Metanoia

Forest: Chapter 8

The room was dark. There was only a single light stemming from the ceiling. Illuminating the figure. Shadows painted along the walls, dripping down to claw at the floor and the isolated objects in the room. A heart monitor. An IV drip. A cart that was filled with syringes and bottles of unknown liquid. The area was colourless, devoid of any bright hues as the world around was complete monotone.
A muffled complaint came from the figure. It would be rather uncommon for patients to be unwilling in a hospital room. Of course, this wasn't a hospital. This wasn't a patient. They were strapped against the cold hard chair, the metal deteriorating from the unknown stains on the back. Struggling against their tight rope bounds, they could feel their own warm blood drip down as the material scarped against their skins.
"Please don't struggle too much." The voice was light and kind. Like a mother soothing her child from a nightmare. The glowing orange eyes coming from the other end of the room, however, threw off the illusion to great extent. "I don't want my dear experiment passing out."
The person stepped out of the shadows, holding a small bladed tool in their gloved hands.
Stopping in motion, the patient's whole body seemed to become frozen in fear.
"You know, you should be very happy that I came just in time. I thought I wouldn't get any time to do this." They approached the cart and pulled out a piece of paper from their jacket pocket. ".... Six...."
They laughed and gazed sweetly at their victim. "You know, not to be offensive, but I thought you were male for a moment there." They pulled out their glasses, round and quite cute- if it wasn't for the bloody garb they were pairing with it. "Perhaps it was your short hair and my blurry vision from across the room. But no matter. The experiment will turn out fine either way."
'Six' suddenly snapped out of her trance and became panicked. She leaned backward, shaking her head defiantly with tears brimming her eyes.
Coming closer, the supposed scientist ignored her actions and took her hand. "Don't worry Six. In the end this will only benefit you. Just think about it." Gripping the scalpel they brought out a small chip in their hand. Looking up they grinned, eyes having let go of reality a long time ago. "You'll be able to fly."
There was a spray of blood. And a scream.

"SHIT FUCKING DAMNIT."
Renjun felt the cold smack of the floor boards against his body, cutting his drowsy daze off short. There was a large thud that went along with it as he dragged his pillow and the rest of the blanket down with him. Sitting up, he rubbed his head and growled at nothing particular. 'Stupid fucking nightmare...'
    It was becoming tiring honestly, to have nightmares like those every night. Each one was completely different, yet exactly the same. Different scenarios with similar themes. One night it could be a chase scene as people went after him in the night. Another could be a meeting of casually discussing the killings of innocent citizens just looking to volunteer for whatever organization they had. Maybe even witnessing the bloody deaths with his own eyes. However, this night was exclusively the first, where he had been the one to kill the person himself. And despite the difference of surrounding, it was eerily similar to the other murders he had seen. Trying to recall his words, Renjun couldn't find the phrases he had said. Better yet the phrases the voice said. That light, sweet, heavenly voice.
    Renjun shivered and pressed his back against the bed frame, curling himself further into the blanket. He let out a shaky breath to just recuperate his well being for a moment.
    However it was short lived once a warm hand was placed on his shoulder.
    "FUCK SHIT."
    With a jump, he was welcomed back to the icy floorboards as he fell over once again. Hearing an amused chuckle, he glanced up at Jeno's sleepy, albeit entertained expression. Renjun frowned and pushed himself back up.
"Ok what the fuck."
"You have a very free willed mouth you know." His classmate stated bluntly crawling to the edge of the bed with a wry smile. "You never swore at school."
"Yeah I know whatever," The blond huffed, standing up to stretch more and brush his hair out of his vision to get a better look at Jeno. "You're really a prick in the morning." Sitting back on the mattress, Renjun started to regain more of his sense. "I hope you know that and consider changing that part of yourself. Cause that's a very plastic thing of you to do."
The taller boy shrugged, with a grin still plastered across his face. "You're the one who woke me up with your swearing and yelling." His visage softened and his hand brushed Renjun's shoulder again. "Did you have a night terror?"
Going silent, the older student stared down at his hands, the memory of the scalpel flashing into his mind. The blood. The gore. The screams. Unconsciously, he snuggled further into the sheets, bringing his knees close to his face. He wanted to remember nothing from his slumber.  He wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted it to stop.
"I see....." Jeno's voice trailed off before bouncing out of the bed to stand up. Yelping in surprise, raven haired boy started shifting his weight back and forth- clearly surprised by the icy floor beneath his bare feet. While doing so, he made his way to his bag of clothes they retrieved yesterday and started pulling out today's attire.
Not saying anything, Renjun observed the other curiously. He never really noticed Jeno a lot back in high school. Due to his paranoia of all the popular boys being controlled by the government and all. In fact, even before it became such a big fear in his life, the blond never approached the boy in the first place. It wasn't that clear in his mind, but he was pretty sure it was because of how intimidating the athlete looked.
But now watching the kid go around with a normal routine. There was a painstakingly obvious sign that Jeno was nothing but misunderstood. 'I mean....' The corner's of Renjun's lips quirked up. 'He looks like a large clumsy puppy.'
"Are you staring?"
Exiting his daze, the blond was at a loss of words for being caught. That and he had no idea how to excuse himself in that moment. Especially since he was still half awake. Or perhaps half conscious of reality as they other half was fighting off the thought of the terrors.
"You know you kind of looked like that one cat I saw in a compilation of cat videos when I was bored."
"I don't go on the internet."
"Oh...." Jeno's countenance betrayed his shock and curiosity, however he tried to ignore what he just heard. And instead approached the door. "Well, I'll give you some privacy. I'll be going outside to get ready. Once you're done we can have a some breakfast outside by the lake and go over your amazing plan."
Before Renjun could even do so much as nod the teen was already closing the door behind him. 'So he's still very much committed to this plan of mine....' Shaking his head, he started to get ready himself. 'I feel like he is way to innocent for how mature he looks.'
He made the bed in quick time and dressed himself in tight fit, layered clothing for the cold day. Gazing through the window, Renjun saw his reflection, just barely staring at him.
"You kind of looked like that one cat I saw in a compilation of cat videos."
Huffing, the blond turned away and snatched some of the photographs he organized in a neat pile. 'Whatever, how do I look like a cat?' He had to admit he hadn't really seen many animals recently except the rare wildlife he came across. In his house he didn't feel fond of having a pet invade his personal space. Especially not his work.
He tried to recall the mammal in his mind but could only conjure a small, fluffy kitten. His fists clenched a bit. 'Does he think I'm small and weak?' Frowning, Renjun half hearted stomped over to the door and reached for the knob. 'Does he think I'm helpless and adorable-'
"Hey Renjun!"
Opening the door, the blond saw Jeno sitting on the ground with a few berries and granola bars spread across a small hand towel along with two bottles filled with water. To be honest, nothing about it was delectable, in face it appeared rather bland and distasteful as Renjun got a better look. But it didn't matter. It was something, and all he needed was sustenance to get through another day of fixing his truck.
'I'll teach him.' He sat down stiffly across from his younger classmate. 'I'm not cute and fluffy...'
"So what's the plan Stan?"
His frown deepening, the blond spread the photos down in front of them, trading it for a single granola bar. "First of all stop with the cheesy rhyming you're getting nowhere with it." He tore into his food and hungrily scarfed it down. "Second. We need transportation. So I opted that we throw your motorcycle away."
"What?" Jeno's eyebrows knit together. "You do realize that beautiful bike of mine cost me."
"Oh no I feel so bad for you." Renjun mocked emotionlessly, taking another bite of his bar. "I can't believe you worked so hard in being in a rich family to get that bike. Meanwhile I was busting my ass trying to rebuild a truck. But who cares," He dared to place a hand on Jeno's knee. "My condolences really."
The onyx haired boy sighed and popped a raspberry into his mouth. "Ok ok noted.... Wait is that why you asked me to take out all those parts yesterday?" His jaw nearly dropped and he pointed an accusing finger at Renjun. "You used me! You said you were going to fix up the 'broken' parts to enhance my bike!"
"I guess I misheard what I said. You see I meant to enhance my truck." The teen smiled cleverly in response and finished his bar, taking a handful of berries and leaving the rest for Jeno. Or for later use. "Anyways. Once my truck is finished. We take all our things, the supplies we need and then mess up that shack again. If those men come back than they'll assume that no one came in until they see the empty space where their food, water and gasoline were. Than it'll be too late. We'll be off."
    There was a silence for moment as Jeno thought the whole thing through. Turned out that he was expecting a way longer expectation.
    "Wait that's it?"
    "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S IT??"
    The athlete tilted his head, extremely confused. "Well I thought that maybe you had a longer explanation."
    "How about we see if this works before we go to the next parts huh?" Renjun sneered. "For all we know, perhaps the men come again and I'll be forced to bury your dead body." Seeing the taller boy become a bit offended the blond shrugged. "Or maybe you'll have to deal with them all by yourself."
    "Considered." Jeno nodded, shivering slightly at the thought.
    With that, the two decided to swiftly finish their small breakfast and clean up. They went back into the house to collect the tools they would need to start their project before venturing to the other side of the lake. All the while discussing the details of this major tune up. And as it all started to come into motion. Renjun went back to his past self.
    He would have never, in his life, have thought he would be working with the person he thought to be most suspicious in the school. Much less living alone with him. But now, watching the raven haired boy talk about the most random things- Renjun considered that maybe this wasn't going to be a terrible partnership than he first thought.