Chapter 30
JEON
Eh? Smooch has older man?
I peek behind the tree.
Tall boy with a white hair stands with smooch. I scream inside. Braggart?! Braggart’s smooch’s hyung. Hyung as in brothers or friends?
Two ’em are talking bout something I can’t hear cuz am far from where they’re standing. About 5 steps to the left, nother trees stand and I think can go there. Activating Maruto mode, I stand up to creep like a ninja.
“Jeon!”
A meaty voice suddenly slices the air.
I hide behind the tree. Damn, who’s that?
A tall faceless shadow’s seeable in the shadow. Round me, everything’s pitch gray, and the grass is slimy. Should I bolt? If I do, our asses gonna both saved.
I walk to the shadow.
“What are you do-”
I dash toward him and snatch his hands. “Run!” make mah voice bigger.
Looking up, I notice a gorgy face in almost tan skin. His jaw’s very sharp it can be used to dice me. Matt?
Stupid.
Stupid! Am gonna leave him there if it ain’t braggart.
He tryna resist. “Wait!”
“Be quiet,” I say. “Avoid looking behind and focus on our way instead.”
I fasten the run. “Can you match my pace or should I let go of your hand?”
“Let go!”
Drop his hand.
Can’t see him but am hearing some huffing behind so I guess he’s keeping up.
While in the fast lane, a crappy building catches mah attention. It’s big but worn out like the building shown in The Crawling Dead. Door is closed, windows are too high but ain’t blocked. That will do. Just hope zombies ain’t there.
“We can use the building to hide,” I say.
“Yeah.”
I rush to the door and put mahself in stop. But suddenly, mah feet slips so mah ass hits the floor. Dull ache comes me.
“Are you alright?” cheater asks.
What do you think?
I stand up the grass. Mah pants are painted with green slime. The sights enough to turn me off but we ain’t have all day. I grab the rusty handle of the door.
Clink clink
It’s jammed. It’s damned.
“Move to the side,” cheater says with dead serious expression. His eyes pierce me.
What?
“I said, you move to the side.”
I get outta way. Dunno what’s cooking but this better be legit...
Without any words, he dashes to the door. Then, he jumps mid-air and throw a hard kick.
Bang! Thud!
Bruise Lee?
The next blink I make, he’s standing on the ground in some kind of fighting stance. Beads of sweats form in forehead. Mah heart beats hard. He’s just showing off to make up to me.
Stupid. “You should go inside.”
“How about you?”
“I am going, but I want you to walk inside first.”
“Ok.”
He turns his back and crawl in. After his back fades a little, I trail.
Inside, all I can see’s darkness plus the little big mess of woods and walls.
“What building’s this?” cheater asks.
How am gonna know?
“There are heaps of woods and of concretes all over the place. Looks like it hadn’t been used for a long time.”
Am not blind.
“And the power source’s down too.”
The noise of our steps returns to us every time loudly I think this place must be huge.
After a while, the darkness becomes endless straightness. It crawls to mah skin. Mah heart beats equally like how peeps view dark and white skin. Comfyness comes to me. Darkness is mag friend.
“Where are we going?” cheater asks.
“I have the least idea.”
We’ll just walk round here til sure two’re not tailing.
CRASH
I jump on mah left. I stiffen mah hand but nothing’s coming. Where’s it came?
“Who are you?” cheater asks.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that to you two?” a soft voice in the dark says.
This ain’t braggart nor smooch. Their voices ain’t this limp.
Looking round me makes see beefy woods and concretes. All ’em heavy. I have nothing to use when he attacks.
“We’re not doing anything funny,” cheater says, cracking his voice rough.
“Really? Why are you here then?”
Cheater looks at me. I shake mah head.
“We are just researching around the campus because the principal had ordered us to secure no students are inside of this old building,” I say.
Only silence talks back. Bullseye.
“Are you still there?” cheater asks.
“Be careful.” shadow answers.
“Thank you for your concern. It is deeply appreciated.” I say.
But he says nothing to me. Heck. Damned shadow’s ain’t talking to me.
We remain standing then suddenly, sounds of fading steps licks mah ears. With that, I relax mah body.
I turn back. “The person behind the shadow is gone. Let us leave the place.”
“Sure. Whoever you’re running away from must be gone by now.”
Hope so.
I walk ahead of him. If can pick, don’t wanna be with him. But there ain’t a choice.
TAP TAp tap
The sound of our steps the only thing that keeps me company. It makes time for mah mind. I ain’t gonna talk til he sorries. Til he get off that bitch. Til say he loves me again.
Rotating round mah own thoughts just punches mah heart so I quicken mah steps.
“Who’s that we just encountered?” cheater’s voice sounds.
“How should I know? The sound of the voice is unfamiliar,” tryna say it flat.
“I already told Mr. An and the teachers that you’re sick, so you could’ve just rest.”
What a damn gent. No thanks.
After not so many steps, the light becomes brighter than mah future with him. I squint.
“Have you seen the food on the table? When I came back last night, you’re not answering so I thought you’re sick. That’s why I bought it.”
Heat suddenly rushes mah head feel like am gonna explode. So he only pity me?
“Thank you for your concern, but I am very sorry. Please avoid talking to me for a while. I need to process things.”
“Hmm? Why?”
Because you’re so damn annoying.
“Yeah. Get well soon.”
Get well soon mah ass.
Looking at the time, it’s only 3 mins before the next bell. Bout to be off for the quiz, I runaway.
Away from him.