insanity. | ateez au

[ one ]

₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑*̑˚̑*̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.

this is not a test, this is your emergency broadcast system. announcing the commencement of the annual purge sanctioned by the government. weapons of class four and lower have been authorized for use during the purge. all other weapons are restricted. government officials of ranking 10 have been granted immunity and shall not be harmed. commencing at the siren, any and all crime (including murder) will be legal for 12 continuous hours. police, fire, and emergency medical services will be unavailable until tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM when the purge concludes. blessed be our new founding fathers and america. a nation reborn. may god be with you all.

₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑*̑˚̑*̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.

the alarm rang throughout the city, breaking the tense silence filling the streets. my throat tightened. the alarm seemed to go on forever. the pierce wail seemed too familiar. san came in through the hallway, a flashlight in hand.

"hwa, are you okay? i know that's a dumb question, but.."

"yeah, im fine. just worried."

"I understand that, obviously," san let out a light-hearted giggle. "im sure we'll be okay, yeah? we have no real enemies. i knew it was a good idea for us to stay quiet in college."

"yeah, i guess youre right. i tend to be a control freak."

"we been knew, seonghwa, ive known you most my childhood."

i flashed a grin at san and got up from the floor. 12 hours of this bullshit. i couldnt help but worry, san was right about us keeping a low profile, but something kept tugging at my chest.

san and i had decided to turn off all the lights in the house, just to be careful. the alarm system that we installed was set and alert, food was stacked in the living room. all doors and windows were locked. san did a good job at calming me down, he somehow always does. hes a sweet boy, and it surprises me that he doesnt have many friends. im glad hes my best friend, though. san continued to tell jokes and play dumb charades with me since I struggled to fall asleep, we laughed until our sides hurt.

yelling.

it was loud enough to break in between our fits of laughter, which we abruptly stopped. san glanced towards me, a reassuring look on his face. i could feel my chest tightening. san moved towards me swiftly, hugging my body close to calm me down. i was scared out of my mind. im not going to act tough, and say i wasnt. I was fucking horrified.

"hwa, its okay. i got you. we are safe, okay?" he smiles.

"okay-"

a car engine revs. i get up to check, but san's grip is too tight around my arm.

"san, let me check it out. please."

"no. hwa, you cant always be aware of the unknown. sometimes its better to not know at all, and stay reassured."

"i guess youre right, san," i sat back down next to him. "im just paranoid."

the car engine grows louder, taunting me from outside.

louder and louder.

"SAN MOVE!"

everything happened in a flash. san jumps to the right, and i go left. a car crashes through the living room, taking the whole wall down with it. debris flies throughout the house. the dust burning my eyes and nose. lungs filled with dust, i manage to let out a yell.

"SAN?"

no response.

"SAN?"

"FUCK- I-"

i hear cries coming from the front of me. i manage to feel myself around the car and tossed furniture, not giving a single shit anymore. i needed to find san. i could feel the dents in the hood of the car. i kicked what felt like hard wood, which must be our coffee table.

"HWA IM HERE."

i look down and see san laying on the ground, our couch set on top of his left leg. shit. shit. shit. i go to move the couch but stop once i hear san groan in pain.

"my ankle, i think its broken. sprained? fuck i dont know but it hurts."

"okay. okay. fuck- just stay still, okay? i'll find something i swear-"

"hwa theres a car in our living room. it fucking crashed through our house. who knows who was in it. you have to leave while you can, please. go."

"san, i cant just fucking leave you. your ankle-"

"fuck my ankle, seonghwa!"

"san-"

"go."

i took a sharp inhale, trying to withhold the tears swelling in my eyes. i couldnt do it but i had to. if we both died there, san wouldnt ever fucking forgive me past our deaths. i turned around, frantically to find the hole in which the car created.

i made sure nothing was in the floor to stop me from running out. as soon as i made it out into the front yard, i heard shouting coming from within the house. it took every fiber of my being not to run back inside, protecting san with all of my body and strength just like he has for me. but i knew i couldnt.

two gunshots.

i started running as fast as my legs could take me. i didnt know where to go, i HAD nowhere to go. i was terrified out of my mind. any danger could be in the streets, psychopaths with guns blazing and more cars crashing into who fucking knows what. every single step i took was a risk, and god, i was risking it all right now.

i decided to head for the city, maybe to find shelter somewhere. my heart couldnt take even being in san and i's neighborhood, memories flooded my mind. luckily, san and i lived right next to the highway leading into the city. i didnt want to take the highway of course, a lonely man walking on the highway would be just too fucking easy.

i decided to take a shortcut while cutting through houses and backyards. while sneaking through a yard, an alarm sounded outside someone's house. my heart stopped. my blood stopped pumping. ducking behind a bush, i waited.

"who's there?"

no fucking way i was going to reply.

"youre safe if youre harmless."

their voice was shaking, i could tell. they were terrified as well.

i slowly raised up from behind to peer a view at the stranger.

it was a black haired boy, about 20 or so. he had on a plain white t-shirt and jeans, a machete in hand. he was paranoid, and obviously shaken by the alarm being set off.

i stood up. the boy pointed the machete in my direction, his hands fumbling at the handle.

"my name is seonghwa. im harmless."

the boy scanned up my body, looking for any signs of weapons.

"is anyone else with you? do y-you have any weapons?"

"no. im alone."

scanning my body one more time, the boy lowered the weapon.

"c-come inside. im wooyoung."

₊̣̇.ෆ˟̑*̑˚̑*̑˟̑ෆ.₊̣̇.

[ ONE ] end.