i plan my escape from the walls they confined,
rebel red carnation grows while i decay
chlorine — twenty one pilots

xxx

The metal collar around her neck made everything more difficult as if it was suffocating her further, slowly the life out of her. Though the metal collar or as what the Sentinel Services smugly coins them as a Mutant Inhibitor collar which prevents a mutant from using their powers – momentarily imbibing their inhuman abilities away from them, and rather than life itself.

Like a defenseless animal caged in, she was confined in an empty glassed box, her hands against the wall as she watches weakly from the other side of the room, the collar electrocuting her friends for defying the authority. Her ears drown with painful screams coming out of their mouths and her eyes loaded up with relentless tears.

She screams in horror, “Stop! Please!” She repeatedly bangs her fists against the glass.

It was no use. She knows that, but she can’t bear to see her friends, slowly dying inside their own respective glassed compartments and slowly collapsing on the cold floor as their yells gradually subside.

She sobs louder as she watches on her own spot helplessly, the life in their eyes she once has grown accustomed was gone.

It was total silence along with the plain white room, but only her uncontrollable wailing bounces to every corner of the room.

“You see what happens when you don’t listen to us like how bloody dogs should?”

She looks up to the owner of the voice filled with venom, once laced in nothing but gentleness and genuine affection.

“You’re next” Her old friend grins, slowly pressing down the button on a remote that controls the Inhibitor collars.

“No-“

Her scream of defiance was cut off as she jolts awake, her heart beating against her ribcage very loudly as her breathing matches along with it. Her eyes were wide, filled with utter horror as she stares into nothingness before she slowly regains a good sight to her surrounding and her hearing adjusting back to reality.

“Yeri, it’s okay. It’s okay. Everything’s okay” Someone assures her as she felt herself being pulled into a pair of strong arms. She breathes in slowly, trying to calm herself down as the person who has their arms wrapped around her in comfort, rubbing her back soothingly.

“It’s just a dream, Kiddo. We’re safe now, Everything’s fine. We’re free now” She then realized it was Hoseok who’s been keeping her secure in his arms, repeatedly whispering reassuring words full of hope and certainty.

Everything’s fine. We’re free now.

Yeri suddenly bawls, the realization of freedom dawning into her. She cries in relief and a wide range of repressed feelings she has been keeping to herself for 12 years, escapes in a form of tears.

The bad dream almost felt real, bringing her back to the memories of being locked up but alas, they have escaped. A plan made for years, a plan to escape the high maximum-security prison filled with helpless mutants like them.

Yeri slowly pulls away from Hoseok, wiping away the tears escaping from her eyes and takes the chance to look around. They were resting somewhere in the middle of a forest, but far enough from the facility they were held captive. After running for hours and hours that felt like an eternity, just to get away from the agents trying to capture them back after their escape, they ended up in a woodland – rows of tall trees towering over them.

“Where’s Seokjin and Seungwan?” Yeri ponders, concern etched on her face, looking around the vicinity.

“They tried to find a way around this forest, and maybe a town nearby,” Hoseok explains, smiling softly.

Yeri nods.

 “Hoseok, Is everything fine? I heard Yerim crying! God, let them be okay” Seokjin suddenly emerges from a path they probably took off. Very worried, his eyes land on Yeri who was resting against a tree, before running up to Yeri’s aid with Seungwan behind.

“Geez, I’m fine” Yeri rolls her eyes as she tries to lightly push her cousin away from her, but the older only tightened his hug.

“Yeri’s fine, Jin. She just had a bad dream. Now let her go before you suffocate her, Papa bear” Seungwan teases, seeming how Seokjin’s always protective of his cousin who he treats almost like his own child.

Seokjin pouts as he pulls away.

“Glad everything’s fine but we have to get out of here immediately. They might have heard Yerim if they’re nearby” Hoseok says, patting Seokjin’s broad shoulder.

“Seokjin and I found a rundown building that seems to be empty. We’ll just find a suitable place to hide tomorrow since it’s getting dark” Seungwan informs, giving a quick smile towards Yeri. As much as she wanted to pull Yeri in her arms and comfort her, she loves Yeri too much to not put her in danger just by a single touch.

They nod in understanding, standing up from the ground as they follow Hoseok and Seokjin who leads the way away from impending danger.

Despite the trees enclosing them, the darkness of the night slowly eating up the sun from the sky and only the sound of their footsteps thudding against the hard ground, or the crunching of crisp leaves being stepped on – they never felt so free. It was like a fresh wind and water combined, gushing over them, something cool and refreshing, a calming sense that whispers against them – bringing in a new form of hope to start all over again.

xxx

All Namjoon wanted was some peace and quiet as he tries to figure out how they are going to get enough source of food for next month, considering how most of their faces are plastered around the nearby town and no disguise can help them sneak in to get some food to survive.

They were never under the radar of the authorities and locals before, as they kept themselves in a low profile, trying to blend in with the crowd as much as possible, living a normal life they’ve always wanted without unleashing their abilities in the public. Though, it was a different case for both Taehyung and Sooyoung who stays behind and waits for the group to arrive, bringing back a good amount of food and water to consume for the whole month.

Taehyung once went out with them, but his glowing red visor pulled a large number of unwanted attention, despite explaining that it was a fashion statement. As advised by Namjoon, it was better for Taehyung to stay behind for safety despite the protests Taehyung gave.

Sooyoung, however, has built her own fame as an idol before joining the mutant underground. Her name was whispered and passed around more after the news broke out regarding an incident involving Sooyoung possessing an X-gene, making her hide from the public and authority.

All was well until Jungkook’s uncontrollable temper caused the mishap to why they can’t blend in normally with general society anymore.

To Jungkook’s defense, a vendor was selling an unreasonable price for a pack of cigarette that leads to a heated argument and insults thrown around, boiling Jungkook’s anger as his metal claws slowly emerge in between his fingers. It was too late for his friends to react and save him from the public’s eyes. Without thinking, Jimin rushed to Jungkook’s side using his inhuman speed to coax his best friend down, while everyone stares in silence before a deafening scream came from a young woman, igniting everyone’s panic as some burly men bravely tried to put down the mutants.

It wasn’t looking good, and they know they must save Jungkook and Jimin, even if it means using their abilities in public that may cause more damage. Joohyun quickly uses her telekinesis to create force fields around Jungkook and Jimin who were about to be jumped by angry men wield with bats.

All Namjoon can remember was more horrified screams were echoing behind them, as they try to run away from the town they used to walk around freely.

Namjoon sighs remembering the unfortunate event that Jungkook still hasn’t apologized for, at least, and that did not even teach the younger a lesson to control his anger. Joohyun once told him that it was Jungkook possibly having that rebellious teenager phase and to give him some time, while Yoongi thinks otherwise, which prompts to Yoongi and Jungkook having an uncomfortable tension and conversates through bickering instead.

The loud volume coming from the television made Namjoon’s head hurt more and was about to call out whoever had the remote to put the volume down when the local news interrupted Taehyung’s baseball game, earning a groan and a string of profanity from the younger.

Written in bold text, MUTANT ALERT shows right after the Breaking News logo – capturing Namjoon and everyone else in the room’s attention towards the television.

“The Government and the Sentinel Services put out a nationwide manhunt as four mutants with maximum threat level escaped the facility located in Gwangju. Please be on high alert.” The news then swiftly flashes four images of the said mutant escapees with detailed information regarding their abilities and appearance. “For any sightings, please call this number immediately. Stay safe, everyone”

Only the noises coming from the baseball game that resumed to its broadcast filled the room.  Mutants were deemed to be dangerous, especially when it’s a first-time that mutants have successfully escaped a high maximum security, sending alarms to every citizen, except for the mutants themselves – who was somehow worried to their own kind, and curious to how they successfully broke out from a prison controlled by the Sentinel Services.

“I hope they’re safe” Seulgi thoughtfully shares as she snuggles closer into Jimin’s embrace.

Namjoon nods and if he could, he’d gladly help them and offer their hideout to them if possible.

A series of agreements bounces around the room except for Joohyun who stayed quiet as she stares blankly on thin air, not knowing that Namjoon and Yoongi shares a look to Joohyun’s apparent frozen state.

Yoongi nods towards Namjoon, agreeing to something they only know as if talking to each other telepathically without having such abilities.

Joohyun’s precognition. Namjoon and Yoongi have learned that whenever Joohyun has future envisions that flashes randomly in her mind, it makes Joohyun freeze into a sort of shock or astonishment.

Joohyun falls back into reality as she blinks repeatedly. Aware of the two pair of eyes on her, she glances back at Yoongi and Namjoon and offers them a soft reassuring smile.

Albeit to their knowledge, someone was watching them communicate quietly, his eyes peered away from the television as he studies how the three leaders communicate through looks as if they’re hiding a secret. And he doesn’t like being kept in the dark.

xxx

Yerim.

Yeri’s feet were sore. Her whines of pain were combined with Hoseok’s as they trek the never ending woods that seem to lead to nowhere at all.
 

Don’t give up.
 

It’s like the forest has been playing tricks with them, leading them to nowhere as Seungwan and Seokjin swore and swore they saw a rundown building they could rest at.

But they never saw anything besides the towering trees gawking at them.
 

You’re almost there.
 

“It feels like we’ve been walking for days” Yeri drawls on, groaning heavily as she drags her feet on the unforgiving terrain.

“I swear, we freaking saw that stupid building” Seokjin mumbles angrily under his breath, kicking a small rock furiously.

 “Don’t waste your energy on being angry towards yourself, Jin. I’m sure we’ll find it” Seungwan tries to reassure the older who just sighed heavily in response.
 

Look ahead.
 

“Hey, wait” Yerim stops dead on her tracks, earning a series of concerned look thrown towards her.

“What’s wrong, Yeri?” Seungwan asks, her hand hovering an inch away from Yerim.

The younger points ahead of her, a glimpse of what seem to be a rundown building hidden behind the tall trees. “Is that what we’ve been looking for?” She asks hopefully.
 

Bingo.
 

 The grin immediately appearing on Seokjin’s face and Seungwan’s slow nod with her shoulders sagging in relief is enough to confirm that they’ve finally found a place to rest.

“What are we all waiting for? Come on, I can’t wait to hit the hay” Hoseok excitedly says as he walks straight ahead leading to the path where the building sits.

Everyone nods as they quicken their pace towards the building, except for Yerim, who takes careful steps as she eyes the figure sitting on top of the building – away from her peers’ eyes but enough for Yerim’s hawkeye sight to spot the figure.
 

You’ll be safe here.
 

Though, she doesn’t tell what she saw to avoid the cause of panic but something inside her tells her that there’s nothing to worry about. And this time, she trusts the voice at the back of her head.