They all saw it coming.

 

The end of the world as they knew it.

 

What you do when your final hours are approaching, says a lot about you as a person, what you do out of fear, reflects who your truly are. Because you can’t take back the things you did, and everyone will have to pay.

 

The earth failed it’s test. When it needed to think rationally, it reacted out of fear and misunderstanding, and for that, paid the ultimate price.

 

Extraterrestrial life had been discovered at last, though where they came from was unclear. They weren’t from any planet in the solar system, but had a decent understanding of how human life worked. They were gorgeous beings that called themselves The Zarflies, which humans started to call Zari’s for short. Human-like in appearance but with soft almost translucent skin in various shades of  teal, green and purple, similar to if you had dropped a bath bomb in clear water and watched the color explosion start to swirl around the clear water. Some of the seemingly higher ranking Zari’s had gold and white wings that looked like a mix of an angel and a dragonfly but with ancient markings in them that reflected in the light. They wore simple clothes of flowing white and gold material though it seemed more iridescent than anything. Flowing purple and white hair was always tied in intricate braided styles that put any and all hair stylists to shame. Scientific minds had hope for the very first time they would be able to truly start learning about the universe through these creatures, they would find out about making peace and try to figure out the answers to life's greatest unanswered questions. Several weeks into the arrival of their otherworldly guests, the human race made an attempt at contact and seemingly it went over well. The effort was lead by the top scientists and political leaders in hopes of diplomatic equality.

 

For two years, the two races came together to try and form an understanding with one another, to find ways to make peace and unity. There were people for it, and people against it, as there had been for everything since the dawn of time. People would be crying and protesting that peace between the two races meant the end for humans as they knew it, others yelling back that this would create a brighter future if only the human race would open its eyes and finally learn to play nice. Given that in those two years all the world's countries seemed to put most of their hostility against each other aside in an effort to learn more about the outside world’s, a vote was cast around the globe and the verdict was that all would behave until a better understanding of life among the stars was reached. This was a giant victory for the scientific community, and seemingly brought peace around the world in ways that before this were never thought possible. It puts the world into perspective when you learn you’re not the only ones out there, and that a far older more powerful race had learned about you. Now you were the ones under a microscope even though they came to Earth first.

 

From there, things went well for another year, the human race was growing at a rate never before. Illnesses were being cured, technology was advancing, and the hope of flying cars was quickly becoming a reality at last.

 

Until one dark day when one of the world leaders had decided power was more important than understanding, that science was a myth and went against the worlds peace treaty by launching an attack on a ship that he thought was too close to his home. As soon as the missile was launched, all hope was lost for the human race. A sad display by a once powerful nation that had fallen into the hands of a con man, who knew nothing of how the world worked, caused what would go on record to be the day the world officially ended. The biggest mistake in human history. The other species responded quickly with an attack the world would seemingly never recover from.

 

Nobody wanted a war, everyone had been striving for the opposite since the creatures arrived. They didn’t know their full power even though humans were more than willing to talk about their own. Maybe to a fault. It gave the Zariflies time to analyze the true strength and weakness of the world and use that against them when the time came, a move nobody saw, though many had warned was a possibility. That’s why peace was the idea route, because they knew more about earth than earth knew about them, and that was a clear advantage for them.

 

When the time came for war, all hope had been lost. It didn’t seem to matter what the earth threw their way, nothing was strong enough to make a dent in anything they had. Guns were useless against their rapid healing skin, their ships had shields that no explosive could penetrate. They were able to adapt and overcome even the strongest of nuclear weapons by using their strongest power and biggest advantage over the human race. Advanced scientific technology that allowed them to do the one thing the human race had no way of fighting.

 

Atmospheric displation.

 

Human’s can’t fight back in an environment they can’t survive in. The humans had no choice but to flee in whichever way possible, in hopes of not being totally eradicated.

 

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D-2920 since the invasion had ended and the earth finally fell silent. 8 years and living situations were still not the greatest, but there was clean water and there was food.

 

Sort of.

 

Things were bad at first. A type of bad that made you wonder if dealing with the chaos above was the easier alternative than trying to survive down below. The ever growing fear, day in and day out, of not knowing what to do or where to go, trying to sleep while there was total chaos and panic around. Once clean drinkable water was found flowing under the earth and food had started to grow, there was hope that maybe things could actually work. That was more faith than anyone had in quite some time. Thankfully, when everything finally happened, human’s already had somewhat of a backup plan, albeit not a perfect one; but it was something.

 

Cities all around the world had already started creating beautiful underground exhibits prior to finding out there was life other than their own. Especially cities that had underground subway systems and decided to re-work the settings to make things more enjoyable for passengers by creating giant underground malls, hotels under the sea, and research facilities tucked away for safekeeping. This helped set up a template for people to follow as the main infrastructure in creating their new world once things fell apart.

 

A handful of the richest of the rich were smart enough to start digging down when the Zariflies first arrived in hopes of survival, if in the event a war ever occured. Designs and ideas also taken from ant colonies, historic bomb shelters and various end of days video games, where they depicted a world never thought to happen. All those crazy war veterans from ages ago that warned the world that aliens would invade, were laughing from their graves at the slew of people who called them crazy at suggesting they start to live underground in order to be safe.

 

At first the invite to go down was more of a lottery, a system of who was the most important that would be allowed into their makeshift dystopian be-all-end-all world, but eventually that whole concept got overthrown when the government picked up on what they were doing and made it clear you can’t save people based on the contents of their bank accounts, that innocent lives were not less important because of their social status.

 

The Kim Kardashians of the world were not as valued as the intellectual brains that would help put the world back together, should anything go wrong, and when things did finally go wrong, it was realized that the government did the right thing by stepping in. The quickness that things got built was because of hard working hands, smart minds, and would be thanked when the time finally came for humans to move.

 

Under the earth, humans created a new world, digging roads, homes and stores into the foundation with the help of the scientific community to do it in a way that wouldn’t destroy the earth. It wasn’t perfect, but it became home. It had to.

 

Earth had been destroyed.

 

Eventually it all came to an end. Whatever problem they had with the humans, had seemingly been solved one day without word. All the people that had been held in captive were let go, the man responsible for the attack that started it all had been executed in the most gruesome public display the world had ever seen, the explosions on the surface halted and the ships left.

 

Just like that.

 

Everyday, people feared the end of it was not really here, that there was still more to come, but it didn’t matter anyway. The surface of the earth had been declared ruined to a point of no return. At least not any time soon. The entire atmosphere had been changed to accommodate it’s new owners which was not breathable by human lungs. The first few people to have gone up to the surface after everything settled down, didn’t come back in one piece. They lasted mere minutes on the surface before dying in a way future teams that found the mutilated bodies would call, a fate worse than death. Luckily, oxygen tanks and facial masks could be used to visit the surface for several hours at a time, though prolonged exposure to whatever radiation left behind wasn’t advised. It took them awhile to figure out just how to safely visit the surface; though at that point, it was decided there was no real need other than to collect whatever food and first aid they could find.

 

Eventually life started to carry on, humans were always a resilient race and had now found a new place to call home. Clothing was produced through whatever could be crafted and salvaged from military operated surface runs, bars opened as makeshift spirits came to ferment, and after a while things didn’t seem so bad.

 

At least that’s what everyone kept telling themselves.

 

The underearth, as they called it, was comprised of circular levels ever working their way down. There was only roughly 1,800 miles of earth they could dig down to safely, but their hope was not needing to go below 900 for the protection and preservation of the earth.

 

The way it had been set up, at least for their little part of the world, was similar to that of a human-sized underground ant colony. A series of tunnels and pathways creating a network of downward spirals. Each section had a number and a color to make it easier to delegate where people belonged, and where workers needed to go. The higher up to the surface you were, the more powerful you were considered. It had the best working electricity, running water, and newly developed wifi network.

 

Strong measures had been put in place to try and prevent average people from venturing out to the surface, and after a while people stopped trying. The human race was content to keep digging down and perfecting their dystopian underground world, silencing any that wanted to step back into the light and put everyone at risk.

 

Jinyoung hated that.

 

Hated walking by the upper levels and seeing the giant glass skylights that had been put in place. Seeing the crystal blue sky above just begging for attention, feeling the warmth from the sun radiating through the thick protective military grade glass but never truly enjoying it the way it was made to be enjoyed. Jinyoung was only ever allowed on the upper floors to do touch-up work, ensure that no leaks were getting in from the world above and that the oxygen levels in the units were stable. Every day he thought about using the back passages to find a way to the surface. Stealing the supposedly broken preservation suits and seeing for himself just how bad it really was.

 

He’d done it once, but that was a long story for a different time.

 

Circuit workers or inspectors, as they were called, weren’t permitted to go to the surface. Their job was to secure the world around them, and keep making sure that things would continue to work the more the world started moving down as the population started to grow again. On the surface, Jinyoung had been a renowned botanist, obsessed with plants and their benefits to the environment. Most people called him a tree hugger, scoffing at how there was no use in his research and how he needed to find a real job that wouldn’t shame his family name. It was easy to ignore on the surface when he had support of others in his field, but down below it seemed all he had left in life were a few seed specimens, photos of his family and a lone potted plant he could grab from what once was his apartment.

 

He had no idea what it was, an undocumented flower he’d found on a trip to a nearby island when he was still in college, but it meant everything to him. It was his last reminder that there once was something beautiful and vibrant born in the sun before the world moved into darkness. Don’t get him wrong, as a botanist he took soil very seriously, so living under the world wasn’t exactly unexciting to him. Getting to see all the layers of the earth and discover what minerals and benefits they held was every bit important to the health of the plants they were trying to grow to feed the population, but he wasn’t allowed in that area even though he’d petitioned several times for job replacement. Why was a botanist not allowed to garden? It made no sense to him.

 

A workers schedule was always random. They worked when they worked, time was a bit warped in a world with little to no light. Once his shift was done for the day, Jinyoung threw everything into a locker and met up with a few of his friends that had been lingering around the office. They went by bells. A bell would ring every morning signaling the start of a day, which Jinyoung had figured out was at 8 in the morning, a few hours later another bell would signal what typically was a lunch hour, which he guessed was 2 in the afternoon; and then a final bell at night which either meant shift changes at work, or curfew on days when the world was a bit more dangerous, at around 8 in the evening. They didn’t have to be in their rooms by final bell, but it was recommended.

 

For the 8 years since they had moved below, things had come together decently. Everything looked as old Sci-Fi movies predicted the end of days would. Gone were all the glittering signs and smooth paved roads, in place were makeshift travel paths covered in sautered together metal. Whatever debris they could dig up from the surface any time supply runs were conducted, became decorations to make it less depressing. The aesthetic for the lower level citizens was very much run down space motel that had barely survived a zombie apocalypse. Which Jinyoung found fitting given if you replace zombies with Aliens, that was exactly what happened.

 

The end of his shift had come, final bell rang which meant he could relax again. Leaving the control room, Jinyoung padded his way down the dimly lit hallway for the locker room. Inside was his roommate and what he’d consider his best friend, and a few other people who looked to be just starting their days.

 

“Jackson found a way to the surface, an abandoned chamber in south cross up on level zero.” Jaebum whispered, looking at Jinyoung as he got closer. Jinyoung pretended there wasn’t weight to his words as he nodded his head, slinging his bag over his shoulder casually as he shut the door to his locker.

 

“For the three of us?” Jinyoung added, looking to Jackson, then Jaebum, who nodded his head and pulled his hat lower over his eyes. The three started walking through the hallways towards the elevators, pressing the down button once they got there.

 

“There are five suits in not the best shape, but they work. We won't be able to be out there long but it’s more than we’ve ever had before. I’ve scanned the area every day for the last week and we should be okay if we take the 9 elevator and sub route before mid bell.” Jackson said, looking at the door as it opened, Jinyoung nodded his head in agreement, smiling to himself before the three of them got on the elevator. Once out of the main hall and out of view, they all looked at each other in understanding.

 

“We have to act fast, but not… we have to do it right this time. Yugyeom is still paying for last time.” Jinyoung sighed, remembering getting caught the first time they tried to make it to the surface, and how Yugyeom had taken the fall for the master plan, moving him to bottom level excavation duty ever since, in order to stop any further thoughts of heading to the surface.

 

“We will go in a few days, we’re all scheduled for hatch repair in that wing I saw the schedule posted in the office this morning.” Jaebum said, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at his two friends. They both nodded in understanding.

 

“We need to go sooner. Before someone else finds out about it and prevents us from getting there.” Jinyoung commented when the door opened, two officers were waiting. Bowing their heads, the three friends left the elevator and made their way down the sub section for the local bar.

 

“We shouldn’t be going at all, we’re doing this for you. To prove a point to you.” Jackson sighed, leaning back against the door. Jinyoung looked down at his feet, having to bite his tongue and not argue back as they made their way through a series of hallways until they came to the familiar half working neon lights of the Last Shift Bar.

 

Inside it wasn’t perfect, but to them it felt like home. Bar’s weren’t really as popular as they had been on the surface, mostly because the spirit world was still pretty slacking given the lack of natural ingredients needed to create alcohol. It was more jail style hooch than anything, popular mostly with the fixers and diggers after their shifts ended. This particular bar was run by a boy named Youngjae who on the surface had been a music teacher. How he got started creating bottom drink, as they called it, nobody knew, but to Jinyoung and his friends it was the best around.

 

The decor was put together by bits of scrap, mostly wooden or metal counters fixed to concrete structures. The stools were made of hard uncomfortable metal that had old towels folded up and duct taped to make more tolerable. The whole place painted in a rather American swing diner style, despite the lack of food service. You’d think it was made in the 70’s by the deteriorated look to everything despite the establishment being just two years old.

 

Sliding onto their typical stools, Youngjae didn’t need to ask what they wanted, there wasn’t a giant selection. He simply set down three chilled glasses and poured in three different kinds of drinks before standing back with a smile on his face. Raising an eyebrow, Jinyoung held up the glass and looked it over before turning his attention to Youngjae. His eyebrow raised in a question he couldn’t find the words for.

 

“Hear me out, I know a guy who managed to get me strawberry extract…” Youngjae smiled wide, looking ever so proud of his concoction as he ran a rag over the dented and scuffed up makeshift counter.

 

What he was cleaning nobody ever knew, but they didn’t question it. It was probably just for aesthetics.

 

“But then why is it purple, aren’t strawberries red?” Jackson looked at Jinyoung before holding up his own glass full of an orange liquid.

 

“Yes but the yeast that I used to make it is purple, so this one came out purple.” Youngjae shrugged, pushing them all to drink before he vanished behind the counter to go check on his many mixes. Jinyoung just sighed and took a sip, his face crumpling up in a near painful wince as the moonshine style beverage made its way down his throat. The familiar burn of Youngjae’s drinks mixed with a flavor he could never quite put his finger on.

 

“Not getting any strawberry.” Jinyoung added, taking another sip.

 

“I can taste it… or maybe I just want to badly enough.” Jackson looked at the glass as if it were alive before he set it down and looked to Jinyoung.

 

“So how’s the race to the surface going?” Youngjae asked, returning with a bottle of something green that made Jinyoung’s insides do a flip, he covered the lid of his glass and shook his head no at the thought of Youngjae pouring him any.

 

“Relax, this is not for you.” Youngjae assured, setting the bottle down on the end of the counter.

 

“Going well, think we finally figured it out.” Jaebum commented, setting his now empty glass to the side.

 

“What are you going to do when you get up there? From what everyone says it’s just dust and dirt now.” Youngjae’s heart hurt at the thought, the sadness in his eyes obvious and shared with those sitting in front of him.

 

“I heard there are still buildings, that not everything is ruined. I want to find out for myself but I don’t have high hopes…” Jackson sighed, running his finger along the condensation covering the glass.

 

“I just want to feel the sun… feel the warm on my skin again. I want to see trees, and grass…” Jinyoung heard his friends groan, hanging his head a bit, he quickly downed the last of his drink before standing up.

 

“The tree hugger misses running through the forest with all his woodland creatures.” Jaebum teased, and if Jinyoung didn’t know he was kidding he would have went off on him. But they had an understanding and Jaebum knew how important this was to Jinyoung. He knew where he came from and how badly he longed for some sort of normality in his life again. He also knew how badly he missed his plants and his research. His comments were in jest, though Jinyoung had enough for the night.

 

“Who knows, maybe we might find a wheel or two of your old bike.” Jinyoung shot back and Jaebum sat upright, the annoyed look on his face was fake and they both knew it.

 

“I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Jinyoung threw down a few coins onto the countertop and took his leave, the two friends watched him go with a sad sigh before turning back to their drinks.

 

“You think he will find what he’s been looking for on the surface?” Youngjae asked, scooping up the coins and adding them to his box. Jackson shrugged, turning to look at Youngjae finally.

 

“No. I think going up there will be devastating for him. He’s going to see how destroyed everything is and give up all hope of being able to fix it. But he won't rest until he goes up, I’m not about to try and stop him again. He has to learn on his own that even though this is hell, it’s better than the alternative.” Jackson added, remembering all the talks he’d had with Jinyoung in hopes of getting him to be okay with their new way of life. Hours of trying to explain the things he’d found out falling on deaf ears time and time again. He didn’t want their trip above to be a wakeup call for Jinyoung, but maybe it was what he needed.

 

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Jinyoung’s quarters were on the 62th level in the 8th grid. He shared a unit with Jaebum and their roommate Bambam who worked in the clothing sector on the 18th level. Apartment units were comprised of a living quarter which would be considered a living room, a bathroom that came with a decent sized shower, a kitchen, and three sleeping chambers. The ground was covered in a more well laid out higher quality metal which gave people a feel of actual stability rather than the dodgy concrete and broken bits that had been laid outside, the electric worked most of the time and the showers were always cold but it was something to call home. Luckily for them, Bambam had taken to hanging various scraps of fabric around the place to brighten up the dull gunmetal gray color scheme that seemed to be infesting their new world.

 

Entering in his access code, the light on the door flashed green for approval and the metal door slid to the side allowing Jinyoung entrance. The lights were already on, meaning Bambam was already home from work. Leaving his boots by the door with the other scattered about shoes, he walked through the living space and straight for the bathroom.

 

“The water is actually warm today.” Bambam commented, not looking up from his sketches as he laid his slim body out more. His sketchbook balancing in his lap. Jinyoung knew that later Bambam would run to him to show him what he was working on, calling it the best thing to hit lower earth since the invention of the reversible water boot. As Jinyoung walked by the sofa he glanced down at the page and grimaced at the sight of a men’s crop top, more so because Bambam always tried to get Jinyoung to model his new ideas.

 

“Really?” Jinyoung humored him though as he made his way to the bathroom door, pushing the button on the right side of it to open the bathroom hatch for him.

 

“Or maybe I just want it to be, so I imagined it…” Bambam shrugged, snuggling his slim body down against the ratty beat up sofa they had grown to love over time. It was a wreck. A makeshift sofa at best compiled of shotty bits of old foam and metal bars sewed together with whatever fabric Bambam had left over. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it gave them an air of normalcy and nobody else below the 10th floor had a sofa, so he’d take it for what it was.

 

“Imagine... warm water.” Jinyoung ended the conversation, walking into the bathroom before the door could close on him.

 

As the door shut behind him, the bathroom lights flickered to life. Jinyoung walked towards the shower stall and turned the knob all the way up as far as it would go to release the water. It always took about 3 minutes for the water to actually start pouring which was just enough time for Jinyoung to to get out of his clothes and do a little bit of self loathing in the mirror.

 

Staring at himself in the makeshift mirror, he noticed the dirt covering his cheek, neck and collar bones. Making a face at the state of himself as soon as he heard the water start to hit the ground, he turned and walked under the spray. It wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t as cold as usual. A welcome change to be sure. Jinyoung washed the important parts first. Got the dirt off his face, neck, and hands before cleaning his hair. Standing under the water to rinse the soap off his body, Jinyoung thought to himself about if this life could ever feel normal to him, if he could ever listen to Jacksons words and be able to adapt at life away from the sun.

 

He knew that dwelling on it made you go mad. There were people littering the streets day in and day out, the homeless of the undercity that let the depression of their circumstances get the better of them. People that would sit on the streets, pressed up against the cold walls, mumbling about missing the light of day, about a better world and better times. Generally overlooked but Jinyoung feared he’d be one of them in a few years if he kept dreaming of reaching the surface.

 

If he truly didn’t find what he was looking for on this venture, maybe he would give up for good.

 

Maybe.

 

The shower clicked off, the 15 minute timer expired, letting Jinyoung know his allotted amount of water was done for the day. Stepping out of the stall, he dried his body off, making sure he didn’t miss anything before heading out of the bathroom with his towel wrapped around his waist. He heard Bambam in their kitchen, no doubt making some kind of root soup that seemed to be popular among the mid level people. The one good thing about living so deep in the earth was the rich soil that lead to a variety of well grown fruits and vegetables.

 

“Dinner soon.” Bambam called from the kitchen, hearing the bathroom hatch shut again, Jinyoung mumbled a reply before typing in the code to his bedroom door. The light flashed green and slid to the side, allowing him entrance.

 

His room was as nice as he could make it. He’d traded a skateboard he had found laying around level two for a few cans of paint a year into living in his sector and painted the metal walls of his bedroom to look like a forest. Trees and grass along the walls, the ceiling a bright sunny sky with simple little clouds. Anything to make him feel more comfortable and at home in his tin can of a living space. His bed was pushed against the far left wall, two lockers near by held the only clothes he possessed. He had managed to snag a few pictures and magazines from the evacuation which he had taped to their metal doors for decoration. Every room came with a desk, on his was a laptop that held a few downloaded movies and games he’d play when he was bored, and next to it sat his beloved plant. Still thriving outside of natural light thanks to special bulbs Jinyoung had made sure he grabbed upon evacuation. He rigged a makeshift sun lamp to help it thrive while he was away during the days.

 

Sitting down at his desk, Jinyoung smiled at the plant, feeling the soil before adding a little water to it.

 

“There you go, feel better?” He asked, feeling one of the soft petals before he turned his attention to his laptop, turning it on, figuring he’d keep working on his plan to try and bring oxygen back to the earth. He smiled at his desktop, a picture of his parents who he hadn’t seen since the day the attack came. He didn’t know if they survived, or if they had died, but he liked to think they were in a different world like his own, and if they kept digging, one day would reach wherever his parents were.

 

There wasn’t really a stable working internet below, not one you didn’t have to pay an insane amount of money for. Jinyoung was thankful Jaebum needed the internet for his work in the electric section of the digging union and they were allowed access to it so he could work from home if need be. Half the websites once readily available, had crashed due to no servers being around to keep them up, long gone was Facebook and Twitter, though some Youtube videos seemed to still be working, which was a question for another day. There was a new mail server that everyone that had access to the internet was required to use for updates regarding their new home.

 

Opening his document information, Jinyoung started looking through the research he’d managed to get. In another tab he opened the little secure chat server that had used by people in the underworld that were trying to keep things hidden from the ever seeing government. They had managed to hack a seperate server still working on the surface and talk to each other about what was really going on below the surface. He saw a little notification that meant he had a missed message, though he didn’t register the name as someone he’d ever spoken to. Clicking on the box, a message popped up, seemingly innocent enough.

 

UNKNOWN: Hello… I hope this is working. I’m trapped, somewhere? I can’t get home. Please come save me. I’m scared.

 

Jinyoung raised an eyebrow, sitting closer to the computer screen as he typed. The message was dated several hours ago, but perhaps the person was still online.

 

JINYOUNG: Hello, I received your message. Where are you trapped?

 

The reply was almost instant.

 

UNKNOWN: Thank god… I need help. I’m trapped on the surface, I can send you my location if you can please come.

 

Jinyoung’s eyes went wide. The… surface. He adjusted in his seat a little, making sure to mark his status as busy so he could focus just on his one conversation.

 

JINYOUNG: Nobody is on the surface, it’s uninhabitable.

 

UNKNOWN: I’m trapped in a garden, I was visiting… I think it’s called Seoul Botanical Gardens. Please come help. I’m scared.

 

Jinyoung wasn’t sure what to make of this message, sitting there in total shock for what felt like ages. He heard a hatch outside his open and rushed to open his door. Jaebum had gotten back and was heading into his room. Jinyoung yelled his name, waving him over. Grumbling about being tired, Jaebum rubbed his wet head and walked over to Jinyoung’s room.

 

“Can’t it wait until morning, we finally have a day off, I want to sleep.” Jaebum protested, Jinyoung just rolled his eyes and moved to sit Jaebum down in his desk chair. Jaebum’s eyes scanned the computer for a moment before he sat upright. He rubbed his eyes, maybe there was water left from the shower in his eyes making his vision blurry.

 

“What is this…” Jaebum questioned, typing a few things in to see where the address of the computer in use was coming from.

 

The only benefit to Jaebum being a world class hacker was his skills at uncovering anything he wanted when it came to computers. He’d been imprisoned just before the attacks happened for trying to get access into the government files to find out what was going on with the Zari’s. When everything came crashing down they figured his skills could be used to help set up a network underground for easy communication, a benefit to both him and Jinyoung when they started making a plan to return to the surface, to find a way to bring back oxygen to the surface.

 

UNKNOWN: Hello… please don’t tell me I lost you. I’m scared. Please come save me.

 

UNKNOWN: Hello. Jinyoung?

 

Jaebum’s eyes went wide, turning to Jinyoung.

 

“How does it know your name?” He asked, Jinyoung leaned in and moved to push Jaebum out of the way.

 

JINYOUNG: How do you know my name?

 

UNKNOWN: I typed Park Jinyoung into this strange message box… your name is on the office door? I figured I might reach you.

 

JINYOUNG: You’re in my office? At the Seoul Botanical Gardens?

 

UNKNOWN: I think so… please come save me. What is happening?

 

JINYOUNG: How have you been surviving?

 

Unknown user has been DISCONNECTED. Network Error 656-7

 

Jinyoung whimpered, tapping a few keys on his keyboard until Jaebum leaned over and tried to trace the original message. GPS didn’t work anymore, but maybe he could try and pull up a geographical location somehow.

 

“We have to go to the surface tomorrow. We all have the day off. We… we have to go.” Jinyoung whimpered, getting up from his chair. Jaebum sighed, hands going to his hips as he looked down at the computer.

 

“We don’t even know where we are under the earth to know how long it will take us to get to the gardens.” Jaebum reminded, and if the suits weren’t in the best shape they might not make it safely.

 

“I don’t care, he’s… he’s in my office. That means my plants… they might still be there. We have to go. Please we have to go.” Jinyoung whimpered, sinking down on the edge of his bed. Jaebum sighed, watching Jinyoung for a moment before he got up and opened his door.

 

“I’ll tell Jackson, we will leave at first bell.” He added and took his leave. Jinyoung fell back against the bed, his mind racing at an unknown speed.

 

Someone was in his office, at his old job, on his work computer somehow tapping into their underground world. What was better was his plants, his life, they were keeping him alive. Jinyoung was over the moon excited at the prospects of there being hope left for them.

 

Needless to say he didn’t sleep that night, nothing helped to calm his nerves as he thought about the person on the surface calling for help. He checked his computer several more times through the night, hoping the connection between him and the stranger on the other end of the network would re-established. It wasn’t until around 5 in the morning that it did.

 

UNKNOWN: Hello?? Are you there… Please help.

 

Jinyoung heard the notification sound and bolted upright, rushing to the computer.

 

JINYOUNG: Yes! Yes I’m here. I promise I’ll come help you… I have to find a way to the surface.

 

UNKNOWN: What do you mean? Are you not on the earth… oh no. Did they take everyone? Is that why I can’t find anyone? Where are you?

 

Jinyoung raised an eyebrow, how did this person not know what had been happening.

 

JINYOUNG: I’m below the earth with all the other humans, I have to be careful. Humans are not allowed on the surface anymore.

 

UNKNOWN: I’m not sure what that means. Why are you not allowed outside?

 

Jinyoung rubbed his face, was this person knocked unconscious? How had they been surviving the last few years in his office. Sure there was a ton of food there, but not years worth.

 

JINYOUNG: What’s your name?

 

UNKNOWN: Name… Where are you, please save me.

 

Jinyoung whimpered, feeling something so strange in his chest. Who was this person? Where were they really? How were they surviving? He had so many questions that he wanted answered. He needed to go. He needed to see this for himself.

 

UNKNOWN: Here… This is where I am, can you come save me?

 

Jinyoung clicked the attachment, sitting back in awe at what he was seeing. It was a map of the area, with a little target drawn over where this unknown person was. Jinyoung took a deep breath, printing the picture out before he heard a knock at his door. He pressed the button to open the hatch, seeing Jaebum standing there fully dressed.

 

“First bell is in five minutes, let’s go.” Jaebum said, Jinyoung nodded and turned to his computer quickly.

 

JINYOUNG: I am leaving today to come… I promise I will find you today. Before the sun sets. Wait for me.

 

UNKNOWN: Thank you. I will wait Jinyoung, I promise you.

 

Jinyoung shut his laptop, giving his plant a little bit of water before he left the room. Bambam was rubbing his eyes as he walked out of his own room, making a face as the three of them made their way to the front door. Right on time, the doors unlocked and Jinyoung was able to slip into his shoes opening the door. They stepped out into the main hallway along with everyone else, all of them listening to the speaker system that had been set up through the entire unit with the help of Jaebum.

 

“Morning Seoul Sector 65. The radiation levels are holding and under control. Diggers on call are to report to Level 112 for assignments. Blue, Green and Black are permitted to go to food call. That is all.” The radio clicked, Jinyoung rolled his eyes and turned to Bambam.

 

“We will be home for soup later.” He said, Bambam nodded knowing what that meant. With the cameras all over the place they knew better than to talk about what they were doing.

 

“I’ll have it ready by last bell.” He stated and went back inside. Jinyoung and Jaebum slung their bags over their shoulder and made their way to the elevators, meeting up with Jackson.

 

“You guys ready?” He asked, Jinyoung nodded his head and looked at the elevator as the doors opened. Several workers got out, leaving it empty for the three of them. Once the door was locked and the elevator started moving up, Jaebum swiped his card, granting them access to the upper floors. He had free range for the top 6 levels to get his work done, that’s where all the towers were that they had managed to get running.

 

Jaebum paused the cameras as Jinyoung and Jackson escaped through the top hatch of the elevator. Standing on the surface, they got the door shut just in time for the elevator doors to open. Jaebum leaned against the door as two officers walked in, glancing at Jaebum.

 

“Are you allowed up here?” One officer asked, folding his arms over his chest. Jaebum pulled his blue badge from his pocket. Jinyoung and Jackson made every effort to keep quiet so they didn’t alert the guards they were on the top.

 

“Cameras are glitchy, I was called.” Jaebum shrugged. The cops looked at the badge and nodded.

 

“Floor zero needs work. Get to fixing the sub section servers quickly please.” They confirmed, riding the elevator to the 3rd floor before they got out, When the elevator started to move again, Jaebum quickly climbed up the hatch with the help of Jackson and Jinyoung. They closed and sealed the hatch just as the elevator climbed up to floor zero.

 

Looking around, Jinyoung spotted the little work hole for diggers to use when they needed to make repair work on the elevator systems, moving to the hanging ladder, he jumped up and started to climb his way to the hatch, the seal was rusty but with a bit of muscle he managed to use his strength to pry it open. Pushing the door open, he slid up and out, taking him closer to the surface than he’d been in years. Jaebum and Jackson followed behind Jinyoung, looking around the abandoned section, the two following Jackson’s lead as he brought them to a closed off sector, Jaebum cut security to it, changing the wires to look as if they had just eroded over time by adding little cuts and knicks in them. Taking to the interface, Jinyoung worked on getting the five hatches opened nearby exposing surface suits.

 

Jinyoung walked over with wide eyes, feeling the soft flexible material before starting to pull it on. He had been expecting large bulky space-like suits that would make their traveling a lot harder, but these felt more like secure spandex. They checked the oxygen levels in all the tanks, 4 held enough for roughly 42 hours of travel time. That was more than enough. He hoped. Once the suits were tight to their bodies and everything sealed to hopefully keep the radiation out, they knew it was now or never.

 

Jinyoung fixed the head peace, clicking it into place before he turned the oxygen on. Taking a few deep breaths, he held his thumbs up to the other two, showing he was good. The suit was reading a working status, everything looked good to go. Jackson and Jaebum had good luck too. Sealing the pods that held the suits so nobody that happened to stumble upon this area later would notice they were gone. Jinyoung waited for Jaebum to open the gates, he had to kill power to a few of the lower levels to get the exit hatch up and running to let them outside. He knew they were all taking great risks doing this. Looking to Jaebum and Jackson as the doorway opened, Jinyoung gave them both a nod.

 

“Lets go boys.” Jinyoung said, taking a few steps down the hallway towards the final hatch. The door behind them closed, sealing them in. Jaebum waved a kemni tool near the interface to grant him access to the surface. The hatch hissed at first before it lifted up, all of them winced at the bright raw sunlight that started to flood in as the door was lifted. Jinyoung activated the sun shield on the helmet to help with his adjusted eyes as they took a few steps out of the unit and into the light of day for the first time since they were forced underground.

 

The three of them stopping dead in their tracks at what they saw before them.

 

There had been so many different stories about what the world looked like since the aliens had left. Some say the world was reduced to dust, all the buildings and structures had been decimated and the world was piles of ash and dirt. Some said it looked as it always had minus the humans and animals. That once thriving plants were replaced with whatever alien foliage was needed to sustain an altered atmosphere for the attackers to survive. Which didn’t make sense to some since the Zari’s didn’t seem bothered by oxygen but it was known that their world didn’t have any. None of the movies, or books could have prepared them for the devastation in their wake. It seemed to be a mix of the two stories people were telling. Not totally gone, but not in any way salvageable, destruction and chaos as far as the eye could see, causing their world to be near unrecognizable.

 

Jinyoung could tell they were in Seoul, that much he knew. Though where in the city exactly, he had no idea. Many of the buildings had been destroyed but not all of them were completely gone. No building was without damage and the glass of almost all their windows had long turned to dust. The biggest change was the introduction of giant strange, alive looking white and gold vines were wrapped around the crumbling infrastructures, the same markings on them as had been on the wings of the Zari’s. They seemed to be pulsing, alive almost, as they clung to decaying buildings. Jinyoung took a few more steps towards one of them, having to jump back when he heard a hissing sound and watched a vine snap out in an effort to grab him. Jackson pulled his arm yanking Jinyoung back, giving him a stern look like he needed to be more careful. The vine retracted back and a series of stunning, almost crystal-like flowers, started to grow in its place; working their way up the whole base and into the building it was tangled around.

 

“Don’t get excited, they aren’t plants.” Jackson warned, Jinyoung nodded his head, having to remind himself of that. Well they were, just not ones he was anxious to study.

 

Jaebum walked over to one of the nearby shops, the only building seemingly free from the pulsing vines. It was a gift shop for tourists, the door long gone from the hinges and most of the content abandoned on the floor, covered in a thick layer of dust. He walked inside and started to poke around for something that might help them figure out where they were. Jinyoung pulled the papers from his pocket, holding them out to try and see if anything on the map his unknown user sent him looked familiar. Jaebum found several flashlights and packs of batteries still in their packages, along with a few glow sticks that might help them if they were out when it was dark. Jinyoung walked over with the map he had in his hand, laying it out on the counter, using tape to put the pieces together.

 

“Where did you get this?” Jaebum asked, looking at the papers in Jinyoung’s hand.

 

“Unknown sent them to me.” He said softly. Jackson walked over and took a good look at the map that Jinyoung had, brushing his fingers along the weird light path that was on the pages before shrugging. The address to the shop was pointed out on the map hanging nearby and they were able to plan a safe route from where they were, to where the person needing help was. The map provided to them by the stranger on the computer seemed to show a decent amount of damage that they needed to avoid, as if it were a recent scan of the city which would be impossible.

 

“I don’t trust this, or whoever we’re going to find at all.” Jackson made clear, crossing his arms over his chest. Jinyoung just rolled his eyes, leaving the shop before the two could try and drag him back inside.

 

“I have to see who was trying to contact me.” Jinyoung made clear, map in hand, he started walking down the road.

 

The most depressing part of being on the surface was the amount of damage that had been done, and how there wasn’t a single living plant in sight. The trees had all died, the ocean of green that was once scattered along the streets in neat little patches and all the nearby parks gone. Reduced to dust. All that was left looked like burnt sticks sticking out of a pile of ash. Jinyoung touched what was once the bark of a gorgeous cherry blossom tree and watched it crumble in the palm of his hand before falling into a pile of dust on the floor. His heart hurt at the sight of how much devastation had been caused so quickly.

 

He sighed, his mind racing as he tried to take in what had become of the earth, eyes documenting every little thing they could as he walked close to Jackson and Jaebum. The three of them always on guard as they walked, staying clear of anything they could that looked dangerous or foreign. They were all actively trying to avoid the lifelike vines in case they tried to attack like earlier.

 

A few roadblocks had them needing to make complicated detours through estranged run-down buildings before their destination was at last in sight, total travel time from leaving the underworld to their final destination was 8 hours and 27 minutes. The Seoul botanical gardens was a giant area comprised of both new world and old world. The whole campus was a series of old temples, water gardens, prayer areas, all leading to the center which was shiny and new. The traditional temples and gardens were mostly laid to ruin in front of the giant glass main building that had seen better days but seemed to be generally unscathed by the destruction. Inside housed the more rare plants they had been able to find, along with a giant growing gardens similar to that of a enclosed rainforest. Jinyoung started to tear up at the sight of a place he once thought of as home. A place he found peace and sanity in a rather insane world. Sinking to his knees in front of a display of destroyed rare flowers he worked on right before the attacks came, Jinyoung reached his hands out to cup the ruined soil as he remembered just how vibrant and alive it had been at one point. Jaebum walked over to Jinyoung, giving him a moment to process what he was seeing. To comfort his friend, he put his hand on his shoulder to let him know he was there before he picked him up again. Jinyoung couldn’t wipe at his eyes, so the tears continued to run down his cheeks as they walked further towards the main building.

 

The first thing Jinyoung noticed were the crystals. Giant ones sprouted from the base of the building, almost as if they were fortifying the dome. The only place they didn’t cover was the giant glass dome and the front entrance. They were gorgeous, the way the light shone off them, Jinyoung knew he’d be blinded if he wasn’t wearing his helmet. Stepping over broken glass and a beat up metal bench, Jinyoung knew how to get to his office like the back of his hand. Carefully they entered into the dome which from the inside was seemingly intact. Jackson looked around cautiously at the unbroken glass, how everything inside was still alive and thriving. Jinyoung ran over to the plants, his hands reaching for their beautiful green leaves. Hope swelled in his chest.

 

They needed oxygen to survive… that meant.

 

“JINYOUNG DON’T!” Jaebum yelled as Jinyoung started to remove his mask, reaching to stop his friend, but it was too late. Jinyoung pulled the head piece off and took a deep breath.

 

Everyone watched him for a moment, waiting for the worst to come, but it didn’t.

 

“It’s air… clean… it’s clean air.” Jinyoung said shocked, looking around, confused as he ran down the main path and towards the back where his office was located. Jaebum and Jackson cautiously removed their masks before looking at each other in shock.

 

How..

 

Opening the door to his office, he saw it had been turned more into a makeshift living area. Sat in the corner reading one of his private journals was a man seemingly around his age. Slim, lightly tan skin, blue gray, almost purplish hair. He looked up when he saw the people walk in, quickly jumping to his feet, causing Jinyoung’s journal to fall to the floor.

 

“Jinyoung?” The man said cautiously, Jinyoung nodded his head.

 

“Oh thank god!” Jinyoung watched as the man rushed to him, wrapping his arms around Jinyoung as if they were old friends. Standing there stunned, Jinyoung looked at his two friends as they walked into the room with a confused glance. He put his hands on the person hugging him’s chest, and gently pushed him away.

 

“Sorry but… are you okay? Are you… how. I have so many questions for you.” Jinyoung frowned, looking around his office confused. Jinyoung moved towards where his books were, removing the glove section of the suit to run his fingers along the spines of his many journals. All of them looked as if they had been read recently, none of them were in order anymore. Jinyoung could feel annoyance bubbling in the pit of his stomach before he turned to the stranger.

 

“I’m sorry. My name is Mark.” Mark explained, bowing his head in a respectful way before standing upright.

 

“Mark. How have you been here this entire time?” Jaebum moved to stand next to Jinyoung, looking the stranger over.

 

“Can you get me out safely? I want to make sure everyone is okay. I need to know people are okay.” Mark chewed his lower lip, eyes full of worry as he wrapped his arms around himself.

 

“Are you looking for your family? That’s a lost cause. There are only a few thousand people left from our part of the world.” Jackson sighed, leaning against the desk nearby. Mark sunk down in a nearby chair, fingers coursing through his hair.

 

“It wasn’t ever supposed to be like this. This was never supposed to happen.” Mark whimpered, walking over to the window. His hand carefully raised up to press against the thick glass as he looked out at the damaged gardens outside.

 

“No. But those ing Alien creatures destroyed us.” Jackson rolled his eyes, bitterness and hate dripping over every word. Mark turned slowly to look at Jackson, leaning now against the window instead.

 

“Human kind attacked first, but they… would never do this willingly. Something went wrong. I know something went wrong.” Mark chewed at his lower lip, looking down at his feet as he twirled something that seemed to be tucked into his shirt. Clutching it as if for support.

 

“America did attack them, that’s what started all this . They got too big for themselves and that sorry excuse for a leader they had wanted to prove a point.” Jaebum reminded, Jinyoung kept a close eye on Mark not really paying attention to the conversation around him.

 

Jackson and Jaebum started to argue, going on about who was right and who was wrong. Nobody denied that humans attacked first but the level of retaliation was always the question. Was one bomb enough to destroy a whole world? It was a conversation heard day in and day out still to this day. When the argument started to heat up, Mark cleared his throat, snapping the two out of it to look at him.

 

“What do you mean when you said this was never supposed to happen?” Jinyoung asked finally, his eyes still glued on Mark.

 

“I mean that there was supposed to be peace between the two races. The Zari’s are a peaceful people by nature, sure strong in power but peace has always been their main goal. They saw their share of war and vowed to never be the cause of that, it’s why they expanded to other planets to try and help them. There needs to be a way to fix this, to help the earth. That’s why I came here, humans need oxygen right? How can we bring the oxygen back to the earth, that’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Mark pushed himself off the window, moving back to Jinyoung’s journals.

 

“There needs to be trees and plants that can create what we need, but the atmosphere is so toxic that would never happen now. There is no way for us to just plant something and hope for the best. Especially not with those weird venom vines around.” Jinyoung made a face at the thought, walking over to Mark who was flipping through an earlier notebook of his own.

 

“They aren’t venom vines, nothing about them is toxic. They are holding together the infrastructure, they are trying to fix it.” Mark commented without looking up from the journals.

 

“They tried to grab and kill Jinyoung on the way here.” Jaebum stated, giving Jackson a look before he turned to Mark.

 

“Why are you defending the Aliens? Do you see what they did to our planet.” Jackson yanked the book out of Mark’s hand, pushing him back against the wall. Jinyoung shoved Jackson away, glaring at him.

 

“The hell is wrong with you?” Jinyoung growled, giving Jackson a dirty look before he turned to Mark.

 

“Humans are an angry abusive race, so young with so much to learn about compassion. What was done is not irreversible. This place is a perfect example. If we can find a way to use the vines left by the Zari’s… you mention in one of your journals the intricate ways the world can create oxygen, the vines are able to adapt to whatever atmosphere they are living in since their primary purpose is to heal, if we can get a source of oxygen to the main root of those vines, we can get them to produce oxygen and maybe have a fighting chance at bringing life back to the surface. But… how do we find the roots.” Mark slumped down against Jinyoung’s desk chair, looking up at the three bewildered boys.

 

“How do you know all this?” Jinyoung asked again, moving to stand by the desk with his hands laid out on the wooden surface.

 

“I’ve been up here for years alone, I had a lot of time to study them while I was trying to make contact with anyone. I had given up hope almost.. until you came along.” Mark sighed, shutting the journal and setting it down on the desk.

 

“We need to create a hybrid plant of the vine, and something from earth. Something to introduce to the world that might help in the reproduction of oxygen.” Mark felt like his words were falling on deaf ears, looking to Jinyoung for support.

 

“That would be possible if we were able to find a way to infuse the two, but no living plant can survive outside this building or down below and any plant I’ve introduced from here the two have just died. Nothing is close to the makeup of the vines and powerful enough to withstand drastic changes.” Jinyoung stood upright listening to Mark explain further, rubbing the back of his neck lightly.

 

“Then we use the underground. They’ve found stuff similar to the vines while digging on the upper levels to install computer servers. Up at the top levels near the surface it started to come through the soil, that’s why Yellow zone is closed off.” Jaebum spoke up, his features less harsh now that he had time to calm down and the conversation shifted to thoughts of actual hope.

 

“We would have to transport the plants from here, to the underground.. And that’s impossible. The second they leave this room they will die.” Jinyoung groaned, his mind racing to try and find a possible solution.

 

“You have a plant underground.” Jackson chimed in, moving to sit on the makeshift bed that Mark had created.

 

“No. We’re not using that plant. No. It’s all I have left and what if this doesn’t work!” Jinyoung quickly shook his head no, the very idea was insane to him. This whole idea was a theory, there was no way of knowing if it would actually work.

 

“Does this plant not produce seeds we can use to grow a new one?” Mark asked, looking outside when he noticed it was getting dark. He peaked out the window and saw a storm in the distance, sighing to himself, he grabbed for a roll of tape under the desk and started to secure the windows better.

 

“I don’t think you guys are leaving tonight. These types of storms last for hours. Will you help me secure the place?” Mark tossed the boys their own rolls of tape, all of them looking at each other with worried expressions. They had work the following day, not that people ever noticed if someone didn’t show up for a shift or two. If there was trouble in your zone, most people didn’t leave their apartments.

 

“How can we help?” Jinyoung asked, looking from the tape to Mark.

 

“This dome is pretty secure because of the vines and the crystals but you have to go tape the doors closed. There is wood and other things nearby to prevent the glass from breaking. Go tape everything together. I’ll start getting food prepared for all of us.” Mark bowed his head and left the room.

 

“Something is off about him, about all of this. How is this place untouched by what happened, yet the city around it is destroyed.” Jaebum said the second the door shut behind Mark. Turning to his friends, holding the roll of tape up.

 

“Don’t question it. We’re not underground, there is oxygen and he apparently has food? For now I’m willing to believe the whole vine story until we can find out more. Both of you need to control your temper, what has gotten into you today?” Jinyoung snapped, brushing by his friends to leave his office.

 

“What’s gotten into us?” Jaebum said to Jackson as Jinyoung was leaving, sighing to himself.

 

Heading to the doors, he saw the storm start to roll in, nothing like he’d ever seen before, which made sense since the environment was entirely altered. Generally there would be rain, thunder, lightning, but this all seemed so different. Whirls of wind that had streaks of lightning running through them swept debris up into the air making the dust and decay look like a haunting snow almost. There was no rain, it was all dry which confused him beyond reason. Then again, he didn’t have a full understanding of the new atmosphere around them to know if this was normal or not, only that it went against earth's general science. The crystal flowers that were on the vines seemed to vanish back into the vine for safety as the wind picked up, though the larger ones seemingly grew in hopes of protecting the dome. The sound of disintegrated glass hitting the sky dome mimicked the sound of raindrops in an eerie way, a dark reminder of things Jinyoung often took advantage of. Though this rain wasn’t something your children would play in.

 

Jinyoung helped Jackson and Jaebum get all the doors and loose glass secure around the main dome. There were bits of cardboard, planks of wood, and seat cushions set to the side with tape from previous storms still binding some of it together. It wasn’t hard to figure out how to secure the glass after everything they had done, making sure it would hold against the wind. After double checking every possible entrance he could think of, Jinyoung started to walk towards where the customer cafe area was while Jackson and Jaebum used the bathrooms. Jinyoung noticed the sound of someone humming in the distance and he figured that was the best place to find Mark.

 

The smell is what caught him off guard. It wasn’t the typical earth like dirt smell he’d become so adjusted to over the last few years, it smelled fresh. Clean almost. Setting the roll of tape down on the nearby table, Jinyoung walked closer to see Mark had rigged up a makeshift kitchen using catering candles and serving trays from when they held events. He was cooking… something... Jinyoung had no idea what it was, almost scared to ask, but it smelled delicious. Turning his body slightly when he heard Jinyoung walk closer, Mark smiled softly at him.

 

“I had a feeling you were still alive. Something inside of me told me that I found shelter in the right place.” Mark commented, moving to tend to the food before he blew the candles out so he wouldn’t waste them.

 

“Do you believe in stuff like that? Fate?” Jinyoung leaned against the counter, watching as Mark poured what appeared to be a thick soup into four different serving bowls over rice. Something Jinyoung hadn’t seen in years. Wanting to help, Jinyoung moved to look around for spoons they could use to eat.

 

“I’m not familiar with the word fate, but I do believe that through peace and hope things happen the way they are supposed to happen. That you were supposed to survive and that you want as much as I do for the world to be okay again.” Mark said, moving to take two of the bowls and set them on the counter before he went back for the other two.

 

“I used to be like that, holding out hope that the world would open its eyes one day and understand that we needed to take care of every aspect of it, not just personal greed and growth. That we’re nothing without our foundation.” Jinyoung sighed, looking down at his arm as he felt Mark’s hand rest near his wrist.

 

“What broke that thought process?” Mark questioned, a deep sadness to his voice that had Jinyoung feeling almost as if he’d caused Mark pain by his words.

 

“I had to move to the foundation and realized that true beauty had been lost long ago, and there was no true hope in saving it. That humans had this coming.” Jinyoung sighed, pulling his wrist away to move with his bowl and sit down at a nearby table. Mark frowned, chewing at his lower lip before he grabbed the food and sat near Jinyoung. Jaebum and Jackson joined with their own bowls a few moments later.

 

“Where did you get the vegetables?” Jackson asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“The gift store has all these kinds of seeds and books on how to grow them. I’ve been using the water and soil here to make a garden. Gets a bit boring to eat but it works.” Mark shrugged, pushing the vegetables around the bowl before he started to eat.

 

“So you ran here when the attacks started and haven’t left?” Jaebum looked up from his food, jumping when something large hit the nearby outside wall. Mark seemed unaffected by it.

 

“Yes. I laid low for some time but once I understood that there was nobody left that I needed to hide from, I started to make this place a home.” Mark shrugged, letting his spoon rest on the edge of the bowl before he looked up at the three boys.

 

“We have to be back underground by tomorrow afternoon, meaning we have to leave here in a few hours. Will the storm be over by then?” Jinyoung asked, shrugging his shoulders, Mark looked over towards the giant skylights.

 

“It doesn’t look as powerful as the others, so probably 5 hours until it’s over? How long did it take you guys to get here? I laid out a path on the map I sent you from where the GPS told me you were.” Mark finished his food and set the bowl to the side. Jackson gave Mark a blank stare before pulling the map from his pocket, looking it over.

 

“What do you mean path?” He asked, laying it out on the table. Jinyoung and Jaebum grabbed their soup before he could knock it over. Mark looked down at the paper and traced his finger along a light gold line that ran from one direction to the gardens. Jinyoung looked closely and groaned, rubbing his hand over his face before he turned to Mark.

 

“I thought that was just a light spot on the paper and that I was running out of ink again.”

 

“No. I took the grid of where I am and was able to connect it to your computer? I guess because this is your area, and you must be using your own computer in your new home, it was able to work. I typically don’t get maps but it loaded once we made a connection.” Mark explained, though none of them looked as if they were buying it. Nervously, he started twisting his fingers in the chain around his neck, the more the three stared at him the more uncomfortable he started to feel.

 

“None of this is adding up. You know what the vines are, you somehow have internet, and even though this place is secure, I can tell the air isn’t one hundred percent in here because I feel dizzy at times. So how have you been surviving?” Jaebum questioned, getting up to his feet. Jinyoung did as well, putting his hand on Jaebum’s chest to try and keep him back.

 

“Please, I just want to help.” Mark whimpered, quickly getting out of his chair. He put his hands up in defence trying to show he meant no harm.

 

“ANSWER ME!” Jaebum yelled, pushing Jinyoung to the side to get closer to Mark. Dodging his advances to get closer to Jinyoung. He didn’t know why, but Jinyoung seemed like the one he’d connected with the most, the only one understanding enough.

 

“Don’t hurt him! What is wrong with you.” Jinyoung yelled, standing in front of Mark. Jaebum glared at the two of them before he turned to Jackson for support.

 

“Jinyoung, none of this makes sense! Something has to be going on.” Jackson said as calmly as he could, moving to grip Jaebum’s arm, pulling him back.

 

“This is not the way to get answers, this type of behavior is what caused this show to begin.” Jinyoung reminded, turning to face Mark. He hated how scared he looked, watching him fumble with a crystal necklace that was hanging around his neck on a long gold chain.

 

“How have you really survived this entire time? How do you have internet? How have you been able to contact people all by yourself.” Jinyoung asked calmly, looking at Mark in a way that was almost begging him to answer them.

 

“I fixed the servers in this area with the help of solar energy, and I was serious about the garden, I can show you it…” Mark whimpered, looking at the three men. “Please, I didn’t call for help to be attacked, I’ll stay here alone if it makes you more comfortable.”

 

“What is this ! This is the same crystals growing outside everywhere.” Jaebum reached out to snatch the chain from Mark’s neck. Mark moved quickly to prevent it from breaking, the metal digging into the back of his neck painfully.

 

“Don’t touch it! Let it go. Please I don’t want any trouble. I want to help.” Mark begged, Jinyoung tried to get Jaebum off him but the two were pulling so forcefully, the chain eventually snapped. Mark went flying back falling to the floor, Jaebum stumbled back against Jackson.

 

All eyes turned towards Mark as he got up and started to run, Jinyoung was quick to chase after him as Mark picked up speed heading for the main center of the observatory. A bright light started to come off him making it easier for him to be spotted through the thick display. Jaebum and Jackson chased after the two until a giant gust of wind knocked them all back a little. Stopping dead in his tracks, Jinyoung put his arms up to protect his eyes from the blinding light before it faded away. Cautiously, he put his arms back down to his side and walked a few steps closer, moving branches out of his way till he found Mark curled up in a ball by a tree trunk. Jinyoung took a few steps closer before he noticed it, the giant gorgeous wings, the color of his arms and neck, the clothing now covering his body. He had his head tucked between his legs, arms wrapped over his head for protection. He looked so scared, shaking slightly as he turned his face so it wasn’t pointing at Jinyoung. When Jaebum and Jackson got closer, they gasped, hands covering their mouths at the sight.

 

“Please… None of this was ever supposed to happen. I want to help. Please let me help.” Mark whimpered, moving his body some to bow at their feet. Jinyoung looked to the others in shock, kneeling down to get a better look at Mark.

 

“He’s a…. Zariflie.” Jackson said out loud.

 

Now, everything made sense.