CHAPTER 28-1
496 Words
CHAPTER 28
Mee-Kyong grimaced and yanked off Sun’s bed sheet with one hand. She pressed her other hand into her ribs, where a stabbing pain seared her side with each breath she took. She limped over to Sun’s closet and managed to pile the girl’s clothes in a heap.
Her lungs cried out for more oxygen, but each inhale sent a fiery twinge through her ribcage that radiated all the way to her tailbone. She kept her hand on her side and pressed down as hard as she could. With her free arm, she gathered what they would need. She had to hurry. Mr. Lee’s guards would figure out what happened before long. She and Sun had to be out of the Round Robin and as far away as possible by then.
“Put this on.” Mee-Kyong flung an extra dress to Sun. The girl obeyed without saying a word. Mee-Kyong yanked away the bathrobe the girl had been wearing and put it in the bundle with the rest of their things, and then she stared at the window and gritted her teeth. Get ready, you coward. You can’t wimp out now. The pain of that simple breath made Mee-Kyong want to cry out, but she saved her energy for the impact. She threw her shoulder against the glass, the pain instantly dropping her to her knees.
Harder than that, you lazy sloth, if you want to stay alive another day. She positioned her hand on the window sill to try to raise herself, but the agony in her side barraged her senses until she was sure she would vomit. Mee-Kyong collapsed again on the floor. To die and never have to breathe again ...
Sun’s voice was surprisingly calm. “Watch out.” She had picked up a pottery jar, letting three fake flowers drop to the ground. Mee-Kyong only had time to cover her head before Sun smashed the vase against the window. Shards of glass and broken pottery scattered around them. Tiptoeing gingerly around the debris, Sun lifted Mee-Kyong up by the arm.
Mee-Kyong leaned on the window sill and looked out. Getting down to the pavement in her condition wouldn’t be easy, but she would do it if she wanted to live, and she would bring Sun with her. She steadied herself on the sill, swallowing down her nausea. Hearing a ripping sound, she turned slowly, keeping her hand on her ribcage. Sun was cutting the bed sheet into strips with the stained knife. Understanding her plan, Mee-Kyong staggered to the bedside and tied the strips together, testing each knot with the small amount of strength she had.
“Here.” Sun held out a long piece of cut fabric. She wrapped it several times across Mee-Kyong’s ribs, pulling it in tight before tucking it in at the end.
Mee-Kyong winced once, but her breath came a little easier after she was bound. “Thank you.”
Sun tied one end of their makeshift rope onto the bed stand and whispered, “I should say the same to you.”
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- Writer
