KAMIN

 

Putting my act together, I wiped away the tears and nodded. Haneul nodded back and together, we searched for another bomb shelter. The bomb shelters nearby were already overcrowding with crying women or casualties carried in. 

 

I could sense the children losing hope, even I felt like giving up. But Baekhyun's words rang in my head. Be strong. I can't let Baekhyun down. He must be in a worse situation than me now. 

 

"Eomma, over there!" Ka eul diverted my attention to the bomb shelter not far away.  My spirits lifted and we ran towards the shelter as fast as we could. Bombs were still dropping down. We would not be safe until we get in there. 

 

"Ahhh," I fell to the ground as a sharp pain shot through my leg. Glancing at it, I screamed again in horror as I found my leg bleeding profusely. A bullet had penetrated through my lower thighs and from what I could deduce, the arteries had been pierced. A pool of scarlet red blood started to form. The metallic smell of blood soon added to the mix of burnt flesh and smoke;an abysmally revolting smell that invaded my nostrils. 

 

"Eomma... Eottoke... Eomma... Gwenchana?" Ka eul's high-pitched voice rang in my ears. 

 

I shook my head as I bit my lips,"it's okay. Get me some cloth. I need cloth. Check my backpack. Now." I struggled to get my words out as a lump formed in my throat. Another daring glance at my leg told me that this wound was getting inflamed. 

 

With trembling hands, I hurriedly bandaged my wound and stood up shakily. A swarm of people rushed past me, causing me to fall back onto my knees. 

 

"No...No!" My voice quivered as the wedding ring slipped out of my fingers, rolling away from me. I felt small hands lifting me up as voices screamed for me to carry on moving. 

 

I shook my head stubbornly," Haneul, bring your sister away now." I screamed as I crawled towards the ring. 

 

"Eomma, no. We can't leave you!" Haneul's voice was trembling as she struggled to lift me up,"don't go! You can't get it back, Eomma!"

 

"Eomma, jebal." Ka eul whimpered. 

 

Ignoring their pleas, I pushed them away as I crawled back for the ring. Excruciating pain shot through my leg with every movement I made. I must get it back. It's the only thing I had left of Baekhyun. I can't... I stretched a hand out towards the ring, only to descry the snapping of fragile gold under the crude soles of trampling shoes. 

 

"Andwae!" I screamed, crying as the only thing I saw was the two halves of the ring, broken. Alike the ring, my heart fragmented into two as I touched the ring lightly,feeling the obvious cracks on its once flawless gold surface. Grasping it firmly in my hands, I finally broke down. Tears spilled out of my eyes, splashing on the floor as i knelt. The pain from my leg was incomparable to that in my heart. I felt the blood flowing out of my body, just as how my grief spilled out as tears. The ground was now a concoction of blood, tears and the dust that covered the city. My head became heavy as I sunk to the ground, slowly engulfed in darkness

 

I am sorry, baek. I am sorry. Tears blurred my vision.

 

"Eomma! We have to go. Now. Eomma." I heard Haneul's familiar voice screaming in my ears." they are coming. They are coming. I can see them already. They are advancing towards us. Come. I beg you, please!" 

 

And all I could hear was the sound of sirens, the sound of crying and all I could see was nothing but darkness.