The car sat idling in the middle of the street, the two young men just staring out of the windows around them. They had driven through the small town slowly, hoping… well, Seungkwan couldn’t say what he was hoping for. Signs of life, maybe, or to find Mingyu, though that possibility scared him. He wasn’t quite sure what they were going to do when they did find him. Regardless, what they had found was several cars with their doors open, drivers dead with bloody wounds. There were more bodies on the sidewalks as they had driven through town, but the two had refused to get out of the car as they traversed, afraid for their own lives. Now, though, they had come to two police cars blocking the road, sirens and lights going and yet…

“They’re dead too,” Vernon breathed out finally, his voice shattering the tense quiet. Seungkwan gave a slight jump at the sound before letting his own shaky breath out. “We need to get out of here,” Vernon said again, his voice stronger this time. He put the car into park and looked at Seungkwan. 

“The road is blocked,” the older one pointed out weakly.

He received a nod in response. “We’re going to have to unblock it. I’m going to move one of those cop cars, you’re going to drive my car through the blockade. Deal?”

No, not really - Seungkwan felt a huge weight of responsiblity to stop this murderous spree that Not-Mingyu was on, but he didn’t really see another idea. “Okay,” he agree quietly.

Vernon nodded and with a deep breath, hit the automatic lock button to release the car doors. Seungkwan’s breath caught in his throat once again as he watched Vernon open the car door and step out, his face stoic and brave but his hand shaking where it gripped the door. “I’m… just gonna move the car,” he reiterated, then looked at Seungkwan. “If something happens, though -”

“Just move the damn car already and get back inside here,” Seungkwan interrupted. Vernon blinked at the use of language but nodded, his jaw clenching as he closed the door softly, quietly, and made his way toward the police car blocking their lane. Seungkwan scooted across the long seat to ease into the driver’s position, and put the gear shift into drive so that he could move the car as soon as the road was clear.

But Vernon paused as he reached the driver’s side of the police car, which was hanging open. Seungkwan watched as his face turned pale and then sickly green, and he turned to vomit roughly on the ground beside the police car. He stayed for a moment, hands on knees as he caught his composure, then moved for the other police car instead. He had to go around to the far side of the vehicles and Seungkwan felt worry rise high in his chest at no longer being able to see Vernon’s lower half - who knew what was hiding over there? - but this time his freind stepped into the police car and put it into reverse, backing it up onto the curb to clear enough room for Seungkwan to drive through.

Which he did immediately, and Vernon came running to get back into the car, this time in the passenger seat. It was his turn to immediately lock the doors upon entry, and he turned his pale face to Seungkwan’s. “They’re dead,” he said roughly. “The cops, they’re dead. And it looks like they were bitten by something with fangs.”

Chills raced down Seungkwan’s spine and he was unable to stop the shake that came with them, his hands white knuckled on the steering wheel. “So they were trying to stop Mingyu.”

No answer from Vernon, who slouched down into his seat and stared out the window as they eased their way through the small town. There wasn’t a single other living soul in sight, and that was terrifying to Seungkwan - how the hell had Mingyu been able to get to town and kill so many in such a short amount of time?! - but even heavier was the guilt that weighed on him.

They reached the bridge that marked they were near the edge of town, and the guilt of knowing that Mingyu had killed an entire town was building up inside of Seungkwan’s heart. “If we don’t -” he began, but Vernon sat straight up in his seat.

“Stop!” he shouted, and Seungkwan gave a start of surprise. “Stop the car!” He did as he was told, slamming on the brakes, and Vernon was unlocking the doors and out running before Seungkwan even ahd the car fully stopped. He placed it in park and took a deep breath before opening the door to follow Vernon. Something made him pause, though, and he reached into the back seat to grab the utility belt that he had worn in the cave. He buckled that on around his waist, dropped the car keys into one of the zippered poc