Chapter Text
Orange leaves hang from the trees in a quiet little town known as Lexington. It’s quiet, too quiet and Jimin hates it. Nothing ever happens. He promised himself that once he graduated from high school he would move away to the big city.
It was his dream, a dream that seemed unattainable. Especially to a fourteen year old. Jimin had barely started high school, he had no friends nor was he liked. He didn't mind though. He knew from the beginning that he was going to be alone.
It’s always the same people, the same faces and the same voices. No one moved to a place like this. There was nothing to see and nothing to enjoy, at least not for him. He looked out of the car window.
His mother had just picked him up from mandatory sports class. He hated it. His school would obligate them to be physical at all times. He sighed as he leaned his head on the car door. “How was school Chimmy?”
His mother asked, looking at him through the rear mirror. “Fine I guess.” He answered without looking at her. “Any new friends?” “No mom, you ask this all the time. No one wants to be my friend!”
Jimin yelled in an outburst. He was angry of the same old questions every single day. No one payed attention to him. They wouldn’t even look at him, it’s like he didn’t even exist. He would much rather prefer to be bullied but he was non existent to everyone.
There was silence in the tight space of the car. Jimin sighed as he turned to look at his mother. “I’m. . . I’m sorry mom. I just. . . I don't want to be here anymore.” Jimin’s mother smiled sadly “I know honey, I know.”
She didn't say anything else as she continued driving. Jimin sighed as he once again looked out of the car window. He felt guilty for talking back to his mother. Even if she does annoy him sometimes, she’s still his mother and she’s had it worse than he has.
She got pregnant with him at a young age. She raised him all by herself after she separated from a toxic relationship. He was glad and proud of his mom for packing their things and leaving his dad. But it did result in him living in this shitty town.
Jimin’s thoughts were cut off when the car’s engine shut off. He looked at the front car window and saw his small little two room house. His mother smiled and sighed “We’re home.” She said happily, exiting the vehicle.
“Yeah. . . home.” Jimin exited the car and followed after his mother into the house. She immediately walked towards the kitchen, turning the lights on as she passed by. “I left some dinner for you so you can heat up when you’re hungry.
Make sure not to sleep late okay? I know it’s the weekend but you have to make sure to have plenty of rest. Lock all the doors and close-” “Close all the windows, I know mom.” Jimin’s mom smiled and placed a kiss on his forehead.
She walked in front of him, placing her hands on either side of his face. She rubbed her fingers on his soft cheeks, smiling as she stared all around his face. She would always do that before she left for work.
She would always stare at his face, locking it into her memory with a certain glint in her eyes. There was a quote she would always use, Jimin didn't know where she got it but she forced it into his head.
‘You never know when’s your last breath, don't waste it in meaningless ideals. Engrave the meaningful.’ Jimin smiled at her as he remembered the quote. “I’ll be back love, I’ll call if I’ll be coming late.”
Jimin nodded, hugging her before she left the house, leaving him alone. He didn't bother locking the door since the town was known to not have any type of crime. She worked night shifts, the only time he would actually see her is on his way to school and out, aside from her days off.
He took off his shoes, leaving them on the floor by the door. He turned and walked towards his room upstairs, immediately setting his backpack on the ground by his bedroom door.
He walked towards his bed, throwing himself with a loud squeak. He looked at the ceiling and thought of his old friends from middle school. He missed them so much. He missed having someone to talk to.
He sighed and closed his eyes. He tried to relax his body, slowly breathing in and then letting it out through his mouth. Without realizing, he fell asleep.
The next time he opened his eyes it was by a sound. A sound like someone was drastically searching through a drawer. He immediately became alarmed ‘A burglar?’ He thought to himself as he grabbed a baseball bat from under his bed.
He slowly tiptoed to the hallway and followed the sound as quiet as he could. The sound was coming from his mother’s room. He was scared, terrified. He had never experienced being robbed before nor has he ever encounter any kinds of danger in his life.
But he wasn’t going to let the burglar steal from them without a fight. Jimin’s mother already had too much on her plate to worry about the costs of a robbery. He slowly approached her bedroom door and peaked through it.
His hands immediately loosened when he saw who was inside rummaging through the drawers. “Mom? Why are you back so early?” Jimin asked as he looked through the room’s window. Jimin’s mom immediately turned to him at the sound of his voice.
“Jimin! Come on honey, grab what you can, we have to get out of here. Now!” She yelled. Jimin widened his eyes at his mom’s hasty behavior. “Uh mom? Is something wrong?” He asked. She didn't need to respond anything, just the look on her face made Jimin terrified.
“No time to explain honey, please get your things. Grab your backpack and pack some clothes. Put your shoes on and wait for me by the door. Take the bat with you and don't you dare open the doors or the windows do you understand?”
Jimin immediately nodded his head and did what he was told. He quickly packed some clothes, bringing the bat with him. His hands were trembling and he felt a slight stomach ache from the nerves.
‘What’s going on? Why are we leaving so quickly?’ Jimin thought in his head as he ran downstairs. Upon getting onto the first floor, he saw a packed bag by the front door. He picked it up and carried it on his left shoulder.
“Come on Chimmy, let’s go.” Jimin’s mom said, coming out from the kitchen with a bag. She opened the door and quickly made it to the car, Jimin followed after. “Let’s go come on, quickly!” She yelled.
She immediately locked the doors and made sure all windows were up. She turned the ignition on and drove, passing the speed limit. Jimin was shaking uncontrollably now. “Mom, what’s going on?!”
“Jimin. . . my boy listen to me. Something happened and we need to get out of here. There’s an evacuation alert. We have to get to the nearest quarantine zone.” “Quarantine zone? What?! Why?!”
“There’s. . . something happened in a laboratory or something I don't know but we have to go quickly.” Jimin’s mother said with a shaky voice. “There’s. . . there’s things out there, an infection that are making people-” “Mom look out!”
Jimin’s mom quickly turned the steering wheel to the left when a man stood in the middle of the rode. They hit him which made them stop but she didn't go out. She waited and looked through the rear view mirror.
Jimin widened his eyes when the man stood up again, immediately running towards them. Jimin’s mom immediately stepped on the pedal with force. The car’s wheels screeched with how fast it went. “What? What happened to him? How is he alive?!”
Jimin yelled concerned. “Jimin, calm down! We’re gonna get out of here okay? Remain calm.” She said that like a mantra. She kept repeating it until they made it to a stand still. There were multiple cars beeping.
Some people where outside, yelling and arguing towards the front. Jimin moved his head as to look to the distance and noticed a large wall with armed soldiers. His tremors increased when he saw people actually shoving each other, not caring if they were actually hurt.
Jimin recognized some of them to be his teachers. Teachers that were close friends to one another were now fight on the ground, throwing punches to one another. “Damn it.” Jimin’s mother said as she unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car.
She looked over the front then turned around to look to the back. Jimin took this time to deeply inhale and exhale to calm himself. He had his backpack clenched against his chest and tugged under his chin.
He was starting to relax when he suddenly saw movement. His mother quickly grabbed the other bag and unbuckled Jimin’s belt. “Come on quick hurry!” She yelled. Jimin nodded and scrambled out of the car.
“Come on let's go!” She yelled as she pushed him forward. Jimin took a glance behind them and saw almost a dozen people running towards them. All of them were covered in blood, limping and groaning as they ran.
“Don't look back just run!” His mother yelled, pulling him to run faster. The people around them noticed them running and immediately turned around, before running as well. The soldiers by the wall instantly raised their weapons, yelling for the people to hurry.
Jimin jumped when he heard screams. “My baby!!” A woman scream on the top of her lungs. He could hear yells of terror from little kids and there was also the sounds of shots being fired. Jimin could feel tears slowly coat his eyes as he continued to run.
He felt like he was holding his breath as he ran towards the wall. The feeling of his mother’s hand on his was what kept him strong. They were so close to the wall so close but then. . . Jimin lost footing.
He tripped and scraped his knee on the concrete floor. “Jimin!” His mom yelled as she struggled to help him stand. “Come on honey, stand up let's go! We have to keep moving!” Jimin nodded, he struggled but he continued running.
It stinged whenever his leg moved. It caused him to limp as he followed behind his mother. The groaning became louder, almost like it was close to his ears. Jimin concentrated on only his mother, who had made it to the walls.
He had to hurry, the doors were closing and the soldiers were now aiming at him or behind him, he didn't know. He felt someone tug on his sweater, he felt a loud yell of his name. And then, another painful sting was felt. He closed his eyes and yelped at the pain.
He was thrown to the ground. He opened his eyes and saw multiple people surrounding him. The were moving his clothes around, checking all around him, for what, he didn't know. He looked around and noticed his mother wasn’t there.
“Mom?” He became frantic when she didn't respond. “Mom!!” He yelled louder. The people nearby gave him a pity look but they immediately looked away when he made eye contact. Jimin walked towards the guard, placing his hands on his arm.
“Where’s my mom?! Where is she!!” He yelled desperately. The guard looked at another and shook their heads. “Sorry kid but your mom is gone.” Jimin felt tears slowly fall out of his eyes. “. . .What?” “You weren’t gonna make it.
So she turned back and pushed you through before the doors before they closed.” The other guard said as he walked away. Jimin felt his knees weak. He fell to the ground, tears now streaming down his cheeks.
“Mom. . . no, this can’t be happening. Mom. . . Mom!! Mom!!! Please, no. please! Mom!!!” He yelled desperately as he ran towards the gate door, trying to open it. “Hey hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
The guard yelled as he shoved Jimin away from the door. “I have to get my mom, please I have to save her. Mom!” He yelled once again as he moved around the guard. In an instant there were four guards near him, pulling him away from the door.
“You better calm down kid! You’re putting everyone’s lives here in danger!” “I don't care! I need my mom please! Please!” And that was the last thing Jimin remembered. He was knocked on the head with the back of the guard's gun.
Jimin fell to the ground, knocked out cold, in total darkness. “What’re we gonna do with him?” A guard asked. “I don't know but make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. We have to escort everyone out of here.
Tie him up if you have to.” “Yes sir!” The guard quickly tied him up and sat him by their truck. Jimin dreamed whilst he was knocked out cold. He dreamed of his mother, of her smiles, of her laughs.
He dreamed and saw her leave for work, giving him a kiss on the forehead. He was dreaming but he couldn’t help let a tear run down his face. He never got the chance to tell her how much he loved her.