The Black Dove

Kristine’s screams didn’t subside as the robber dragged her along the wooden floor of the apartment, the wireless phone still tightly grasped in her hand as her legs flung to get away from the dangerous man.

“Yah! Stop moving!” The man screeched loudly, dragging the girl harshly across the floor, her kicking growing harsher and more desperate as the man finally took her into the kitchen, tossing her to make her ram her head into the double doors to the laundry room.

Tears blinded Kristine’s vision, fear obvious in her eyes as she looked up at the man, trying to focus on anything that stood out or a feature that could strike her. The man lifted his hand up, slapping the girl across the face, anger burning his hand, leaving a red hand print on Kristine’s tan cheek, making her head swing to the side and back up.

“Why the hell did you have to be here! God Dammit!” He cursed through the mask, his black eyes fumed with annoyance and anger.  His eyes then darted around for anything, making Kristine scoot as close as she can to the corner, tears and fear over taking her.

The man’s eyes then settled on a pan, taking the handle in his hand, and turning to the girl curled up in the corner, raising his arm up along with the pan, Kristine’s arms automatically going to cover her head in instinct, a scream echoing through the apartment as the pan was lowered.

A black dove.

[With L.Joe]

“Aish, where is that girl?” L.Joe cursed, running a hand through his hair, making his way through the crowd of young people. The darkness settled around the town, making a sigh escape his slightly parted lips, “It’s late… I’m sure she knows her way home when she decides to come back.”

He tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket, pulling his hood up to cover him from the rain that had begun to fall.

She better not get sick in this…

Wandering eyes of young girls found their way to L.Joe, making giggles follow him down the dark streets of Seoul, making him sigh to himself. A puff of white frost left his lips as he focused on getting home, deciding to take the short way to get out of the shivering rain.

L.Joe’s eyes settled on the path before him as the heels of his shoes echoed with each step he made, making his way up the stairs to his apartment, digging the key out of his pocket and sliding it in the keyhole to find it unlocked, blinking to himself as he chuckled slightly,

She’s home… but still careless.

He opened the door to see the familiar bag and jacket tossed on the couch, making him shake his head, noticing the belongings dumped out on the couch, no sign of her cell phone and wallet, making him look down the hall, the light still on in the bathroom.

L.Joe took off his shoes and walked toward the bathroom, ready to scold the careless girl for her actions, “Yah, Kristine-ah, how could y-,” He was cut off from the realization the bathroom was empty, turning off the light. He blinked as he exited the bathroom, then went to her room, “Yah, turn off the li-,” Again he was cut off as he was greeted with silence.

He walked back to the living room, scratching his head as he saw a hand on the tiled floor of the kitchen, blinking to himself, hoping what he was seeing was a dream or hallucination. His feet found a way to function as they guided him to the kitchen, eyes widening as he saw Kristine’s body sprawled on the floor, arm reaching out, unconscious.

L.Joe immediately ran beside Kristine, slightly pushing her hair out of her face, “Yah… Kristine-ah… Gwenchana? What happened?”

He gently shook the girl, looking around for anything to help her come to, biting his lip as he whispered, “Hold in there, Kristine, I’ll get some help..” His hand fished into his pocket, quickly dialing 1-1-9,

“Y-Yeobosseo?

Ne, I just came home and my roommate was unconscious on the floor.. I think we were robbed and she was assaulted..”

He then gave his address to the woman on the other line, quickly hanging up and quickly going back to aid the unconscious woman, his heart beating quickly in panic, the only thing running through his mind being,

More than 5mins with no oxygen to the brain means permanent brain damage, more than 7 is increase of possible death..

He didn’t know when Kristine was unconscious, for all he knew, she could’ve been there for 10, 15 minutes by the time he came in. He bit his lip, slowly and carefully turning her on her back, looking around.

I don’t have any CPR training… Aish!

If I do it wrong, I can kill her…

But if I don’t do anything, she might die..

AISH!

L.Joe swallowed in hope as he leaned over and opened Kristine’s mouth, tilting her head back slightly, slightly plugging her nose before connecting their lips and blowing air into her lungs in 3’s, then pulling away, folding his hands so his palms pressed against her securely and pressed forcefully, yet carefully, against her sternum where her heart would be. He continued this almost 4 times before pulling away at the sound of coughing and heavy breathing. His eyes looked down at the girl, seeing her breathing coming to normal, sighing in relief.

“Kristine?” He whispered slightly, “Kristine?” He waited for a response.

“L….Joe…” She whispered softly, but still unconscious, making L.Joe’s eyes look up at her face.

“Ne, Kristine, I’m here,” He said, hoping it would get through to her, but her eyes never opened to see if he was there. He held onto her hand until the paramedics came, forcing him to let go the moment they got to the hospital.

Two hours passed and a doctor had yet to come talk to L.Joe, making him become anxious, his pace speeding up slightly as he almost drilled a path on the floor, holding up a hand to his face as his eyes continued to scan the area for any doctor closing in on him.

“Excuse me, are you here for Ms. Dafrine?” L.Joe’s head snapped up and turned to the doctor before him, nodding,

“Ne… is she ok?”

The doctor smiled, making the weight lift off of L.Joe’s shoulders, “Ne, she is perfectly fine. A blow to the head made her unconscious. But because you gave her CPR in time, there was no permanent damage done. She just needs some rest.”

L.Joe sighed in relief, nodding and bowing to the doctor in gratitude, earning a wave, “Aigoo~ No need for that, I’m just doing my job. You can go see her now, she should be awake by now.”

L.Joe nodded and raced for the door to Kristine’s room, slowly opening it and quietly making his way into the room, slowly making his way to the bed in the room, pulling the curtain aside that blocked her from view, stepping in and then closing the curtain behind him.

He turned his head to the girl sitting up-right on the bed, her head tucked between her knees that were pulled up. L.Joe smiled to himself as he sat at the edge of the bed, causing Kristine to slide to the farthest part of the bed, making L.Joe blink.

“Kristine?”

She didn’t respond, but murmurs were coherent, but L.Joe couldn’t hear them completely, “Eh..?”

He reached a hand out to her, making her inch back in fear, still murmuring and holding onto her knees, rocking herself slightly.

She’s in fear… but what is she saying?

L.Joe stood up and inched to the other side of the girl, finally catching the small phrase she kept repeating to herself,

“ Black dove man.”