Blue Summer

Chapter 23: Utopian dream in the dystopian cage

"When do I sleep? My eyes are heavy all the time, but when I close them, they burn. So I haven't slept in a while. The cold nights are torture! My head hurts. I miss home. I miss Mom and Maki. I miss Misao!"

Ibuki was having his lunch. His eyes were feeling heavy. He hadn't slept well for a while now. That day, a rumour spread among the captives. Someone had gotten the news that those who did well in the trials here in Seoul would be taken to Germany. Ibuki had paid little heed to this news. What could he do even if he knew this would happen? He would be killed if he did not do well in the test. Why would the facility risk letting him be alive? If he did well on the test, he would be taken to Germany. But doing well in the tests depended on his body. Who knows when it would give in, and Ibuki would have to pay for his life.

Ibuki had begun growing slight hair on his face. His hair had also grown a bit. He looked shabby and lifeless. But inside him, there was a fragile bomb that could burst the moment he lost his patience. Over time, his patience decreased, and now, anything irking was enough to tick him off. A bulky-looking guy approached him as he sat calmly, yet fuming, having lunch. Ibuki identified him as one of his school bullies who also had been part of the test. Ibuki kept eating, paying no attention to the guy.

"You know it had been a while since I tried my knuckles on you!" the guy said.

Ibuki put his chopsticks down and replied sharply, "Try it, and you will find your knuckles bent inside out!"

The guy fumed with his reply and punched him in the head. Ibuki's head hit the table. Quickly, Miyon and the others rose to his defence. But none was a match against the big guy.

Ibuki was hell-bent on his word. He rose, his head bleeding, and grabbed his plate, hitting the guy straight in his face, "I have had enough!"

The guy retreated, holding his face. His friends came and tried to hit Ibuki, but his roommates stopped them.

Ibuki walked to the corner of the mess hall. A hammer was kept in the corner, probably for an emergency requiring the breaking of some glass container. He dragged it back to the guy.

Ibuki hit his knee and fell down; his hand extended on the floor, holding his bent body.

"I said try it, and your knuckle will be bent inside out," Ibuki lifted the hammer in the air and crashed it down on the guy's knuckles. He erupted in immense pain.

The whole hall went silent. The workers there quickly arrived to disperse the tension.

Ibuki dropped the hammer on the floor and looked up at a camera. He yelled as loud as possible in frustration, "Listen! I am done being here! Kill me if you want. I don't wish to remain alive! I hate this place!! You monsters!"

Chang was in a glass cabin above the mess hall, looking straight into it. Not only did he hear all, but he also saw it all.

Chang took a tranquiliser gun and, through the small opening in the cabin, shot at Ibuki. Ibuki collapsed right then and there. He was then taken to a room where he was kept tied to a bed.

Ibuki fell into a state of unconsciousness. He went on dreaming. He woke up late in the evening when the room was empty. He was still tied. He wept alone, thinking of the times when at least he could see his family, spend time with them and love them. His one decision of giving them money led him to be so far from them that now he could not even recall the last time he saw them smile.

"Mom! Maki!" he cried. "All I wanted was for Mom and you to sit and relax. Do not overwork yourself. To be able to buy what you want and not worry about money. Maki would attend an expensive school, learn a lot and make good friends. She would not be bullied like I was. That is all I ever wanted. Then why am I here, why am I here dying? Why?!"