“I’ll be back soon.” I said to my younger brother, who was lying in his bed. “Where are you going, hyung?” Kwangmin asked sitting up and looking me in my eyes. I swung my backpack over my shoulder and inched towards the door not wanting to tell him. I knew he would get angry if I told him the apocalypse was coming closer one more time. I started to think back to the last time I brought up the topic.

---- Flashback----

“Kwangmin, did you hear about the end of the world?” I asked resting my chin on the palm of my hand and face the other.  He looked at me then at the TV screen. The news was talking about the prediction of the end of the world. Kwangmin laughed and turned off the TV. “The world’s never going to end. The news is bored and making things up.” He said flicking the night switch. “But, there’s proof that-” I was cut off by a pillow smacking me in the face and a light laugh. “The world will be around for 100 billion more years, hyung. I don’t want to hear any more about this stupid apocalypse. Goodnight.” He said turning in his bed. I tossed him the pillow he threw at me and laid my head onto my own pillow. “Night.”

----Flashback End----

“Hyung!” Kwangmin clapped twice snapping me out of my memory. I looked at him and he repeated his question.  “I’m going to the store.” I said moving closer to the door. “Didn’t you just go to the store a couple of days ago?” he asked, I nodded. “I didn’t get everything I needed.” I explained to him. It wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the reason I was going to the store either. Kwangmin nodded and scratched his head “Buy me some chips?” The younger asked. I nodded and left out of the room. “That was odd.” Kwangmin said to himself before turning his attention back to the TV.

The store wasn’t that far, but it wasn’t super close either. I walked down the street with my earphones in. Nothing was better that walking and listening to music. I stopped for a second to look at a little red bird in the tree on the other side of the street. Wow, what time is it? 5:30, I can go to the park for a while. Nobody will mind, right?  I asked myself crossing the street. The red bird watched my every step as I got closer to the tree it rested in. I stepped up to the tree and looked at the bird. It was a lot bigger than it was across the street. The bird looked down at me and tilted its head. “Hey birdie. You want a cookie?” I asked the bird, it tilted its head to the other side as it watched me my backpack. I searched for the pack of chocolate chip cookies I packed. When I found them I tossed it in the air. The bird stretched its wings and flew towards the cookie. It grabbed it and swooped down, landing on my shoulder, with the cookie in its mouth. I reached for the cookie, slowly. I pinched the cookie and the bird ripped a piece off.

“Okay birdie I have to get to the store. Go back to your tree.” I said pointing to the branch it came from. It flew up into the sky as I began to walk away. I got to the store before it got too late.  I decided to go to a nearby bakery and grab some of Kwangmin’s favorite cookies. The door opened with a chiming bell. “Hey Youngmin.” The baker’s daughter, Bae JeeSun, said with a sparkle in her eyes. “Hi, how are things?” I asked walking up to the counter. She shook her head, “Things aren’t going too well here, my dad thinks the end of the world is coming soon,” she laughed lightly and began packing the cookies before I asked for them. “Crazy right?” she continued. I laughed nervously and agreed. “Yeah, people they just believe anything.” She wrapped the cookie box is Kwangmin’s favorite bow and handed it to me. “Thanks, how much is it again? It’s been awhile.”  I said taking the box from her. She smiled at me and giggled, “It’s okay there free.” I smiled back at her and brushed my fringe from my forehead. “Thanks, JeeSun, but I’ll feel bad if I didn’t pay.” I said reaching for my wallet. “No, Youngmin, it’s okay. I’m giving them to you because I um… like you.” JeeSun said covering her now slightly red cheeks. “Oh, umm, well. Thanks for the cookies.” I said smiling awkwardly before walking out of the bakery.

I walked past the park on my way home with my groceries and looked at the tree again. The bird from earlier eyed me as I went on my way. I turned the corner and continued home when a vibration in my pocket stopped me. I reached for my phone and checked the caller I.D., Kwangmin. I answered, “Hello?” I asked. “Hyung, there’s a huge fire in Busan.” I tilted my head and cleared my throat. “Where?” I asked curiously trying to figure out if what I thought was happening was happening. “Busan!” he repeated. “I understand that, but where in Busan?” I explained. “All over!” Kwangmin gasped. I opened my mouth to ask a million questions, but the call dropped. “Hello? Hello?” Nothing… I shrugged it off and got ready to walk again. The red bird swooped down in front of me. “Move birdie, I have to get home to check on my brother.” I said to the animal; however,it  just stared at me. I looked at it and it looked me in the eyes.  Suddenly, I saw a vision that scared me.

Fire rolled through the outer parts of the city while the inner parts froze. The sky was burnt orange and black. I was standing in the exact spot as earlier. The ground began to crack and break apart. I watched the building in front of me crash down for no reason.  I dropped my groceries and ran towards my house. My heart pounded in my ears and my eyes blurred with scared tears. I hope he’s okay. Please be okay. I thought as I ran. A huge explosion blew me back. I hit my head on something hard and my vision got blurry. As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I noticed the bird landed on my stomach and bowed. I closed my eyes as the pain overtook my body and I passed out. 

Author's Note:

I'm so sorry that you had to wait like 24 days for me to update, but my internet was out and school is still a forever hard for me. I hoped you liked my first chapter. PLEASE give me feed back on how you thought it was. What was good about or bad about it.