I’m sorry, Nari… I have failed you… I’m so sorry!
After a last futile attempt to get traction with my feet, they irreversibly slid on the wet wooden surface, and I felt my hands losing contact with the only thing standing between me and certain death. I was in free fall… and in a way, I was at peace with my fate.
Maybe this is how it was always supposed to end…
I closed my eyes and awaited the last pain I would ever feel. But instead of feeling the waterwheel crush my bones and drag me down into its cold watery tomb, there was an enormous force hitting my stomach, painfully extracting all the air from my lungs. My head dropped down and stopped an inch away from being crushed by the raging wooden construction on its relentless path to the foaming white surface, which sprayed my hair and face with its cold transparent lifeblood.
What is happening?
The pressure around my stomach tightened, and an even greater force thrust me backward until I landed on my back and hit my head hard against the wet floor.
The pressure against my stomach disappeared, but my vision was blurred, and I was gasping to get air into my burning lungs.
“Wow… we almost lost you there,” Chul panted next to me. “Just relax… try to breathe.”
“Aaaahhhh…” I finally managed to force air into my body, but the burning pain was beyond excruciating.
“Come on… small breaths, okay… small breaths,” Chul said. “Oh… your head… it’s bleeding… come on, I’ll help you up… we need to stop the blood flow… here, take my hand.”
My vision was still foggy, but I extended my hand toward the shadow that appeared in front of me. Chul grabbed it and pulled me up.
“Can you stand on your own?” he asked me.
“I’m… I’m fine,” I panted. Speaking increased the intensity of the burning in my lungs. “Just… give me a… second.”
“Okay… take your time… catch your breath… then we’ll go and take a look at your head.”
I put my hands against my knees to support my upper body and breathed. With every breath, it became easier. I started blinking, and with every blink, my vision became slightly less blurry. Finally, I felt strong enough to straighten myself. Right in front of me appeared Chul’s smiling boyish face.
“You gave me quite a scare,” he said. “Come on, let’s get you fixed up.”
In my dazed state, I looked over at the door. We were still alone. I looked at the ferociously rotating cogwheel to the right of me.
I shook my head to get clarity.
It has to be now!
I looked at the nervously smiling little boy in front of me, still blurring out from time to time.
But he just saved my life!
I shook my head again and pressed my eyes hard together.
No… it doesn’t matter… don’t get distracted, Areum… he has to pay for what he did… you have to do it! Don’t fail Nari!
I stepped forward and grabbed Chul by his clothes and started pulling him toward the cogwheels. I caught him completely by surprise, so he stumbled toward me without resisting… without understanding. But then his face changed. I saw his fear. Then I saw his panic. He put his feet against the ground in a desperate attempt to stop our progression, but it barely slowed us down.
“W-what are you doing? Areum… what…? Are you crazy?”
I stomped on his foot to get him off balance again. I still felt woozy, and my strength was failing me.
“Stop it!” he shrieked in panic. “What the hell are you doing? I just saved your life…”
“THIS IS FOR NARI!” I screamed at the top of my burning lungs. “YOU RAPIST! YOU PATHETIC WORTHLESS RAPIST… I HATE YOU… DIE! JUST DIE!”
“Stop it… Areum, stop it… please stop it!” he pleaded, pushing back at me with all of his strength.
In my weakened condition, we were almost equally strong and ended up just wagging back and forth without moving in any direction. Time was running out… and my strength as well. I screamed with every fiber of my being, and so did he.
This is not working!
Relying on my muscle memory from my many years of taekwondo training, I slightly relaxed my body, making Chul almost fall over me, and before he could regain his balance, I pulled myself close to him. I tilted my head as far back as I could, and with every last ounce of energy I had in my body, I catapulted my forehead against his nose.
Blood sprayed into my eyes and mouth, as well as every other part of my face. I was blinded. With my hands still locked in the power struggle, I blinked frantically and soon regained enough vision to see Chul’s eyes losing focus before me. His body became heavy and started falling on me.
“NO!” I screamed at the top of my lungs as I tried to resist his weight and push him toward the cogwheels. But my strength was almost depleted.
“No…” Chul mumbled nasally through his broken nose.
“ARRRRRRGG,” I emitted yet another guttural squeal.
I could barely stand on my feet, and Chul’s body was getting heavier.
“DIE… JUST DIE… I HATE YOU… JUST DIE!”
“Areum… NO!” there was a piercing shriek from behind me. “Let him go… stop it!”
Even in my delirious state of extreme fatigue, I knew it was Nari screaming at me.
“No… he must die… he must die for what he did to you… he must…” I panted, tears streaming down my cheeks.
“No… Areum… don’t do it… please…” Nari pleaded.
“STOP… DEFENDING HIM!” I screamed, and suddenly felt a boost of strength. All the anger toward Nari from my entire life flushed back through my body all at once, fueling my muscles.
With another scream, I regained balance, holding the barely conscious Chul in my arms. His face and clothes were covered in glistening blood.
One little push… one little push, and it will all be over…
“AREUM, NO!” Nari screamed from right next to me.
“STOP DEFENDING HIM!” I roared as I harnessed my strength for the final push that would end it all. “I’M DOING THIS FOR YOU! WHY DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, NARI…? EVERYTHING I’VE EVER DONE HAS BEEN FOR YOU!”
“I’m not defending him, Areum… I’m… I’m pregnant!”
All the sounds in the world silenced as I pushed Chul’s limp body toward the merciless clacking teeth of the lethal machinery that in deafening soundlessness screamed to be fed.
Then the silence was broken.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
The story continues in:
Hi there!
I hope you enjoyed the third installment of the epic JUCHE SAGA.
If you did, I would be immensely grateful if you could spare just a few minutes of your precious time to help me, as well as your fellow book lovers, by rating it on your site of preference:
A warm and heartfelt thank you!
Adria Carmichael
The Weeping Masses: A Young Adult Dystopian Survival Saga (Juche - Part 3) Page 43
