Mark remained unmoving. His body is aching from the bruises he got from the accident a while ago. He's hurting all over, but he can't find it in himself to care. He remained still, not moving an inch, with his eyes still covered.

Jinyoung... It's all Mark could think of. Jinyoung is all Mark could think of, the entire time he spent in this wretched place he's in. It's been half an hour since he was dragged by someone. The killer he could guess. 

Jinyoung...

Is he gone? Mark feels his hands getting cold as he thinks of it. The possibility that Jinyoung is. . . . he can't even say it. He refuses to say it, nor believe it. Despite of his clear memory of how Jinyoung was left inside that blazing car. He remembers it clearly... how he tried to reach Jinyoung who fell unconscious after their car crashed on a tree, when the tires blew up. How he was dragged by some sick er, leaving Jinyoung behind. 

It was planned, alright. Mark knows it. Who the hell will put a barb wire across the road in the middle of the night? This is all planned. But he can't answer who planned all these. And why is he doing all these?

In the middle of his thoughts, Mark heard the sound of footsteps getting nearer to where he's lying at. He felt a harsh pull on his shirt, making him sit right up, before his blindfold was removed, allowing him to see the only light, coming from the ceiling lamp. 

As his eyes tried to adjust to his surrounding, he saw a man, the same man who dragged him away from the car earlier. He's still dressed the same, with a long black robe, and a wooden mask. The mask is already creepy looking in its own way, but Mark wasn't scared even a bit. What else would he be scared about? He just want things to end.

Mark turned his head away from the masked man, and only then did he see that he was not alone. On the far side of the room, is Yugyeom. The young guy has a cut on his head, with dried blood on it. Yugyeom is also looking at him, and he could see the fear in his eyes. Mark was about to call on his name, when the masked man spoke.

"It's so rude of me to not greet you both." His voice is very deep, it almost sounded unreal. Mark doubts it's the real voice of the guy. "Where are my manners?" The guy even cocked his head to one side, making a tsk tsk sound by flicking his tongue. It makes Mark feel sick and want to punch the guys throat, if only his hands weren't tied.

"Hyung..." He heard Yugyeom's meek voice from behind the killer. Mark tried to gave him a reassuring look, but he knew very well it is not enough. 

The masked guy then pulled on Yugyeom and dragged the poor guy towards him, now they're facing each other. "I brought you two here, for a test. A test to see, who has the guts to survive this nightmare." Mark bored holes in the guy's head, through his eyes. "You're both scared, right? But you both want to live. Surely you don't want to die."

"Please, just please let us out of here. Let us go. What did we ever do to you to deserve all these? Why are you doing this?" Yugyeom sounded desperate and hopeless that it makes Mark more mad towards the sick bastard.  

But the guy, as sick as he is, just shrugged. "Do I even need to have a reason?" He said, all the playfulness gone from his voice. 

Mark then saw the guy leaning forward, reaching something behind him, then he felt his hands are now free. After doing the same to Yugyeom, the killer spoke. "Here's what you'll do. I will give you both a knife, which will serve as your key to get out of this place, alive. But where's the fun in that, if both of you gets out, right? So here's the exciting part. You will be given two options: to kill. . . or to get killed." 

A knife was then thrown towards their direction. One for him, one for Yugyeom. But both of them didn't take it. 

Clenching his fists, Mark spatted. " you! You're a ing demon!" His voice dripping with anger and despise. 

"Yes, I am." The guy said. "But do you know what's funny? You need to be just like me in order to survive. Only a demon like me can survive this test."

With that, everything played back in Mark's mind. Jinyoung... Jinyoung is gone because of this monster! Without hesitating, Mark grabbed on the knife and swing his arm onto the killer. He has stabbed him, but only by his shoulder. "!" The killer groaned before pushing him all too forcefully towards Yugyeom.

"Hyung..." 

The younger's voice almost sounded the same, scared... but there's something else. Slowly, he turned his head to look back at Yugyeom. At that exact moment, he saw how Yugyeom brought his arm up, aiming to stab him. It took him by surprise but he was lucky, he was able to move away from him. 

"Yugyeom, stop!" Mark tried to say, but the younger was stronger than he has expected. Now, Yugyeom is straddling him, having complete power over him. 

He saw how the younger's eyes brimmed with tears. "I'm so sorry hyung. . . . . but I need to live." Yugyeom said as he swing his arm.

Mark could only close his eyes, waiting for the sharp pain to kick in. . . . .

but there was none.

All he heard was a thud, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Yugyeom's eyes, wide open... lying on his side.

"Did I say go?" He heard the killer. "Idiot." Mark saw how the killer wiped his knife clean from blood... Yugyeom's blood. Only did he realize it, when he saw a huge slit on the younger's neck, where his blood wouldn't stop flowing from. 

Mark's mouth hanged open. Yugyeom is. . . . dead.

"You still haven't changed. Up until now, you're the same self-conceited brat that you are." 

Mark remained there, not moving, not even able to take his eyes off Yugyeom's lifeless body. The killer has already gone. But Mark can't feel his arms and legs.

**********

Youngjae tried to keep up with his friends' pace. It felt like they've been running for an hour now, along the school's dark hallways. 

It's really a good thing that the four of them have found one another: him, Bambam, Jackson and Jaebum. Youngjae felt heaviness on his head after being knocked unconscious. 

He still remembers what happened a few hours ago. 

How he was enjoying playing fortnite in his pc, when suddenly Bambam said he'll go and meet his bestfriend Yugyeom. Youngjae knows how the Thai has missed his bestfriend ever since the youngest decided to move out of their apartment. And besides, Youngjae didn't bother to be alone in their pad. He's fine as long as he has his game board. 

It was maybe an hour after when Jaebum suddenly came crashing in, looking for Yugyeom so he said Bambam went out to meet him. Stay here, and don't leave, okay? Those were his words. And Youngjae trusted him, and tried to remain calm. Not until he saw a dark figure from his pc's monitor, before he felt a hard blow on his head knocking him unconscious. 

"Wait, shouldn't we look for the others first? I still haven't seen them... How about Yugyeom? Isn't he taken here with you, Bambam?" Jackson asked, stopping on his tracks.

Bambam looked confused, but worry was still etched on his face. "I... I don't know. I haven't seen him since I became conscious." 

"But he should be here... somewhere!" Jackson said, looking around. That's when they heard Jaebum speak.

"I saw him. . ." He said. "I was in the room with him. . . . and Mark." Jaebum looked uneasy while talking. "I saw both of them being dragged by this masked guy with a black robe."

"It's the killer." Jackson said, with certainty. " that psycho, Jaebum, why didn't you do anything?!"

"Hey, calm down." Youngjae felt the need to in, pulling on Jackson's arm who is about to launch on Jaebum. "I'm sure hyung was just scared. We all are, right? I don't think I could've done anything too, if I were him."

"Guys, all we need to do now, is to think of a way out." Bambam added. 

Jackson looked torn. Like he wants to get mad, but also understands that he shouldn't. Huffing some air out, he talked. "Alright." Jackson even nodded, as if he's still convincing his own self. "Alright, but... we should go back and at least find the others first." Jackson then turned to Jaebum. "You said you also saw Mark, right? And , Mark is supposed to be with Jinyoung. It only means Jinyoung is here too! We need to go find them!"

"I don't think it's what we should do." Jaebum said, making Jackson stop and turn. The chinese's eyes are now narrowed and directed at the older. But still, Jaebum continued, in his calm voice. "What we need to do is try to get out of here. It's the logical thing to do."

It didn't take more than a second before Jackson grabbed on Jaebum's collar. Youngjae almost jumped, but Bambam was quick enough to put his arms in between his two hyungs.

But Jackson ain't holding back. "Do you not care about them, huh Jaebum? Is this still about Jinyoung? You ing hate him this much?!"

Jaebum wasn't able to answer, that it was Bambam who felt like he should talk. "Hey, listen Jackson. I was beaten by a baseball bat, and if it wasn't for you, I would've been dead! Jackson, that tard is determined to kill us, for whatever reason he has! And now that we finally escaped from him, you want us to run right back?!"

Jackson threw Bambam's hand away, pushing both him and Jaebum in the process. "What's wrong with you?! Those guys, who are still left back there are out friends... not just anyone, but our friends! How could you tell me to just run and leave them behind just to save myself, when I know that I could've done something to save them? How could you guys be this selfish?!"

Youngjae had trouble in sorting out his thoughts. His mind is all blurred, but he knows he needed to talk now. So he did. His eyes shifted from left to right as he spoke. "I think Bambam is right." This made Jackson look at him. "I know how concerned you are for them, I am too. But if we are able to get out of this place alive, there's a higher chance to save them. We can go to the police and ask for help." He held on Jackson's arm. "Jackson, all we need is to get out of here alive. I'm just..." His eyes travelled to Bambam's and settled on Jaebum's. "...I'm really s-scared."

Jackson, not having much of a choice and not wanting to see the fear in his friends' eyes, just sighed. "Okay. We will get out of here. But we need to get help as soon as possible."

They were all relieved that Jackson has finally agreed to their plan. Altogether, they ran for the hallway's exit, but it was locked. Just then, Jaebum took out something from his pocket.

"Hey, I have found this." He's holding out a key. "Maybe we could use this to open the doors?" He handed the key to Bambam which the younger quickly took.

"Where did you find it?"

"Does it even matter?" Bambam answered Jackson's question as he tried to insert it in the lock. "What matters is we are finally getting out of this sick place."

But something just doesn't add up. It doesn't make sense. How it was so easy for them to escape? How it was easy for them to find the key? And when Youngjae crossed eyes with Jackson, he knew they were thinking of the same thing.

In chorus, they both tried to warn Bambam as they see him twisting the knob open.

"Bambam, wait-"

But a loud shot cut their words. It was almost deafening, Youngjae covered his ears. But when he opened his eyes, what he saw frightened him more.

Bambam is on the floor, his own blood pooling around him, his eyes open. . . . . lifeless.

As if on cue, the lights turned off.

"Youngjae?!"

He heard him. He heard Jaebum calling him. But instead of answering, Youngjae carefully stepped back and started to walk backwards, careful of not making any sound.

He can't help but wandering back to Bambam's words earlier.... of what he experienced in the hands of the merciless killer... I was beaten by a baseball bat, and if wasn't for you, I would've been dead! Bambam said. I was beaten by a baseball bat. . . . a baseball bat. . . .

Just then he felt a hand grabbing his, he almost shouted but he heard the older shushing him. He recognized it was Jackson. Putting one finger on his lips, telling him to keep quiet, Jackson led them both towards an empty room. It looks like they are now far from Jaebum. 

"Jackson?" He whispered. "It was you who saved Bambam, right? From the killer?" Jackson nodded. "Bambam said, he was beaten by a baseball bat?" Again, Jackson nodded. Youngjae gulped before asking again. "Can you describe how the bat looked like?"

Although confused, Jackson did what he was asked. "It's a white one with two red markings at the end... and if I'm not mistaken, there's a small dent, near its tip. U-uh... why are you asking?"

Youngjae doesn't want to believe it. He refuses to believe it.

He knows that bat all too well. He remembered giving it to him two years ago... to Jaebum. As those realizations hit him, all he's thinking is why his hyung would do that?

"Hey, Youngjae-"

"It's Jaebum." It came out as a whisper.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Youngjae inhaled before talking once again. "That bat, was Jaebum's... I don't want to think about it but, that bat was his. I gave it to him years ago. And a while ago... he gave that key to Bambam... what if... w-what if he's behind all these? Why... Why would hyung do such things?"

He is crying and all he felt is Jackson putting his arms around him, consoling him. But then they heard the door busting open. And then Jaebum's roaring voice.

"Jackson, you er, come out!!!"

He sounded very mad, and it scared Youngjae. He then felt as Jackson squeezed his hand. The older is gazing at him softly, but he could see fear in those eyes which tried to show bravery.

"You might say that I love Jinyoung the most but, hey... I also love you, okay?" Ruffling on his hair, Jackson smiled. "When I say run, you run like hell and never look back, whatever happens, alright otter-ssi?" Youngjae shook his head but Jackson looked decided. "At the count of three..."

And then it happened. 

Jackson jumped on Jaebum, who is holding a knife. "RUN!!!!!"

With tears on his eyes, Youngjae ran in the dark hallways. He ran and never looked back. But when he heard Jaebum calling him, he got more scared that he halted and looked for somewhere to hide.

Now he's inside a room. It is still dark, and he can't open the lights because he's sure Jaebum will find him. He cried and cried, repeatedly asking how Jaebum can do all these? Sure, he has been living a tough life, with his abusive father since his mom died. But is that enough reason to do all these and kill them, his own friends?

Youngjae always know how lonely of a person Jaebum is. But he never thought, he'll arrive to this point. 

"There you are." How his heart sank when he heard his voice. "You should've never stopped running."

But before Youngjae could even say something, he heard a loud thud, and his heard felt like spinning as he started to lose his consciousness.

ஐ〰ฺ･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･

Annyeong!!! ^^

I told you guys I'll be back soon! :)

I'm really sorry for how this chapter turned out. I hate losing the members, Gosh YugBam!!! TT___TT But it had to happen. And I did mention character deaths, right? 

This is partly the reason why I dragged this story as long as I could. I didn't want the killings to happen just yet. But, we cannot prolong this anymore, could we?

Anyway, what's done is done. YugBam is gone. Sorry TT_TT

There's only two chapters left. Hang on, my dear sweeties. Hooray for those who are still reading this. :) I'll update this tomorrow. I want this to end already, -_____-

Please leave a comment down below. Why do you think Jaebum did all those? Hmmm...

<3 nicapark