"Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns. It calls me on and on across the universe. And defeat the lines of what they call lifetime"Naomi | 22 | 920212 | ❤+ + + + + ✐
He met her only once, years ago, but it was in a rush, and he ever saw her again until now.
The only seat left was beside her inside the bus, and he didn’t want to stand for the whole ride. He had the evening shift and it was four am; too too early for the sun to rise, but too late to be actually called night time.
He offered her a nod. Maybe she didn’t remember, and he thought it was best that she didn’t.
She smiled.
(She did.)
He sat next to her and the bus ride was silent. Somehow, he’s tempted to ask her how her boss was doing, but he might actually overstay his welcome by not asking how she was, in the first place.
(He didn’t.)
His eyelids start drooping and they snapped open when he felt her head on his shoulder, and there she was, fast asleep. Perhaps that was why she wasn’t speaking - he’d have pegged her for the talkative, bubbly type - and he made no move to push her away.
His body betrayed him; they were still a good twenty minutes away from the terminal where he’s headed home, and so he closed his eyes, leaning his head back on the head rest comfortable.
Adrian’s eyes grow wide at her answer. It wasn’t what he was expecting to hear. Then again, what would you expect to hear in a situation like this? Tapping his feet to the beat in his head, he continues eating. His thoughts go back to Kahi. Is she even still alive? Is she safe? He sighs as he watches his guest eat. He wonders who she’s taken to hell, and why she’s convinced she has a ticket there.
One would be surprised when such a question is thrown, much more when one gives such answer as hers. There was no hesitation on her part to say what is on her mind. The whole country has become liberal in their thoughts, even of their deeds, unleashing the devil that had been lurking inside of them for the whole year. She never believed in it until they made Minwoo their sacrifice for their ‘healing’. Since that day she knew the demon grew immensely from within her, waiting for this final day to arrive so that she could do her own ‘healing’ as they say. She has done her part, almost. And she knew all along what this exact moment with the stranger means to her. And to be the one who’d liberate her from the evil of this world, she’d gladly give him her pure honesty.
Her eyes never shifted from the utensils, or the meal served in front of her. The heat dissipated in front of her face and she allows it to as her eyes are glued on her plate, deep yet blank eyes diving to inanimate objects rather than seeing the face of the man in front of her. Yet the momentary pause caused her curiosity to look back to him, gauging his response but she couldn’t. From the deepness of his eyes is a vague picture, one she couldn’t draw well. And as he hovered his eyes straight to hers did the picture sharpens in a vivid one. Naomi knew it was too familiar.
Adrian hears the pot whistling as he sets the table for three, not giving up hope that he’ll hear from Kahi soon. Somehow, his gut feels heavy as he thinks about what he’ll do to this woman he brought home. “It’s called guilt, stupid,” he hears Kahi’s voice in his head and he can imagine her rolling her eyes at him. “Not now, woman.” he mutters under his breath as he stirs the kimchi stew
There were still the traces of blood ghosting in the red details of the blouse that hangs over her body. The cold shower did nothing to wipe the dirt from her, the filth that thrived in her for a year, and is thriving still. Reality is hidden with different guise, and no matter how one conceals it, the truth will always prevail. No matter how thick one conceals a scar, at the end of the day, it is still a scar. No matter how you dress one with fresh clothes, it doesn’t eliminate the ugly truth. Her hands were clean, smooth and soft.
Adrian drives away once the woman has been securely fastened to her seat, as his eyes still search for his best friend. After all, this passenger he took was just a side trip to this road trip’s actual purpose. He turns on the music, and as if to mock him, it’s playing one of those cheesy boy-band songs Kahi loves so much. What kind of a best friend was he if he couldn’t even keep her safe? Who knows where she could be right now, and if she was even still alive. He sighs as he wonders what happened to the woman he took with him.
Maybe it was the cold. Or the air conditioning set straight in front of her. Or maybe it’s just what it is. She is frozen to the place as soon as she get in. Never did she dare utter a word, like her mouth was sewn up to keep everything in her. Never did she resist, even though his slight touch had somehow cause her to shiver for whatever reason. Naomi is a paper – plain, white, light. Easily she is swept away. And she does nothing about it.
For wherever it leads her, it would all be unfruitful. Meaningless.
So it was that time of year again? The one time everyone’s allowed to be bad without getting punished for it. Fine, there were limits, but they were still pretty reasonable. He can’t help but think this new order of things is just an excuse to either wipe out rivals in petty conflicts, or for those usually too weak to seek revenge get the chance they’ve been waiting for without repercussions.
In its darkest shade, the world presents itself in its most devious form. Under the shadows of the dim clouds hovering almost invincibly from above was chaos. Blood spilled like water, rushing out effortlessly onto the bodies of people, draining them out of their lives and no one of the people outside bothered. No one cared. It is as though it is of natural occurrence. Oh what privilege these people has been given. There are those who use the chance for their ulterior motives, some who does it for fun, no matter how sickening it may be, those who deems the yearly occasion at a curse, and those who accepts the event as a blessing.
If Naomi is to be asked what it meant to her, it would be of the last two.
The latter being significant as, finally, her goal is achieved.
It was oddly quiet, the type of silence that isn’t deafening in its lack of noise, but the type that shakes one’s core. And everyone knew why. Loud, high-pitched noise, a siren had just broken through the evening, and a couple of seconds of it was enough to put the city in the dark. Why, it had been the same in the past years. The silence, the darkness, it never last long.
Half an hour into the Purge, an explosion resonated in the halls of Seoul Terraces Apartment Complex. A large group of people purging had broke into the building using illegal explosives. The residents were rendered defenseless as it was an unforeseen event due to the landlord’s carelessness and the use of prohibited devices. It is now up to the residents to survive the next most terrifying eleven hours until the Purge ends.
As far as surveillance is concerned, there are seven residents who remained alive: Adrian (Room 101), Isaac (Room 602), Kahi, Tao (Room 605), Naomi (Room 809), Lorraine & Samantha (10th Floor).
A war between South Korea and North Korea commenced on 2017, rendering the military defenses of both nations weakened. The United of America took advantage of such circumstances and managed to gain control of the Land of the Morning Calm. It was controlled under a strict totalitarian rule and all other political movements have been shut down by the US government. However, the unemployment and crime rate has been reduced to only 2% and the economy is at an all time high.
After the 30th constitutional amendment was ratified in 2020, the annual Purge was created. It is an even occurring every year from 7:00 PM on September 5th till 7:00 AM on September 6th. During that time, any known crime is legal, and all services (police, fire department, hospitals and emergency rooms) are closed.
The Purge, however, has only two rules: (1) no government official holding Rank 10 or higher is to be murdered, harmed, or brought to harm in any case & (2) weapons above Class 4 are forbidden, meaning that destructive devices (e.g. rocket launchers, grenades, bombs or missiles) and explosive materials are excluded from the Purge. Anyone who doesn’t follow these rules will be executed.
Citizens are allowed to purchase necessary items and barricade themselves in their homes. Large buildings are supervised by the landlord who himself locks the building and all the exits.
The sound of the siren commences the beginning of the Purge.
