Safe Place // TMR|TWD

10 | The Safe-Place

It took everything in MinHo to enter the Med-Tent where Sam was lying. He didn't want Sam's dead eyes to be the last thing he remembers of her. But he knew if he didn't see her one last time... He'd regret it for the rest of his life.

There she was. What was left of her arm was wrapped in bandages; which were already soaked red from the unending stream of blood. Her head was wrapped to cover up where the Med-Jacks had stabbed her. At least MinHo knew she wouldn't turn into one of the Cranks...

Her eyes were closed; as if to shield her from the dangers of the world. She looked at peace; something MinHo wishes he could've given her. Was she happy in this world? He started questioning himself.
But he didn't cry; unlike what he thought he would do. He didn't even feel sad...

He just felt nothing. He felt numb. It had all happened so fast. If he were to accept it right away, then it would be overwhelming.

MinHo takes Sam's cold hand in his and sits at her side, "Hey Samantha..." He clears his throat before continuing to say his last words to her, "You still look so beautiful... It makes me wonder if you're still alive. Just in a deep sleep."

MinHo laughs at himself, "I'll continue to think that you're just in a deep sleep. It'll be easier to cope with than the truth..."
Even if it's been six years... Even if the both of them matured over the grueling years; there was no denying that that they were still young. Too young to have to worry about death so early in their life, yet they couldn't go a day without the thought of it occupying their mind.

Youth was present in Sam's still face, making MinHo's lip quiver, "We never did get to live out our life..."

He holds her hand against his lips and whispers out all sorts of promises to Sam that he won't be able to fulfill anymore. Realizing that, MinHo changes from making promises to repeating how sorry he was.

Sam died while trying to save his life. He didn't react fast enough. There was a small window of opportunity to save her, but he missed it. He realized Sam knew she was dead before he did.

Everyone gathered outside the Med-Tent who came to pay their respects couldn't bring themselves to enter. All they would see were two broken lovers that had an inevitable fate of sorrow. Whether it was both of them, one of them, or none of them, the daring couple of the Glade was bound to end by death in this corrupt world.

A corrupt world indeed. MinHo shouldn't have lived so recklessly. He shouldn't have thought he could do anything. He shouldn't have teased Sam about how much faster he was than her. Cause in the end, he wasn't fast enough to get her home in time.
And that's just how it is.

~~~~~

The shovel didn't seem to be cooperating with MinHo. It felt a lot heavier in his hands, since it was the tool he was using to dig his lover's grave.

It probably would've been easier if he had help, but MinHo had refused anyone who asked to assist him. He was determined to dig Sam's grave on his own. MinHo knew help would be better, but he felt like it was his responsibility to dig her grave.

It made MinHo's heart hurt when he realized that Sam would have to lay in the musty, old Deadheads forever. It was so unlike Sam for her to be... limited.

The pile of dirt to the side became bigger, as the hole he was digging became deeper. MinHo stabs the shovel into the dirt and leans against it. He wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

He looked around him at the hole he was digging. It looked really uncomfortable. Sam might just come back to life to complain about how uncomfortable it is. MinHo scoffed at the thought and picks the shovel back up.

~~~~~

The next day, everyone watched as MinHo emerged from the Med-Tent with Sam limp in his arms. MinHo ignores all the stares and slowly walks towards the Deadheads.

All the Gladers stopped what they were doing and slowly watched as a friend of theirs was being buried. In a way, they were paying their respects. Once MinHo disappeared into the tree line, Gladers started to go back to their daily jobs.

Sam's head rested against MinHo's arm, as he carried her bridal style through the thicket. He cradled her close as they got closer to the Deadheads.

He came to a halt at the edge of the ditch he dug last night. MinHo immediately wanted to turn around and walk back to where he came from. He just stood there, staring down at the lonely hole the woman in his arms would have to lay in. How pitiful they must seem for it to turn out this way...

MinHo bites his lip as he lowers Sam into her abyss of peace. She couldn't fight back, because Sam was well past that point of consciousness. Usually, Sam would always fight back when MinHo did something she didn't like.

But even as MinHo started to cover her body in dirt, she still didn't fight back. Her body lay still as she allowed him to cover her peaceful face with soil.

MinHo ignored the first tear that fell when he realized Sam's body was completely covered at this point. However, he couldn't fight away the oncoming wave of water streaming from his eyes as he filled the remaining space with dirt. There was no going back.

Soon, there was no dirt left to shovel, and there was no sign that there was a hole here that was harboring Sam's body. MinHo stared at the uneven dirt.

How lonely Sam must be feeling lonely; all by herself under the dirt. MinHo was so worried about her well being that he didn't notice how lonely he felt too.

~~~~~

Samantha Lee. A Runner and Medjack.
MinHo carved these words into the simple makeshift gravestone. He stabs it into the ground at the foot of her grave.

Once it was secure, MinHo stands and regarded his work. It wasn't until it was hard to read the words on her gravestone did he notice it was nighttime.
Was it dark already? Time seemed to be going by faster.

Was Sam thinking about him at this moment? Cause she was all that was on his mind at the moment.

He replayed that moment when he watched Sam get bit over and over in his head, and how things could've gone differently.
MinHo wishes he could hear her voice again...

Shuck... Had he already forgotten what her voice sounds like? It's only been a day since he heard her last words.

MinHo wishes he could ruffle her hair one last time. He loved doing that.
Her reactions were funny too... Shuck...
How did she react again? Had he already forgotten what it felt like to run his hand through her hair?

He realises that the world will continue to go on without her; even for him. And the fact that he'll get used to her not being around scares him. Soon, the only thing to show that Sam used to exist in this world would be her grave and her name which she carved into the wall.
It was cruel. To have a grave at such a young age.

But maybe that was a good thing. Sam was protected by whatever is going on on the surface. Not even the Cranks will be able to reach her.

The Glade was supposed to keep her safe. The walls were supposed to make her feel safe, but they could never contain Sam. She was a wildfire that was meant to be free. But she never truly felt safe wherever she went to.

Maybe she does now...
If the Glade couldn't protect her, then maybe her grave will.
That's when MinHo came to the conclusion, that Sam's true Safe-Place... would be her grave.

~[GabbySLee]~