Murk

(məːk/)

noun

Darkness or thick mist that makes it difficult to see, dispersed from the shadows of the dead spirits. It coats the air with black gloomy shadows.

If it wasn't for the black wisps of murk swirling around Min, the sight in front of him would've been almost angelic. The white rays from the sun glowered over the dead petals littering around her body. The black murk weaved between the gaps of light, branching towards different directions while hovering over Min like a bad omen. She was crouching on the floor, hugging her knees close to her chest. The screaming session was over, her head buried in her hands. She was endlessly releasing her murk from her body, at a high concentration. As if having a mind of its own, her murk sensed Sehun and Luhan’s presence, stopping its movements. It almost looked like it was glaring at the two men who stood on the second floor.

The murk was something not unfamiliar with Sehun, rather he has lived with it for more than half of his life. But today, it was unsettling him. Min’s murk had a different aura, a devious and scheming impression lingering in the atmosphere. He tried to control his own, which was streaming out body like a free-flow water dispenser. Usually, he could control his murk with a simple snap of his fingers, all he had to do was imagine that he was pulling back the threads. But today, it was as if his actions didn’t obey his commands. The murk looked like it was struggling against his grasp; jerking forward to break free, but only to be yanked back by an invisible force from Sehun.

“Are you not able to control yours?” Luhan hushed, breathing heavily. His fists were clenched in concentration, trying to figure out ways to help his friend.

“I’m,” Sehun gritted his teeth, “trying.”

The murk resembled black fumes of smoke released from a scorching and fiery blaze. Sehun scoffed at that thought, the irony leaving a bitter taste on his tongue. Soon, he couldn’t differentiate what belonged to him, the dark smog blending in together in the centre, attracted to each other like opposite ends of a magnet. There was no use in trying to control it, all they could do was to watch the scenes unfold before them. Surprisingly, neither Sehun nor Luhan felt the least alarmed. A odd sense of serendipity washed over them, as they observed with mesmerizing eyes as two branches of the murk twirled around each other in unison. It was similar to a tornado, just that it wasn’t anything in.

It was like a two paint brushes delicately on a blank canvas, with Min and Sehun as the artists.

But what Sehun and Luhan didn’t understand was, why Min was not feeling anything. She stayed in the position the entire time, unmoving. She should have been feeling weak and exhausted after discharging the voluminous amount of murk, overexerting herself. They both shared a knowing look, cautiously approaching Min. They tiptoed down the stairs, afraid that if they made any sound, they would awaken the lion in the den. But Min already heard them, when they were whispering to each other upstairs. She didn’t know why she was suddenly so hyper aware of her surroundings, and this only makes her even more uneasy. She slowly raises her head from her knees, directing her gaze at the intruders. Technically she was the intruder- this was their home after all. But she’s too tired to care. Sehun and Luhan did a double take, staring at the pale and haggard girl. Her eyes were shining red, glaring right into their souls. They both shivered simultaneously, feelings chills from her alarming glare.

Rising to her feet, a throbbing ache dulling at the back of her forehead. Her eyes swept over the whole place, noticing the black tornado in the middle of the room. She didn’t know what it was, why it was created or why half of it was coming out from her. She didn’t understand why there was two men standing in front of her, not running away from her or the impending doom. She didn't understand anything, but only says with teary eyes and a cracked voice.

“I’m not a murderer.”

Sehun ran towards Min, seeing her fall to her knees was a scene too familiar to him. But he brushed off the thought, concerning himself with Min. Before her body slammed onto the ground, he caught her by her shoulders.  

This time, he wasn't going to let her fall again.

Min was running. Her legs were propelling her forward, but she didn’t know her destination. She kept running in the ruined and empty land, everything was in black and white, no signs of life, no signs of colour. She spins around, perplexed at the thought of herself being all alone in the vast emptiness that never seem to end. She was trying to find something, or someone, but it was only her. The trees weren’t alive,  its leaves fallen off, exposing the branches. There wasn't even grass, just withered gray ashes mixed with sand. The sky seemed to meet the horizon, but the sun disappeared behind the looming clouds.

She felt lost. She felt as if she lost someone too. Ugly sobs wracked her body, her frame twitching as her face contorted. She was wailing out loud. The sadness shrouded her like a veil. She couldn’t describe why she w