"Minseok?"

I realized that it was coming from the walkie-talkie that I grabbed earlier. I unclipped it from my pants and talked into it.

"Hello?" As I waited for a response, I walked towards the door to the yard again to see if there's any signs of life.

"You need to be quiet," he replied. Is this the boy mentioned from the voice message? Min... Min-what?

"Who is this?" I started.

"You can call me Ren. This is my home."

"Ren? So you're not Min-something?"

"Minki's my birth name, but I wanted to study and move to the States. So Ren was the English name I chose. And how did you know my name? Or at least some part of it?"

"I... kinda listen to your voicemail from your mom I think."

"You did?! What did she say?!"

"..."

I don't know if I should tell him or not. From the sound of it, it seemed like his parents aren't doing so well...

"... It's fine. I'll have a listen later." Regrettably, I think he got the hint. I scanned all over the backyard and there were still no signs of him. I walked around the living room, then to the kitchen. I can't find him. Damn he's a good hider.

"I told you my name, what's yours?" 

"I'm Baekho. By the way, where are you? Are you safe?"

"I'm outside in the shed. I barricaded the door." I looked out through the kitchen window to spot the shed from when I first came in. Then I noticed a head peeking through the small window from that wooden box. He waved and I waved back with a little smile on my face. I'm glad to see someone alive for once. Then I noticed Ren's neutral expression changed like as if he saw a ghost. 

"Behind you!" I quickly turned around to meet a rotting, blood-stained face snarling and reaching at me.

"Woah!" I grabbed its wrist and shoulder, pushing it down to the floor. I got to get out of here. I sprinted towards the exit of the kitchen, but instead slipped on the pool of blood and fell face-flat. Again. I turn onto my back and met face to face with that monster crawling towards me. 

"AHH!" I kicked its face as hard as I could out of instinct, knocking it back a couple inches. I got up and tried to go for the door again only to be tripped again as that spawn of Satan grabbed my ankle. Seriously?!

Back on my , its face met with my fist as I try to release its hold on my feet. Damn it! It's no use! I scoot backwards to the door only to be pulled in again as it yanked my leg threw itself on me. CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRAP IT'S ON TOP OF ME!

What's stopping that thing from eating my face was my hands on its arm and neck. Slowly, I sat up straight it back, but it still kept on advancing. Damn it... what do I do?

"BAEKHO!" I snapped my head around to see the door already opened and a slender figure holding a claw hammer. When did he get here? Never mind that, he passed me the rusty tool and I gratefully accepted it. I spun around to swiftly swing the hammer right across its head. Now with the upperhand, I got up and pressed my foot against its chest, butchering the hell out of its skull, repeatedly beating its cranium with a disgusting, squishy sound. I kept on attacking it until the hammer was stuck in the head.

Oh my god it's finally over now.

"Man..." I straightened out my back, catching my breath as I stepped back to look at the mess I made. I was soaked in bodily fluids. Blood and puss were building up beneath it, staining the carpet. Its face was completely distorted with its eyeballs sliding off of its face. I had to hold back the urge to throw up as the awful stench went up in my nose. Wait, it's wearing the Korean military uniform, just like that man from the photo. Please don't tell me it's...

"Minseok..." A whisper came from the boy in front of me. He was fighting back the tears as he stared down at what remained of his brother. Guilt washed over me, but I don't know what to do. I just killed his brother. 

"Thank you..." Ren said with a shaky voice. Uh... did I hear right?

"Excuse me?"

"Thank you," he repeated louder. He looked up, finally meeting his glossy eyes. "He was already gone a long time ago. I just never had to the guts to end it. Thank you, for finally putting him at rest." He bowed his head down, thanking me.

This poor guy. Someone like him should never have to go through this...

"You've been all by yourself this whole time?" I asked, quickly changing the topic (kinda).

"Yeah. Kind of," he took one more glimpse at his sibling before looking up to me. "so my parents, they won't be back for a while huh?"

"Yeah..." I replied, not sure how to answer. What I am sure of is that I can't leave him alone. Not after this.

"Look, I don't know what happen. But I'll stay with  you until then, okay?" I said, trying to sound as reassuring as I can. He looked at me, carefully thinking about the proposal. I don't blame him. It's not everyday a stranger breaks into your home, kill your family, and then offer to help out. He finally replied with a nod, still skeptical about the decision.

"What should we do now?" he asked. That's a good question. What should we do? I looked out to the outdoors, noticing the sun already hiding behind the trees.

"We need to look for help before it gets dark."

"Yeah, it's not safe at night." He started to make his way out to the door.

"Come on, you're the leader," he teased with the corners of his mouth slightly pulling up.

We stepped out of the house. Ren gave one more look at his beloved home before he quickly shut the door closed. It's not easy leaving the place that you spent your entire life in. I should know.

He led me around the complex and opened the gate. I was still wobbling towards the exit. God damn it, I forgot to ask for some bandages. Oh well now is not the time to ask, and the wound wasn't as bad as before.

As we exit and closed the gate, we heard some grunting coming from the street.

"Mannnnn," a guy complained. It looks like him and another man that looks exactly like him are trying to push a car. Hm. Maybe they can help us. As I walked towards them, Ren wasn't following me. 

"Hey, what's wrong?" I turned back to him.

"I don't know if I should leave... what if my parents come back? Then again, I don't want to sleep another night out here..." he answered, looking back at his home. Ren... I thought you got the hint.

"Don't worry, we'll eventually find them," I lied. Remorse washed over me again, but it was for his own good. His parents are in Mokpo right? Maybe we can get there and find them, then take a boat and get to Jeju. We would be isolated from here, less of those monsters. And my parents are there. I wonder how they're keeping up...

"Alright," he said, still unsure about the decision. He followed me to where the two men were bickering with each other. 

"Hey guys!" I shouted at them. They swiftly spun around and started backing away. 

"Holy crap! Don't eat us!!" This guy clearly can't tell the difference between us and them. 

"We're not going to hurt you," I calmly said with hands up in the air, proof that I meant no harm. 

"Phew, thought for a second you and the girl were both going to give us the chomp," the other man blabbered.

"Hey! I'm not a girl!" Ren fumed. I snickered at his reaction. It's the first time I see him without the poker face.

"What the hell! Seriously?" the lower IQ guy exclaimed in shock.

"We need help," I quickly budged in before Ren strangles the two. 

"Are you trying to get out of here? Because you should be. Those things are all over the damn place. I haven't seen anything as gnarly as this neighborhood since Suwon back there. I'm SoRyong. Jung SoRyong." SoRyong explained.

"Baekho. And this is Ren," I introduced myself and the still pissed off Ren. The other clone waved at him.

"DaeRyong, the older half." As expected, Ren didn't really wave back.

"We shouldn't be out in the open like this. How about you help us clear the way and we'll take you and your brother out of here, and down to our family's farm. It should be safer there," SoRyong suggested.

"I'm not his brother," I corrected him. He gave me the look that urged me to continue.

"I'm... just some guy," I shrugged.

"Some guy?"

"Yeah."

"Let's get going. Staying put for too long is a mistake." From a distance, I could hear growling. Lots of growling. They're here.

"Baekho, quick! Let's go!" DaeRyong proclaimed in a hushed tone, already starting to push the vehicle. The two of us moved the jacked up automobile out of the way. The snarling's getting closer. Ren pitched in and budged to car until we finally made a clear path for the twin's pick up truck.

"Get in!" SoRyong was already in the driver's seat. Ren and I got into the passenger's side as DaeRyong hopped in the back bed. The brown haired man floored the gas pedal and drove our way to safety. 

"For just 'some guy', it's seems like you've saved a bunch of lives today," SoRyong joked. 

From my peripheral vision, I could see Ren looking back through the window as his neighborhood is getting smaller and smaller... then out of sight as we made a turn.