Feathers and Carnations

Chapter Ten

Warped voices.

"A kill switch."

"This is ML-32."

"Stay still and it won't hurt as much."

"It will all be erased."

"They might as well kill you."

"Don't fight it."

"My real name is Minho."

"Take him down!"

"You can say goodbye, and nothing more."

"I'm here, love, I'm here."

"It's for the best."

"Jisung!"

Jisung's ears rang, piercing through this head and muddling his vision. Everything was blinding white, and his body was heavy. Something warm pushed under his neck, tilting his head up, which made him realize he was on his back.

"Breathe, Jisung. Come on, take a breath, please."

Who's voice is that?

"Take a slow breath in for me, love."

The hand under his head adjusted, and Jisung gasped in a lung full of air. His heart was drumming against his chest as if he hadn't been breathing.

"The mask."

Jisung's lungs heaved, and it felt like he couldn't get enough air until a strange plastic settled over his nose and mouth. He closed his eyes as his body drank in the oxygen flowing through the mask.

"That's it," the voice soothed, "keep breathing. Breathe in," Jisung obeyed, "and now slowly release." He followed the quiet instructions, trying to make sense of what was happening.

The ringing in his ears dimmed, and his eyes rolled closed as everything faded away.

⧫⧫⧫

A subtle, consistent beeping brought Jisung out of the quiet nothingness of unconsciousness. His vision swam in the dim light, sending a small wave of dizziness through his head. He closed his eyes tightly and opened them again a few times until his vision began clearing. Thunder rumbled somewhere above him.

What happened?

Where am I?

The beige ceiling above Jisung gave him no answers, so he tried to sit up. As he moved, he became aware of an oxygen mask resting on his face, an IV in his arm, and other wires and tubes trailing from his body. His heartbeat picked up at the sight of it all. He was connected to a few different machines, but he was in a bedroom, not a hospital room. The room was cozy, with dark wood paneling along the lower walls and soft light glowing from the silver sconces throughout the room. Deep, maroon drapes hung along the entirety of the far wall.

Jisung jumped as something moved off to his side, but he calmed down instantly when he recognized the head of dark brown hair as it lifted from where it was resting in a pair of hands.

"Jisung!" Minho's voice rushed out of him and he practically flew from the armchair he was sitting in. "Lay back," he instructed gently, lightly pushing Jisung's shoulder. "Don't move too much, okay?"

Unable to properly respond due to the mask, Jisung laid back silently. He winced at the sliver of pain that danced through his head.