I'm still alive

I searched the Great Sword again, and looked down at the body. The dead man, with his eyes open, was still staring into space at what was so unfair. I stumbled and searched the man's body, but there was nothing special. I found a radio in the men's pocket and took it out. And carefully put it in the pocket. I turn off the power just in case. The time may come when it is necessary.

When I swallow, my throat stings and aches. Wipe away tears and runny noses from the sleeves, and exhale a little loudly. As the cold air filled the lungs, I felt a little bit of a bounce back.

I hide again in the shadows and walk by the road. And look around and check if anyone else is coming. The light and the sound of words to see if there are more people inside the gym. And the sound of laughter leaks out.

I felt time was running out. Even if the body was hidden, the man, known as the team leader, would probably seek out the body if he was away for a long time. If you feel any strangeness, you will notice that there is an intruder and report to everyone by the quick means of radio.

Time is not on my side. As soon as the thought came to mind, I ran fast. I was looking only at one place. Veterinary medicine building, I finally began to see my destination.

The short distance felt very far away. When I arrived at the door of the building, I sat there like I was falling apart. Then I looked around quickly. It was quiet around the building, and there was no sign of popularity. Then I approached the door and pulled the handle, but the entrance to the building was locked with chains.

gulped and looked inward through the glass door. The interior without a speck of light was dark. And I listened carefully just in case, but I couldn't hear anything. Is there no one? I looked as far back as I could over the building, but there was no window where the light leaked out.

There's no one here.

I bit my lips hard and sat down for a moment. And I think back to what she told me. Veterinary building....... Behind the building. At that moment a glimmer of light came into my eyes. It was a very small light.

The distance was quite far. But it was so dark around it that the flashing lights looked very clear like stars in the universe. I didn't miss it. Behind the veterinary building was a mountain with no roads. But I had a hunch that was where the woman spoke.

I ran frantically towards the place. There was no road, so my feet sank, and the slope was steep, but I didn't care. The more I went to the mountain, the more traces of cutting the trees. Now that gas and electricity were cut off, the only fuel left for a person was charcoal.

The trees around the building were all cut off, and traces of human stay remained. And the lights were glistening deep in the woods a little farther away. Crossed the rough mountain path, approached the light little by little.

The rough road spewed out of the mouth. The branches that brushed their faces made a scratch on their faces. But I ignored it and sprinted incessantly toward the visible little star. Before I knew it, there was a small bonfire.

I leaned slightly down and left myself in the dark. And approached the campfire very quietly and secretly. Now I could see a bonfire in front of me. There was an artificial vacant lot around the campfire to see if all the trees had been cut off, and something huddled together near the campfire.

It wasn't so bright around because it was a small bonfire. At first, I didn't know what the contours were, but when I looked carefully again, I could tell that they were people.

They were little kids. The children huddled together in this biting mountain, leaning on a small bonfire. Turning his eyes, firewood was piled up on one side, and tools for axing, sawing and making firewood were scattered at random.

The words that the woman said grazed her head. Girls get firewood from the mountain. These were the children she was talking about. And Chae-yeon will be here. The moment the reunion approached, the heart began to beat violently.

There were no other adults around. You didn't want to do anything crazy in this cold mountain. That's why I'm making them do this. I grabbed a beating heart. And then slowly took a step and approached them.

A light noise sounded around, perhaps stepping on a branch. The children, who were quietly chatting among themselves, were all surprised to hear the noise and rose from their seats.

and began to be driven to one side as if to avoid me, before it was the largest girl among the crowd. Only then could I check the children's faces.

faces turned blue with fright Most of the children were skinny and starved. The oldest girl burst into tears and suddenly collapsed on the spot, rubbing her hands, and began to beg. At the same time, the children burst into tears and hid behind the girl.

'It was so cold. I'm sorry, sir. Please save me.’

The girl was begging me, saying so in a quivering voice. Maybe he thought I was the same person as them. And they didn't even let the fire start in this cold weather.

I wanted to check the children's faces and find Chae-yeon among them. However, even if there was a bonfire, the light was light because the bonfire was small. And it was indistinguishable because they were all hiding behind a girl and covering her face.

All five, including a girl. Too few. There will be Chae-yeon among them. No, it has to be. I approached the children slowly.

I sang softly to the child I had missed so much, with the loneliness and pain I had been through. A voice that rested and cracked, a voice wet with tears, came out of my mouth.

'Chaeyeon...'

I could see the child standing on one side flinching. The girl at the front looked at me, wondering what was wrong with her, and the rest of the children looked at me slowly. And I turned my eyes to the first child who flinched.

The child was looking at me. Then slowly he got out of the crowd, limping and approaching the campfire. When the light lit the child, I sat there and opened my hands. The parka I was wearing was wearing a worn-out ragain.

How much I haven't eaten, my face is skinny, and my face is full of tear marks. And one side of the ball was bruised blue. Chae-yeon looked at me with a very nervous face and slowly opened her mouth with a questioning look a moment later.

Soon, he frowned heavily and shed tears like chicken poop. Chae-yeon came to me with a limp, and I felt like my heart was about to burst, so I crawled quickly with my knees and held her tightly in my arms.

The child couldn't even make a sound. Chae-yeon held my clothes tightly in my arms, shedding tears, and I cried like a child. I won't let it go again. I'll never let you out of my arms again.

There is a flood of regrets. Why did you throw away your guns then, and I didn't doubt them. If I had been a little stronger and smarter, Chae-yeon wouldn't have been like this. The solitude and regret I've had. And he put loneliness and pain in his tears and let them go.

Chae-yeon held my clothes and cried for so long. When Chae-yeon calmed down, I took hot packs, water, and biscuits out of her bag. She quickly shook the hot pack and held it in her hand, and asked her to drink slowly and put out a water bottle. I wanted to give warm water, but I didn't have time to do so. I opened the biscuit wrapper with my trembling hands and put it in Chae-yeon's mouth.

Chae-yeon must have been hungry, so she ate well. The mouth was busy moving, but couldn't take its eyes off me. And he held me tight for fear that I might run away somewhere. I took off my parka and hugged Chae-yeon, who was snuffing tears and snot but pushing biscuits hard into her mouth.

He can't talk.….’

And I raised my head to the voice that came at the moment. It was a girl who was blocking the children's way for the first time. I looked older than these kids, but I didn't mean to be big. The child looked at me carefully and then opened his mouth again.

'......you're here to save him?’

I nodded. Then the girl bowed her head and murmured.

Thank God..’

Then I could feel Chae-yeon pulling my arm. I looked at Chae-yeon, wondering what was going on. Chae-yeon was pointing at the girl with the biscuit she was eating. I hesitated for a moment. But I smiled at Chae-yeon and stroked her head.

It is a girl who tried to protect her children at first. I'm sure Chae-yeon also got some help. I took out a few biscuits and a bucket of water from my bag and held it out to the girl. The girl looked at me in astonishment and soon shed tears.

'Thank you......Thank you. Chaeyeon, thank you.’

Although he looked mature, he is still a child. In the meantime, in pain and sorrow, the girl shed tears and received the things I had put out. And I didn't forget to take care of other children while I was crying.

There was no time. I was nervous when I saw it, thinking that it would be past the time to meet the old man. And the moment I tried to get out of here with Chae Yeon. Chae-yeon raised her hand and slapped me on the forehead.

I was dumbfounded and looked at Chae-yeon, and she was looking at me with sad eyes. And I kept chewing on whether I was trying to say something. 'Let's go together.' Chae-yeon seemed to say so.

The child had not lost its light in this gutter. Help if there is a person in need. Perhaps the mind that man had forgotten, this child cherished even in the dark.

I hesitated. There are as many as five members including Chae-yeon. How do you get out of here with all these kids? Should I persuade Chae-yeon?

Then came the man's voice from behind.

Hey, Shiba, I told you not to cry, right? Did you start a fire?'

I looked back in astonishment. It was a man in plain clothes who came into view. He was staggering drunk, scratching himself with a prickly face. And I open my eyes wide as soon as I find myself.

Time flies slowly. I put down Chae-yeon, and hurriedly picked up the gun. And as soon as he tried to point the sword at him, he hurriedly took the radio out of his pocket. The moment he took out the radio, my mind went blank.

It's too late to run to him. They'll find out I broke into this place. I instinctively pulled the trigger the moment he brought his mouth to the radio.

His head explodes, and the screams of the children from behind are ringing. The gunshot resounded far and wide. I clenched my gun and bit my lips.

The still darkness awoke from sleep.