Liam is right, she doesn't make it. We had to try and paddle to get away from the zombies which were swarming around the bay, Sophia jumped into the water to try and escape. The zombies hoard around her and grab her causing her to be pushed under the water.
She keeps clawing her way up to the surface trying to capture air. Her screams soon fill my ears as the zombies have started gnawing away at her tender flesh.
"SOPHIA! SOPHIA!" I hear Olivia sob trying to climb out of the boat to reach her. Liam quickly pulls her back and hugs her tightly shielding her from the sight in front of her.
The screams eventually surpass but still echo sadistically in my ears, the water is stained red with Sophia's blood. From the distance, you can still hear the tearing of flesh and cracking of Sophia's bones.
We are still casually drifting closer to the ship by Seungmin's consistent and concise paddling. "I can't do this anymore, I've seen too many people I love die. Please, I can't do it anymore!" Eve screams, grabbing her tear-soaked hair.
She reaches to grab my knife, "No! Eve please I can't lose you too. We need you to stop, we just lost Sophia. We need you" I beg her.
Olivia sits catatonic, staring at the bloody water, tears threatening to escape her eyes. Olivia moves near us and we all just hug each other silently sobbing.
"I love her.." Olivia breathes out, "I know. We all did" I smile while tears keep pouring down my face. "She loved you too" I reassured her. I look back at the water and feel disgusted so much so I have to vomit at the side of the boat. I suddenly start feeling dizzy. The world around me goes black.
I remember everything about her, her beautiful dark skin and light airy hair. Sophia always loved Olivia, even though she would never admit it. All those boys she dated never made her happy, it was just a way for her to fill a void in herself. she was too young, she broke her promise she promised we'd be friends until the end. Well, it's the end and she isn't here.
I feel light as if I have no care in the world, I feel my eyes are heavy, I slowly peel them open. Everything is bright and white. I try to sit up but feel so tired. Eventually, I muster up the strength to sit up and observe my surroundings. I am in some sort of clinic or hospital facility.
There are plugs in my arm and I'm dressed in a hospital gown. I start to panic now. Where am I? Where's Seungmin, Eve, Olivia, Liam and Sophia? Oh, wait... Sophia...
I slowly stand up as my legs wobble and give way, collapsing on the floor. I pull myself up, I look up at myself in a mirror on the wall.
The reflection staring back at me is completely night and day compared to the last time I had seen myself. Before I looked sickly, my eyes and cheeks sunken in unhealthily looking. Now my eyes still look slightly tired but are brighter and shining. My cheeks have filled in nicely while I kept my sharp cheekbones.
I look like my older self before my eating disorder. I was still quite slim otherwise so I hadn't gained a copious amount of weight but I have gained a significant amount.
I see papers next to my bed and pick them up. They contain my name and age, "Servery malnourished - patient seems to have been starving themselves for a long period of time. Patient seems to have suffered from restrictive eating disorder - symptoms include unhealthy weight loss..."
I turn the door handle on a door and walk down a narrow hall. I turn in multiple directions turning and twisting. My body seems to have gotten more used to walking again so my pace picks up.
"Excuse me Miss" I hear and turn around to look at a tall man dressed in some sort of policing uniform, "you shouldn't be out of your medical bed. I'll escort you back now" He offers sternly.
"No!" I say walking back from him, I have no idea where I am or where the others are. He must be mad if he thinks I am going anywhere with him. "Miss this isn't up for debate" He tries to grab my arm but I sprint away from him and dash quickly into other rooms.
His large thumps echo behind me. I hide behind a door hoping to lose him and to my luck, he goes in a completely different direction. Yes!
I turn around and see another random door. I turn the handle and walk into the darkroom. It looks like a cabin, I don't see anyone in here and notice how cold I am. I caught a glimpse of some clothes laid out and grabbed them to put them on. It looks like an oversized shirt along with some baggy shorts.
I grab them on, just as I am adjusting the shorts to stay around my bony hips the light flicks on. "Rina?" I freeze and look up to find Seungmin staring back at me.
"Seungmin?" I say confused. "Rina! What are you doing out of the room? And why are you wearing my clothes?" He frowns.
"I woke up in this random place, I went outside looking for a way out and some guy stopped me and tried to take me back. I ran away from him and found this room. I thought it was unoccupied." I explain.
"Explain everything to me now, Seungmin" I demand, crossing my arms over my chest. He sighs. "Come and sit down first, you shouldn't even be standing right now." He suggests.
"You passed out on the boat after vomiting. The doctors said it was due to your eating disorder, being starved for so long your body couldn't function anymore. You could have died. We made it to the ship and we were right it was a safety boat provided for the government." He explains. "You've been sleeping and under observation for a week".
I look at Seungmin dumbfounded, "Where's Eve? Olivia? Liam? Sophia.. oh my god Sophia!" I remember as tears spill from my dark eyes silently.
"Rina! Calm down!" Seungmin assures me grasping my shoulders. "Take me to them." I demand, he stays silent and I continue "Now Seungmin." "Alright, fine." he agrees.
We make our way down a dark thin corridor, there are dim lights radiating the floor. "Hey! Stop there!" the guard from before shouts.
"She's not allowed out, allow me to take her back-" He tells Seungmin while trying to grasp my arm. "No, she just wants to see her friends. I'll take her back as soon as she's seen them I promise" Seungmin reassures the guard. the guard's mouth draws into a thin line and he simply nods and strolls away.
We approach a door with rusted numbers "490" hanging loosely from the door. Seungmin knocks and we wait until we hear a small croaking gasp escape the rusted lock indicating the door has been unlocked.
We enter, I instantly spot Olivia standing behind the door. "Rina?" She asks. "Olivia!" I cried running up to her embracing her in a loving hug.
"Are you better, Rina? How are you allowed out?" Olivia asks, confused.
"I woke up and I was in a strange room, there was an IV taped to my arm" I explain touching the middle of my arm - the very place which the IV was plugged in. "I opened the door and a guard tried to take me back, I ran away from him and found Seungmin. I told him to take me to you and Eve."
"Typical, you just have to be a troublemaker - even in the hands of the good guys" Olivia chuckles at my explanation. "Come and sit, you look as if you're about to faint," She tells me with her eyebrows furrowing in worry.
We sit down comfortably on her small bed, Seungmin takes a seat on a small wooden chair placed in the corner of the room. I only noticed now the soft rhythmic movement of the boat as a result of the waves pushing against the boat calmly in reassurance that they are still present.
Making clear of our predicament. "She's dead, Rina. I loved her" Olivia begins to sob uncontrollably. "she hated me before she died, she thought I betrayed her. I couldn't even save her. Fuck! I'm such a coward!" she yells. I pull her into an embrace and we both sob until we feel nothing but emptiness.
"we're survivors Olivia. Look what we've gotten to - we're saved. We no longer have to deal with the never-ending threat of being eaten. We will get through this. Sophia will always be there - we will never forget her. We all loved her and these feelings will never go away. But we have each other, we've already been through so much more shit together" I reassure her, stiffening at the thought of all we have experienced in the last couple of months.
"Where's Eve?" I ask "I assumed she'd be here too.", "Rina, Eve's been under surveillance. She tried to kill herself again after seeing Sophia she couldn't take it anymore." Olivia speaks while Seungmin lowers his gaze downwards to the ground.
I stand up abruptly, my head feeling a little dizzy and my vision starting to darken. I quickly try to recover myself before building up the courage to speak.
"Take me to Eve," I commanded sternly. "But Rina" Olivia begins before I cut her off immediately "I need to see Eve!" I snap.
Here I am again, walking through yet another dimly lit corridor where the beam of the lights reflecting the shiny floor creates a darker atmosphere - almost mimicking the glow of an eerie moonlight on Halloween. occasionally the lights would flicker, Seungmin told me there have been issues with lighting.
We arrive in what looks to be similar where I woke. Some sort of medical ward? We pass my room and the door is left ajar along with the blankets pulled messily back.
A couple of doors down and we reach what I can only assume is Eve's room. The door isn't like Olivia's. Eve's door is more stiff and rigid looking - it looks like the person living here (or trapped) would have difficulty getting out if locked in. we knock on the door - yet again waiting in response.
There's no answer. Seungmin, Olivia and I look between each other "What now?" Olivia questions. "I don't know? What normally happens when you see her?" I ask.
"I-I haven't seen it here. Now would be the first time." She admits.
"What-" I am about to question as to why Olivia wouldn't see her, it seems incredibly peculiar for Olivia who is arguably the most caring individual ever to not visit her suicidal friend.
"They wouldn't let us see Eve, they said her mental stability wasn't good enough for her to have visitors - only doctors and nurses are allowed to see her. It's been the same with you as well- when Liam, Seungmin or I tried to see you. They never allowed us to" Olivia tells me with a frown.
I look at Seungmin's face to observe his facial expressions and notice a shift as well. His neutral expression has been automatically changed to a frown. I push on Eve's door to see if it would budge. It doesn't - it only emits a rough heaving sound.
"Rina, you're going to hurt yourself. Let me take you back to your room, you've been out longer than you should've been" Seungmin mumbles.
I keep going at the door trying to pry it open. Seungmin tries to grasp my thin arm in his hand. I yank away from him and give the door another shove, only this time it opens. Olivia and Seungmin's eyebrows raise in surprise.
I push at the door again and step into the room. I can instantly feel a shift in the atmosphere and aura of the room. The room is clouded in a dark and brooding aura.
The room is very cold, I feel a chill creeping over my body, creating goosebumps on my bare arms and legs.