Chapter 8: 22:49 – A Countdown to First Death [01:11am]

Mir POV

One.

                His head hits the side.

Two.

                His eyes flicker close.

Three.

                He sinks.

Four.

                I scream.

Thunder POV

“MIR!” I yelled, horrified as I saw the youngest of us dive straight back into the water, through the cloud of blood like a shark with a scent. I lunged out with one hand, but he slipped right through it.

“Damn!”

I had to go after him.

“Thunder!” Seungho’s tone was full of warning. “Don’t be silly,”

“Shut it hyung,” I snapped back, worry making me edgy. “Mir would do the same for me.”

And I dived straight back in to the maelstrom.

Seungho POV

My head rung, like a church bell struck. 

“Am I…wrong?” I managed to whisper, one hand searching for my head, wondering if it was still attach or if this was all a dream. Drenched, it felt like I was in hell – except hell was that fiery image everyone held in their minds. No. It was a cold wasteland. All who entered was filled with an unearthly chill that started with your mind, numbing you entirely.

I shivered.

“Enough Seungho,” came G.O’s quiet reply. I straightened, shocked. I hadn’t expected a response.

G.O sighed. “You tried to stop him because you don’t want to see him get hurt. That’s admirable. But at the same time that kid doesn’t want to see Mir get hurt. Neither of you are wrong. It doesn’t mean either of you are correct either.”

“So?” my brain was too fuzzy to think straight. I shook it and dislodged a liter of water out of one ear.

“It means,” he said in a gravelly voice. “We wait.”

“Wait?” Was all I doing today mimicking people like a parrot?

“Wait,” G.O looked me in the eye. “Who else is going to hold the doors open for them?”

I blinked slowly and looked down at my hands. Indeed they were frozen on the wooden doors. I scanned the bolts, the structure, the mechanism. If G.O and I were to let go, they wouldn’t fall back immediately. Liar.

But then it struck me. G.O knew I was in no condition to go diving right back in. I was shivering like a blizzard had torn through my body, coldness knew no bounds.

“Someone has to help them out,” said G.O quietly.

“I get it already,” I sighed. “We wait.”

G.O nodded and we both returned our gazes to the murky depths of the water where three of our team mates fought for their lives.

Mir POV

Where is he?

Fear pounded through my body, as heavy as an anvil and as desperate as a hummingbird’s heart. So delicate. So prone to breaking.

Where is he?

I forced my eyes open, ignoring the stinging sensation of the water and silt and scanned for my hyung.

Left. Right. Up. Down.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

Where was he?!

I felt oxygen running out. No! Time was ticking. But he had to be somewhere?! Why was this water so damn dirty!

Then-

A hand on my shoulder. I spun, slow-motion underwater. It was Thunder, his features unmistakable and somehow gorgeous, even in all of this filth.

I widened my eyes. What?

He shook my shoulder and pointed with his other free hand. I turned. Thirty five degree left, a little down. There!

A shadow – almost invisible. I didn’t know how he spotted it, but I was glad of it. But oxygen was running out. Black spots danced in my face, taunting me. No. I would survive. Joon would survive. We were all going to get out of here!

I kicked down furiously, reaching out for Joon who seemed impossibly far away. Bubbles burst from my mouth.

Losing air…

No!

I clawed forwards, desperation lending me strength. And then the feel of fabric.

Hope.

I clutched it tightly and drew it close. So very nearly did it tear. And then Thunder was grabbing Joon’s other arm and gesturing with his head at the ceiling. I nodded, barely managing it as the spots danced more furiously, a salsa across my vision. But I found him. I wasn’t letting go of him. Not now. Not ever.

Lee Joon POV

Warmth. In the midst of this hurricane. In the midst of so much cold. I was remembering something. Something that I should know! The reason why…I was here…

But the water was my coffin. It drowned me inside and out. That bright spot of warmth was fading. And the blackness flooded back.

***

Warm. Too warm.

Fire burning, raging. The force sends him flying across.

It’s a cold, cold night and as he plunges deep into the water, the dark depths are even more unforgiving.

Cold. Too cold.

And he’s drowning. Bright lights pepper the surface which seems so close, but as he tried to swim, something stops him. So close! Why can’t he get there!

Despair. Despair. Despair.

He claws out with both hands. Bound. Tied. Why is he here? Why? When all he did was try to help his best friend! Betrayed, that is the only word that comes to his mind.

The lights are fading. The depths are claiming him.

Damn you, is his last thoughts as the leviathan finally swallows him.

Down, down, down he falls. His hands still reach for the sky above. 

I will have my revenge, he vows.