Trau·ma

/ˈtroumə,ˈtrômə/

a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.

physical injury.

The world that Mark is living in, is different. It’s so similar to our world and yet, it’s different. The unknown apocalypse that every human is unconsciously waiting for, what if it already happened? Buildings filled with technology overrun by nature. The buildings crumbling down, windows smashed, as though war had taken over the world. A war, between man and nature.

The boy yawns heartfully; his arms stretch over his head, letting out soft cracks. His head nearly grazes the top of the ceiling, the bunk below him, empty. Mark jumps off from the top of his bunk, his ankles ache with the sudden impact of the cold floor.

Had it been any other day Mark would’ve slept in till noon, but rumors had been floating around that a new child was to arrive within the day. It’s not like Mark was especially excited about a new child coming, but that child was going to be sleeping below him since there were no other empty spaces left in the orphanage.

Mark exits the small cramped room- the only furniture residing in it was the bunk bed, and a side table. Mark didn’t own anything, if he had had anything, it was taken away when he arrived.

Mark walks down the breezy hallway, other younger children run back and forth, fooling around. Mark didn’t talk to the other children. Even though he’d been there the longest, he found no interest in talking with the others. They didn’t know anything about the world outside of the orphanage, it’s not like Mark knew either, but he wasn’t oblivious. To the others, the orphanage was all there was. Mark knew, Mark knew that outside there were large buildings, there was a forest, there were other people.

“Mark, go outside.” Mark looks up to the woman towering over him; the woman who had taken care of Mark since he was a child. Seola. The only person Mark could ever even consider trusting. “He’s here, show him around okay?” Her voice is warm and her lips upturn into a smile.

Mark nods his head and sprints off to the front gate. The new boy… What would this child be like? Expectations flow through Mark, adding to his speed and he bursts out the front gate.

“Oh Mark! This is the new boy.” A tall man stands feet away from Mark, another pair of feet hiding just behind him. That badge… a guider? Mark’s eyes are drawn to the boy. His frail and small body stands awkwardly behind the guider, unable to meet Mark’s eyes- pitch black hair covers his hazel eyes. They shine in the morning sun like crystals, yet each eye is dull and void of emotion.

“He still can’t speak, but take care of him okay?” The guider smiles and turns back the way he came. Mark who is still enchanted by the young boy doesn’t notice his discomfort when the two are left alone.

“Ah, my name’s Mark.” Mark holds out his left hand. “Let me know your name okay?”

Mark smiles when the boy cautiously shakes his hand. The small hand almost half the size of Mark’s, the boy’s frame in general, tiny.  “Let me show you to your room, you’re in the same bunk as me.” Mark doesn’t let go of his hand as he guides him through the hallway he had seconds ago sprinted through. “You sure don’t speak at all do you?” Mark says as they venture down the empty hallway. Mark didn’t really mind though, the boy’s presence was enough for him. Someone new. Someone he could trust.

“Hey, Mark.” A man towers over them, his eyes dark and hollow. “Is this him?”

Mark nods, his head bows low and Jinyoung follows Mark.

“I heard he doesn’t talk, a kid like him is only going to get in the way.” His voice dark with spite. “See that he does his fair part of the job, or else, he won’t last long.”

Mark bites down on his teeth, it’s sharp edges grind together. “Yes Sir.” Mark couldn’t stand how the adults talked to Jinyoung, how they stared at him from afar with disdain painted on their faces. He couldn’t stand it.

Mark pulls Jinyoung with him and they tread past the adult, ignoring the looks from some of the other kids and adults. He had had enough with the others.

“Hey Mark! Is that the new kid?”The voice is husky and obnoxious. Mark stops dead in his tracks. Not many voices in the orphanage sounded like that, in fact, there was only one. The voice belongs to the second eldest in the orphanage.

Thern. Mark’s smile fades as the tall boy saunters over to the pair; Jinyoung clenches his grip on Mark’s hands and by instinct, moves behind him.

“Thern.” Mark’s eyes narrow and his teeth grit.

“What’s your problem Mark?” The corner of Thern’s lip lifts and a smirk forms on his face. “What’s your name child?” Thern’s words rolls off his tongue and come out similar to a snake’s words. Mark feels his spine shiver with the dense sound of Thern’s voice.

Jinyoung’s head bows down and not a single sound comes out from his lips. Mark noticing his discomfort moves in between him and Thern. “He can’t speak Thern. Leave him alone.” Fuck.

Thern bursts into laughter, his attitude making Mark’s face even more sour. Thern clutches his side, several of the younger children that were watching the scene scamper back into their rooms. Thern doesn’t stop laughing. “He can’t speak? That’s fucking hilarious!”

Mark bites down on his lip. This… Mark can barely take it anymore, his rage bubbles up in his gut. A soft whimper comes out from the little boy’s lips, his fingers press hard against Mark’s hand. That’s it. Mark tightens his grip on his small hands and marches past Thern,whilst keeping the boy close to his body. Thern’s loud howling is cut off when Mark jabs his shoulder as he walks past him.

“Hey you asshole!” Mark brushes off Thern’s rage as he walks with the boy down the hall and back to their small room. He ignores the stares from some of the other boys that hadn’t run away and they hurry past. Mark just wanted to feel safe.

Mark sighs as his body leans against the wooden door, it’s frame lays shut against the clay wall. The boy inhales and let’s go of Mark’s warm hands. “T-thank… you…”

Mark’s eyes widen at the boy’s speech. “You’re talking!” The boy smiles shyly, his cheeks flush a peach pink; wrinkles form at the edges of his eyes like small whiskers. Mark is taken aback, questions that yearn for answers clog up his thoughts. “Uh-ummm… what’s your name?”

The boy looks up to Mark, his eyes glimmer faintly- black holes that seem to continuously and never end, and the brown rings that circle around them and give his eyes life.. “M-my name’s J-Jinyoung.”

Jinyoung’s small lips upturn into a smile showing perfectly aligned teeth that for some reason are completely grown. Jinyoung… “J-Jinyoung… I-” Mark stops his words short.

How much did Mark want to tell Jinyoung? How much could he trust Jinyoung? Is Jinyoung a good person? Who is Jinyoung?

Jinyoung’s skinny arm outreaches to Mark’s hair- a small opening at the top of the wall that serves as a window, shines morning light onto Mark’s head. Jinyoung, completely fascinated, cautiously touches Mark’s hair.

“W-what are you doing?” Mark splutters as his face flushes with embarrassment, yet, he doesn’t move from Jinyoung’s touch.

Jinyoung runs his small fingers through Mark’s hair more fearless than before, while he continues to smile gently. “It’s beautiful.”

Mark stares in shock at Jinyoung, the