Eleuthernemis System

Chapter Six

I closed the remaining distance in two desperate strides. My shoulder slammed into Dong hyun's arm just as the gun went up.

“What the …”

The shot was deafening in the enclosed space. The bullet blasted through the ceiling. Bits of plaster raining down like snow.

Dong hyun staggered, cursing. I didn't waste the opportunity.

I yanked his arm up, using every ounce of strength I had. The gun pointed towards the ceiling.

The student, frozen in terror, leaned on the wall close to the door and slid down, probably realizing how close he was to death.

Dong hyun tried to twist around, but I was already driving forward with my shoulder.

My sneaker caught on something, maybe his foot or maybe I just slipped, and I stumbled. My shoulder hit lower than I'd intended, somewhere around his hip.

It was ugly and graceless. Nothing like the movies.

But it worked.

Dong hyun staggered sideways, off balance and we both went down hard.

My grip on his wrist held, my fingers digging in with strength I never knew I had.

The gun was still in his hand but pointed at the wall, the ceiling, thankfully nowhere near us.

“Get off me!” He trashed beneath me.

His fist connected with my face and I felt pain shooting through it.

I could hear shouting, maybe Park Junho or Woo rim, but it sounded distant. Muffled by the blood rushing in my ears.

Dong hyun's hand, the hand he used to punch me, shot towards his hoodie pocket.

I didn't see the knife until it was already out.

The blade caught the fluorescent light for just a brief second before it plunged into my side.

The pain was … excruciating.

It wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before. White - hot and spreading. My grip on his wrist loosened involuntarily.

“Ireum!” Park Junho's voice seemed to come from far away.

Dong hyun shoved me off him, and I rolled onto my back, my hand instinctively going to my side.

When I pulled it away, my fingers were dark and red with blood, my blood.

Oh.

Oh no.

“The gun!” Park Junho was moving now, rushing forward as Dong hyun scrambled to his feet.

Everything was happening too fast. I tried to get up but my body wouldn't cooperate.

The pain in my side was spreading, and my vision was getting blurry.

Park Junho tackled Dong hyun from behind just as he was raising the gun.

They hit the ground together with a loud thud. Both fighting for the gun.

“Woo rim! Help!” Park Junho's voice was raw with panic.

I could hear Woo rim moving. From the sound of his footsteps, he was running.

I could hear the struggle continue, grunts and the sound of bodies hitting the floor.

But I couldn't focus on that. I couldn't focus on anything but the spreading warmth soaking through my shirt and the cold that was starting to creep in from my fingers and toes.

I'm bleeding.

I'm bleeding a lot.

Above me, the fluorescent lights were too bright. For a moment everything stopped. The struggling. The shouting. Everything.

Then: “I got it! I got the gun!” Park Junho's voice was shaking but triumphant.

Footsteps approached. Rapid and panicked.

“Ireum!” Park Junho's face appeared above me. Pale and terrified. “Oh God…Oh God, you're …”

“Stabbed.” I managed to say. My voice barely above a whisper. “He had a knife.”

“Woo rim! Call an ambulance! Now!” Park Junho was pulling his jacket, wadding it up, pressing it against my side.

The pressure made me gasp. Fresh pain passing through me.

“I know, I know, I'm sorry,” Park Junho said but didn't let up. “You have to keep pressure on it. You have …”

“Already calling!” Woo rim's voice was high and frightened.

“Yes, yes, we need an ambulance! Someone's been stabbed. He’s bleeding …”

I tried to focus on Park Junho's face, but it kept fading in and out. The edges of my vision were getting dark.

“Stay with me.” Park Junho said. His voice was shaking as he pressed down on the wound.

“Ireum. Hey. Look at me. Stay awake.”

“I'm trying,” I whispered.

Somewhere behind Park Junho, I could see Dong hyun tied up, the knife discarded a few feet away.

The gun was in Park Junho's waistband now, awkwardly shoved there so he could use both hands to stop my bleeding.

We got him. I can't believe my crazy plan worked.

The thought should have made me feel excited but I was filled with dread instead. Was I actually going to die?

This couldn't be happening. Did this mean Han Ji-seok and Han Yeon-seo will never pay for what they did?

“The ambulance is coming.” Woo rim said, crouching beside us. His face was streaked with tears.

“They said five minutes. Maybe less… just, just hold on.”

“I'm holding.” I said but my voice was getting quieter. I didn't think I could talk anymore.

Park Junho's face was blurring again. “Don't close your eyes Ireum. Don't you dare close your eyes.”

But they were so heavy.

And the fluorescent lights were so bright.

And the cold was almost peaceful, in a way.

“Ireum!”

I tried to answer. But I couldn't find the strength to respond.

The darkness at the edges of my vision we're spreading, swallowing everything and I couldn't remember what I wanted to say.

The last thing I heard was sirens in the distance, getting closer.

Then nothing.