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Eunhyeok stared up at the rough white ceiling of the daycare. Yikyung had told him to go sleep and that she would keep watch while he slept but Eunhyeok couldn't fall asleep.
His thoughts wouldn't let him fall asleep. He was turning, he knew it. Had known it for a while, he didn't know how much longer he had. If it was weeks or days or even hours. Eunhyeok wished he could have had more time, more time with his sister. More time to live.
His eyes blurred with tears, angrily he brushed them away. Crying and feeling bad for himself wouldn't help anything. Wouldn't save him, or save anyone for that matter.
He could vaguely hear something thumping against the ground a few floors above them, probably a monster. Dragging it itself across the halls, searching for prey. Eunhyeok thought about how that could be him soon.
I am human, Eunhyeok whispered to himself as he stared at the rough ceiling. I am human, he repeated it like a mantra. I am human I am human I am human I am human IamhumanIamhumanIamhuman until his words blurred into each other.
He closed his eyes tightly, whispering those words over and over and over until they were the only thing he could hear. Hesitantly he opened his eyes, he continued staring up at the ceiling. What was the point? Why did they bother surviving? What was the point of living?
Eunhyeok thought back about the first time his nose bled. He had been watching the surveillance screens, keeping watch for any monsters.
He had felt the slow drops of blood trace down his nose and across his lips, hurriedly he wiped them away. Staring at his blood stained hand, the blood dripped from his hand. Dark red.
Within seconds blood was pouring from his nose, coating his face and hands in dark red blood. Eunhyeok bent over in his chair, coughing on blood.
He gasped in shock. No no no no no no nonononono this wasn't happening. It couldn't be. Why. What did he do wrong? He did everything right. Why was this happening?
He shook his head, breaking his train of thought. He should try to get some sleep, before Yikyung came to wake him up for his turn to keep watch so she could sleep.
He turned around to lay on his side instead.
Eunhyeok couldn't imagine becoming a monster. He had seen it happen to others, seen monsters whom had once been human, whom had once been just like him.
He wondered if they had been scared while turning, or if they just accepted it. If they ended their lives, if they would rather die than live as a monster.
Eunhyeok thought he would rather die than become a monster, he was determined in that thought.
I am human. I was born human and I will die as one as well.
It was decided then, Eunhyeok thought, he would stay behind and die human, before he ever let his monster side take over.
He wasn't sure yet about how he would die though . . . He'd find a way. One way or another.
They would find a way to get everyone out, find somewhere to go. Somewhere safe. Somewhere they could survive.
Eunyu. His little sister. He couldn't let her die, wouldn't. She would survive. Eunhyeok was sure of it.
Three days later, they found the tunnel. His hope was rekindled, if the tunnel led to the outside then they could get everyone out. He would help get everyone out and then make an excuse up about having to stay behind.
Soon after that, the military found them and Eunhyeok's excuse was right there. In the chaos of getting out, no one would notice if he wasn't there. And the way the building was crumbling, it would crush anyone in it. A way to die.
Eunyu caught his arm, jolting him out his thoughts.
"Come on, hurry up."
Eunhyeok let his sister lead him to the tunnel where everyone was slowly climbing down into the tunnel. Yikyung looked up at him and nodded.
He nodded back and climbed down into the tunnel after his sister.
The tunnel was dark and dry as they trudged through it, Eunhyeok looked behind him. The darkness left behind by the lantern seemed to eat up the tunnel. He wondered if Hyunsu was coming or not.
He was jostled out of his thoughts when he caught sight of his sister, whom had stopped walking.
"Where are you going?" Eunhyeok caught Eunyu's arm as she was turning towards the darker parts of the tunnel.
"Hyunsu. He's gone." She replied, concern lacing her words.
"I'll go get him." Eunhyeok told her.
Eunyu caught his sleeve, she shook her head.
"I'll come back." He tried to reassure his sister. He put his hands over hers, holding it firmly.
She stared at him, concern and hesitance shifting behind her eyes.
"Don't worry. I'll come back safely." He took her hand in his, gripping it tightly.
"You promise?" She whispered
"Yes."
Eunyu let go of his sleeve reluctantly. He could feel her eyes on him as he turned to go, Eunhyeok disliked lying to his sister but sometimes it was necessary.
He ran down the the dark tunnel towards the ladder leading to the surface, he could get Hyunsu and tell him to go while he stayed behind. Let the ceiling cave in and crush him to death while still being his mortal human self.
Eunhyeok hoisted himself onto the ground beside the opening to the tunnel and rushed towards the doors where he found Hyunsu, facing the doors to the outside.
The headphone in his ear buzzed louder and louder as he approached Hyunsu. Yanking it out, he looked at Hyunsu.
"I should have given this back." Hyunsu whispered, staring down at the jacket wrapped around his arm.
"It's not too late."
Hyunsu shook his head at that, he continued walking towards the doors.
Eunhyeok watched Hyunsu go, the boy was a monster anyways. Maybe he wanted to die too. If he even could.
He headed to the surveillance room. The screens showed the same staticky display, a low buzz emitted from all of them.
He pulled his chair out and sat down as the earth rumbled beneath him, Eunhyeok pulled out Eunyu's walkman which he had been holding for her.
Eunhyeok placed the headphones onto his ears and pressed the button to play the music. He clicked the walkman front open, a photograph fell out. Grabbing it before it hit the ground he held it up to the faint light.
A family photo of two kids, a boy and a girl, and two parents, mom and dad, stared up at him. He held the photo in his hands as the music resumed on.
He thought of his sister as the world fell down around him, parts of the ceiling he had stared at absently for hours before were crashing down around him. Soft music drifted to his ears through his little sister's headphones.
She would survive. She had to, Eunhyeok thought to himself, she would.
Eunyu had sworn to both him and herself that one day she would be a famous ballerina and pay him back for everything he did for her. It never really mattered to Eunhyeok though, he didn't want her to pay him back. He just wanted her to be happy.
She thought she ruined his life, Eunhyeok would always tell her that it wasn't her fault. He could tell she never believed him though.
Distantly he could hear her crying for him, he turned the music up until all he could hear was the drone of gentle singing.
Eunhyeok's nose began to drip with blood, he didn't bother to wipe it away. There was no point, it would start gushing soon. Sure enough seconds later blood was rapidly flowing down his face, he watched as the family photograph was drenched in blood.
His tears mixed in with the blood.
He closed his eyes and tilted his head upwards. Eunhyeok gripped the photograph of his family tightly as he heard the roof give out above him.