wrong step | baekhyun

+eight+

LEE SUNMI

fuck this shit, i'm going in.

gripping the wristwatch that baekhyun gave me, i took a deep breath and stepped into the corridor. indeed, the hands of the clock started moving, causing my heartbeat to quicken involuntarily. i walked a few steps further, my gaze focused on whatever was in front of me. even though i'd been to countless haunted houses, there was this fear instilled in me ever since i believed supernatural existed.

a rumbling was heard behind me and i instinctively whipped around to find the entrance blocked by a large boulder. 

the darkness ahead seemed so terrifying all of a sudden.

cursing baekhyun silently, i proceeded with caution, occasionally checking my watch. it seemed like an eternity but in fact only 3 minutes had passed by. as the clock continued to tick, i was beginning to think that this corridor had no end and that i was tricked when faint white light appeared in the distance.

i quickened my pace and the nearer i got to the light, the louder the trickling of water was heard. as if the light was rushing to me as well, i was suddenly blinded by it even though i was still quite a distance away. i blinked with my eyes still shut tight, unwilling to expose them to the glare that was hurting my eyes.

slowly, as my eyes adjusted to the light, i opened them to find myself standing at the seaside. the lapping waves crawled gently to the shore and the palpitating pulse of the sea was strangely comforting and hypnotic. i threw a quick glance at my watch. exactly forty minutes left. 

i decided to explore the island. it was a huge one with not a single soul in sight. numerous palm trees were lined on my right, with weird animalistic sounds coming out from the dense forest behind them. i am so not going in there. 

"pamela?" i called, hoping my voice was loud enough for her to hear but not enough to attract god knows what's hiding in the forest. there was no answer and so i ventured forward. part of me was angry at baekhyun for not giving me more details. 

i was prepared to give him a piece of my mind when i get back. if i ever get back.

beads of perspiration rolled down my forehead as i started panting. if anything, i felt like an ant trying to reach the top of mount everest. it was mission impossible. realizing that i haven't been keeping track with the time, i raised the watch only to get a shock.

15 minutes. 

as if on cue, the sky started to darken. the sounds behind the forest grew louder and i instinctively went closer to the sea. even the waves were more violent, drenching the sand at a more frequent basis.

it was then that i noticed a faint glow in the distance. not giving up on any chance that i had, i started to jog towards the glow, all the while casting worried glances at the sky.

as i got closer, a familiar back view greeted me. "pam?" my voice piercing through the silence. the figure in front of me visibly tensed and turned around slowly. 

pamela.

somehow she looked different. not her looks, nor her figure, but... 

white light was pouring from her outstretched fingers, creating the glow that had attracted me in the first place. i gasped and took an involuntary step backwards. her eyes widened and the light disappeared.

"s-sunmi? what are you doing here?" she asked. i missed her voice, i missed her goofiness, i missed her. but at that moment, i had a lot of unanswered questions. 

when i didn't reply, she moved forward and grabbed me by the shoulders. "what are you doing here?!" she hissed, repeating her question. her eyes were wide and filled with fear. lightning flashed, followed by a ear-splitting thunder. i jumped back in fright and looked at my watch.

7 minutes. 

"shit." i cursed. looking up at pamela again, i grabbed her arm. "we have to go. there isn't much time left." 

and then she muttered the most ridiculous thing ever. "i-i can't go."

i frowned. "what are you talking about, pam?"

she was about to reply when i felt a presence behind me. turning, i saw a guy clad in all black looking curiously at us. at me. his hair was combed back smoothly, and shadows clung to him just like how they clung to baekhyun. he had eyes that told of many secrets but held them locked in a strongbox so beautiful that you wouldn't dare to open in fear of what you might find within. if one ventured close enough, his jet-black eyes would hungrily envelop yours and pull your feet towards him. he was the epitome of perfection. 

[some parts of the description were taken from google so i'm not that fab after all HAHAHA but i'm trying :") ]

his eyes darted between me and pamela. "interesting," he murmured. 

"get the hell away, kai." pamela spat. i've never seen such hate fill her eyes before. she was fuming mad, but on high alert at the same time. 

ignoring pamela, the guy named kai strode towards me. i gulped and took a few steps backwards but his long strides took him to me in no time. as he grabbed my arm, i wanted to scream but all he did was snatch the watch out of my hand. 

bringing it up to his nose, he sniffed once. "baekhyun?" his eyes narrowed. a hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes and without warning, a wave easily as tall as me came crashing on me. 

the sheer impact knocked me down to the sand. i spluttered and wiped the water from my eyes. although my vision was blurred, i caught sight of pamela struggling with kai. once again, white light surrounded her entire being while tendrils of darkness that extended from kai groped for her. 

looking around, i spotted the wristwatch lying nearby, facedown. i scrambled forward to grab it and turned it around. 

1 minute.

with the violent waves threatening to throw my balance off, i struggled to make my way towards pamela. she could explain for herself when we were back in our world. until then, we had to escape this place. 

i reached pamela and tried to reach for her but one of kai's shadows knocked me backwards into the water. i landed quite a distance away where the sea level was noticeably deeper. as if to make matters worse, a large wave towered over me, casting me in its shadow.

it splashed down and for a moment it was just freezing cold in the darkness. my chest constricted as i held my breath, my limbs flailing to fight the overpowering current. however, it felt like forever and my burning lungs yearned for oxygen so i gave in.

icy water entering my nose, my lungs.

my head bobbed to the surface for a moment before i went down again. spots were appearing in my vision and i thought it was the end of me.

until a pair of strong arms encircled my waist and dragged me upwards. we eventually slowed down but all i could see was still darkness.

"sunmi." it, he, sounded so urgent. but my eyelids felt like they weighed a ton. my lungs refused to work.

"lee sunmi." i felt a dull pressure on my chest. someone pressing down on it repeatedly. 

and then the darkness cleared and my ears popped. i took in a sharp breath and coughed up water that i had swallowed. my vision cleared to reveal a guy with his hands still pumping my chest. his clothes were soaked like mine.

baekhyun.

noticing that i was awake, he pulled me up into a sitting position and hugged me so tight that i could barely breathe. he rested his chin on my shoulder while his heavy breaths sounded in my ear. i noticed we were back at the entrance of the corridor.

"thank god." he said breathlessly. for a moment, he just kept repeating the same words over and over again. 

i was flustered but somehow my hand found its way to his hair. i stroked it gently just like how a mum would comfort her child. 

"i'm okay, baekhyun. i'm okay now."

that seemed to calm him down as he visibly slackened. i tried to pull away from him but all he did was tighten his hug. 

"just a while more," he whispered as the sounds of our heavy breaths echoed down the corridor. "please."