There weren’t ‘sides’ this time. The war was an all out storm. Men were pulled from their homes one night, myself included, and enlisted under the Republic of Korea’s Armed Forces. This gun in my hands was not by my own choice, but then again what choice did I have? The world was running out of food quickly and the water supplies were soiled beyond belief. The only thing left fighting for was total supremacy. Fighting for that last bit of food to survive a few more days in total hell. It was only a matter of time before all human life was gone anyways.

I remember when the shortage first began. It was around the time when everyone was going crazy about global warming and America began sneaking genetically modified plants onto the produce racks of all the nations they served. The world was starting the see - and feel - the side effects. Limbs were growing out of places they shouldn’t and skin was not a god given right anymore. It was a commodity. Everything was a commodity. There was nothing more to it. After the stock market crash in the early 2000’s the people never took back control of their lives, even if they thought they had. It was because of the half-sleeping giants called corporations had fully awakened and took over the world, the need for money driving their projects into insane attempts to control every molecule on earth.

That’s why I had this gun in my hands. I had to run, and I was running. Where was I running? Straight for the trenches. It was like the world was at war for the first time again. All the trained military personnel had already killed themselves off. Now we were civilians, in hand on hand combat, bleeding together for that last crumb of food, for that last drop of water.

I ran, my heart pumping faster and faster as things blew up around me. I was becoming more aware of my surroundings. Mud. Bombs. Guns. People. Screaming? Dying? Fighting? Giving up? I know I was. I saw a man in front of me trying to flee, but what for? He, too, was from my country. Why would he be afraid of me? I glanced at my compass and was due north as planned, but I stopped, catching a glance of my blood thirsty eyes in the small glass face. I hadn’t eaten for days, but I hadn’t known I had gotten so.....brutal.

Jonghyun ran up next to me in that instance, a crooked military hat on his head.  I breathed a moment, trying to compose my face before glancing over at him. I carefully eyed his muscular arms and saw his smooth, caramel brown skin. My breath caught in the back of my throat at the thoughts I was thinking. I could, but could I really?

We had been friends for so many years and that would be so wrong, but I was so tired of fighting. I hugged him close, tears spilling over my eyes. I whispered ‘I love you’ in his ear before I backed away and took a good look at him. His boots were caked with mud just like mine, sticking him to the ground. His camo pants were not his usual diva attire and he definitely would not be sporting a gun ever, but here was my Jjong holding a massive gun. His hair was in all directions and his face was smeared with dirt. I my finger and took a step closer to him once more and moved my shaky hand to his soft fleshy cheek. He winced a moment, fear running over his eyes because he damn well knew how I get when I’m hungry. I dropped my hand and turned around counting three steps away from Jonghyun. I peeked over my shoulder to see him shaking. Why didn’t he run? I would chase him, that’s why. We both knew how competitive I was. I could easily outrun him even without eating for such a long period of time. He had no chance, but to wait for his demise. I pointed my gun at him anxiously, not able to stand my own gnawing hunger anymore. I pulled the trigger and shot him. I watched the blood spill out of the open wound as I dragged his body out of the open. I looked down at his now lifeless corpse and sighed an internal sigh for my lost hyung. I felt a tear run down my cheek as I began to cut his skin open, revealing layers of meaty muscle. I began feasting on Jonghyun, my longtime friend, keeper of secrets. It was so delicious I craved more.

In an instant, I woke up from my daydream in the middle of English, rubbing my eyes awkwardly. It was so surreal as if the classroom was a dream.

“Have a nice sleep, Minho?” someone giggled from behind me.