HEROES
UNTOUCHABLEThe hallway was empty at that time. But Seulgi knew that the shaking on the ground meant an Even is nearby, looking for them.
"It must've felt us when I came banging at your door, or maybe the vibration of your loud music," whispered Seulgi as she slowly leads Joohyun out of the room. They were walking cautiously, trying not to make a sound with every footstep.
"Maybe I should not listen to music anymore when showering," mused Joohyun.
Seulgi secretly smiled at that. "You can still listen to music. Lower the volume a bit so you would know if something is happening outside."
"Okay. Where are we going, Seulgi?"
"To the Centre Sanctuary. The alley is the shortest and safest way to go there."
"How come there no students around here anymore?"
"We already warned everyone in Dorm A to evacuate."
"What? So, you mean you came back for me?"
Seulgi stopped to look at Joohyun, unable to make out a word. She turned her back on Joohyun and continued dragging the lady silently, her face blushing. "I knew you were taking a bath and doing your routine at this time."
"Gosh. I really shouldn't listen to music anymore..."
Dorm A is a three-storey building with staircases on both left and right sides of the building. Seulgi and Joohyun started tiptoeing toward the right side of the building. Eventually, their steps became faster until they are almost running, trying to make it to the staircase.
As they turned around the corner, the pair were shocked to see the monster they were trying to avoid silently waiting there.
Seulgi and Joohyun immediately stopped dead in their tracks. However, it was a wrong move as Seulgi's shoes squeaked on the slippery floor, making an eery sound that alerted the creature.
"Creeeeee!"
"Eeeeeee!" Joohyun squealed.
"! Run! Run!"
The two ran back to where they came from, with Seulgi dragging Joohyun by her hand. Seulgi looked back and saw the creature tailing them. Even though adrenaline has already heightened their speed, Seulgi knew it's no match to the innate ability of the predator behind them.
Seulgi tried to think of other ways they could escape. She kept pushing her mind to think because she knows that a few seconds from now, the monster will jump at them, kill the other, and will web the other alive.
Jump from the second floor? Not a good idea.
Hide in one of the rooms? Worse than the first one. The Even will easily crush the door and break the wall.
Seulgi's palms are getting sweaty now. It's getting more challenging to keep a hold of Joohyun's hand. But she doesn't know what to do yet. Her main concern is to make sure Joohyun will get out here alive. Should she push Joohyun away and give herself in?
Seulgi was already entertaining the idea when a gleam of hope appeared ahead of them.
"Seulgi!" Sooyoung shouted. She jumped up to get a hold of the vertical sliding gate and pulled it halfway down. "Quick! It's coming!"
This gave Seulgi new hope, new energy. She ran faster to set up the momentum.
Few more steps.
A little bit more of adrenaline.
They will make it.
Joohyun will be safe.
"Now!" shouted Sooyoung, dragging the gate down to close it.
At the cue, Seulgi grabbed Joohyun by her waist, pulling her closer. She positioned Joohyun on top of her as Seulgi slides herself down across the floor, making it to Sooyoung's side before the gate hit the floor.
BLAG!
"Creeeee!"
The creature let out a loud sound after hitting the gate.
Seulgi opened her eyes at the smell of Joohyun's hair on her face. They were still lying on the floor, with Joohyun hiding her face in the crook of Seulgi's neck. Seulgi didn't want to move yet, but Sooyoung disrupted the moment.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Sooyoung. You saved us," said Seulgi, fist-bumping Sooyoung. But then she noticed that Joohyun isn't moving. "Hey? You alright?"
There was no immediate response from Joohyun until the sound of her sobs became evident. "Can we stay like this for a bit?" she asked, tightening her hug on Seulgi. "I feel safe like this."
Seulgi and Sooyoung looked at each other, the latter giving Seulgi a devious smile.
"Creeeee!" The creature slammed itself on the gate repeatedly, making marks on the other side.
"Joohyun, we need to move now," said Sooyoung, assisting Joohyun to stand up. "This Even will break the gate sooner."
Joohyun obeyed, and Seulgi stood up as well. Seulgi cupped Joohyun's face with her palms and wiped the latter's tears with her thumbs. "You're fine. You'll be safe, okay?"
Joohyun bit her lower lip and nodded.
BLAG! BLAG! BLAG!
"Oh. !" Sooyoung jumped in surprise. The three of them stepped backward, with Seulgi hiding Joohyun behind her back. The creature kept banging on the gate until one arm finally penetrated the steel gate.
"Oh, my gosh!" shrieked Joohyun. The arm keeps on moving like it's stuck in the gate.
Seulgi grabbed Joohyun by her hand again. "Let's go!"
As they were about to run, the creature suddenly stopped moving. Seulgi and Sooyoung looked at each other, unsure of what happened. Not long after that, the arm fell on the ground. Sooyoung picked it up.
"It cut its arm?" asked Sooyoung, observing the arm, which is about the size of a shotgun.
"Maybe because it was stuck," said Seulgi observing the whole on the gate. "There's no way this could've cut an Even's limb."
"Anyway, we should keep going. I'm sure it's finding another way to get to us." Sooyoung carried the arm as she leads Seulgi and Joohyun to the stairs going down. "!" She stopped after spotting another Even waiting for them below. "Up! Up! Up!"
They went to the third floor this time and run to the right side of the building, aiming to take the stairs down. But as they reach the middle part, the Even with a missing arm appeared from the terrace and jumped right at them.
Joohyun screamed.
The attack separated Sooyoung from Seulgi and Joohyun.
"Sooyoung! Rooftop!" Seulgi shouted. Because of that, the Even turned its attention to them. They run up quickly, the Even following them.
Reaching the rooftop, Seulgi looked around the edges to see if there's an escape. But there's none. It's a dead end.
"Creeeeeee!"
Seulgi immediately hid Joohyun behind her. They are stepping back as the Even slowly takes steps towards them. Joohyun's grip on Seulgi's shirt tightened.
"Ahh!" Sooyoung jumped up the back of the Even and stabbed its arm on its head.
The monster started going berserk. Seulgi hugged Joohyun and led her to the corner. Sooyoung was holding tight for her dear life. The decapitated arm was thrown on the other side of the rooftop.
The Even stood up on its hind legs, making Sooyoung fall on the ground, instantly knocking her down.
"Seulgi, distract it. I'm going to get Sooyoung away from there," said Joohyun.
Seulgi looked at Joohyun, making sure that the latter is serious.
"There's no time." Joohyun let go of Seulgi's hand. She pointed to the left side of the rooftop. "The arm's over there."
Seulgi quickly dashed towards the arm, grabbing it within a roll. Then she shouted, "Hey, ! I'm here!"
The Even turned to Seulgi right away. It was mad and was running this time.
Seulgi took that opportunity. She ran up towards and wall and up against it, flipping and landing at the back of the Even. With all her might, she stabbed the monster's head repeatedly using the arm she's holding, causing the Even to go berserk again.
Seulgi fell on the floor. The Even is now frantically stabbing the floor with its remaining arm. She tried rolling away to escape. But due to the frantic movement of the monster, her leg was hit.
"Ahhh!" Seulgi felt her bones crushing at the impact.
"Seulgi!" Joohyun was about to stand up, but Seulgi gestured her hands, signalling Joohyun to stop.
"Stay right there," whispered Seulgi, as if Joohyun could hear her. But the latter was able to get the information and stayed with Sooyoung instead.
Luckily, the Even was too distracted to focus on killing them. It continued berserking towards the other direction, a sign that it's close to dying now.
"Please..." Seulgi looked at the monster, hoping it'll die now.
The monster slowly turned in Joohyun and Sooyoung's direction. Seulgi crawled towards the two in an attempt to still protect them, even in her current state.
The Even's steps are slower and heavier. Seulgi, with her last strength, stood up in front of Joohyun and Sooyoung on one foot, making sure that the two will be safe in case this monster tries to capture one of them.
The Even took one step.
Another step.
Seulgi is feeling more nervous now, thinking if this is how she'll die.
Joohyun is crying hard now as she hugs the unconscious Sooyoung.
One more step.
Blag!
The Even finally fell lifeless on the ground, just a few metres away from Seulgi.
Seulgi was finally able to breathe after that. All the strength she used to stand up was now washed away by relief. She lay back on the ground looking at Joohyun, who's got a relieved face like hers. But before they could even celebrate, the ground moved again. From the stairs, another Even showed up.
"Ah. ." Seulgi was too exhausted to move now. She looked for the arm she used to kill the other Even and found it already destroyed too.
Seulgi took a deep breath. She knows that's the end of her capabilities. But she won't let Joohyun or Sooyoung die. She's ready to sacrifice herself to save her friends. Although she somehow regrets not living her life fully, sacrificing it for those who truly cared for her is all worth it.
Seulgi closed her eyes. Her heart is beating faster now.
"Captain! We found them!"
"Commence attack now!"
Seulgi opened her eyes and saw shadows of people dancing around the Even. They were merely gliding through the air faster than a human eye could even comprehend. Seulgi knew it was the effect of the booster.
Seconds after that, the Even went down lifeless. There were three people visible in front of them now. The shortest one of them approached Seulgi and held her face.
"Seulgi, are you okay?"
"C-Captain Eunmi...?"
"Yes, it's me. You're safe now."
Seulgi's body is shaking uncontrollably. She used her last strength to look over Joohyun and Sooyoung, who the other two SAU members are now assisting.
"We're safe now..." whispered Seulgi. After that, she collapsed.
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