Chapter 7: 23:08 - A Countdown to First Death [12:52am]

Mir POV

How clever.

No one ever thinks to look up. Especially in a four cornered room such as this, small and plain, no signs of stairs or boxes or access to the ceiling. No. Particularly not if the only way to escape dying was to draw death close.  Let it embrace you, dance as its partner and then slip away at the last moment.

That was our only hope.

“Swim out?” mused G.O. Finally he spoke. “How certain are you that that’s the exit?”

I bit my lip. Truthfully the ‘door’ was barely distinguishable from the stone ceiling. The blue streaks only covered the wall. Forget about the floor and ceiling. Therefore, it was casted in shadows and even squinting, I couldn’t confirm that it was a door. But it had to be.

“It’s the only place we haven’t checked,” I reasoned.

G.O nodded, but I could tell doubt hadn’t left his mind. “We have no other choice.”

The water was halfway to our necks. We had no choice indeed.

It was a little too similar to those thriller movies where the hero stands on the edge of a cliff. There’s pumping music and tension in the air as the bad guy approaches and the hero takes a few steps backwards, scuffing stones and making them bounce down the long, long fall behind him. And then there’s the heart-pounding choice to jump or to surrender. And jumping is a gamble, a dangerous line between the possibility of dying and the chance of escaping and surviving – of winning everything or losing it all. But surrending is a coward's way out. And I will not be branded a coward. Never. 

“We swim,” I said, letting confidence flood into my voice.

“Alright Mir,” Seungho let a smile spread across his face. I was a little stunned at his expression. “I’ll trust you on this.”

My heart warmed.

And then turned pitch-cold. “Are you sure?” came Joon’s scathing response. “You’re dancing with death here.”

I turned to him, rising to the challenge. “Have you got any other ideas?” I raised an eyebrow. It didn’t look half as cool when one was half-submerged in water, but it did the trick.

I saw him hesitate, his eyes cast downwards and a bit lip. “Arasso,” he said resignedly. “It’s just…I…I don’t…swim well,” the last words came out in a mumble.

“What?” I waded closer and was surprised to find Joon shying away. “What’s wrong? I didn't hear what you said?”

Besides me I heard Thunder chuckle. “He said,” Thunder looked at me with an expression full of mirth. “That he can’t swim!”

Oh.

Joon turned to me, his eyes flaring angrily and his face bright red. “I can swim!” he protested. “I’m just…not…good…at it…” he deflated.

This had me laughing now as well. “Oh Joon, it’s okay,” I patted his shoulder. “I’ll be there for you. We’ll all get out okay?”

Joon still looked vaguely irritated at being found out, but he grudgingly nodded. “Arasso,” he muttered. And then the water was up to our chins and it time to swim.

Joon POV

Should i have told them?

The thought swirled in my mind, murderous as a serial killer. Tell them, don't tell them, tell them, don't tell them...

It wasn't that I couldn't swim. I mean I could. Not well, but i could paddle doggy-style. It was just that this time...

Tell them, risk your pride but not your life.

Don't tell them, it's not like your life is really in the balance, and you don't need to burden them..

I gritted my teeth as water swirled passed my leg and a sensation akin to fire branding my skin raked across it. Every movement, every muscle strain and bolts of pain would fire up the neurons, sending a signal to my brain to stop moving and to just sink into oblivion. Anything to get rid of this awful pain.

Come on Lee Joon! It's only a twisted ankle!

There was no need to tell anyone. I would get out of here. I would survive. 

The exit is right there, a shining light above. So close and yet so far.

I will survive. 

Mir POV

We were rising, painfully slowly but rising all the same. It was a struggle to keep our heads above the water and our cool. I cast a glance over my other team members, watching them carefully as Thunder treaded water, Seungho grasped at the walls and G.O lay on his back, watching the ceiling come closer. And Joon? Where was Joon?

I turned around, blinking as water splashed in my eyes. There he was. Something looked wrong, it was the wild look in his eyes and the fluttering of his chest. 

“Joon-“ I called out, but a voice interrupted my attention.

“There!” pointed Thunder. He was right – the exit. Inconspicuously hidden in the far right corner of the ceiling, it was painted the same shade as the stones. But upon touching it, I was certain it was made of wood.

G.O poked it with one probing hand. It rattled. He pushed harder. But it wasn't budging.

"Damn!" he swore. "It's heavier than it looks."

I swum over, trying to lend him my strength to. Bones, it really is heavy!

Water was rising fast, filling my mouth on more than one occasion and I spluttered. Then the water was past my nose and my eyes. It filled the room and we were out of time. 

Thunder POV

The room was flooded. Completely. But we weren't giving up yet. 

I swum over, joining my power to the fight against the door. I felt another body bump into me as another person joined the fray. Slowly but surely I could hear the door creak - give way. 

Come on! bubbles issued from my mouth as I snarled, a vent for my frustration. I am not going to die here!

The wooden planks groaned, and then-

BAM!

The doors flew open and water spurted upwaters like a spout and we were floundering blindly for the oxygen so close by. G.O was first out, his muscles straining against his spare cotton shirt as he pulled himself out. He didn't stop to rest. He turned around immediately, water flicking as his soaked hair spun and was helping Seungho out. and then both turned for me.

I was a little shocked at Seungho’s strength. Never would I have imagined the power in his slender build. He leaned forwards and I grasped his hand, all slick and slippery skin. G.O grabbed my other hand and then I too was out, spluttering like a literal fish out of water.

“Mir!” I yelled, turning around for my next team member. We were running against time.

“No!” he shook his head, dark hair plastered against his skull and wide eyes like a seal. “Get Joon first!”

I grinded my teeth but obliged and leaned towards him. Joon reached for it, desperation clear in his eyes, but suddenly the water raged and with a vicious tug,threw him against the side of the exit. Joon coughed and then i saw his eyes flicker.

"NO!" i yelled, lunging for him. But it was too late.

The water dragged him under and Joon vanished in a cloud of murky red. 

Joon POV

I think this must be how angels feel when are thrown from heaven. The light is so bright, so close and yet no matter how much I struggle, I cannot reach it. One hand thrown out towards it and yet further I fall.

“NO!” the words bubble out and I’m breathing water in, the murky, filthy liquid filling my throat and my lungs and veins and I am drowning inside and out. I strain, I struggle, I kick, I flail. I will not die here! I will-

A violent wave rushes past, the current throwing me to one side. My arms fly out, a strange mockery of puppetry underwater. I suppose to the audience I must look like I’m dancing. How ironic. My head hits the wall hard and my brain ceases to work properly.

The pain in my leg subsides. Oh good…wait…that’s not good. I’m losing the ability to feel. Crash, and I’m smacking into another wall, a tiny toy in a whirlpool of death and destruction. It’s a small child’s game where they do not know their own strength and the poor, powerless toy is thrown back into the toy box, broken and splintered.  Thud, and I hit another corner. This room is far too small, far too constrained. I’m battered and bruised.

Slowly, my body is shutting down, breaking off. The world grows dark as the bottom of a lake, dirt and silt covering me like a shroud covering the dead. In its slimy embrace, I am being drawn downwards.

As my body hits the floor, my last words are morbid to say the least. My eyes close and I can think is: who would’ve guessed that I would be the first of the five to die?