Chapter 13

A boy runs as quickly as his fragile, malnourished body can move. He feels light, and as though someone is carrying him despite the clear, reverberated footsteps echoing on the linoleum. Curious heads pop out from behind doorways to view the sick inmate bound down the corridors. ‘Escape’ is the only word on his mind. The hallways twist and turn, a labyrinth of rooms for the dying. He comes to a halt as the passageway ends. A door materializes and he reaches out for it. The cold metal brings goose bumps out on his bare flesh. He pushes the door open with the last of his strength.

The room is dark and he can find no light switch against the wall. He waits for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, objects making their presence known in the shallow lighting creeping from the hallway. He calls out for his brother, not sure of the response he’s expecting. Something catches his eye. He moves closer and notices the sheen of a safety pin in the light. It’s connected to black fabric and he runs his fingers across it. It’s familiar. He looks to his feet, observing the fallen sign on the floor. Only twins allowed. A friendly hand emerges from the fort and waits for the boy to grasp it. Skin touches skin and the boy hears the pleasant sound of his brother’s voice. “Chihoon…Chihoon…”

“Chihoon…Chi…wake up.”

Chi opened his eyes as his shoulders were shaken roughly.

“Wake the fuck up already.”

Chi slapped Jin’s hands away. “Asshole,” he muttered, “I was dreaming.” Chi noticed that the room was dark, the moon’s shine the only source of illumination. “What’s going on?”

Jin’s teeth shone in the moonlight as he smiled. “We’re leaving.”

Chi didn’t understand.

“I’m busting you out!” Jin exclaimed.

Chi noticed then that Jin was dressed in a doctor’s white coat, a pass key clipped to it. “Where’d you get that?” Chi whispered.

“I stole it.” Jin looked pleased, like a little kid on an adventure.

“You stole it!?” Chi yelled, question rhetorical.

“Shh!”

“You stole it?” Chi asked, quieter.

“Yes. Now, this will go smoother if you cooperate and I don’t have to sedate you.” Jin unclasped the bonds around Chi’s arms and helped remove the straps from around his waist.

“How the hell do you plan to get away with this?” Chi demanded, rubbing at the red marks on his wrists. “This is illegal, you know.”

Jin huffed. “Just trust me.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m trying to save you.”

Chi bit at his lip as his brother lifted him from the table. He felt weak, unsure if he would be able to stand on his own.

Not taking the chance, Jin placed him on a metal cart used for escorting dead bodies to the hospital morgue. “Play dead.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Chi expressed his disbelief. He shivered, more afraid that the table had held a corpse than he was cold. “No way!”

“Do you want to spend the next six months in rehab?”

“They’re going to catch us! And then the next six years will be spent in prison.”

Jin pushed Chi down and held him there. “I’ve got this worked out, okay? I had help.”

Chi gave his brother a confused look. “Who?” What he meant was who would help me?

“No more questions,” Jin hissed, throwing a sheet over his little brother and strapping it in place. “I’ll explain later.” He added, “Try not to breathe,” as an afterthought.

Chi held his breath and tried to stay still as he felt Jin push the cart from the room. He realized he would probably be strapped to one of these had he succeeded in what brought him here in the first place. He didn’t much like being bound to it, alive. It was uncomfortable.

The only sound in the hallway was the squeaks from the wheels on the hospital floor. Chi wondered what time it was that the floor would be this deserted. He heard a second pair of footsteps approaching and his heart stalled in his chest in panic. They were going to be caught.

Jin’s voice broke the air, light and carefree. “Morning,” he said.

“G’morning,” replied a woman’s voice, pausing next to the cart. She lowered her voice to a whisper, placing a hand on the rail. “Meet me downstairs. I’ll be there in ten.”

Chi was puzzled. Although he trusted his brother, fear was ebbing through his body.

“Of course,” Jin answered. “Thanks again, Iseul. You don’t know how much this means. I’m sorry I’m risking your job.”

Iseul chuckled. “Anything for my family, babe.”

Chi’s heart began to pound erratically beneath his breast. Iseul? Sang’s husband…could she be trusted? Chi twisted a little on the table but heard his brother’s voice close by his ear.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

Chi relaxed and listened as Jin’s footsteps grew faint. He felt the cart move again – the sound of an elevator button being pushed and the doors opening…and closing. The elevator dropped a few floors and Chi was pushed into a darker room. The sheet was lifted off him and Chi stared up at Iseul.

“Hello, Chi,” she said with a smile. She helped him sit up. “How are you feeling?”

“Never better,” Chi mused, looking around. It appeared they were in the morgue and this did little to set his mind at ease. “What’s going on?”

Iseul held out a file to Chi so that he could see his name written on it. “I took care of all your paperwork already so you’re a free man. I just couldn’t let you be seen walking out of your room.” Iseul, like Jin, looked excited.

“Why would you do that?”

Iseul shrugged. “This is about as much fun as a pregnant doctor can get at a hospital.”

Chi noticed for the first time the bulge underneath Iseul’s coat; Sang’s child. “Oh…congratulations,” he murmured.

“Thanks, Chihoon.” She handed him a laundry bag with finesse. “Do you need any help getting dressed?”

Chi blushed, hating how many people had now seen him in this thin, unflattering hospital gown. He peeked underneath it and found, to his extreme relief, that he was still wearing underwear.

Iseul giggled. “I’ve seen it all before, Chi, but if you’d prefer I wait outside…”

Chi nodded, embarrassed.

“Okay. Just let me know if you need any help.”

Chi watched Iseul exit the morgue. It felt very odd stripping down amongst a room of dead bodies. He lazily pulled the gown over his head, his limbs not thoroughly cooperating. “Stupid drugs,” he whined, “stupid doctors, stupid Jin.” He opened the bag and found a grey sweater which he painstakingly pulled over his head. A pair of old jeans was also inside which he had much difficulty with. Chi felt rather helpless, unable to even dress himself. He dropped to his feet and tried to pull the denim up his hips, using the table for support. The jeans were too big – not that anything would fit right on his lithe form – and he realized the clothes did not belong to him. Lastly, he found a pair of socks and his old, ratty sneakers. He nearly squealed at his beloved Converse, glad for the one familiar thing. He laced up the sneakers just as there was a knock at the door.

“You okay in there?” Iseul called. “All done?”

“Yeah,” Chi said back.

The door opened and Iseul walked in armed with a wheelchair so that Chi wouldn’t have to walk.

“Thanks,” he said gratefully. “You won’t get in trouble for this?”

“Only if we’re caught.” Iseul winked.

Chi sighed, not liking the upbeat mood everyone around him seemed to be in. What difference did it make if he was strapped to a hospital bed or moping in his own? What good would being on the outside do? He could never have his brother and could therefore never really live. He only had his dreams and at least in the hospital, there were drugs to help him sleep. He would probably just try to kill himself again as soon as he got the chance. Maybe death was all he had to look forward to.

“Are you ready to go?” Iseul asked quietly, put off by the pain in Chi’s eyes. “Your brother is waiting.”

Chi nodded and let himself be pushed back towards the empty hallway.

The elevator reached ground level and the doors opened to a near empty lobby. Light pop music played from the overhead speakers and Chi spotted a few people resting in the waiting area.

Iseul pushed the wheelchair towards the front door as if everything were completely normal. The automatic doors opened and the night was cold and frosty as they walked into it.

Jin’s car was waiting right in front of the hospital. Jin approached them, kissing Iseul on the cheek and thanking her before helping his little brother into the car.

“My pleasure,” Iseul said. “I don’t like seeing Chihoon here any more than you do. But I’m counting on you to help him, Jin. Don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

Iseul disappeared back inside the hospital with a quick departing wave.

“Nice girl,” Jin said as he started the car and put on his seatbelt. “Real shame she married Sang, though.”

Chi ground his teeth, ears popping. “Are we going home?”

“No,” Jin answered coldly. “We’re not going back.”