as she completely shattered on the ground.

"Take her in, she'll catch fever if she stay outside." said Ha-ri as Wu-jin practically carry the girl bridal style.

Unbothered with her drenched clothes, Wu-jin hugs her close, unwilling to let go and the girl didn't either, clenching the fabric of his sweater as she bury her head on his chest.

No one spoke as the sound of painful cries echoes on their four-cornered room--- or prison. Dae-su stood right where he was, sniffling as he wipe the corner of his eyes. Beside him was Hyo-ryung, face now drenched with tears that streams down her cheeks. Right by the door was Su-hyeok, his eyes are started to water as he avoided looking at the frail girl but failed as he could still her cries. Sitting on her sleeping bag is Mi-jin who, albeit not crying but has look of somber on her face. On-jo was crying on her sleeping bag, feeling her heart broke not only for the girl but also because the memories--no, nightmare were triggered because of her sobs. And then there's Ha-ri who wrapped her brother and Hee-seul in several blanket to at least keep them from being cold while Wu-jin literally hold Hee-seul.

There's silence but they knew they are not alone. Because even without conversation, they shared the same trauma, they could still understand what each others feels. All of them lost someone, all of them lost themselves the moment they were left alone.

When Hee-seul's cries died down, she was out of breath but she still spoke, "I... I tried to kill myself."

There's not even a gasp nor surprise in her confession because between the group, who didn't tried or even think to take their life for how much pain and sadness coated their heart? Who in them even did not wish that when they fall asleep, they will never wake up? Deep inside of them, they knew that none of them wanted to continue their life. But what stops them? It's the memories of their love ones that got lost in the battle. Ironic right? They want to take their life to be with their love ones again and end this misery but it were also that same love ones who pushes them to fight, to live another day in desperate hope that it will become better. The question is until when?