Angels and Babies
The Shadow Games
MJ: …she’s blind…
I heard some gasps from behind. Chanyeol, who was sitting next to the girl, widen his eyes in surprise. I just continued to look at her, taking in all her peculiar beauty... It didn't matter how beautiful she was... she would never be able to see herself. She would never witness the beauties the World has to offer... She would forever be trapped in darkness... Now I know why God kept pulling me back to her; she needs us. I wanted to ask her so many things! My mind became invaded by multiple facts that needed to be questioned. I took her hands in mine; for the first time it felt like she wasn't going to reject me. She felt innocent, like a lost little girl.
MJ: Lia... I'm sorry about the way I treated you... I'm even more ashamed of what I THOUGHT of you. I-I would have never imagined... what you were going through... Why didn't you tell us when we first met?
The girl slid her right hand from mine, raising it to head level, and starting to move her fingers and wrist. She just blurted out the message, but I told her to go slower. She repeated it again, and I could make out what she wanted to communicate. I heard a weeping HaeRi from behind, and curious people circling around us to see the amazing, and uncommon, conversation.
MJ: She didn't say anything because she would be rejected... again... WAIT! So what your telling us is that players have LEFT you because of your disability!? And that you’ve been alone all this time in Exotica?
The girl began to move her hand, but got interrupted by the pain in her left arm. I remembered she had been injured; I also remembered that the unknown man had cut his hand tying to save me. My curiosity would have to wait; safety came first. I got up, even though Lia tried to prevent it; I think she's getting attached to me now... or she's simply afraid of being alone again. Besides my mistakes and errors, decisions had to be taken.
MJ: Lay! Take care of Lia's wound. Kai, come with me; we'll take care of the new guy. HaeRi, make sure Chanyeol's injury isn't infected or if it needs new cover up. LanFang and XiuMin! I need you to keep a lookout on the Exotics and their horses; we'll need them if we want to cross the desert faster. Also, make an inventory of all the supplies we have left.
Everyone got to their bidding as Kai and I went towards the pale young man that was reclining his head against Chanyeol's right shoulder; eyes closed tightly as he grabbed onto his injured hand. I kneeled in front of him, gently taking his fragile hand and inspecting it. He winced at the pain, slightly hissing. Kai was standing at my right, already cutting a trim of his shirt to use as a bandage; his clothing piece was already reaching his waist, although skin wasn't showing yet. I took some of my water and poured it over the wound. I thought that while taking care of the man we could at least learn his name; "the new guy" sounded a little pejorative.
MJ: With all the things that have been going around I believe we haven't had the opportunity to meet and greet properly. I'm MinJeong, the current player for the game. Thank you for saving my life back there, even though you're still injured and weak. I hope I can repay you back one day. Meanwhile, I'd like to know the name of my savior.
I gave a faint smile, since the atmosphere wasn't adequate to be grinning. Yet, the man smiled, making me blush at such beauty; I felt a hard thump right in the center of my chest, leaving me breathless... And another thump came, but that one was just JongIn kneeling beside me and nudging me by the ribs... Maybe he still doubts this man; he always thinks everyone is a decoy, but I'll show him. This angelic-faced soul could only bring happiness and protection... The man looked at me and mouthed his name; I asked him to say it again... seemed like a long name.
MJ: Kim JunMyun?
The man nodded, and I heard Kai snickering. Okay, it was time to show JongIn that Mr. JunMyun was indeed a prisoner like him and the rest of the gang. I glared at the tanned boy and then to the pale man, taking his right sleeve and pushing it up, revealing a Cyanide pod.
MJ: Well JunMyun oppa, by the looks of your pod, chain, and muteness, I dare say you are a prisoner! Don't worry; we'll take care of you... The only thing we need is some more healing salts, but I guess we'll have to do without them for now...
Just then the older young man reached his left pants pockets, and showed me what he had been hiding.
MJ: Salts! Wait, were did you get that? Did Kris give them to you as well?
The man furrowed his brows and stared at me, maybe waiting to see if I would ask anything else. He eventually unstiffened and nodded; I guess the memory of Kris doesn't bring a smile to anyone.
MJ: Just what we needed! I'll just use some of it on your injuries and you'll be safe...Um… you don't mind if I use some of it with the other fellows... right?
I asked politely, giving off a smile to ease the man's mood. He became serious again; I just stared at him with confusion. The man suddenly broke into a wide grin and shook his head, signaling to share with the others. Apparently he wanted to tease me with his little joke. But now it was time to take care of everything and make the most out of this shade. I was about to start healing JunMyun, but hard-headed Kai took the salts and pushed me to the side, he personally doing the task.
MJ: O...k... You can do it if you want. I'll just take some salts for Lia. You're in good hands Mr. Kim, so just try to relax. I'll be back to "interview' you later; there are things we need to discuss.
I winked at the man, just to make him feel part of the group besides being new; he smiled back, but transformed it into a grimace when Kai began working harshly on his hand. I poured some salts on my right palm and went towards Lia. Lay was just finishing up bandaging her arm, until I showed him the antidote. He removed the fabric and passed the salts over the girl's upper left arm near her pod, making her whine a little. I patted her head, telling her it was just medicine, and so she relaxed a little. Lay finished with her, reassuring me everything was alright. He got up and went to help HaeRi with Chanyeol; once again I sat in front of our eternal prisoner.
MJ: I hope you're feeling better Lia. One of the guys took care of your wound, so you're safe for the time being. Now, you and I need to have a serious conversation. I need you to be sincere with me; don't be afraid of confessing anything. All I want to know is who you are and what you know about this game and the Exotics. When you answer, please try to go at a slower rate than usual so I can understand you the first time around. I'm not an expert at sign language; all I know is the alphabet. So, you ready?
Even though she couldn't see it, I gave her a comforting smile. Who knows? Maybe the vibes get to her and she interprets it as something good. Lia nodded and raised her right hand, ready to give us some answers. I began my questioning, making sure they were short and concise, so the answers wouldn't get mixed up. We went on for over an hour, giving and receiving facts. I actually found "talking" with her far easier than with the rest of the members. Usually they have to repeat their messages or think half way of another manner to convey what they want to say. Besides, when they mouth word, it raises my blood pressure. One tiny mistake, maybe that they forget for a moment they can’t talk, and a sound could come through their mouths. So communicating with Lia was less risky and quicker. Finally, we had a decent biography on our blue-eyed goldy locks.
Lia de Durant, 16 years of age. Half Korean by her mother's side; half French by her father's side. Knows French, Korean, English, and Spanish. Blind since birth, but has normal hearing; VERY good hearing to be precise. She was kidnapped in France by the Exotics about a year ago. Her older brother then came to play the game to save her, but lost and was taken as a prisoner. She hasn't been able to contact him since the abduction. Since she couldn't see it was hard for her to learn the Exotic sign language that each prison had. For the same reason she couldn't do precise and effective gestures, so in the end not many people understood her. It was a female prisoner who had taught her the Korean Sing Language by taking Lia's hand, writing the character in her palm with a finger, followed by the sign. In this manner Lia could associate and feel how the hand movements were suppose to be done. Even though she could only communicate with the woman, it was enough to keep her company. But then the woman disappeared from her side due to unknown reasons, and she was slumped again in loneliness. When games came she would be distributed with a few others, but as much as she tried to stay in the group, she would end up lost and alone. She would wait on one spot until the game ended or just walked carefully around the surrounding area. Even though she used nature's signs to save herself from the shadows, she sometimes ended up being captured before the game ended. On few occasions the player would encounter her, but upon discovering she was blind left her aside because she would slow them down. That's why she didn't want to come along, because she would be in the way. Still, she tried to follow us just to know how far we would go. She maintained a distance, but after crossing the wolf-infested forest and reaching the maze, she became confused about our whereabouts. Then she heard us walking behind her and used the opportunity to help out a little by guiding us through the maze. Even though she had never been through it, it became quite easy for her by just concentrating and listening to the wind current that was coming in and out of the maze through the exit. As for defending herself, she doesn't know how to properly wield a weapon, and being with allies makes it more difficult since she worries she might hurt her mates along the process. She also commented that the only time she heard LuHan’s name was on the bridge when I said it myself, so she doesn’t know much about his condition or location.
Her story was traumatizing; having to fight against the unknown alone and unprotected. The Exotics took mercy on no one; neither distance nor condition could stop them from causing harm… or just simply following rules for their own survival… With each passing day and new member, I found out how messed up and wrong this unknown city is, but above all, the so called “Master”…. More like monster… Everyone was circling around both of us; Kai had finished with JunMyun long ago. All of their faces showed concern and pity. The teenage girl that stood before me was crying, trying to cover her face.
MJ: Your story is admirable Lia… It’s sad to know people have pushed you aside so easily. But you know what? (I took her hands away from her face, tightly gripping them in mine) All those events that happened in your life made you a stronger person; someone capable of showing the World that NOTHING is an obstacle… To tell you the truth, the moment I saw you I knew you were different… You weren’t normal… Maybe it was your physique; your beauty is not one I’m use to… But now, I know why… it’s because you’re an angel…
The girl directed her view towards me and with the same damp visage shook her head vigorously.
MJ: No what? Why do you deny it?! Trust me! I’ve been getting signs about you, so I’m not thinking otherwise! (I took her seraph-like face in my hands, cupping her soft cheeks) Now, I want you to forget about all those people, and start believing in us… I…WE are not going to leave you alone! We need you on our team, and DON’T YOU DARE say NO! If we want to leave this place, we all need to help each other; if not, the Exotics would have trapped us a long time ago. So now you’re a part of our family! And believe me, you’ll never feel left out with us…
I smiled at her, watching how she slowly turned her frown into a sweet grin. I took her into my chest and hugged her tight, letting her feel the truth behind all my words. Being younger than me and so fragile were more than enough reasons for me to take charge of her and vow to protect her. I felt as the girl warmed up, slightly wrapping her arms around me and snuggling in between my hair. In the middle of the warm interaction, I happened to have a glance of JunMyun over Lia’s right shoulder. He was looking towards us with a menacing glare; head hanging low and eyes looking upwards to us. His angelic appearance had somewhat diminished into a stern and distrustful semblance. I took a few seconds to inspect him fully, but could not make out what was the matter with him. I let go of Lia, and looking towards the dazed and thoughtful man, questioned his actions.
MJ: JunMyun oppa…. Is everything alright? Are you feeling well?
Upon hearing his name, the man reacted, snapping out of his trance and returning to common time again. He looked at me for an instance, but quickly positioned his gaze towards the ground in front of him, now wearing a sorrowful expression. I knew something had to be going on with him. I crawled up to the man and sat in front of him. He had his right hand bandaged, and his button shirt was open, revealing another bandage around his waist due to the rib injury.
MJ: JunMyun, I think it’s time we had a talk… Are you up for some questions?
The man kept looking at the ground, yet he managed to nod. I told him to look at me, but he refused. So I proceeded to take his face in my right hand and bring it up, making him face me. Once again his beauty blinded me, giving my heartbeat and extra kick. I think real angels must be like this, and make humans feel the way I feel right now: floating. But even though his magnificent appearance made me smile, the depression he showed made me weep inside.
MJ: Well, first off, I want to know who attacked you and if you saw the person. We know it wasn’t an animal or beast; it was a human. There are 2 options: an Exotic or another prisoner. But please, tell us what you saw and how the ambushed occurred.
JunMyun looked into my eyes for some seconds longer, giving me a chill deep inside. He then managed to sit straight and began to gesture with his hands, mouthing every now and then. Looking at him was like seeing Kai; they both maneuvered in a similar way, which meant I could understand him. Speaking of the tanned boy, he appeared next to me and sat down to my left, watching the man as well with a stern look, as if he were digging holes onto his paler counterpart. And so the message was brought upon us. JunMyung had been trying to get out of the maze for some time and after multiple tries he finally reached the end, only to find a dark figure waiting for him right at the exit. The man quickly grabbed him by the neck and stabbed him on the side. He tried to free himself from the man, but the Exotic just squeezed his neck tighter, making him loose conscious after some minutes. The next thing he knew he was being carried by Chanyeol and I, followed by an automatic reaction to seeing me threaten to death.
MJ: Yes, thank you once more for protecting me sir. But still, it’s a shame neither you nor Chanyeol saw the man. Whoever he was he had bad intentions on killing you both. The thing is how do we know that psycho isn’t around to keep causing havoc? Anyways, I just hope he receives his punishment one way or the other. The important thing is that we were able to find you on time to save you. It would have been horrible to found a dead ally…
The man extended his left hand forward, resting it on my right cheek. He gently caressed the area with his thumb, while sweetly looking into my eyes. He mouthed a “Kamsamnida”, once again giving of his trade mark smile. I stood frozen, startled at the surprising reaction; normally I was the once doing such things, and receiving them from a strange took me aback. Still, it was a nice and sweet feeling. I placed my right hand on top of his and dazed off into his beauty, but was brought back by Kai’s intentional coughing. I could tell he disliked JunMyun. I removed the older man’s hand from me and tilted sideway towards Kai, getting close to his ear so I could whisper.
MJ: …remember what I told you… behave and be nice…
I returned to my original position and faced the angel once again. His smile was beginning to disappear, and I knew his problems were far beyond his injuries and game experiences.
MJ: JunMyun, we would like to know more about you, since your part of the team now. We take everyone as they come, so don’t be afraid to tell us anything… specially if something is bothering and you want to get it out of your chest…
The man squinted his eyes and looked at me while smirking; he indeed liked to tease people. I guess he caught on to my “secret” question about telling us how he felt. The man once again moved his arms and lips to explain his situation. Sadly, I finally understood why the man had such an attitude…
Kim JunMyun, 21-years-old, full Korean. Likes to be called SuHo. He was once the player, but now is a mere prisoner. He had gotten far through the game, but upon knowing about his parent’s death in an “accident” he seized to care and lost. Now he fights for the present, without need to survive each game, since no one is waiting for him back home: neither parents nor siblings. He’s been here for 5 years, helping other players as much as he can; he considers himself as a guide more than a prisoner.
MJ: I don’t know what to say. It’s horrible, EVERYTHING! You’ve been here longer than JongIn, and you’ve been… so alone… and without a cause… Yet, you have such a beautiful heart to save others and guide them towards the right path. Even if you don’t want that final reward that is freedom, you help those who aspire it… I believe I’ve been right once again… Heaven’s doors opened and you accidentally fell… but we’re glad it happened, because now we have each other. And I promise you, that when we DO leave this place, I’ll make sure to give you what you need to be happy once again. I know losing your loved ones must be hurtful, but life goes on and you need to live it to the max! Your parents wouldn’t be happy if they knew their marvelous son was suffering on Earth. So, why not ease their worry, and you take better care of yourself! After all, you have friends now, and each one of us is more than available to help one another. So don’t think it twice before taking this decision…. Just let your heart guide you… Spread your wings and be free…
The man was poker faced at the beginning but little by little he began to warm up, letting a trembling lower lip be seen every once in a while. After some minutes looking at the ground he raised his head, nodding with a victorious smile. He had accepted the fact that he needed to leave this horrible place and start anew his life, leaving all the pain and suffering in the past. I smiled back and opened up my arm to greet him with a welcoming hug. He hugged me, hanging onto me for quite some time. We separated and I skidded a little to the right, ending up in front of Chanyeol. Even though we had an opportunity to talk with him before, we still didn’t know much about him.
MJ: Chanyeol oppa! Besides your name and age, we don’t know much about you. Mind filling us in with some of your details?
The man nodded, revealing for the first time a big smile, showing all of his pearly-white teeth; creepy, but cute. He gently moved his arms around, but I didn’t understand him well. And so Zhang YiXing came to the rescue. He translated the message and our friend’s identity was verified.
Park Chanyeol, 20 years of age, full Korean. Was taken in and so he played for himself, but lost very quickly. Has been imprisoned for 10 months. Even though his luck has been rotten, he thinks a smile is always important to have on. He has only taken part of a small number of games, and has had difficulty in staying safe; he believes that with time he’ll get better, because right now he is still to recent to dominate the game field. And finally, he was eternally grateful for taking care of his wound and bringing him back from the dead; he doesn’t know how he woke up because he was sure he was already deceased.
And so I learned that behind that big skeleton was hidden an innocent and perky baby with a big grin, waiting to be received into protective arms; and for sure, those would be my own. Just seeing him smile in the middle of danger and pain makes me see the true meaning behind life. Besides the obstacles we encounter, we need to go on thinking positively; at some point everything we’ll be better and we’ll laugh out those horrible moments.
MJ: It’s nice to see we have a wide variety of personalities in the group. I welcome you as well into our family Channie! And I hope we can have a good laugh together once this all ends.
We smiled at each other and smiled towards one another. And so our meet and greet had finally come to an end, and the Sun had already passed midday…
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