Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The city pulsed around them. Neon lights and holograms flickering overhead as their hurried footsteps echoed against the damp pavement. Rain obscured their view as they ran.
Their breaths became ragged, their hearts pounding as they weaved through the empty streets of the middle level.
They had been running for blocks- not knowing whether or not the corrupted Æ were following them. But they didn't dare to slow down too soon.
Distance was their safety.
Mark had led them down a narrow street, weaving into an alleyway that was dimly lit and Haechan skidded to a stop, his hands bracing against his knees. "Okay," he gasped, chest heaving as he tried to gain his breath. "We... we need to- stop. Just for a second."
Mark nodded, his arm resting against the wall as he leant his forehead against it, his chest heaving and Siyeon almost collapsed against a vending machine.
Her back and head hitting the cold surface and her hands came up to rest on her head. "Holy... fuck," she breathed, her face screwing up as she inhaled the damp air, making her cough on the humidity.
After she gained a portion of her breath back, she wiped the half-dried artificial fluid still smeared on her face off with the back of her hand.
Velho's last moments replaying over and over and over again in her mind.
A shudder racked up her body as she remembered his voice, the way his body glitched, the sudden shift before he changed and lunged at her, his finger scraping with animalistic intent as he reached for her neck.
Her fingers grazed at her neck, bumps already forming where his nails scratched at her. "We can't stay long," she said, her eyes wide as she looked out the alleyway.
Renjun pressed a hand to his rib, wincing. "What do we do now?"
Siyeon looked around her, her vision slightly blurred as rain fell in thick sheets around them, soaking their hair and sticking it to their skin. Everyone was out of breath, their eyes wide as they all shared a similar form of panic.
Closing her eyes, Siyeon tried to remember the fragmented words Velho had muttered out.
Wi... Wint-
"Winter!" The girl exclaimed, her eyes bursting open to look at the group who was now staring at her, their faces pulled in confusion.
"Velho said a name, Winter. 'You need to find Winter'" She recalled and Chenle, who was still catching his breath, shook his head.
"How do we know he wasnt too deep in... whatever was causing him to glitch out?" He asked, moving his hands animatedly.
"A virus," Jisung interjected and the whole group turned to face the boy who was leaning up against the wall with his head tilted back, water droplets running down from his hair, to his jaw and dripping onto his black and white compression shirt. Slowly he dropped his head to look at the group, reiterating . "This only affected the Æ, so it has to be a virus."
