The blizzard winds blew stronger with each passing second, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t leave him here. I wouldn’t leave him here. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing no matter how hard I tried. I wrapped my arms around Yongguk’s chilly body trying to keep his top half warm. I bent my head into the side of his neck and placed a hand on the back of his head. As I looked at my bloody hand I squeezed Yongguk tighter. I couldn’t understand why no one took any time to understand the look behind his eyes. Was it so important to use him just as weapon when there was much more behind the stoic expression he wore? The crunch of snow beneath heavy boots sounded behind me which only made me hold onto Yongguk even harder. They would have to rip me away from him before I would go willingly.

“Let’s go, your father wants to talk to you.” The voice that spoke was uncompassionate. It was the voice of a person who didn’t care about anyone or anything else but himself. My stomach churned in knots knowing what I may be forced to do next.

Muffling into the side of Yongguk’s neck, “I’m not going anywhere.”

He reached for my arm, trying to yank me away from Yongguk. “Don’t touch me!”

Sighing he took a step back and said, “Such a pity. I never thought Dr. Lee’s brat of a daughter would interfere with tying up loose ends of a creature so foul.”

Glaring at him I hissed, “Shut up, you don’t know anything about him.”

“Oh,” he cooed with a smirk on his face, his hair the color of a blazing fire, “and what would you know about it? Besides, it was made for one purpose only and it failed miserably.”

My heart broke hearing the warden call Yongguk an it, but as hard as it was to admit it, I knew he was right. I didn’t know much else about him than what he had said which wasn’t much, but a greater part of me knew that I didn’t have to be told anything. I wasn’t about to let this power hungry bastard think he could scare me. I had to stand my ground even if I felt unstable and broken. I had to protect Yongguk like he wasn’t able to for himself. I hugged Yongguk again my breath appearing in white, hot puffs of air. The warden laughed and turned to one of the other men clad in black clothing. This particular person had short brown hair, skin as white as the snow covering the ground, and a serious stoic expression with intimidating dark brown eyes.

“Take her inside before she doesn’t come back.” He ordered.

The guard stepped forward and bent over grabbing my arm tightly. He yanked me forward hard enough to make me lose the grip I had on Yongguk. I exclaimed in protest, but they ignored it. Tears welled in my eyes as Yongguk’s lifeless figured disappeared beyond the horizon. My resolve started to disappear as despair set in. I felt helpless. I couldn’t help the one thing, no, one person that had tried to care for me. The least I could do was help him feel like he belonged somewhere for once.  

“Don’t worry,” one of them said as we made our way back to the compound, “we’ll have someone take care of the body.”

The others joined in with hearty laughter that echoed down the hall. I hung my head knowing that now fighting was useless. I heard doors slide open and close with a bang that made my heart shatter. It was just moments ago that the same heart wrenching bang sounded throughout the entire compound. It felt enormous compared to how small I felt in that moment. Everything felt that way. The guard that held me over his shoulder threw me onto the bed and turned with the others to leave.

“Conrad, where is Delilah? Is she okay?” asked my father.

His voice and the other person’s voice faded in the background to a mumble. I couldn’t begin to explain how I felt. I could see why my father didn’t want me around his experiments. If I could change Yongguk’s fate I would, but I didn’t have super powers. The only thing I wouldn’t change, above anything else, was meeting him. I don’t think I would ever regret that, but I do regret not being able to help him. There must have been something that I could’ve done. The one person I was angrier with than my father was me. As I lay on the bed, my head sinking into the pillows, I knew that someone like me didn’t deserve Yongguk. Someone who couldn’t even stand up to her own father caused someone to die. I had done it. It was my fault.

In a way, I killed him.

*  *  *

It was cold, but the only thing I had on my mind was Delilah. She needed me. I had to find a way to help her. She had been there, I felt her. I had only seen her upset one other time, but I had never seen her cry just like I had never seen her smile. It was two emotions that were the most confusing to me. I had asked Dr. Lee about it once, but he ignored me. He treated me the way I deserved to be treated, like a piece of metal. Yet, I couldn’t say the same thing about Delilah. There was something about her that stirred something inside me I didn’t know existed, something I couldn’t explain.

I didn’t know how long I had been put here or how much blood I had lost. Did it make sense? In my mind it all made perfect sense. I was made to destroy, not wonder about things that were beyond my reach. A part of me knew that I couldn’t just give up. The moment I out I knew that couldn’t be how it ended. No matter how vain it seemed I would fight to help Delilah. After all, it was the least I could do to after everything I had caused Delilah to go through. I heard the sound of snow crunching underneath shoes and was able to open my eyes slightly to make out a tall, shadowy figure. When he spoke his voice was deep and rough.

“How could he have lost so much blood?” He said as he picked me up.

As he walked it felt like we would never get out of the freezing blizzard. I felt a strong blast of heat come from the front of us along with rushed voice all around.

“More scrap metal, huh, Himchan?” chuckled an officer.

“Shut it Yongjae. I don’t need any of your . Where is Jongup?” he asked positioning me in another way so it easier for him to carry me.

“Ah, the rookie? He freaked out and was sent to the warden for disciplinary measures.”

“So the kid is getting chewed out after a month on the compound?”

Yongjae chuckled, “I knew he wouldn’t last.”

“I don’t think you should be talking Yongjae. You were nearly kicked out after two days.” Another voice joined their conversation.

“Daehyun.” Yongjae said.

Daehyun his heels and headed down the hall. “Bring him to the back.”

Himchan set me down on what felt like some type of table, only this one wasn’t like the others. It was soft and warm. It reminded me of how it felt when Delilah held my hand when she took me out of the room; warm and welcomed. Then there was nothing, but darkness. It was worse than what I was used too. There was no way out. I was trapped like a caged animal or some circus freak. In truth, that was exactly who I was, but in reality I, myself, was surrounded by fear. As my eyes fluttered open, I saw a figure sitting in a chair next to my bed.

“Delilah?” I croaked.

As my eyes focused on the figure it turned out to be a man in a long, white doctor’s coat. He stood and took my arm sticking what felt like a needle in.

“So you were the one causing the big fuss last month?” he said shaking his head, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when Himchan brought you in here. It must’ve struck a chord in him somewhere, especially since he can get killed for helping an ‘obsolete’ creation.”

Last month? Did he just say last month? That can’t be right. The dark haired male continued to speak, but I could only murmur one particular word.

“Delilah. Where is D-delilah?” I croaked again.

“My name is Daehyun. I’m the doctor here on the compound. You weren’t going to survive with the injuries you had. It was a miracle that you pulled through this long.”

“Th-that wasn’t what I asked. Where’s Delilah?” I replied, my chest heaving.

Daehyun ignored me once again, grabbing a folder and flipping through the contents. Why wasn’t he giving me an answer? He must know something if he’s the doctor here.

“Daehyun,” I pleaded, “please. I have to know what’s happened to her.”

Daehyun closed the folder with a sigh and placed it on the desk. He looked at me in the eyes.

“Why? What good will it do?” he asked folding his arm across his chest.

“I put Delilah through hell. I just want to know if she’s okay.”

Walking over, he pulled up the chair that he was sitting in before and leaned over the side of the bed. Looking at me with an unreadable expression, he gave an answer I wasn’t expecting.

“She won’t move.” He said. “She hasn’t moved since they tore her away from your body. Her father brought her in for a checkup a few days ago, but nothing has changed. She just sits there staring at nothing.”

I didn’t know if this should worry me or not. There was still so much I didn’t understand. Why was she acting like that? Didn’t anyone tell her that I was here?

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