paranormal

1.6 | HE'S NEXT

yeon narae pov

6:24 am

It was dawn, and light peeked through the dull curtains. I squinted and woke up slowly, grunting from the muscle pain in my legs and back from being cramped up under a bed, and my heart was still beating from the adrenaline I experienced last night as well.

Today was the day that Jaemin and I would start searching for the 1:27 hideout. I groggily got out of bed and made my way to the closet. I picked out comfortable, flexible clothes like a pair of black jeggings, a T-shirt with a sweater, and combat boots. I made sure to keep a police badge on me because you never know when you need some proof with you.

I put the small notebook in my pocket and made my way downstairs, quietly. Chief Rosewood took a train with Mark and Donghyuck to the nearest city with a court because there's no court in Sanguis. So that meant that Jaemin and I would be the only ones in the office, and there would be no one in the office until Chief Rosewood came back, which would take a while, since trials go on a little longer.

I waited downstairs for Jaemin. "Jaemin! Are you up? We need to go!" I called for him.

"I'm coming! Just...wait a second!" He appeared and started running down the stairs.

I took a deep breath and made sure to stay calm. This was Sanguis that we were working for. Sanguis. If we didn't solve this case soon, the 1:27 might spread to other countries, even ones that aren't in Asia.

"You ready?" He asked me with a small smile. "Let's go."

I nodded firmly and followed behind him. We locked the door and made our way through the deserted streets. Wind blew through the dead branches of trees and every single step we took seemed magnified.

We were walking in silence until Jaemin stopped. I bumped into him.

"Ouch! What happened?"

Jaemin tensed up. When I looked in front of us, there was a brick wall with red paint-or blood-splattered against it. The substance formed a sentence.

SOMEONE IS NEXT. WE WILL HUNT UNTIL WE FIND HIM.

I bit my lip. The 1:27 were looking for Jaemin, no doubt. I clenched my fists and pulled out my camera and snapped a photo.

"Jaemin, they're looking for you."

"I know, Narae. I know." He sighed and his steps became heavier. "I can defend myself. I am armed." He pulled out a gun from his pant pocket. "I'm trained. Don't worry."

I nodded. I also had the gun that Jaemin gave me yesterday in my pocket. The thought of maybe having to kill somebody with the gun frightened me, but I had to stay motivated to solve this case. To rescue the prisoners. To protect Jaemin.

A forest came up ahead. It was misty and empty except for the clusters and clusters of old, tall oaks that stretched all the way up to the grey clouds.

"This is supposedly where the hideout is," I observed. "When we go in, we need to be careful. Extra careful. We don't know what could wait for us in there."

He nodded and we made our way into the deep, dark bush.

/////

dreamies pov

The ache that Jisung felt in his back was nothing compared to the ache he felt in his heart as the execution date crept along closer.

He woke up hearing the sound of bullets. It's probably the 1:27 training, he thought to himself and sighed.

"Jisung? You're up early." A tired voice spoke behind him. It was Chenle. "You're not the type to wake up early."

"I-I...I couldn't sleep," He stuttered. After being cooped up in the cells for years, it was safe to say that Jisung was close to being insomniac.

"We all can't sleep well," Chenle sighed. "I woke up countless times last night, shuddering in fear."

Jisung whimpered. "H-hyung...I'm scared."

Chenle gave Jisung a soft yet stern look. "Don't be scared, Jisung. Your hyungs are next to you. We always will be, no matter what the circumstance. Even if we...die, we'll die together, knowing that we'll see each other up in heaven anyway."

"Damn, cut the emo talk," An irritated voice interrupted them. It was Renjun, who was feeling as sour as ever. "Don't think like that, Chenle. It won't help."

Chenle rolled his eyes. "Well I'm sorry, I'm trying to comfort this little thing called a Park Jisung, who seems to be trembling. Literally."

He was right. Jisung was trembling slightly and was biting his lip so hard that blood started to spill. Tears brimmed his eyes.

"Wait, Jisung, don't cry..." Renjun's sharp glares turned into concerned pupils.

"I-I'm sorry, I can't help it. I really can't." Jisung wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Is Jisung crying again?" Jeno's voice echoed from the back of the prison, next to Chenle's cell.

"Yeah, he's pretty stressed out." Chenle placed his hand against the glass that separated him and Jisung. "Don't panic, Jisung, okay? Everything will be-"

His sentence was cut off when they heard angry footsteps. "Son of a bitch! That motherfucker..." Furious whispers and curse words were heard around the corner. It was Lee Taeyong, the captain, and the one that made the Dreamies tremble in fear.

"Lee Jeno, you in there?" He pounded against the prison door.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"I sent guards to free you. But not in a good way. You're a strong one, aren't you? I'm going to ask you to start the 1:27 training."