Chapter: 4

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Krystal GoodNovel

***

"Is that a girl?"

"My God! Yes she is!"

"So filthy."

"A girl and alive!"

"What's the colour of her hair? Neither it is white nor golden."

"It is a mixture of those colours."

"What is a girl doing here!"

"Get away!!!!"

The latter pulled me out of the embarrassment that was building inside me under the efficacious comments and intense gazes of the people or to be specific, men and boys. My head shot up and on turning around, a small figure bumped into me making me stumble back until I hit a strong surface.

Then I felt something gliding on the sides of my arms and I found them to be hands. I had bumped into the chest of Jung-hoon who gripped me tightly from my arms, preventing me from falling.

"You alright?" He asked with his usual sweet, honey laced voice but at the same time a little strong, making his chest vibrate, with every word being spoken, against my back.

I nodded and slipped out of his grasp. After that I noticed a small figure on the floor. The owner's orbs were pitch black which felt too hollow that even from such a distance I felt shudders travelling through my spine as they looked at me. They were as if life and emotions had been squeezed out of them which resulted in that deep drowning feeling.

"I am so sorry." I cried while bending down a little and then stretching my arm with open hand, indicating him that I wanted to help him up.

"That is fine. I was a little too fast and these trollies a little too smooth to be glided on the ground." He said with an emotionless face.

If he had even a tiny bit of glint in his eyes, I would have smiled at his words but they were too dull. After speaking, he got up without even looking at my hand. When the feeling of getting vexatious caught up in me, I pulled my hand back.

On coming closer to the boy, I noticed that he was a young little boy with teeny bits of freckles brushed on his nose tip and on his cheeks. He had a perfect built according to his age and with hair maroon in colour, the colour that reminded me of someone precious, my mother. His height reached my shoulders.

After taking a grip on his trolley handles, that had something underneath the white sheet, he made his way out of there.

"Sorry for that." Jung-hoon brought me out of my own world of thoughts. I looked at Jung-hoon and found him looking all around him. I too followed his eyes and noticed that several men and boys had gathered around. They all were looking at me as if I had grown two horns on my head.

"Let's go." Jung-hoon held my left hand and pulled me out of the crowd. I could sense the eyes of every individual in the historical 'arena' underground. The feeling returned and I lowered my head down.

What is wrong with them? Haven't they ever seen a girl before? I thought.

We headed to another gallery that was the darkest of all. They were lighted by the gas lamps which were hanging at the ceilings and the floor was muddy and rugged. The gallery ended and on the right side were wooded double doors.

Jung-hoon gave me a peek which I caught. Then he pushed open the doors. I, like a curious cat, sprinted into the room before he could enter. When he entered, he found my mouth hanging open, not too wide just a little, actually, more than that.

The room was too large. It was like a hall. The pillars were less in width at the floor whereas it extended outwards as it reached the ceiling. The ceiling was covered with the growing algae and few roots were hanging below from there since it was underground. This meant that there was some forest above this hall.

The floor was enlayed with huge square shaped marble tiles that were irradiant to such extent that our reflections could be seen. The walls were however not in a good condition since they were atrocious and in a dire need of getting painted.

In the middle of the hall was a round thing like a well but it's walls were too short for being a well and neither I could see any source that could be used to pull the water from the 'well-like' thing. Right above that well was an opening in the ceiling that illuminated the entire room with the natural heat and light of the sun. I could see large trees surrounding that opening above the roof which meant that I was right about there being a forest. I wondered that what would they do if it started raining. Won't it drown the entire hall?

"We got a cap made up of steel that always lays at the top. During the day it is pulled away through a switch button and is closed at night time." Jung-hoon answered my question. Did I just say it out loud?

"Yes you did and you still are." His voice shook with mirth and I gaped even more at my act of sheer folly. I really needed a treatment.

Men and boys were indulged in doing all their regular chores. There were altogether more than hundreds i.e. more than 'The Survivors'. They felt too normal and things could be normal if they had not come up with the infected creatures. The heinous act of theirs left only hatred in every soul and one of those was right inside me. Who knows what life has in store for one? Well for me, it was getting stucked among 'The Beasts'.

"We need to keep going. Jake must be waiting for you."

Jung-hoon carried himself towards the centre of the hall and motioned me to follow him which I did. Then he turned left and we were greeted by two galleries. We went through the right one. The floor of every area, since we stepped through those double doors, were carpeted with tiles, unlike the muddy and rugged ground of the area we entered at first. Coming to think of that area, people there gaped at me but no body even dared to look at me in here. Odd.

I followed the steps of Jung-hoon who passed by various doors and when ever we passed by one, I let out a breath since I didn't want to meet the Beast of all this soon.

His name didn't suggest anything evil but he was someone too bad. I just wish he would die because of the bite. Serves him absolutely right. On the thought of the consequences of his idea, my blood began to boil and all that I wanted to do was to shout at him and ask him that what was in his mind when he came up with his demon like plan. He was alive along with multitudinous people so why wanted to kill the other ones? Seems like he was unaware of the great saying; 'Live and let live.'

I was so busy with my postulation that I didn't notice Jung-hoon stopping which made me bump into his back.

"Woah there! Be careful." He turned around with an expression that I could not make out.

"Okay listen."

I rolled my eyes at that. Time for his long list of instructions again.

"I am serious so pay attention. Jake is on the other side of this door. He was being treated through herbal treatments but that were of little use. We want you to hurry up the treatment, your way, and bring him to perfect health condition. I hope you remember my words, call him sir, do as he says and never ever argue. Remember, never ever." He emphasised those words that earned him another eye roll. When did I started to do that?

I knew that this Beast, Jake wasn't some easy going individual since it was his 'master plan' of the plague, due to what my heart began to beat with alacrity. I didn't want to see that demon. It made me angry but also brought tears to my eyes. I thought that they had stopped producing any tears unless one fell onto my hand.

My eyes were glued to the door thinking of what would be behind it and how the life of mines had changed. It was already sucking and was now going to be even more pathetic. I felt a soft brush on my cheeks. When I turned my face back, I saw that it was Jung-hoon, brushing my tears away with concern that had curtained his amber eyes.

"Sh. Don't cry. Everything will be fine. He is not 'that' bad. Just obey him and everything will be fine." He said with a low voice.

This made pools of tears to flow out of my eyes. How could I act so weak and especially in front of him? I was strong, stronger than anyone maybe but I just couldn't control. I let myself burst into tears. Then he did something that left me flabbergasted. He hugged me.

It had been more than several years since anyone hugged me. Not even Erin used to do that since she felt it awkward.  The last time anyone made this gesture was my dad. My breathing commenced to hitch and I continued to cry as I leaned into his embrace. It felt too vulnerable to be finally be able to lean on someone for support, instead of you always giving others support.

"Hey, stop crying." He said while he kept running circles at my back with his hands. My hands were gripping onto his green T-shirt firmly. After my sobbing died down with the tears that had strained my cheeks, I pulled out of his embrace and stepped back. I didn't dare to look into his eyes since it felt too embarrassing to do that.

"I wasn't crying because of being afraid of Jake." I finally found my voice.

"I cried because I am tired of my pathetic life." I whispered which was audible enough for him to hear.

His eyes got wide at this as if he wasn't expecting me to say this. Just when he opened his mouth to say something, the door which was at my right opened and I saw the face of someone familiar.

"What took you so long man?" He asked.

"Langdon, I warn you not to mess with her and simply take her to Jake. Got it?"

Langdon, of course! He was the man who came with the the other fat man and Jung-hoon to kidnap me but he fled away when that creature came, along with the fatty and left him and me alone. Jung-hoon should have killed him for the disloyalty.

Langdon's charcoal grey eyes caught me and gave me a dirty toothy smile.

"Oh, beauty. What have you done to your face, huh? Still, it isn't helping you in looking less beautiful. Your alluring hair are still glistening even under these normal man-made lights and your eyes..." Before he could finish I punched him in his abdomen, hard enough to make him wince and shut his mouth.

"Pretty mouth, What the hell?!" He shouted after gripping his abdomen.

I heard Jung-hoon chuckling beside me. I glared at him and then gripped his right arm tightly. He gave me a confused look.

"You brought me here, so it is your duty to take me inside, Mr.Jung-hoon. " I said in a monotone voice.

He huffed and stepped in but not after patting at the shoulder of Langdon who was still wincing in pain. Was Langdon even a man? What were those muscles for?

I entered into a brightly lit room which was way too huge. It was way too modern as well, as compared to the other areas. There were the same marble tiles but the walls were freshly painted in white while there was a separate section of sitting that came into view right after we entered.

The sofas were pure maroon in colour that reminded me of the young boy whom I met earlier, along with a rectangular and wide coffee table in the middle. The other part was the bed that was perpendicular to the sitting area. I saw a figure laying in the middle who was accompanied by an old man, sitting with his back at me, on a chair. Since he was sitting there, I could not catch the face of the patient. On approaching closer I caught the sight of the old man.

His face was bathed with wrinkles and skin that was hanging too loosely. He must be more than 80s. His head was  kind of bald with countable grey and white hair at the back of his head. He was way too short in his height, which I noticed when he stood up in order to greet Jung-hoon. After looking at him, I finally built up the courage to look at Jake, my new patient.

I turned my gaze at the figure laying in front of me since I was standing at the foot of the bed and oh God. I wish I had never done that but I had to at some time. He had the kind of face that stopped one in his or her tracks.

He was striking, as a silver fox, suitable for gracing the cover of magazines over his younger peers. I couldn't see his eye colour since he was sleeping. His hair were dark chocolate brown in colour that were wavy. Few strands of those waves were falling carelessly on his forehead and I prevented every bit of my urge not to push my fingers into his head to pull them away.

Seems like he had not shaved since weeks as his shave was grown a little too long but it still didn't made him look less attractive. His jawline was as sharp as a knife while lips were a bright shade of pink. My gaze halted to his roman nose after taking in his sharp jawline.

His complexion was rose fair but one which would look even fairer without that grown shave. His shoulders were quite broad whilst his chest was rising up and down since his was breathing slowly. One of his arms was outside the maroon blanket which was way too built, but in a good way that gave him the impeccable appearance of a 'man'.

However, his arm was covered with various leaves and herbs that hid a large bruise underneath. I heard him shuffle under the blankets and he twitched his eyes which signified that he was disturbed by the sounds of the discussion between Jung-hoon and that old man.

He slowly opened his eyes which he hastily shut when he felt lights' sensation too bright. After adjusting his eyes, they opened completely and I gasped lowly. His orbs had locked in the blue waves of the ocean.

"You are awake." The old man said with a shivering voice. God knows if it was because he was afraid of him or because he was old. Maybe both were the cause.

"Yeah." His hoarse voice spoke. It was gruff and way too strong. It held the feeling of being a passive and arrogant ruler.

He had not seen me until the old man introduced him to me. His eyes caught mine and I felt an electric shock passing through me. Now I was 100% sure that I needed a treatment.

His gaze was deep, intense but without any emotions. Even from such a distance I could tell that his orbs were inconceivable. They were making me drown in those bright blue ocean waves.

After drinking in the features of my face, his eyes moved down to my feet and began to travel up my body. After reaching my face, again started to look at it deeply. My face flushed and I started to shift on my feet awkwardly.

Then his view was blocked by a figure which came and stood in front of me; Jung-hoon. I internally thanked him for that.

"Ahem." He coughed.

"So, when do you want her to begin with your treatment?" Asked Jung-hoon.

"When did I approve her as my doctor?" Jake asked with tiredness and less energy clearly being highlighted in his voice.

My head jerked up and I moved away and in front of the site of Jake. I didn't know if I wanted to be happy for having a hope of being free, sad for going through all the trouble since I got rejected at the end or for being scared that he might feed me to his creatures.

"What do you mean?" The old man asked with the same startled expression as Jung-hoon's.

"Throw her in the open so that the 'pets' might eat her till her last flesh. She is not capable enough neither has the standard to even come near me." Now those words raged and frightened me as well.

Handsome is a state of soul that carries through the man. Therefore, these words mirrored his soul and I instantly changed my perception of him being handsome.

My future felt as if slipping out of my hands, the ambition to learn the answers to my questions and also my ambition of keeping The Survivors safe. Oh God! This was bad and the feeling that got birth inside me wasn't helping me either.