Chunji’s POV:

I lay there quiet trying to ignore the sounds of breathing from the body next to me, trying to forget the identity of the person whose chest I was pressed up against and trying to ignore the pain that surged through my body with every breath I took. I was still alive. It was a bittersweet feeling. I had hoped that it was all over but this cruel world wouldn’t let go of me so easy, I knew this by now. I remember vaguely the boy beside me helping me last night but it’s blurry. This morning I had woken up confused, cold and in pain being bathed in coloured light from stained glass windows. Being used to waking up in weird situations and being a partial insomniac I was quick to realise where I was and what had happened. I looked up fearfully at the face of the boy beside me and hoped again he would be wrong as to who it was, but yet again my fears were confirmed.

I carried on lying in the boys arms, unmoving, fearing that if I were to move I’d wake the boy. After a while the boy began to stir. Immediately terrified, all I knew to do was pretend he was asleep. I had done this plenty of times before, so much that I could be considered professional. I knew exactly how to even out my breathing and relax my muscles, making my body limp.

I felt the boy shifting, I felt him press up against me and I held my breath. I wasn’t sure that the other male was awake until he suddenly jumped backwards. Involuntarily, at the loss of warmth and the pain of sudden movement, I pulled my knees up to my chest and accidently whimpered. I still had his eyes closed and didn’t know where the male went but I could still hear his breath. Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm shake me and stiffened. The hand shook me again and somewhere above me I heard the boy’s voice

‘Come on, wake up now.’ He had said in a calm, serene voice

I didn’t expect that sort of voice from this man and was shocked, was he trying to play around with me? I have to face this sooner or later. Reluctantly I opened my eyes and looked up. The other boys face was so close to mine, I lay there immobilised, waiting for the abuse I was sure was coming.

‘Hello there, my names L.Joe. What’s yours?’ I know who you are, I thought bitterly.

L.Joe reached his hand out to me, but scared I jumped backwards and onto my knees, instantly regretting it as pain wracked my body.

‘Hey, hey. It’s ok. I won’t hurt you.’ That’s what they always say. ‘Here let me help you’

L.Joe again extended his hand towards me but I recoiled once again, trembling.  Suddenly the doors to the church slammed open and instantly I felt relieved hearing the familiar voice of Niel. Niel, the only person I had right now. Within a second Niel was beside me with his arms around me and I easily melted into his touch. Another boy appeared by the church’s doorway out of breath. ‘I tried to stop him but he’s crazy’ he explained. L.Joe seemed to look angry that Niel had come in and I could imagine the look Niel was giving him.

‘My names L.Jo..’ he started but Niel interrupted him ‘I know who you are’ he said.

‘O.K. Then what are your names’. I stiffened once again.

I could feel Niel hesitating before saying, ‘I’m Niel and...’ I felt his look on me ‘this is my best friend Chunji’.