RETROUVAILLE, Cha Hyun-su [Heavy Editing]

nineteen

"I kept the knots loose," Chan-Yeong whispered lowly behind Eun-Yu. "Once we leave, look for a place to hide." Chan-Yeong walked away, leaving us tied up as ordered by that higher-up soldier. My brows furrowed in frustration. Both my wrists were bound tightly behind my back, and I watched Chan-Yeong walk away.

A strange, loud noise from above made me freeze. It sounded slimy and unsettling. I glanced around, searching for the source. A feminine figure appeared not far from us. Eun-Yu squinted her eyes, trying to identify the woman.

"...miss Im?" Ji-Su mumbled.

"It's Miss Im..." Yeong-Su said, his voice tinged with concern.

"But she turned into a monster," his sister replied, her tone resigned. As the figure came into clearer view, we all saw her. She had no clothes, and her skin was covered in a slimy substance. She moved past the group, her gaze unfocused and distant.

The soldiers saw her too. The man inside the vehicle mumbled something incoherent before stomping on the pedal, making a loud screeching sound. The vehicle lunged forward, running over Miss Im. Gasps of shock filled the air as she coughed up blood, her body crumpling to the ground.

Chan-Yeong cursed under his breath and ran towards his boss. "Why did you do that, sir?" he demanded.

"I was just doing my job," the guy replied nonchalantly before opening a gas can.

"She was a human, Sir!" Chan-Yeong exclaimed as he stared at the man in front of him. The man poured gasoline over Miss Im's body, clearly unfazed by her suffering. Loud voices echoed outside as everyone held their breaths, hoping not to be noticed by the soldier.

"That's it. This thing was a monster because I said so. And that's the end of it."

"Monster...Monster..." Jae-Hwan mumbled. His breath is ragged. "It's a monster. It's a monster!"

"So what if you're a human? Do I even care?" The man tilted his head, lighting up his red flare. His menacing gaze pierced through the darkness. "We are at war here," he shot back, voice full of venom. "Humans have to win this battle. And we'll kill every last one. Go to hell, you deserve to die-!"