POV: Minhyun

The days pass as slowly and as stale as always. The same trials and rehearsals, the same cleaning and make up sessions to make my appearance seem flawless. The same audience watching in amazement as I control the elements. The same notes flying in from an unknown sender with messages of revolution that I only skim over before burying in the dirt.

I don't allow myself to read too much into them. What the author of these notes wants is basically suicide. Arise, act, it's time to show the world who we are.

Even if we manage to escape from our cells and meet up, they'd catch us. All that would result from this attempt at freedom is to be killed one by one, or to be punished and thrown right back into our cages to be exhibited once again. The cruelty would only increase.

No. This isn't possible. The guy is crazy. He thinks that we can win with our abilities, that together we'll be stronger than the enemy. He says we could win and be free. No one would ever treat us like mere displays for the amusement of strangers again.

We could be free, have normal lives. We'd no longer be caged in dark corners. No one would have the power to take everything away, to take away even the ability to move freely. We could see sunlight again, breathe fresh air and run.

No, Min! I can't think like that. It's not possible. None of that is possible! I'll be spending the rest of my life in this dark hellhole. Attempting to escape would be suicide. I'm fine as I am.

I have to shake those thoughts from my  head. Dreaming of freedom won't help me at all.

I can't even attempt to relieve this frustration by punching a wall. These drugs continue to restrict my movement.

I sigh. Relax, Min, says that little voice of reasoning in my head, you have to calm down, forget all that and continue as you are now, just as you always have.

But it's not that simple anymore. These thoughts have lit a flame in me that has been dormant for so long, awakening a restless desire for freedom.

            POV: Aron

The guards leave me in the showers and there, without removing the handcuffs, two woman with those same white masks strip me down and clean my body with rough sponges and too much soap. They're just as careless as the guards. There's not the slightest bit of gentleness in their movements, not even for the multiple burns on my skin.

I wait without a single complaint or resistance. There's no point; it's better to just leave them be.

Once I'm clean, they bandage up my nearly healed wounds again, dress me in a white robe, and take me to an uncomfortable metal chair to brush my hair and apply makeup. Just as before, I go along with whatever they do all too submissively.

They finish and give me white and silver clothes. The silver will shine in the fire of my performance. Something to add 'beauty' to my frantic running from flames. Just thinking of returning to that place fills me with dread. If there's anything that I haven't gotten used to it's the fire. I'll probably always be afraid of it.

I'm being prepared to leave when I hear the shouts from the hallway and two guards enter. The men drag a thin blond in after them. The blond resists, screams, attempts to punch them and bite them, to scratch them even with the cuffs around his ankles and wrists. Two more guards move in to help, but even then it's difficult for them to push him forward.

The light in the room begins to brighten and the guards are shoved back. Another man arrives with a syringe and promptly sticks it in the blonde's neck. He falls unconscious instantly.

I seem to be the only one shocked by the display. It must be normal for this guy to act that way. I don't understand where he gets the energy to fight back like that. He doesn't accept our position as objects like I do. He fights to be a human, to be treated like an actual person, to have freedom to at least resist and move at his own free will. That's all something impossible for me at this point.

            POV: Baekho

Notes resonate in the room. The sound brings back memories, emotions, sensations from the past that tear at my soul. But it's the only way to keep 'living'. The only way to keep from falling to the temptation of giving up to fate.

Today the guards didn't gag me. Either they forgot to or they're confident that I'm not capable of escaping. So I sing. I don't put any force into my voice. I don't intend to unleash destruction or move things from their place. I just sing and fill the large room with my voice all for myself.

My own voice kills me. I can almost smell the wet dirt, feel the fresh air and brush of grass against my skin. I can almost see the blue of the sky and hear the voice of my mother singing this very song.

It hurts to remember. It hurts to know that I've lost so much, that in exchange for natural freedom and the love of my family I've gotten this dark prison. So much just to receive cruel people watching over me and this feeling of being completely at the mercy of a stranger. I hate knowing that I can't do anything for myself and that another person has total control over my life. This feeling is the most depressing thing imaginable. No, depressing isn't the right word. I feel empty, useless, like the urge to live has abandoned me. The only way to survive is accepting it and letting them dominate. In the process, you lose your soul and will, but at least you don't feel the frustration of not being treated like you should be treated, like the human that you are.

I've opted for a different path. I've decided to follow the path of rebellion, of pain, and of the will to continue being who I am.

Remembering my past and everything that I've lost is painful, infinitely painful, but it keeps me moving forward. It's what keeps me enduring what I have without forgetting who I am. Because I don't want to be a puppet that can be thrown away at any moment, even if I'm treated as such.

The guards arrive and are shocked to hear me. I think so, anyway. It's hard to tell with those blank masks covering up their expressions. The first thing they do is cover their ears with the earmuffs they always use when they come to fetch me. They still think I can hurt them with my voice. And I probably could, but it would be counterproductive. If I hurt someone, they'd just double their surveillance over me and ruin my plans of rebellion. That and I have nothing against two simple guards. They're just puppets like I am.

They release me from the chair and place handcuffs around my wrists. I'm gagged and they take me to the cleaning hall. I have to be prepared for today's visitors.

Upon entering, the first thing I see is a blond boy sprawled over one of the tables. The stylists fix his hair and put makeup on his face. He looks like he's asleep.

He has to be one of my people, someone like me, but although I've always known they were there I've never seen them before. I have no way of knowing which one he is. He doesn't seem to be able to move, so he must be from hall number 1, the one they keep sedated. The one who controls elements. Although taking into account the personality of the boy of lights, it's likely that they have to sedate him in order to clean him up.

Hopefully it's him. Hopefully this is Ren.

I pass by him as the guards lead me to the showers. I study his face. He almost looks like a girl with those long eyelashes and his thin, pink lips. There's also his long blond hair that the girls are currently brushing. Hopefully this is him, hopefully this is my Ren.

            POV: JR

Where am I? Everything is blank. Nothingness. Empty. Only emptiness. I'm cold. And hot. I can't breathe. I'm suffocating. I need to breathe. Air! SOMEONE HELP ME! I NEED TO BREATHE! Oh, better. Inhale, exhale. RELAX! I shake my head. No, wait, I can't move. Why can't I move? I NEED TO MOVE! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? I CAN'T MOVE! HELP! SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE! I'M SUFFOCATING!

Sir, he's waking up. Where's that voice coming from? He's trying to break the restraints. Restraints? Now I see the cables. Lots and lots of cables attached to my body. Cords all over the place, from the ground, the walls, the ceiling. All I see is cables. And mirrors, lots of mirrors everywhere. The walls, the floor – they're just mirrors. And there are lights below me. Light is coming from the floor, surrounding me, reflecting in thousands in the mirrors of the room... Who's talking? Who is it? There's no one here. Where is that voice coming from? WHO'S THERE?

He's losing control. He could hurt himself if he doesn't calm down. Another voice. Where are they? What's going on? Who's talking? Who are they talking about? WHERE ARE THEY?

Sedate him. SHUT UP! EVERYONE SHUT UP!

There's something in my neck. A pinch. Another cable. And suddenly I'm sleepy... very sleepy...

My eyes close slowly. I no longer see the cables and the impeccable white transforms into black darkness. The voices stop. Everything becomes tranquil and silent, dark. Silence is darkness.