EP 2. The Abyss
The screams I'd screamed with all my might just before I died seemed to reach them, thankfully. The sound of urgent footsteps grew closer, and soon the front door was kicked open. It was softer than the bomber noise I hadn't yet become accustomed to, so I didn't have to cover my ears.
Soon after, the front door was broken down, along with a considerable amount of dust, and the longed-for "people" entered the house.
Ah, I'm alive.
"Excuse me!! Can you hear me?!!"
"If you can hear me, please say something!!!"
Tears welled up in my eyes. I hadn't realized how delightful it would be to hear someone's voice after such a long time. My vocal cords and lips were dry and stiff, and I couldn't speak, but I mustered up the strength I had left to move one arm. It was a very small movement, but fortunately, they must have noticed it. They immediately felt my pulse and shouted that I was alive.
"I'm alive, brother."
"There are no major external wounds,
I think it's because I haven't eaten for a long time."
"Then let's quickly take you to the barracks outside the area."
"If we get caught by the North Korean military, we'll be in big trouble."
Judging by their voices and the way they addressed each other, it seemed like they were a man and a woman, siblings, or perhaps even brother and sister. Since it was a barracks, they were talking about something incomprehensible, but I didn't have the strength or will to ask, so I just stayed silent. Then, the man suddenly lifted me onto his shoulder, carried me on his back, and told me to see if there was anything useful for the woman. I wanted to tell him everything, but I just kept coughing, and he treated me like a sick person.
"Calm down. We're a search party."
"I'll take you to a safe place."
His kind yet firm voice, his words naturally trustworthy, caught me off guard and I buried my head in his shoulder. I felt him startle me, tapping my body, but then I heard a beeping sound in my ears, and my body completely lost all strength, and I lost consciousness.
So on the 8th day of the war, he was rescued by "people".
_Wednesday, January 26, 2022
"Hmm..."
How long had it been? A long, long time ago, bright light poured through the crack in the window. The first thing I felt as I awoke was the crisp air that filled my nose. The crisp air, free of dust, smoke, or bomb debris, opened my eyes, and I breathed deeply, repeatedly. Just as my rotten lungs seemed to heal themselves, the door opened, and someone greeted me with a bright voice.
"Oh!! You're awake?!!"
I recognized him immediately, a man in neat, neutral clothes, with a youthful appearance, perhaps in his mid-twenties. His speech was somehow familiar, and his voice was solid.
He was one of the people who saved me from the darkness.
"...thank you."
"Huh? What is it?
"I... am I the one who saved you?"
"...Ah...!! You remember?"
“I suddenly collapsed and came here without thinking.”
"...Thank you so much. Really..."
"Hey, no!
"I'm saying this to save everyone, so there's no need to be thankful."
It had been a while since we'd had a long conversation, and I hadn't heard my voice. My throat was so hoarse I couldn't continue, and I choked. Then the man quickly grabbed a bottle of water and offered it to me. It was as refreshing as spring water drawn from an oasis. He smiled, glad I was drinking, and sat down next to me, chatting with me about this and that.
"Are you very surprised?"
"Um... it was a bit unfamiliar."
"Where am I, and who are you..."
"That's usually the case for first-time visitors."
The man smiled leisurely. Still not quite sure what to do, I just blinked blankly and looked at his face. He said it would be easier to see for himself, so he grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside.
And outside, there was a vast landscape that I could never have imagined.
"This is a survival barracks."
"...Survival... barracks?"
What I saw was truly astonishing. A vast barracks that seemed to engulf an entire field, tightly secured ropes, and countless people freely moving in and out. I felt like an idiot for not knowing where such a place existed.
The man looked at me, his mouth agape, and offered to take me for a walk, offering to show me around. My energy was like garbage, but the fresh air, the first breath of fresh air I'd had in a long time, felt quite good, so I accepted the offer, and we began our walk along the barracks.
"This is literally a barracks where survivors live."
"It may not be as good as I used to live, but
"We have everything you need, including clothes and food."
"How on earth did you create a place like this?"
"My sister and I both graduated from the Department of Architecture."
"We also need to do something after our house is gone.
"I'm building this barracks and bringing in survivors because I want to."
Here's a rough summary of what he said. The man's name was Kim Seok-jin, and his younger sister's name was Kim Yu-jin. The siblings say their parents passed away when they were young, and they've always relied on each other. Immediately after the war broke out, their home was bombed and reduced to rubble. After losing everything, they rebuilt this survival barracks.
There was a telephone exchange nearby that hadn't been destroyed yet, so there was a faint electricity and Wi-Fi signal, and they raided the nearby villages to gather food, clothing, emergency supplies, and people. Even though they were about my age, I was struck by their incredible drive and execution. Especially in this war zone.
"At first, it was just a barracks with my younger sister and I,
Somehow, they're bringing in survivors as well."
"Of course, human life is more important, so I have no regrets."
"...Then what will happen to us if this place is discovered?"
Seokjin seemed flustered by my unexpected question, but soon continued speaking softly. He reassured me that it was deep in the mountains and not well known even to our people, and I, too, put aside my anxiety for a moment and decided to get used to life here.
The rules here were simple. Given the circumstances, anyone who could work, except for the elderly, children, and the sick, was to go out and bring food or useful items. A separately organized search party was to bring in survivors and receive a day's worth of food and supplies from siblings Seok-jin and Yu-jin.
I was excluded from work until my body fully recovered. It was Seokjin's consideration.
The 9th day of the war passed like that, and everything changed.
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
It's already been six days since I arrived here. I've gradually started working and have become friendly with the people in the barracks. I wasn't particularly easygoing before, but since everyone was relatively relaxed despite being at war, I was able to blend in well.
And I quickly became close with Seokjin. He was 27 years old, and he treated me warmly, saying we were friends of the same age. I naturally opened up to him. I also often went out exploring in the forest with his younger brother, Yujin, and before I knew it, we were talking.
Also, survivors like me who came in occasionally gave us a little bit of information about the outside situation. It was the most important information for us. We could move the barracks at any time and make plans for any situation.
"How are you feeling today?"
It was a leisurely lunchtime. I wasn't hungry today, so I skipped the meal and sat on the hillside, gazing blankly at the scenery. Seokjin approached me with two rice balls and sat down next to me. Handing me the freshly made, still warm rice balls, he expressed concern for my health by suggesting I eat something. I obediently accepted them, stuffing them into my mouth and chewing. It was just rice, sesame oil, and seaweed flakes, but they were quite tasty.
"The view is great, this is the only one in the country
"It's one of the places our military is blocking."
"Only...?"
"...ah..."
Seokjin covered his mouth and said, "Oops," and stared at me as if something was wrong. I was so flustered that I just blinked without knowing what was going on. Soon, Seokjin's face darkened slightly, and he sighed and told me the story.
"Actually... things aren't that good right now."
"...why?"
"The survivors who came in from the north yesterday told me,
North Korean soldiers search for a survival site where South Koreans are gathered.
After destroying it, they put him in a concentration camp."
"North Korean military...?"
"...To be honest, I'm still at the tip of my chin."
"I talked to Eugene, and I think we'll be moving to the barracks soon.
"It might be moved."
"...I see."
At my unexpectedly indifferent reaction, Seokjin looked at me and asked if I was okay. Well, anyone would be surprised if it was true, but even I thought it was such a calm reaction that I almost snickered.
"Actually, I kind of expected it."
"You never know when, where, or what will happen,
Now, the situation is even more like that."
"...I see."
"It wouldn't be strange if the enemy came in right now."
"......"
"I just... want to live."
Yes. No matter how much our lives have improved, we're in the midst of a war zone, and even in a heavily guarded area, it's not surprising that we could be breached at any moment. Considering the countless civilian casualties in the lawless zone just beyond that border, we should be grateful for even this semblance of normal life and communication.
"But don't worry too much."
"Our military is also slowly turning the tide."
"I'm sure you'll survive."
"...huh."
Seokjin, who had responded to my words affectionately, shook his knees and rose from his seat. A cool breeze blew, ruffling his hair and the grass in the field, creating a truly picturesque scene. It was a beautiful sight, the first I'd seen in a long time.
at that time,
pop-
A terrifying roar and black smoke billowed from the barracks behind the mountain. A sudden gust of wind nearly knocked us both off balance and we nearly fell. Unsure of what was happening, our eyes met, and we unconsciously began to run.
Please, please. I hope it's not what we think it is.
please.
We climbed the unusually long, steep slope and then slid down the mountain, running blindly toward the barracks. The smoke and screams, already billowing, grew louder as we approached the barracks, and soon we found ourselves in a situation we had so desperately wanted to avoid.
"Don't move!!!"
"Bow down!! Surrender!!!"
"Catch him!!!"
The North Korean army had invaded. The barracks were already in chaos, with people being held captive by the North Koreans or lying on the ground, unable to control themselves. Amidst all this, the constant rumbling of bombs and the gusting wind forced us to raise our voices.
"...What, what is this situation?!!"
"I don't know... When did this happen while we were away...!!!"
"Hey!! We have to run away first!!!"
"But...!! Yujeong and the others!!!"
We continued to struggle in this situation. There was no time to waste, and my mind was filled with the thought that I needed to run away quickly, leaving me no time to wait for Kim Seokjin. Just as my voice was about to rise, Kim Seokjin seemed to hesitate for a moment, then, with an unfocused gaze, let go of my wrist.
"Then you go too!!! I have to save Yujeong first!!!"
"Fuck... you stupid kid!!!
With those words, Kim Seok-jin ran towards the barracks, which had become a mess. I tried to stop him somehow, but Seok-jin had already disappeared into the smoke, and I started running towards the mountain on the other side of the barracks, cursing.
As I ran without even looking back, small teardrops were flying behind me.
"Gasp... gasp..."
I started climbing the mountain path without a plan, running until I was out of breath. Without a clue where I was going, I just ran, oblivious to the pain of the scrapes and bruises on my arms, until the sound of gunfire faded away. I just ran, and ran.
"Haa... haa..."
"Did you leave me alone...?"
How far had I run? I was out of breath, unable to run any further, and my steps, against my will, stopped. Only then, after escaping the crisis, did Kim Seok-jin and Eugene's faces gradually come to mind, and my lips became dry. Should I go now? My mind wavered a thousand times a second.
bang-
"...Ugh... Ugh..."
The bullet missed the tree beside me. For a moment, goosebumps ran down my spine, paralyzing me, and I couldn't move. All the worst-case scenarios were already unfolding in my head, and before my eyes, heavily armed men with all sorts of equipment were slowly encircling me. It definitely wasn't a good feeling.
"Catch it."
"yes!!"
Shit, let me go. Let me go!! I wanted to scream several times, but my mouth was already gagged. They tied my body tightly with thick ropes and practically dragged me back down the mountainside that I had climbed to my death. Soon, they put me in a large military vehicle that was already full of people and left the barracks.
The last thing I saw when the military vehicle left the place was the barracks, completely destroyed and nothing like it had been before.
That day, when everything was turned upside down again and again, disappeared into a pile of futile ashes.
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
The military vehicle raced on and on until dawn, eventually reaching a desolate wasteland devoid of any houses. The wheels seemed to grind to a halt, and the vehicle came to a halt. The people inside lined up, flinching at the sight of the North Korean soldiers' rifles. My presence there was a profound sense of unease.
As everyone stood, an officer appeared, smoking a pipe. He scanned us, patting his towering belly like a stone statue. I wanted to ask him what he was looking at, but with my body tied up, I could only keep my mouth shut, like a puppy before a tiger.
The officer looked at us for a while, then said, "You, you, you," and pointed at a few people with his finger and sent them to another place. The remaining fifteen people, including me, were threatened again and taken somewhere else.
After walking for about an hour, beads of sweat began to form on everyone's foreheads, and then they stopped. I, who was at the very back of the line, poked my head out to see the scenery ahead, and I froze.
The most notorious and cruel place ever created by man,
I ended up in a prisoner of war camp.