Jungkook could hear them, the footsteps, they surrounded him- walking around in circles and hiding among the shadows. His doe eyes stayed focused on Marley, who was sitting on the ground, staring behind him with wide eyes.

"Well?" A gruff voice broke through the air, causing the footsteps to come to an abrupt halt. Jungkook's breathing deepened and his back straightened as he felt the heavy weight of the gun press against the back of his head.

"Well what?" Jungkook hissed under his breath, his teeth nibbling on his bottom lip. He eyed the forest around them, trying to catch a glimpse of the male's other group mates, but he didn't see anything except for the trees and darkness.

A mocking laugh reached Jungkook's ears before a hand settled onto his shoulder, squeezed him tightly. Jungkook swallowed thickly, tensing and shifting uncomfortably under the weight of the touch. The grip on his shoulder tightened before he felt the man bend down to whisper in his ear, "Won't you invite us to sit? It's basic hospitality."

Jungkook gritted his teeth, keeping his lips sealed shut as he glared at the dancing fire in front of him. The grip on his shoulder tightened to the point of the guy's nails to sink into his skin before the cold tip of the gun slid across his head until it pressed into his temple.

"You..you can sit." Jungkook's eyes snapped over to Marley, who's eyes had become watery as she stared at the gun pressed against Jungkook's head. She sent him an apologetic look before bringing her hand up to her face and chewing on the sleeve of her shirt.

"Awww, aren't you a sweetheart?" The guy behind Jungkook cooed before the sound of footsteps returned, yet this time they were walking right towards them.

Jungkook's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes grew wide as he saw three more people emerge from the edge of the trees. The gun against his temple was pulled back before the hand on his shoulder shook him and a laugh ripped out of the man behind him.

"I'm just joking! We're all friend here, right?"

Jungkook didn't respond as he watched the three unfamiliar people smile at each other and settle down around the fire. The guy behind Jungkook released another chuckle before stepping away and walking around Jungkook to plop down next to him.

Jungkook swallowed thickly, his eyes travelling away from the others to look at the guy sitting next to him. The guy had a thick untamed beard, that reached down his chin, yet his head remained neatly shaved. Jungkook could see the remains of his last meal tangled in his beard, and as he grinned, he revealed a chipped front tooth and rotten teeth. The guy's form was larger than Jungkook's, dancing along the line of having muscles and being fat.

"The name's Kolten," Kolten grinned, placing a hand on Jungkook's knee and patting it gently. Kook kept quiet, playing with his sleeves and eyeing the hand on his knee before looking up at Marley.

The girl was staring at the group with wide eyes before slowly inching closer to Jungkook, trying to be as slow as possible so that no one would notice her. The leaves crunched under her weight as she shifted in her spot, catching the attention of the only female in the group.

"Look at her, she's adorable!"

Jungkook eyed the woman, finding something familiar about her brown eyes and her orange locks. Her hair reached her chin and half of it was pulled into a bun, the orange mixed in with a hint of brown, causing it to not be as bright as the fire cracking in front of him.

Marley shifted uncomfortably as the woman scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her small shoulders, pulling her into her chest. Jungkook clenching his jaw, his nostrils flaring and his eyes squinting into a protective glare. Unfortunately he could do nothing, but watch, as the woman grinned and began to whisper something in Marley's ear, making her shift anxiously.

Kolten smirked and rubbed Jungkook's knee before looking at the woman and Marley, "Don't mind Tia, it's been a while since she's seen a kid."

Jungkook released a small huff and pulled his legs towards himself,  causing Kolten's hand to slip off of his knee. Kolten chuckled, his head swinging around to look at Jungkook, "Never caught your name."

"Never threw it." Jungkook gritted, trying to ignore how his heart was pounding in his chest and how his skin crawled with anxiety, instead, he eyed the two other men that sat on the opposite side of the fire.

One of them was a short, Latino man. His greasy, curly hair reached the tips of his ears and a small moustache rested right below his nose. His caramel coloured skin glowed in the light of the fire as he kept staring at Jungkook without uttering a word.

"That's Bryson, he doesn't trust people easily and he has a...staring problem. You'll get used to it." Kolten whispered in Jungkook's ear, wrapping his large, meaty arm around Jungkook's shoulders.

Kolten's foul breath wafted in Jungkook's face and his beard brushed against his cheek, causing Kook's nose to scrunch up in disgust before he leaned away from Kolten's face. Kolten smirked in amusement, pulling Jungkook into his side, causing his breath to hitch in throat.

"So what's your name?" Kolten asked with a smirk. Jungkook shifted uncomfortably, trying to push him away by pressing his hands agaisnt Kolten's side, yet the muscular arm around him kept him stuck under Kolten's armpit, "I'll release you if you tell me." Kolten sang, a large grin splitting his face apart and causing his rotten teeth to be on full display.

Jungkook shifted in discomfort, his face scrunching up as he felt Kolten's sweaty, dirty shirt brush against his hands. The stench of sweat mixed with something even more foul, caused Jungkook to nearly hunch over and heave for fresh air. His breathing began to deepen as he slowly panicked, but it only caused him to inhale more lungfuls of Kolten's foul odour.

"Jungkook." Jungkook finally breathed out, immediately scooting away from Kolten as his meaty arm lifted from his shoulder. Jungkook swallowed down the lump in his throat and wrapped a hand around his waist for some comfort.

"A foreigner?" Tia perked up, smiling as she looked away from Marley and faced Jungkook.

Jungkook released a deep sigh before tearing his eyes off of the ground to look at Marley. She was sitting with her back straightened and her hands resting in her lap, squeezing and kneading her jeans. Jungkook looked up at Tia's grinning face before looking at a smirking Kolten.

"He looks like it. I'm guessing from China probably." Kolten snickered, causing Tia to giggle and nod in agreement before she looked down at Marley and began to brush her hand through her raven black hair. Marley frowned, her face scrunching up as she felt Tia's hand run through her hair.

"I'm from Korea." Jungkook hissed under his breath, eyeing the gun strapped to Kolten's waist worriedly before looking at the others, only to see them too carrying guns.

Jungkook cursed under his breath, realising that he had left his weapons in his bags, when he and Marley were carrying them through the forest. It was a dumb idea, but Jungkook's hands were full of bags and he wasn't able to carry them. He chewed on his bottom lip, pressing his hands together as he was forced to watch Marley shift uncomfortably while Tia braided her hair.

Kolten snickered, pressing his elbows onto his knees and leaning closer to the fire to warm his dirty palms, "It's the same thing, Kid." He scoffed, looking at Jungkook as if he was an idiot and he didn't know that Korea was the same thing as China.

"It's not." A husky voice broke through the air, capturing Jungkook's attention. The last unfamiliar guy was a few years older than Jungkook. He had chocolate coloured skin and his body was lean and muscular. A small scruff rested on his chin and his plump lips were pressed into a firm line.

Jungkook eyed the guy before looking at Kolten and seeing him glare at the dark skinned Male. A vein shifted in his temple and his cheeks began to tint red before Kolten released a deep breath and settled for a forced smile.

"Kid, don't test my patience by acting like you're the smart one here. I'm older, I'm smarter." Kolten grunted out, his lip curling up into a snarl as he glared at the dark skinned Male with hooded eyes. Jungkook held his breath, occasionally glancing at Marley, as he watched the power struggle between the two. Jungkook glanced at Bryson, who was still staring at him without blinking. A shiver ran down Kook's back and his nose scrunched up before he turned his gaze away, too disturbed to stare back.

The dark skinned male nodded and looked back at the fire, leaning closer to it for warmth. Jungkook shifted in his seat, playing with his jacket as he felt Kolten turn his attention back on him, "That jackass is Sean." Kolten scoffed out, his eyes gliding across Jungkook's face.

Jungkook didn't look at him, only straightened out in his seat and stared at the fire before him. He purposely didn't look at Marley, because he knew if he watched her sit there anxiously as Tia braided her hair, he would stand up and do something stupid that would end up with him being dead.

"You gotta group?"

The hair on Jungkook's back instantly stood up and his eyes widened in slight alarm before he masked it with a blank expression. Sweat began to build on his forehead in the form of small droplets, that soaked into his hair. Jungkook felt Kolten shift closer to him until their thighs were touching and his meaty arm rested right behind him, brushing agaisnt his back.

"Mhmm?" Kolten pressed, smirking as he leaned closer to Jungkook, his eyes burning into the side of his face.

Jungkook gulped, feeling his palms become sweaty and his heart hammer agaisnt his ribcage. He straightened out and looked up from the fire. His eyes momentarily connected with Bryson's unyielding gaze before he turned his head to the side and faced Kolten. Their faces were inches apart and every time Jungkook inhaled, he sucked in a lungful of Kolten's rotten breath and the moulding food tangled in his beard.

"Do I have a group?" Jungkook whispered lowly, his brows pinching together and his lip curling up into a snarl. Kolten hummed, licking his lips and smirking as Jungkook glared at his repulsing face, "No." Kolten's smile widened until his lips parted and revealed his rotten teeth.

Jungkook's nose scrunched up and his eyes squinted into a glare before he leaned closer to Kolten and growled into his face, "But are there people out there that would torture you to death, if you did something to me?" Kolten's smirk subsumed and he quirked an eyebrow, causing Jungkook to smirk, "Yes."

Kolten huffed out a raspy chuckle, causing his stale breath to waft in Jungkook's face yet again. Jungkook quickly jerked away from him before bile could bubble up in his throat and escape through his parted lips. He turned his face away from Kolten and glared down at his shaking hands as he listened to him laugh and mock his words.

"Right, right, sorry." Kolten wheezed out and landed a heavy pat on Jungkook's back, making him wince. Jungkook's shoulders squared as the hand didn't lift and it just continued to rest between his shoulder blades, "Well, where are these people now, huh? Hiding somewhere in these trees? They gonna intervene only when we hurt you?" Kolten mocked Jungkook, his hand sliding up his back until it settled into his hair.

Jungkook hissed as his head was ripped back, exposing his neck. His hand flew up to grab Kolten's wrist to pry it off, but the Male only scoffed and pulled his head back harsher, causing Jungkook to cry out. Jungkook's skull burned at the strain placed on his hair and his neck ached from the awkward angle it was placed in.

Kolten scoffed out a chuckle and leaned into Jungkook's throat, his warm breath brushing against Jungkook's pale skin. Jungkook's chest rose and fell, heavy breaths falling from his parted lips as he glared up at the starry sky and tried to shift away from Kolten. His face scrunched up as he felt Kolten snicker and brush his nose against the length of his throat. Jungkook's breathing began to quicken and his eyes glossed over with unshed tears. He could only squeeze his eyes shut and endure it as Kolten kept nosing at his neck and inhaling his scent.

"Stop!" Marley cried out, trying to push against Tia's firm hold and run towards Jungkook. Tia only shushed her and rocked her back and forth, caressing her hair as if she was her mother.

Kolten suddenly pulled back and grinned widely, his grip on Jungkook's hair loosening. Jungkook sucked in a sharp breath, blinking away the tears gathered in the corner of his eyes as he looked down at the ground. He winced and pressed his hand against his throat, rubbing away the touch lingering there.

"Shhh, it's okay, none of us is gonna hurt you, Jungcock." Kolten snickered mockingly, running his hand through Jungkook's hair before pulling away. Kolten released a small laugh, followed by Tia's giggles and a small snicker from Bryson, "Jungcock. We're gonna call you that now."

Jungkook kept quiet, biting his lower lip and digging his nails into his shaking palms. Jungkook shifted away from Kolten, when he felt him lean closer to him again. Jungkook wanted to do nothing more than to ram his fist into the guy's throat and watch him choke to death, but he knew that if he did that, his other lackeys would pull their guns on him.

Kolten huffed at Jungkook's reaction, rolling his eyes before slamming his hand onto Jungkook's muscular thigh. Jungkook jumped in his place, squeezing his legs shut and blinking away the tears of frustration and fear.

In moments like this, Jungkook wished that he had never ran away from the group. If Rick or Daryl were here, he could put his full trust in them and he wouldn't have to worry about this situation, because he knew that they would get him out of here. But that reason was exactly why Jungkook ran away in the first place, he depended on them too much and he had to start taking care of himself.

Kolten hummed at his reaction before leaning closer to Jungkook, "You have quite a lot of supplies for 2 people. And don't come at me with that bullshit that there's some mysterious people out there that would suddenly jump out and rescue you." Kolten's lips parted into a grin before he rubbed his hand up and down Jungkook's leg, making him wince and curl into himself.

Kolten smirked and looking at Bryson and Sean, nodding them towards Jungkook's backpacks, that were laying in a pile near them. Jungkook shook his head and shut his eyes, sitting tensely as he listened to Bryson and Sean grab his stuff and rummage through it. Kolten sighed softly and lifted his hand away from Jungkook's leg, allowing him to slouch his shoulders in relief.

"This isn't some fantasy novel, where you suddenly get rescued and everything is fine again." Kolten scoffed with an eye roll, drumming his fingers against his thigh as he watched Bryson and Sean look through Jungkook's stuff. He swung his head around to look at Jungkook, who was glaring at the ground with a clenched jaw.

Jungkook stiffened as Kolten sighed and leaned over to him, "There are no people hiding in the woods that would suddenly jump out and rescue you. There are no people out there that would kill us if we hurt you. And there sure as hell won't be anyone coming to look for you." Jungkook swallowed thickly, pressing his tongue against his cheek as he felt his eyes gloss over from his words. He released a deep breath, turning his head away as Kolten leaned in to whisper against the shell of his ear, "You're all alone, sweetie."

Jungkook knew that his words weren't true, there was a whole group of people out there that would kill them if they did something to him. Marley had confirmed his suspicions and now he knew for sure that Daryl was tracking him. Even if these assholes killed him, Daryl would eventually stumble upon his body and then he would start hunting them down instead. And Jungkook couldn't wait to watch them all get slaughtered.

Jungkook huffed before snapping his head towards Kolten and glaring into his eyes. He pressed his hand against Kolten's chest and shoved him back, causing him to nearly topple over.

"Learn some personal space." Jungkook growled, abruptly standing up and glaring down at Kolten, who's expression had darkened as he stared up at Jungkook.

Before anyone could react, Jungkook turned around and marched towards Marley. Tia glared at him as he came closer, tightening her arms around Marley, causing her to tear up and reach out towards Jungkook.

"She's mi-"

Jungkook grabbed Marley and ripped her out of Tia's arms, making Tia screech and release a loud cry. His face scrunched up as he watched her eyes become glossy as if Marley was actually her child. Jungkook pushed Marley behind him, turning around to face the unfamiliar group.

"You can take our shit. All of it. Take it and leave." Jungkook glared at them, his breathing erratic as he slowly stepped away from the group. His brows were pinched together and his eyes had squinted into a dangerous glare.

Kolten huffed out a raspy laugh before standing up and dusting off his clothes. He walked over to Tia, who was sniffling and crying, and rubbed her back sympathetically, "Shhhh, it's okay. We're gonna get your baby back, okay?"

Jungkook's face scrunched up, growing disturbed by the words he had heard. He pulled Marley even closer to him, feeling her shiver and fist his jacket.

"Kookie." Marley whispered into his jacket before sliding her arms around Jungkook's small waist.

"Shhh." Jungkook whispered, eyeing the group that glared at him as they tried to comfort a crying Tia, "Find the prison and tell my group everything." He whispered quietly so that Marley would be the only one who heard him. He felt her nod against his back before tightening her arms around him.

"I want his...want his jacket." Tia stuttered between cries. She peered through her fingers at Jungkook, wiping her tears and snot onto the sleeve of her shirt.

Jungkook straightened out, taking a step back and pulling his jacket closer to himself . He watched as Bryson's hand inched towards his dagger and he swiftly pulled it out. Without breaking eye contact with Jungkook, Bryson began to walk over to him, only for Kolten to place his hand against his chest and push him back.

"Men, we're all civilised here, there's no need for violence." Kolten smirked, running his tongue over his rotten teeth as he pushed Bryson back. Bryson glared in return, shifting on his feet and twirling his knife in anticipation.

Jungkook swallowed thickly, his hands shaking by his side as he felt fear creep up his spine and wrap around his throat. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth and his eyes began to gloss over.

For the first time in a while, Jungkook was terrified. He had no idea what to do or how to get out of this situation alive, and deep down, Jungkook knew that he would die in the hands of these people. Jungkook just wished he could've said goodbye to his group or even take Marley to them so that they could take care of her.

"I'm...I'm scared."

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut and released a deep sigh. He cursed at himself after hearing Marley's small whimper. He stretched his arm around himself and wrapped it around her as best as he could, "I know." Jungkook breathed out softly, caressing her back comfortingly, "I'm scared too."

"Listen, kid," Kolten spoke up, sucking in his lips and shaking his head as if he was disappointed, "Let's start with you taking off that jacket and handing it over. Then we're gonna take your stuff and the girl and raise her as our own. And then...." Kolten dragged out, his playful smirk growing dark and hostile as he took a step closer to Jungkook, causing him to gulp and take a step back, "We're gonna have a little chat."

"About what?" Jungkook shot back, sliding his quivering hand into Marley's cold one. She gripped his hand tightly, peering around him to look at the group with wide eyes filled with tears.

Kolten raised his brows mockingly, looking back at his group as if to ask 'is he serious'? Jungkook's brows knitted together and he shifted on his feet awkwardly, noticing Tea's nostrils flare in anger as she stared at him. Bryson straightened out and gripped his dagger tightly, watching Jungkook with a predatory gaze. Sean, who seemed like the only sane one in the group, was glaring down at him with his chin turned towards the sky.

"We're gonna discuss your actions and then agree on your punishment. And by agree on I mean that Tia's gonna decide what we're gonna do with you and you're gonna take whatever we give you." Kolten shrugged, placing his large hand on Tia's dainty shoulder. The woman eagerly nodded, her lip curling into a satisfied smile.

Jungkook's lips parted in shock before he huffed out a disbelief filled chuckle. Noticing how serious they were, Jungkook's smile crumbled and he gaped, allowing his mouth to open and close as he tried to find his words. His gaze fell onto his dirt covered boots before he blinked and looked back up at the group.

"You're all crazy," Jungkook breathed out, pushing Marley back as he took cautious steps away from them. He shook his head, strands of his sweat soaked hair moving along, "You're all fucking crazy. I never did anything, never! Punish me? You're what....you're gonna fucking punish me? For what? I never did anything!" Jungkook yelled at them, a vein in his neck popping out and his cheeks flaring red. He breathed heavily before snarling and spitting on the ground in front of them, "Touch me, I dare you! You're so sure that no ones coming for me, huh? The-"

A loud bang echoed through the air, followed by a sharp gasp coming from Jungkook and a small scream from Marley. Jungkook cried out as his leg gave out on him and he landed on the ground on his knees. His hands flew down to his thigh, pressing against the place where his leg stung, only to pull back with a small cry.

Jungkook looked down at his hands with wide eyes filled with tears, only to see his hands covered in blood, "Oh god." Jungkook breathed out, his lip quivering as he slowly looked down at his bleeding thigh. There was a hole in his jeans, that displayed the hole in his thigh. Blood poured out of the wound, soaking his jeans and causing them to turn a shade darker.

"Tia, sweetheart, we don't do that."

Jungkook could distinctively feel Marley wrap her shaky hands around his shoulders and cry into his jacket. He slowly looked up, his eyes wide and his lips parted in shock. Tia was snarling as she pointed the gun at him, her brown eyes shining with hatred and disgust. Jungkook's breathing began to quicken as he realised the seriousness of the situation and how truly fucked he was.

He's gonna die.

Jungkook hid his tracks from Daryl and that means that he doesn't know where he is. And Rick would never let Daryl look for him when it's dark outside.

He's gonna die.

These people wanted to 'punish' him and Jungkook knew that it would end in his death.

He's gonna die!

The realisation that no one was coming to save him and he was gonna die, caused Jungkook to realise that he doesn't want to die.

He doesn't want to die.

He wants to live.

Jungkook wants to live.

He so desperately wants to live that it hurts.

"Hey, kid, you still there?" Kolten snickered, snapping his fingers to grab Jungkook's attention.

Jungkook's teary eyes slowly traveled up from his bleeding thigh to look into Kolten's eyes. He only now noticed how close he had gotten while Jungkook was panicking. He swallowed thickly, pushing his hands against the ground to crawl back, but as he shifted his leg, pain erupted in his thigh and ran up his body. Jungkook cried out, his face scrunching in pain as he grabbed onto his leg.

Kolten smirked, crouching down in front of him, "Tia had a sister. She looked similar to her- red hair, brown eyes, but she was quite different from us. We thought that sending her out there would make her toughen up...but she never returned so we went looking for her." Jungkook kept quiet, glaring down at his aching thigh and pressing his quivering lips together, "We found her dead in a store. Shot in the head." Kolten growled under his breath.

Apparently Kolten didn't like the silence coming from Jungkook because he slammed his hand down onto Jungkook's injured leg, causing him to cry out in pain. Kook squeezed his eyes shut and arched his back as the pain pulsated throughout his body.

"Wha...what was her na..name?" Marley muttered through silent sobs, clinging onto Jungkook tightly.

"Shut up." Jungkook hissed out, moving his hands to press them against his bleeding wound to stop it from bleeding. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to not cry at the intense pain, "Shut up." He repeated quietly, addressing Marley.

"That's not very nice, Jungcock." Kolten mockingly scolded, lifting his hand off of Jungkook's leg before turning his attention to Marley. He smiled at the girl, "Thea."

Marley's eyes widened and filled with even more tears before a sob fell from her lips and she pressed her face into Jungkook's back. Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut, running his tongue over his chapped lips as he felt Marley shake and cry into his back.

"What?" Kolten pressed, noticing their reaction. He eyed them both before his expression darkened and he leaned into Jungkook's face, "Sound familiar?"

Jungkook shut his eyes and released a deep sigh, he shook his head at himself and ran his hand across his face, causing the blood to smear onto his skin. He could hear Marley mutter something in between her cries and he squeezed his eyes shut, knowing what he had to do.

"It does." Jungkook breathed out, licking his lips as he opened his eyes and blinked away his tears. He looked away from his blood covered hands and into Kolten's cold eyes, "I killed her. She begged me not to do it, but I did it anyway- shot her right between her pretty brown eyes." Jungkook whispered with no emotion, the lies spilling from his lips as if they were the truth. He suddenly leaned closer to Kolten's blank face and hissed, "I just wish you would be there too, so that I could kill you too."

Kolten's face dropped into a void expression. He eyed Jungkook's blood covered face for a second before smirking and nodding. With a heavy sigh, he pushed off of the ground and stood up. Jungkook glared at him, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes and his lip quivering as he realised that he would die.

I don't want to die.

"Take the girl." Kolten ordered Bryson, who was the only unoccupied one since Sean was trying to stop Tia from running towards Jungkook and attacking him. She kept screaming profanities with tears streaming down her face as she tried to push away Sean's arms.

Marley cried out as Bryson grabbed her and hauled her up to her feet. Jungkook shut his eyes and allowed his shoulders to slouch in defeat. His chin pressed against his chest as he looked down at his bloody hands, wishing he had never left the prison because he not only ruined his own life, but Marley's too.

Jungkook saw Kolten's boots stop in front of him, causing him to slowly look up and meet his eyes. Jungkook straightened out as Kolten pulled out his gun and pointed it at his forehead. He released a shaky breath, staring right into the gun before allowing his eyes to traveled past it and look into Kolten's cold eyes.

"Say hello to Thea for us." Kolten grinned, cocking his gun and pressing the tip right between Jungkook's eyes. Jungkook's eyes filled with tears and his lower lip began to wobble as he looked at the gun blankly.

I don't want to di-

"STOP! STOP! IT WAS ME! IT WAS ME!" Jungkook's eyes widened and he snapped his head towards Marley, who had pushed out of Bryson's hold.

"Marley, shut up!" Jungkook yelled, looking up at Kolten with frantic eyes. Kolten smirked down at him before lowering his gun and turning around to make his way to Marley.

"No! It was me! I did it! She's lying!" Jungkook yelled, his eyes filling with tears as he tried to crawl over to them, only for his leg to erupt in pain with his every movement.

Jungkook could only watch with teary eyes as Kolten crouched down in front of Marley and placed a gently hand on her shoulder, "Sweetheart, I don't think you realise what you're saying. I know you want to prot-"

Marley glared at Kolten with red eyes, her puffy face scrunching up in hatred before she spit in his face, causing him to shut up. Marley snarled and leaned closer to him, dry tear steaks resting on her chubby cheeks, "I killed Thea. She ran into Kookie in the store, while he was gathering supplies. I came back to him and saw her pointing her gun at him. She wanted to steal our supplies and she wanted to hurt Kookie, so I took out my gun and shot her just like my sister taught me- in the head."

Kolten pursued his lips and nodded as he pulled his hand back and wiped away the spit on his cheek. Jungkook held his breath, shaking his head in denial as he watched Tia's glare turn towards Marley.

"Is that so..." Kolten hummed, pushing off of the ground and straightening out. He glanced at his group, all of them meeting his eyes with heavy stares and small nods.

"No, no, no, no." Jungkook muttered under his breath, his fingers digging into the dirt under his palms. His head suddenly shot up towards Kolten and he yelled, "It's not true! She's lying!"

Kolten chuckled and turned his gaze back onto Marley. She met his eyes with no emotion, yet there were tears in the corners of her eyes. Kolten smirked and nodded, placing his hand on Marley's shoulder to guide her towards Jungkook.

"I know she's not. I guess the end of the world changes people and now even kids kill to survive." Jungkook's breath hitched in his throat and he looked at Marley with wide eyes. She smiled at him, despite her quivering lip and the tears rolling down her cheeks, "But I don't kill children."

"No! She killed Thea!" Tia screamed, scratching at Sean's hands to try and make him loosen his grip on her, "Killed Thea!"

Jungkook froze and snapped his head towards Kolten, a sharp breath of relief falling from his lips as Marley was nudged towards him. Jungkook pressed his hands against the ground and tried to stand up, only to crumble back to the ground in pain.

"We're taking your stuff and I'll give you 10 minutes to get out of my sight. If not, I'm gonna let Tia kill both of you." Kolten shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jungkook nodded frantically, looking at Marley and extending his arms towards her as she ran towards him with a relieved smile on her face. Jungkook's own lips twitched up and his eyes teared up as the relief washed over him.

A loud bang echoed throughout the forest, rattling the bones in Jungkook's body and causing him to freeze. A sharp gasp fell from Marley's lips before she stumbled forward and fell into Jungkook's open arms.

Jungkook caught Marley in his arms and pulled her towards him, he blinked in shock as he looked past his shoulder towards Kolten. Kolten's face was blank as he pointed his gun towards Marley, only to lower it a second later and turn his back on them.

Jungkook's hands trembled as they slowly became warm and sticky, and he could feel Marley's shallow pants against his neck. There were distant shouts and screams as he pulled Marley back and allowed her to fall into his lap. Jungkook's vision became blurry and he heard someone shouting, but all that he could comprehend was her pink jumper slowly turning red.

Jungkook seemed to be in a daze as he slowly pressed his hands against the wound in Marley's stomach, leaving her back wound open. He distinctly heard loud cries and sobs as he watched Marley's pink sweater turn red around his hands.

Jungkook's blurry eyes slowly shifted to look into Marley's eyes, only to see her staring somewhere over his head with a dreamy smile. Jungkook sucked in a sharp breath as his brown eyes connected with her grey ones.

Suddenly, all the noise dawned on him- the loud cries and sobs filled his ears and made him release that they were coming from him. Jungkook could feel tears pour out of his eyes and slide down his cheeks until they met at his chin.

"Oh god! No! Help! Help!" Jungkook screamed, his bloody hands flying up to cradle Marley's pale face before he pulled them back and pressed them against her bleeding stomach.

A loud sob tore out of Jungkook's throat before he snapped his head up to look at Kolten. His vision was filled with tears as he stared at their blurry silhouettes, "Help me! Help me!" He screamed at them until his throat became dry and he choked on his own sobs.

Jungkook looked back down at Marley's limp body, switching from pressing his hands against her wound to placing his large hands against her cheeks.

Jungkook smeared the blood into Marley's face as he cradled her face before leaning closer to her, "Mar...Marley, it's okay, everything...everything gonna be oka..okay. I have a...have a doctor...told you...told you." Jungkook chocked on his sobs, his lips twitching up as he nodded at his own words.

"Marley." Jungkook whispered, shaking her head softly, but her eyes were blank as she stared at something over his shoulder. Her grey eyes had lost their spark and become dull. Her body was limp as Jungkook tried to shift her further up into his lap and press her into his chest, "Marley." Jungkook cried out, raising his shaky, blood covered hand to brush her raven hair out of her face.

"Marley, if you...if you wake up, I promise I'll...I'll take you to meet my group, and I'll...I'll braid you hair and I'll... get you everything you want." Jungkook whispered against her hair, rocking them back and worth. He pressed his face into her hair, inhaling her scent sharply before caressing her blood soaked back and murmuring against her ear, "Gonna...gonna take you ba...back. Hershel...Hershel heal. He heal. Hold on...hold on."

Jungkook kept repeating his barely audible whispers as he rocked them both back and forth. Jungkook stared straight ahead blankly, tears falling from his eyes as he continued to pull Marley closer to himself until she was pressed against his chest.

"It's okay...everything okay." Jungkook chuckled blankly, his vision blurry and his eyes wide as tears continued to pour out of his eyes. His shaky hand pressed against Marley's face and he caressed her chubby cheek, smearing blood onto her face, "Shhh, it's okay. Hershel heal." Jungkook repeated, a broken smile appearing on his face before he nodded eagerly, "He heal you."

Jungkook ignored the footsteps coming towards him, continuing to rock back and forth and sob softly, while occasionally whispering something into Marley's hair.

Two hands grabbed him by his armpits, pulling him back, while another pair of arms grabbed Marley's limp body, ripping her away from his chest. Jungkook screamed and tried to push the hands away, his eyes focusing on Marley's body as she was dropped on the ground carelessly.

Jungkook choked on a sob as he was shoved down to the ground and his face was pushed into the dirt. He cried out as he felt a sharp kick being delivered to his stomach, causing him to jerk away and curl into himself. Another hit landed onto his back, earning a loud sob and some incoherent babbles from Jungkook.

A kick after a kick was delivered all over his body, mainly to his stomach and back, yet some of them landed on his head and even his injured leg. Jungkook had curled into himself, wrapping his arms around his head and pushing his knees into his chest to protect himself from the blows. He continued to sob and whimper as the pain spread across his whole body and his limbs grew heavy. But the tears weren't there because of the physical pain.

The kicks finally stopped, leaving Jungkook to sob and curl into himself even more. His arms felt heavy as he slowly pulled them away from his head and carefully wrapped them around his aching stomach.

Everything ached and hurt, his head was pounding and he felt something warm trickle down the side of his mouth. Jungkook laid on the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks and choked sobs leaving his chapped lips. He felt something travelling up his throat, causing him to roll onto his stomach and cough. He heaved, his back arching and his muscles screaming in agony with every move he made.

Jungkook continued to cough, his eyes squeezing shut and his nails digging into the dirt as he felt himself vomit something out. Jungkook's sobs turned into soft whimpers before he peeled his eyes open. His vision was blurry with unshed tears before he released a shaky breath and blinked them away. He squinted his eyes to see better, only to jerk back in surprise when he saw blood soaking into the dirt.

Jungkook shook his head, blinking rapidly and shifting in his place as he tried to push away the pain and regain some control over himself. He whimpered and clenched onto his stomach after feeling a wave of pain ripple through his body. Jungkook felt dizzy as he looked away from the ground and lifted his heavy head up to look around.

Blurry silhouettes filled his vision. Jungkook could see them moving as he placed his head on the ground sideways and watched them move around. Two of them grabbed his stuff and hoisted the bags onto their shoulders. Jungkook breathed softly, an occasional hiccup slipping past his lips as he blinked away the blurriness and squinted his eyes to see better.

He could see Kolten say something to Bryson and Tia, who were grinning and nodding at what he was saying. Jungkook blinked, only to realise that his eyes were still shut, so he ripped them back open to see Kolten and Sean turn around and walk away. Their forms disappeared between the trees, leaving Jungkook behind with Bryson and Tia.

Jungkook exhaled sharply, his lungs wheezing as he did. He noticed Bryson and Tia turn around to face him before making their way over to him. Jungkook's vision filled with tears before he turned around and placed his forehead against the dirt. His lower lip wobbled as he squeezed his eyes shut before opening them and shifting his body around.

Jungkook cried out in pain as he moved his limbs and grasped at the dirt to crawl away from Bryson and Tia. He could hear the distant sound of laughing and snickering, but he focused on his own pain filled whimpers and how everything in his body hurt.

"Where do you think you're going?" A taunting voice called out, yet Jungkook felt like he was shoved under water and he couldn't hear properly.

Jungkook ignored the voice and continued to crawl forward. A ripple of pain tore through his body, one after another as he continued to move his aching limbs. Dirt gathered underneath his  fingernails and his palms got scratched against the small pebbles and sticks.

Jungkook stretched out his hand to grab another handful of dirt and pull himself forward, but something shiny flashed in his vision before a dagger got shoved through Jungkook's palm.

A blood curling scream ripped through Jungkook's dry throat and his back arched off of the ground as he stared at the knife piercing through his left hand. 

A broken sob tumbled past Jungkook's lips before he squeezed his eyes shut and allowed his forehead to press against the ground. He could hear Tia laughing while calling out racist slurs and mocking his crying. Bryson, on the other hand, kept quiet and only allowed an occasional snicker or a satisfied hum leave his lips.

"Stop." Jungkook croaked out, opening his eyes and staring at the knife in his hand blankly. He tiredly shifted his fingers, only to hiss and wince as the pain ran all the way up his arm and to his shoulder.

"What was that?" Tia mocked in a sweet tone. Jungkook ignored her, only to feel her grab a handful of his hair and pull his head back. He cried out in pain before Tia got into his face and smiled sweetly, "Repeat it."

Jungkook breathed heavily, his eyes growing droopy and his lips parting to release soft pants. He stared at her grinning face before feeling raw hatred and disgust build up inside his chest.

As Jungkook was staring into Tia's eyes, he saw his own reflection. His face was covered in dirt and blood, and tears streamed down his face, creating a path between all the dirt. His face was blotchy and his lip kept quivering as soft sobs bubbled up in his throat.

As Jungkook kept staring at himself, his emotions numbed down and he felt his pain wash away. He couldn't focus on anything except himself and the sudden rush of adrenaline that filled his veins.

Jungkook tilted his head to the side, his breathing deepening before his lips twitched up and he released a quiet chuckle. Tia's smile crumbled and her face scrunched up, "Why is he laughing?" She hissed at Bryson, who was standing over them, watching everything carefully. Bryson shrugged with furrowed brows before crouching down next to Jungkook.

"Why are you laughing!" Tia shrieked into Jungkook's face before releasing her hold on his hair and jumping back.

Jungkook continued to laugh to himself as he shifted his body around to look them in the eyes. His vision was blurry before he blinked a few times and finally stopped laughing, "I'm gonna kill you." Jungkook breathed out, his lips twitching up into a relieved smile, "I'm gonna kill you."

"Shut the fuck up." Tia hissed, while Bryson lifted his leg and delivered another swift kick to Jungkook's stomach.

Jungkook cried out in pain and rolled onto his stomach. His vision went white as the agonising pain rippled through every inch of his body, causing him to wheeze for air and squeeze his eyes shut. Jungkook whimpered before opening his eyes and looking straight at the knife in his left hand.

"Did you hear that? He said he's gonna kill us, Bry!" Jungkook heard Tia exclaim, yet his eyes only focused on the knife in his hand.

The emotion on Jungkook's face washed away, leaving behind void brown eyes. The pain in his body dulled and all he could focus on was the desperate desire to live for another day. The feeling was so intense that when Jungkook heard footsteps approaching him and someone crouch down next to him, he didn't even think before reacting.

Jungkook jumped forward, grabbing the handle of the knife and ripping the knife out of his hand. He suppressed the whimper from leaving his lips by sinking his teeth into his lip and biting until he drew blood.

Jungkook pushed off of the ground with shaky hands before swinging around and jumping on top of Bryson. A loud scream filled Jungkook's ears, but he ignored it, and stared down at Bryson's alarmed face. The Male snarled and grabbed Jungkook, ready to shove him off, but Jungkook released a throaty growl before raising his arm and slamming the knife into Bryson's left eye.

Blood splattered across Jungkook's cheek and Bryson's arms slumped to the ground. Another scream filled Jungkook's ears before a body tackled him to the ground. Jungkook hissed in pain, before swinging his arm towards Tia and smacking her across the face.

Tia fell off of him with a yelp before Jungkook rolled on top of her and wrapped his arms around her neck. Jungkook snarled in her face and squeezed her neck, watching in satisfaction as Tia's eyes began to tear up and her face began to turn red. She swung her arms at him, digging her nails into his skin and leaving behind scratch marks.

Jungkook's nose scrunched up as he dodged her arms, that tried to scratch his face and reach for his neck, "Say hello to Thea from me." Jungkook whispered darkly, his hands tightening around Tia's throat.

Jungkook's lips twitched up as he watched Tia's eyes become red and pop out. Her skin was turning dark blue and her lips parted to suck in a breath. Jungkook grinned and pulled her head up before slamming her back against the ground. Tia's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her arms fell limply by her sides. Jungkook's face twisted into a dark smirk before he tightened his arms around her neck even more and watched in satisfaction as her eyes dulled and her face fell slack.

After a few minutes of just squeezing her neck tightly and snarling down at her purple face, Jungkook's vision blurred before a tear slid down his cheek and landed on Tia's face.

Jungkook's face dropped as he realised what he was doing, "Oh god." He whimpered, loosening his hands on Tia's neck before rolling off of her body and plopping down next to her.

Jungkook felt tears roll down his cheeks, yet all he could do was stare down at his blood covered hands with no emotion. Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his face into his hands, dragging them down his face and leaving behind a trail of blood.

"I can't....I can't....I can't..." Jungkook kept mumbling to himself, pulling his knees up his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He shoved his face into his knees and rocked himself back and worth, repeating the same words over and over again.

A gentle hand settled on his shoulder, rubbing soothingly before a breeze like whisper filled Jungkook's ears, "Bun, it's okay, you don't have to."

Jungkook froze and snapped his head towards the familiar voice. His mouth fell open and his eyes teared up even more before he choked on another sob, "Eomma?"

"Hello, little bunny." Jeon Sora whispered, raising a hand and brushing it against Jungkook's blood covered cheek.

Jungkook could only release a whimper and stare at her with parted lips. His mother was sitting next to him- her dark hair cascaded down her back until it reached her waist and her face was smooth and silky. She wore a white, silk shirt that was tucked into leather pants, while her feet remained barefoot. Her skin seemed to emit a small glow and her outfit seemed to shimmer as the light, from the sunrise, shone on her.

Jungkook gaped and eyed her before squeezing his eyes shut and murmuring that it's not real under his breath.

Sora released a breathy chuckle and scooted closer to Jungkook, "I'm here, Bunny."

Jungkook opened his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath as he looked back at her. He stared at her wordlessly before crying out and reaching his arms out towards her, "Eomma, I...I....help."

"Oh, bun." Sora whispered, pulling Jungkook into her chest and wrapping her arms around his larger form. She tucked his head underneath her chin and began to hum a small tune, "It's been hard hasn't it?"

Jungkook sucked in his lips and nodded softly, shutting his eyes and enjoying how his mother caressed his hair. His sobs reduced to small hiccups and sniffles as he listened to her hum and felt her brush her hand through his tangled hair.

"I know it's been hard, bun. I know that you're tired and you want the pain to end. I know this....because I feel it too." Sora whispered into Jungkook's sweaty hair, pressing her hand against his dirty cheek to brush away his tears, "Every time you cry, or feel angry, or just want to die, I feel it all. And I wish...I wish I could take away your pain, even if I had to carry it myself."

Jungkook shook his head against her chest before peering up at her through his wet eyelashes, "No, no, I...I don't want you to feel sad."

Sora chuckled before leaning down and pressing her silk like lips against Jungkook's sweaty forehead. Jungkook closed his eyes and leaned into her before she began to speak, "I guess this is a burden of love, huh?" Sora chuckled and shook her head, "We all know that pain is another part of life, and it's the only way for us to grow and evolve, yet, when it comes to the people we love....we would take away their pain, even if we had to add it to our own." Sora looked down at Jungkook and cupped his face between her soft hands, "Because seeing the people we love suffer....is the worst pain of all."

Jungkook sniffled and nodded, watching her with wide eyes, "I'm so...so scared."

Sora nodded before leaning closer to him and smiling, revealing her pearly white teeth, "I can take it all away. You won't have to feel tired or scared, or even pain...no more pain, my little bunny."

"You...you can?" Jungkook stuttered, his brows pinching together as he watched her with teary eyes and a wobbling lip.

Sora nodded and brushed his tears away with her thumbs. She released a breathy giggle and pressed another kiss to Jungkook's forehead, "You just have to close your eyes and wait. Just close your eyes and it will all go away."

"Just like that?" Jungkook murmured doubtfully, allowing Sora to pull him into her chest and run her hand through his hair.

Sora giggled into his hair and nodded, "Just like that. Just close your eyes."

Jungkook nodded softly, his brows still pinched together as he listened to Sora sing softly. He remembered the tune from when he was little, causing him to release a deep sigh and smile. Yet despite it all, Jungkook's eyes remained wide open as he stared at the sun slowly rising behind all the trees.

"Why aren't you closing your eyes, bun?" Sora whispered into his hair, looking at the sunrise and rubbing her cheek against his brown locks.

Jungkook furrowed his brows and ran the tips of his fingers against her silk shirt, "I don't...I don't know." His eyes caught the sight of the hole in his left hand. The wound was bleeding and the blood was dripping down onto Sora, yet the droplets fell through her, never staining her red.

Jungkook exhaled softly and teared up as he came to a sudden realisation, "You're not real." He breathed out, staring at the blood as it poured out of his wound and traveled down his arm, "You're not real" Jungkook murmured, turning his head up to look at Sora, who was smiling down at him.

"Close your eyes and I will be waiting for you with open arms." Sora whispered softly, her pink lips stretching into a small smile.

"Woman, he's not gonna close his eyes."

Jungkook froze, his eyes widening and his breath hitching in his throat as the hoarse voice filled the air. Jungkook sucked in a sharp breath and pushed away from Sora to look over his shoulder at the man standing in between the line of trees.

The man had a few wrinkles covering his face and his hair was greying in some places. His brows were sharp and narrowed, creating a small crease between them. His dark eyes were cold, yet Jungkook could see a hint of fondness in them as he stared down at Jungkook. The man wore a grey shirt and some joggers, looking comfy as he shuffled closer to Jungkook.

"Appa?" Jungkook gasped, sitting up straighter as his father took a few steps closer to him, "Appa, wha...what..I-"

"The reason why you're not closing your eyes is because you don't want to die." Jeon Hojun stated, his lips pressing into a thin line before he scoffed and raised a brow, "Is this how I raised you Jungkook? To give up when things got hard?"

"You didn't raise me at all!" Jungkook hissed, his tear filled eyes squinting into a glare. His chest heaved up and down as his breathing quickened.

"Oh?" Hojun inquired before huffing out a husky chuckle, he took another step closer to Jungkook before bending down in front of him, "Of course I didn't raise you. I'm not your father. I'm just a part of your imagination...or rather hallucinations."

Jungkook's face scrunched up in confusion before he blinked rapidly and swung his head back around to look at his mother, only to see nothing there, "No, no, no, no."

"Jeongguk." Hojun gripped his chin and pulled his face back towards him. His facial expression was cold and firm as he glared into Jungkook's hazy eyes, "You're dying and you know it too. I know you don't want to die, that's one of the only things I know about you.....because I am you." Jungkook only glared at him in return, confusion mixing in with a hint of hatred.

Jungkook had so many questions that he's been asking himself since the first time his father didn't show up for his birthday. He wanted to scream and cry them all out, beg for answers that he never received. Yet all he could do, was glare his father in the eyes and listen to him as he spoke.

"I know I didn't raise you, but just because I wasn't there, doesn't mean that I didn't teach you anything." Hojun grunted, pulling his hand away only to pat Jungkook's dirty cheek, "I never showed you what kind of father to be be, but I did show you what kind of father not to be."

"It doesn't make anything better." Jungkook gritted, raising his hand to push his father's arm away.

Hojun's lips quirked up before he chuckled and nodded in agreement, "That's true, but that's exactly why I'm here. You need to get up, Jeongguk. Get up before you bleed to death, because you and I both know that you're dancing between the line of life and death."

Jungkook furrowed his brows and watched in confusion as his father stood up and took a small step back, gesturing for him to get away. Jungkook's confusion filled eyes widened in horror as his father's face began to rot and morph into something else, and his clothes shredded into a ripped up grey shirt and black, grime covered jeans. Growls and snarls filled his ears before the walker launched at Jungkook and fell on top of him, pushing him onto the ground.

Jungkook yelped in shock, pressing his hands against the walker's shoulders to try and keep its snapping mouth away from himself. The walker tried to grab onto Jungkook to try and pull him closer, but Jungkook kept it away with his shaking arms. He cried out in pain as he lifted his legs and shoved the walker off of himself.

Jungkook quickly rolled into his stomach and pressed his hands against the ground, standing up. A ripple of pain ran from his leg all the way up his body, causing him to yelp and stumble forward. Jungkook silently cried as he straightened back out and stumbled towards the edge of the trees. He quickly grabbed onto one of the trees and straightened himself out, his hands shook as he held his weight up against the tree, listening to the walker as it growled and stumbled towards him.

Jungkook sunk his teeth into his already bleeding lip before pushing off of the tree and stumbling forward. Whimpers and soft cries bubbled up in Jungkook's throat, only to be kept locked behind his lips, as he staggered through the forest.

He gripped onto every tree in his way, using it to move forward and hold up his aching body. Jungkook could hear the distant sound of the walker shuffling behind him, yet he ignored it. His vision blurred around the edges and there were black dots in his view, making him scrunch up his face and blink rapidly. Jungkook's hands shook and bled as he pressed them against the tree trunks so hard that his skin tore open.

Jungkook's foot caught onto a root of the tree, making him gasp and fall. His body smashed against the ground, causing another wave of pure agony to run through his entire body and rattle through his bones.

Jungkook gasped for air, blinking away the blackness in the corners of his vision. He could feel his tears slipping out of his eyes and roll down his cheeks, but he ignored it and pushed off of the ground with trembling hands.

Jungkook quickly grabbed a hold of the tree next to him and pulled himself up. He could feel something warm and sticky on his thigh before the feeling spread over his entire leg. Jungkook ignored the feeling and glanced over his shoulder, only to see that two more walkers had joined the first one.

"Shit." Jungkook murmured shakily before turning back around and pushing off of the tree. His shoulders were slouched in defeat and his legs dragged against the ground, causing him to almost trip multiple times.

Jungkook's breaths came out as shallow pants and his eyes slowly became droopy. He stumbled into a tree and cried out in pain as the wound in his left palm slammed against the rough tree trunk.

Tears streamed down his face and small whimpers left his trembling lips as he weakly pushed away from the tree. There was a curtain of bushes right in front of him, causing Jungkook to drag his feet across the ground faster.

The sound of growls behind him dulled and his vision began to blur together. Jungkook could barely feel his injured leg or see his extended arms as he reached for the wall of bushes. His body felt like it was floating and it took him a few seconds to realise that he was falling forward.

Jungkook fell through the bushes, only to slam against the ground and begin rolling down a hill. A sharp cry left his bleeding lips as he rolled and rolled- small rocks dug into his body and bushes whipped him across his exposed skin.

Jungkook landed on the bottom of the hill with a small whimper and just laid there. His body felt like it was floating above water and everything on his mind was washed away. Jungkook felt nothing but peace as he laid on the ground- his eyes barely open and his vision blurry as he stared up at the pink and orange mixing together in the sky.

"Pretty." Jungkook breathed out, his lips barely moving and his eyes barely open.

The distant sound of walkers stumbling down the hill after him didn't even register in Jungkook's mind as he continued to stare at the sky. The walkers growled and snarled, crawling towards him until one of them grabbed his arm and leaned down to sink it's teeth into his skin.

A loud gunshot echoed throughout the air, followed by the walker falling limply against Jungkook. His brows furrowed at the noise before he slowly turned his head to the side, squinting and blinking his eyes, only to tear up in relief when he saw the familiar fences of the prison a few metres away from him.

Another shot rung throughout the air, followed by a small thud right next to him. With furrowed eyebrows, Jungkook sluggishly turned his head around and just stared at the last walker stumbling towards him. The walker parted its mouth to snarl, only for something to whoosh through the air and slam into its skull. Jungkook's nose scrunched up as he watched the walker fall to the ground with a knife embedded into its forehead.

Jungkook could hear the sound of footsteps running towards him before someone crouched down next to him. The person gently took a hold of the back of his neck and tilted his head up, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut and whimper in pain.

"Shit," Taehyung cursed under his breath, gently placing Jungkook's head back down on the ground. He eyed Jungkook's injured body, ignoring the fact that he was covered in dirt and, instead, carefully slid his arms underneath him.

"Sweetheart, you're a mess." Taehyung whispered to him. Jungkook cried out in pain as Taehyung lifted him off of the ground and hoisted him higher into his arms, "Shhh. I know, I know." Taehyung murmured, turning around to dash back towards the prison.

Soft whimpers left Jungkook's chapped lips as he bounced in Taehyung's arms. Tae kept running towards the gate, dodging a few walkers and pulling Jungkook flush against his chest as the walkers reached their arms out to grab him.

Tae reached the fence and immediately ran inside as Carl slid the gate open for him. Taehyung ignored what Carl was yelling at him and just kept running towards the prison's main building.

Jungkook's face scrunched up in pain as his body kept shifting and bouncing against Taehyung. Jungkook held his breath as he lifted his heavy arms to wrap them around Taehyung's neck and cling onto him tighter. Jungkook leaned into Tae's warm chest and pressed his face against his throat, sucking in a deep breath of his natural scent.

Taehyung spared him a small glance, breathing out in relief when he saw that Jungkook wasn't dead. He shifted his grip on him, causing Jungkook to hiss when Taehyung gripped onto his injured leg too tightly.

"Sorry." Taehyung whispered to him, panting slightly as he grabbed a hold of another metal gate and harshly ripped it open.

Jungkook blinked sluggishly, his brows pinching together as he heard the unfamiliar voice. He carefully tilted his head back and just stared at Taehyung's face with a confused pout. Taehyung hoisted him higher into his arms, causing Kook to whine and cry out in pain.

"I know, I know, sorry." Taehyung winced, glancing down at Jungkook, only to see him glaring up at him through half lidded eyes, "OOF, scary." Taehyung snorted before barging into the prison's main building.

"HERSHEL!" Taehyung screamed, causing Rick and Hershel to whip their heads around to look at him.

At the sight of Jungkook laying in his arms, their eyes widened before Rick pushed everything off of the metal table, causing it to shatter to the ground, "Lay him on the table." He ordered frantically.

Taehyung ran towards the table and gently laid Jungkook on top of it. Hershel immediately ran his hands over Jungkook's body, looking for injuries and causing Jungkook to whine and shift uncomfortably.

"What happened?" Rick demanded, gently grabbing Jungkook's legs to hold him down as Hershel prodded and poked at the gun-wound in his thigh.

Taehyung ran a hand through his hair, smearing some of Jungkook's blood into it, "I found him outside of the gates like this." He breathed out, staring down at Jungkook with furrowed brows, "Who is h-"

The metal door to the main room creaked open before Daryl marched through them. The confused look on his face crumbled and he stopped walking when he caught the sight of Jungkook laying on the metal table.

Taehyung chewed on his lip and shifted on his feet, glancing at Jungkook, only to see Hershel cut off his pants to get to his gunshot wound.

"What the fuck." Daryl growled, marching towards Jungkook. He leaned over his barely conscious body and eyed his injuries, "What is this?" Daryl snapped his head towards Rick, his face looking absolutely livid.

Taehyung ignored him and looked down at Jungkook, who was crying softly and blabbering something under his breath.

"Taehyung found h-"

"What the fuck did you do to him!" Taehyung's eyes snapped towards Daryl as he raised his crossbow and marched towards him.

Taehyung took a few steps back, raising his arms in surrender, "I didn't do anything. I found him like this outside the gates." He hissed, his face hardening as he glared back at Daryl, ignoring the crossbow pointed at him.

"Bullshit!" Daryl growled, his finger inching towards the trigger.

"Stop it!" Rick grabbed Daryl's crossbow and pushed it towards the ground. He glared at both of them before nodding towards Jungkook, "It's not the time for this, you both need to help hold him down while Hershel takes the bullet out of his leg." Daryl and Taehyung both nodded, yet the latter was still wary as he walked up to the unfamiliar boy.

Jungkook's eyes were squeezed shut in pain and sharp cries of pain fell past his lips as Hershel dug his scissors into his wound to try and take out the bullet. His back arched off of the table and his hands shot out to push him away, only for someone to grab his wrists and press them against the table.

Tears rolled down Jungkook's cheeks and his lower lip wobbled as he felt more hands press against his body to hold him down. Jungkook's vision went white and a scream of agony ripped through his throat as he felt Hershel dig the scissors deeper into his wound before grabbing the bullet and swiftly pulling it out.

"Shhh, it's out." A deep, husky whisper pressed against the shell of Jungkook's ear. Shallow pants left his lips before he peeled his eyes open and looked up at the person hovering above him.

The unfamiliar Male had raven black hair that fell around his head in messy curls. His eyes were an obsidian black colour, yet they were soft and full of worry as he stared down at Jungkook. The Male had tan skin, reminding Jungkook of caramel, and his features were manly and symmetrical, reminding Jungkook of an anime character.

"Anime." Jungkook exhaled softly, wincing and hissing as he felt ripples of pain run through his leg. He cried quietly, opening his eyes yet again, only for everything to be blurry. Jungkook blinked away his tears and looked up at the stranger again, deciding to keep a close eye on him since it's the first time he saw him and he didn't trust him yet.

Jungkook's face scrunched up before his eyes dropped down to the stranger's neck and he saw a familiar compass hovering right before his eyes. A gasp tumbled out of Jungkook's lips, the pain in his leg completely forgotten as he surged towards Taehyung and grabbed the compass.

Taehyung yelped in alarm, while everyone else panicked and Hershel ordered for them to hold him down again. As Jungkook was pushed back down, he whined and curled his fingers tighter around the familiar compass, refusing to let go.

"Told you it belonged to him." Daryl grumbled, watching Jungkook cling onto the compass around Taehyung's neck.

Tae furrowed his brows in confusion before looking down at Jungkook. A small pout rested on his small lips and tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. Taehyung looked down at Kook's arm, only to freeze when he saw the blood dripping down his hand and stain the compass.

"Hershel." Taehyung called out, grabbing Jungkook's wrist softly and taking the compass off of his own neck.

Jungkook huffed and glared at him, clenching his hand tighter around the compass, only to cause more blood to pour out of the hole in his palm.

"Hey, hey, hey," Taehyung winced before softly prying Jungkook's fingers off of the compass, "It's yours, okay? All yours." Taehyung whispered, causing Jungkook to blink sluggishly and look up at him with teary eyes.

Jungkook's grip on the compass loosened, allowing Taehyung to pull it out of his hand. Yet as Jungkook tried to pull his hand back, Taehyung tightened his grip on Jungkook's wrist, not letting him pull away.

Jungkook whined, his nose scrunching up as he tried to pull away, but Taehyung merely ignored him. He grabbed the compass before sliding it into Jungkook's other hand, watching in confusion as he squeezed the thing tightly and almost instantly calmed down.

Taehyung sighed before focusing on Jungkook's injured hand and prying the fingers open. He winced at the sight of a hole in the middle of his palm, wondering how the boy didn't even react to it.

"He's lost a lot of blood." Hershel answered as if reading his thoughts. Taehyung glanced down at Jungkook, only to see him glare up at him through half-lidded eyes.

Tae's brows knitted together and he tilted his head to the side, holding Jungkook's wrist gently and staring down at him as Kook tried to glare, but his eyes kept drooping. Tae's lips twitched up before he looked up at Hershel to see that he had finished stitching up Jungkook's thigh.

"He's gonna be fine, but we have to look out for him." Hershel told Rick and Daryl while using his crushes to move over to Taehyung. He smiled down at Jungkook, who's tired gaze flickered over to him, "You're safe, Jungkook, you can close your eyes."

Taehyung allowed Hershel to take Jungkook's hand in his, to check out his injury, before he stepped off to the side. Taehyung watched as Daryl paced around the room, grumbling threats under his breath, while Rick leaned against the metal table and stared down at the ground.

Taehyung looked back towards Jungkook, only to see that his eyes were now shut and his body was relaxed. His lips were parted, allowing small puffs of air to escape through them, while his uninjured hand gripped the compass tightly.

"The compass was his?" Taehyung wondered out loud, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down at Jungkook's unconscious form.

Rick looked up from the ground, staring at Tae for a few moments before looking at Jungkook over his shoulder, "It was his mother's. He told us that he had lost it a few months back and it was the only thing he had left of her." Rick sighed and ran his eyes over Jungkook's dirt and blood covered body.

Taehyung nodded, his brows furrowing as he watched Jungkook shift around, causing his shirt to ride up and expose his stomach. Taehyung's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened when he saw splotches of green and blue.

"Rick." Taehyung murmured hesitantly, slowly approaching Jungkook to stand next to him. Daryl stopped pacing and looked at Taehyung carefully, squinting his eyes to see what he was doing.

Taehyung carefully grabbed the edge of Jungkook's loose shirt and softly lifted it up, exposing Jungkook's stomach. Rick stood up straighter and Daryl immediately walked over to the table.

Jungkook's stomach was painted in black and blue bruises, they ran from his abdomen all the way up to his chest. Some were larger and some were smaller, some were still red and developing, while others were already in a shade of green.

"I'll kill them." Daryl gritted before grabbing Jungkook's shirt and pulling it back down.

Taehyung stared at the place where Jungkook's skin used to be uncovered, his face softened and his shoulders slouched in sadness. He released a deep sigh and looked at Jungkook, watching as Hershel stitched his palm while he slept.

"I think he should kill them." Taehyung spoke up, catching Rick's and Daryl's attention.

"What?" Daryl grunted out, glaring at Taehyung in distaste.

Taehyung shrugged, eyeing Jungkook's face before looking away from him to look at Rick and Daryl, "It's obvious that...Jungkook suffered in the hands of the person who did this. That's why I'm sure he'll want to kill them himself." Taehyung explained, crossing his arms over his chest, "We shouldn't take that option away from him, because even though it hurts you to see him like this, he's the one who went through it."

⋘ ──── ∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗ ──── ⋙

After all this time, Taekook finally met. I know Jungkook wasn't fully conscious and this is kinda the teaser, because in the next chapter they'll meet properly.

This is the longest chapter I've EVER written- 12 378 words. I hope you're all satisfied and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on everything that happened in this chapter.

What are your thoughts on Marley's death?

How do you think Taekook's first proper meeting will go?

Oh, and since I was so amused while writing this chapter, I created a few memes: