Chapter 1
Bite A chilling breeze ran through the cornfields and past the house as the sun finally sunk into the ground in the far east. It was a frosty October evening and the crisp, autumn leaves had already been stripped and scattered around the farm causing a soft rustling sound to be heard in the distance. Crickets chirped in the nearby fields of hay, along with the far away sounds of owl calls and fox howls. A flock of mallards rose from the elder trees just across the byway and flew off into the night.
I looked away from the nighttime nature and got back to my task. Crouching down in front of the vegetable patches, I gathered up the items Mother had sent me to collect. I bet that these would be the last vegetables of the year to grow; Mother was already starting to move everything into the greenhouses. I turned to look up at the warm lights beaming from the glass windows of the house, the single window of the attic illuminated with just the flame of a candle. Areum, my older sister, had returned from work about 10 minutes ago. She struggled to get out of her car when she first arrived, me and Dad had to carry her up to her room in the attic. She works in the city caring for the elderly, so it takes her about 30 minutes to get home. She told us as she was driving through the forests nearby that her arm, which was resting on the window, was caught on something and cut her. She said that she didn't catch sight of what it was, but the gashes were pretty deep on her arm and looked very claw like. Dad wasn't particularly worried, he thought it was probably a raccoon or a wild dog. He said that they're full of diseases, which is why she probably feels so ill. I really hope that it was that simple, but the wounds told otherwise. I walked up onto the porch and stepped into the warm house, kicking the door closed behind me and jogging to the kitchen.
"Jeon Jungkook what did I tell you about kicking the door?" My mother scolded.
"Sorry Ma'am. Here, I got the veggies." I sighed. I placed the food on the chopping board beside her. She was busy preparing soup for Areum, Mother's cooking always seemed to help on sick days. The comforting aroma of chicken and sweetcorn soup filled the kitchen, it reminded me of the days I would come home sick from school as a child and after taking a nap being greeted with the exact same smell. She looked up at me, the steam from the hot stew rising up above her head, her soft cheeks a pale shade of pink and her eyes full of wisdom and kindness. She had her grey shawl draped over her shoulders, she always wore it in the winters; it helped with her arthritis apparently. Her pink gardening gloves were placed on the side board just in front of me. My family owned a farm just outside of the city. She took care of all the planting and harvesting, while Dad took care of all the animals. Me, being only 18 years old, hadn't even started thinking about what to do with my life. It was likely that I would just end up staying here and working for the rest of my life, unlike Areum who always exceeded in education. She was always the smart one, I've always idolised her so much.
"Here, be a good boy and take these up to your Sister. Tell her she must drink it all up." She ordered handing me a tray of food. It placed a glass full of murky water, most likely caused by a dissolved pill, a small plate holding a cucumber sandwich and a full apple on the side. I held the tray carefully and made my way to the staircase leading upstairs. Through the thin floorboards I could hear the faint coughing of my sister coming from upstairs. Although she's older than me, I always feel the need to take care of her, I know that's what she'd do for me. I finally reached the top of the second set of stairs and slowly opened the white door to Areum's room.
My Father sat beside her bed, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning over her. He had his right hand placed firmly where her bandage was. Areum laid on her right side facing the door with her hair tied back and her eyes looking red. She let out another rough cough and sniffled up her nose; she had fallen ill so fast. My dad turned around and noticed me walk in. He stood up and smiled, taking the tray out of my hand and placing it on the side cabinet next to the candle. He patted my shoulder and whispered, "I'm gonna go call Dr. Hunter, things aren't looking too bright. Take care of her while I'm downstairs." He walked off, leaving the oak door open behind him.
I looked down at her, her forehead sweating and dropped open and breathing heavily. Her eyelids batted gently and very slowly, her eyes followed up to meet mine.
"Jungkook, sit down..." She breathed. She had a weak smile on her face. I pulled out the wooden chair beside her bed and sat down, my legs crossed and my shoulders slumped low. My eyes fell to where her arm lay, a bloody bandage wrapped tight around her forearm and her normally tanned skin became a porcelain white.
"I'm ever so tired..." She laughed lightly, letting out a small cough just after. I let out a laugh, not the kind of laugh that indicates fun, but the kind of laugh that indicates pity.
"You're a good kid... I've always admired you... Your carefree attitude... Your... Confidence in yourself... You've always been so... Headstrong... You never give up..." She said, a heavy breath interrupting her every word. Father was right. She wasn't looking too good... Not good at all...
"Areum, you're talking like an old dying person or something... What are you on about?" I laughed.
She didn't say anything. She simply smiled.
She reached out her hand. The blood vessels on her wrist bulged like blue snakes pulsating through her limbs. Her fingertips were frozen and her nails looked brittle. I held her cold palm in mine, squeezing it tight and hoping to warm her up.
"I think I'm gonna go now... I'm very... tired, Jungkook..." Her voice cracked and was getting dry. My heart ached as the sight of my once lively and bubbly Sister fell to one of a sick young girl I did not recognise. I choked up; my eyes began to water and breathing faltered. I felt so, so sorry for her.
"Areum... Doctor Hunter will be here soon... You're gonna get better... Don't worry..." I said trying my hardest not to let my tears break through.
"... Goodnight... Jungkook..."
"... Goodnight... I love you..." I whispered.
Her eyes slipped into a dream almost instantly. Her lips relaxed and opened slightly, and her eyebrows rested gently, and her hair clung to her forehead as her sweat dried into her pores, and finally... She looked at peace.
I lifted my hand up to wipe her hair off of her face, but as my index finger brushed past her noes I noticed that not a single breath passed by. I brought the back of my palm to her slightly open mouth.
I waited.
1, 2, 3, 4...
Still not the slightest hint of her breathing.
Suddenly I became shaken up. My blood started to pump rapidly. I stood up knocking the wooden chair down behind me. I jabbed my fingers all over her neck searching for a pulse. Nothing. Not a single pump.
Without a second to spare I sprinted down the oak stair case and rushed to where my Fathers voice could be heard. He stood at the bottom of the staircase holding the telephone between his shoulder and face with my Mother beside him.
"Dad she's not breathing."
They both looked up at me shocked. My Mothers eyes grew as wide as saucers. Her legs immediately jolted to the staircase but not before my Father could grab her arm and keep her still.
"Dr. Hunter! Dr. Hunter can you hear me?! Doctor!" He yelled.
He pulled away the phone and flung it across the floor.
"Damn it! He always picks up! 24/7! Where the devil is he now?! Of all-" He paused as he looked through me and Mother to the back of the staircase.
I turned around slowly, everything in silence.
Curled around the banister of the staircase was Areum.
Except it wasn't the Areum I knew...
Her irises were pure white. Her skin was thin and veiny. Her hands looked claw like and her mouth looked hungry - hungry for prey...
"... A-Areum?..." I muttered out.
A small growl rumbled through and echoed down the staircase. Her nails dug into the banisters and was gaping open like the entrance of a cave.
Her feet shuffled forward a bit and before we had a chance to blink she was crawling down the stairs like a wild thing. She fell on her face when she reached the bottom, but she soon stood up and stumbled in my direction.
I fell back onto the table behind me, smashing the vase of flowers and crushing the telephone. Her hands reached out for my neck but just in time my Dad grabbed her arms and held her back.
"Jungkook! Get to the car and open up the boot! Hurry! Me and your mother will take care of Areum!" He yelled. Areum was growling and going insane. I was shocked to the bone. My pulse was racing.
"Go!" My Dad shouted knocking me out of my daze. I leapt to the front door and swung it open. I jumped down the porch steps and sprinted to where our car was kept. I lifted up the boot door and threw out anything that was left in their. Fishing rods; empty flowers pots, paint brushes, and a duffel bag of guns from mine and Dad's last hunting trip. I don't know what drove me to do it, but I grabbed the bag and swung it over my shoulder.
Mom and Dad had already dragged her out of the house and brung her to the car. Slowly and carefully the put her in the boot, closing the door and trying not to hurt her. "If we hurry we might be able to get her help in time." My Dad said.
We walked around the car and hurriedly got inside, the sound of Areum's cries and screeches still ringing through the car. My Dad wasted no time in stepping on the pedal and speeding down the country road. It only takes 30 minutes. Just 30 minutes and we'll be there. My heart kept pumping. How could she go from being so tired and fragile to becoming a monster within the span of a few minutes.
The car ride seemed to last a lifetime. As we got nearer to the city, the more traffic we faced. It was like the whole world had been shaken up. We had maybe another 10 minutes until we reached the hospital, but as we turned into a roundabout chaos erupted and to my left I found two cars heading towards each other, bound to collide. They crashed into one another, the smaller one spinning behind us and the other smashed into the concrete walls. In the rear view mirror I swear I saw flames detonate to my right. I glued my eyes shut and tried to block out the sound of Areum clawing away at the back of my seat. Surely, this all had to be some sort of nightmare.
Our car halted to a stop on a bridge. The road had become piled up with cars, not a single one of us could move. Car horns and screams rang through my ears. My father cursed at the road and slammed his hands down on the steering wheel.
"Isaiah 13:6, 'wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!'" A preacher yelled as he walked through the turmoil. "Our Lord and saviour had warned us of this day! My fellow brothers and sisters! Now is our time to pray for forgiveness to the heavens above! Join me before it's too-"
Before he could finish his words a hand smashed through the car window he stood next to and grabbed his clothing. His head was dragged through the window and...
"You two! I want you both to listen very carefully." Father started. "Grab anything close to you that's large enough to act as a cushion and put it behind your neck."
My Mother looked around in panic and ended up shoving an old plastic bag behind her. I lifted the duffel bag off of the ground and placed it on my seat, resting my neck on it and waiting for my dad's next instruction.
"Good... Now, place your feet flat on the floor. Use all the force you have to keep them in place." I did what he said, and once again waited. "Okay... Now... Hold on tight..."
Without warning he rammed our car into the one in front of ours and soon reversed to the one behind us. He created a large enough gap for our car to turn and crash into the bridge wall.
What had he done?! Why did he do that?!
We were at least 40 metres off the ground! And now here we were falling to our deaths!
"Dad! Why did you do that?!" I screamed.
"Just keep... holding on!"
Our car plummeted into the lake below us. My head jerked forward and slammed into the seat in front of me and everything went silent...
•••
The scarcely audible sound of soft waves could be heard nearby. My legs felt frozen and I felt so weak that I couldn't even bring myself to open my eyes. Thump, thump, thump. My head ached and my pulse rang through my ears. Drip, drip, drip. I felt damp as a warm substance dripped from above and onto my arm.
A deep growl rumbled next to me. That's when all that happened came shooting back at me. Areum, her illness, the bridge, the fall... I remembered the nightmare that I was in.
My breathing hitched as fear pierced through my veins. I peeked out of my eyes a little and looked over at the back window. The car boot was wide open. Areum must have fallen out, but where was she now? My sight slid down to the back seat to the left of my heavy head. The duffel bag of guns still lay on the seats. Where the heck was we? How the heck did I end up on the floor? And what on earth was that dripping on my arm?
Agony struck through my neck as I weakly turned my head.
"A... Areum..." I croaked. My voice was muted, there was no point in trying to cry out. Once I finally turned to the sight beside me I instantly wished that I had not.
Areum was crouched over the drivers seat with my Father underneath her. Her hands; more like claws, dug into his arms and held him in place. Her fingernails were near black and were stained with what looked like blood. Her skin looked grey and you could see her light blue veins pumping underneath her flesh. Her eyes were like golf balls, her irises were pure white and her pupils were minuscule. Her hair looked matted and resembled a wild animals, but she was not the scariest thing in my sight. My Fathers head was turned in my direction. His eyes were lifeless and his mouth was dry. His arms were limp and hung over the seat. Areum had her teeth sunk into his left cheek and was ripping off his skin like a hungry beast. The splatter of blood and the tearing of skin now entered my ears and tortured my mind even more. My eyes welled up, she had already engulfed half of his torso. His rib cage emerged from the remaining flesh of his back. God knows how his head had stayed on when he was almost a skeleton.
I couldn't hold back my tears. Tears had filled my eyes and already started seeping down my cheek. A light sob escaped my lips and made the car go silent.
Damn it, she heard me.
I froze and my body went cold. I could hear Areum growl slightly and shuffle around in the car. I could feel her breath against my face as she crawled closer and closer to me. I had to think fast.
I swung my arm up and hit her in the face. Before she could retaliate I kicked my leg up over the seat and kicked her out of the open door. I sat up quickly and reached for the duffel bag. I grabbed a revolver and reloaded as fast as I could. I reached for the door handle and opened the door behind me just as I could see Areum clawing her way back into the car. I fell out onto my back but swiftly sprung to my feet.
Her eyes were locked on mine as she dragged her way towards me. I stepped back, closed my eyes and shot.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Five gun shots echoed through the air.
My hands were shaking and my eyes were clenched shut. I breathed out heavily and looked down.
Areum lay face down in the mud. There were two wounds across her arm and one gaping hole at the back of her head. It took me a moment to process all that had happened in the last minute. My eyes started to fill up with tears once again as I came to my senses and realised that I would never get to see my Sister ever again. That was my sister. That was the girl who taught me almost everything I knew today. She had always been with me. She had always been by my side through my darkest days and my weakest times. Yet this was how it all ended.
I fell to my knees. I sobbed harder. I let the tears wash my face of the dried up blood and dirt that smothered skin. I sat down for a while until I could finally force myself to push onwards. I grabbed the duffel bag out of the car and dragged Areum's cold body into the backseat and lay her there. I gathered some daisy's that were scattered by the lake and placed them in her arms. I looked into the car and through my teary eyes noticed that only my Fathers body was inside. Where was my Mother?
Hope struck through me from the thought that she might have survived, but as I walked around the bonnet of the car I found her.
My Mother's guts lay sprawled out on the sandy ground, shades of pink, purple and white filled the images of my mind as I stared in shock at her ripped and sliced intestines. She had a leg missing, but soon enough I found her bones bare and scatted near my feet.
I choked out another sickly sob. I don't believe there is any pain worse than seeing the people you hold dearest to you in a state such as this. I had lost everything in one night. Yesterday morning I was bidding goodbye to my family before rushing off to college and yet today I spent my first half an hour dragging the remains of my dead Mothers body into our car just to have an ounce of respect. This was the closest to a memorial I could get.
I stepped away from the car. My white shirt was now stained with the blood of my family. I felt empty, wounded. What on earth was I supposed to do?
I looked over at the bridge we had driven off of yesterday. There were more of those... things. Whatever Areum had turned into there were others. Did that mean that there were other people suffering the same as me?
I had no idea what had happened to this town. I don't know what this disease was. All I knew was that I wouldn't be seeing the last of people sick like Areum.
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