ECHOES OF DESPAIR: RETURN TO THE WHITE HOSPITAL

The room fell into a heavy silence after Charyeong’s frantic question, the weight of uncertainty hanging over them all. Everyone sat still, unsure of what to say or how to move forward. The gravity of Boram's words had left a palpable tension in the air, and for a moment, no one dared to speak. It was Eunhye, of all people, who finally broke the silence.

"I know what to do," she said quietly, her voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere.

Minji turned toward her, her brow furrowing in confusion. Eunhye was usually reserved, not one to speak up without thinking, so when she said this, there was an unusual certainty in her tone. The others looked to her as well, intrigued and cautious.

"What do you mean, Eunhye?" Minji asked, her voice hesitant but hopeful.

Eunhye took a deep breath, steadying herself as she prepared to share something that had been on her mind for a while now. She wasn’t sure if it would be enough to give them hope, but it was the only option she could think of. "The group of doctors in Seoul," she began, her words slow but clear. "They’ve been working on something. You know, the ones who tried to harm us. They might be all that but we still have a chance of using them to help us."

Boram’s eyes narrowed slightly as she processed Eunhye’s words. "Doctors? In Seoul? Do you really think they can still do something after all this time?" Her skepticism was evident, but there was a flicker of hope in her voice that hadn’t been there before.

Eunhye nodded, her expression resolute. "I do. These doctors were able to create zombies identical to our friends, and they managed to stay safe all this time, hiding out in the city. If we get to them, they might have a solution, or at least a plan."

The group went silent, each of them contemplating the possibility that Eunhye’s suggestion could be their last chance. There was so much uncertainty, so much risk, but the idea of a potential cure, or even a way out, was too strong to ignore.

Boram stood up from where she had been sitting and turned to face Eunhye, her face serious. "Alright," she said, her voice firm and resolute. "We’ll try this option too. If it’s the only thing we have left, then we’re going to give it everything we’ve got."

Eunhye gave a small nod, her eyes shining with determination. "We’ll take you to them," she said. "We’ll go to Seoul with you since we know where they are,"

The group gathered their things, preparing for the journey ahead. Boram, now leading the way, gestured toward the others to follow. "Get ready. We’ll leave as soon as possible."

Minji, Sae Joon Hyun, Yuri, and Jaeyeon exchanged looks, silently agreeing on what needed to be done. They had no time to waste; this might be their last hope. With quick, deliberate movements, they gathered their gear and made their way toward the exit.

Boram, with her gun at the ready, led the way out of the building, her expression hard but focused. She had no illusions about how dangerous the journey would be, but she trusted Eunhye’s conviction. It was their best shot, and she wasn’t about to turn back now.

As they moved through the darkened hallways of the building, their footsteps were the only sound that broke the silence. The city outside was nothing more than a wasteland now, filled with the echoes of a time long past. But in this moment, there was a flicker of something—perhaps it was hope, perhaps a renewed sense of purpose. They didn’t know what awaited them in Seoul, but they had to try.

Behind them, the rest of the group remained in the building, waiting. Charyeong, Karthik, Meher, and the others exchanged glances, the uncertainty of the situation written on their faces. They couldn’t go with them—not yet. They didn't want to be obstacles.

As Boram, Eunhye, Sae Joon Hyun, Yuri, and Jaeyeon made their way toward Seoul, the rest of the group settled in for a long wait. The air was thick with anxiety, but there was nothing they could do except trust that their friends would return with something that could turn the tide of this nightmare.

The rumble of the jeep’s engine filled the otherwise quiet air as it bounced along the uneven road, cutting through the deserted countryside between Incheon and Seoul. The vehicle, a rugged off-road jeep that had seen better days, belonged to Boram, and it was the only means of transportation for their journey. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, thick with uncertainty. The small group of survivors sat, each lost in their thoughts, their bodies cramped in the back of the jeep.

Boram, driving at the wheel with a firm grip, cast occasional glances into the rearview mirror. The road ahead was mostly clear, but every creak of the vehicle and every shadow that passed through the corner of her eye made her uneasy. She’d spent too many years working in the counter-terrorism unit, facing death and danger, but this situation felt different—more dangerous, more unpredictable.

Eunhye sat next to her, her eyes scanning the horizon, still unsure about this plan, but there was no turning back now. The risk was enormous, but so was their desperation. Beside her, Yuri sat still, her hands gripping the edge of the seat, her mind racing. She thought about the doctors, the same ones who had once tried to harm them—who had twisted their lives into nightmares, and now they were their only hope. But the memories of the white building, the sterile corridors, the sound of doors slamming shut behind them, and the cold eyes of those doctors haunted her thoughts.

Sae Joon Hyun, ever the strategist, was the most vocal about his concerns. He leaned forward, his voice low but firm, breaking the silence that had lingered. “We can’t be too sure of ourselves,” he said, his voice carrying a sense of urgency. “The doctors might already know we’re coming. They might be tracking us right now. They might even find us first.”

Boram's eyes flickered to the rearview mirror again. “I’m aware,” she replied, her tone sharp. “That’s why we need to move fast. We can’t afford to be too cautious, not now.”

Jaeyeon, sitting beside Sae Joon Hyun, shifted uncomfortably, her body pressed against the jeep’s side as she looked out at the ever-changing landscape. The once-bustling roads and neighborhoods of Incheon and Seoul were now desolate and empty. She thought back to the last time they had crossed these borders—the way everything had felt so different then, so full of promise and safety. Now, it felt like a different world entirely.

The air inside the jeep felt thick with tension, each of them reflecting on their past encounters with the doctors. Those same doctors had been responsible for so much suffering—transforming innocent people into zombies, creating monsters that looked like their loved ones. They had tried to trap them, manipulate them, and it was impossible to forget the horrors they’d endured in that sterile, white building.

But now, as much as they hated the idea, they had no other choice. The researchers who had worked tirelessly to find a cure had all turned into zombies themselves, the national center that once held the key to salvation was now a wasteland. The people they had once trusted were gone, and the ones who might still hold some answers were the same ones who had caused so much pain. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was the only hope they had left.

As the jeep approached the outskirts of Seoul, the skyline of the city began to emerge in the distance. The towering buildings, once symbols of prosperity and life, now loomed like dark giants, their windows empty and their streets abandoned. A chill ran through Eunhye as she gazed at the city they had fled just hours ago, only to return now with no choice but to confront their past.

“We’re here,” Boram said, her voice tight. She slowed the jeep, maneuvering it carefully through the empty streets of the city. Every turn felt like a betrayal, every street they passed seemed to echo with the memories of their captivity.

Sae Joon Hyun, his eyes scanning the streets, seemed lost in thought. He knew the way to the white building. He had memorized the path, the back alleys, the shortcuts they had taken during their escape. It felt like only hours ago that they had run from this city—now, they were back, almost as if the time between their departure and their return had never happened. The same buildings stood, the same streets stretched before them, but everything was different. The fear that once gripped their hearts had been replaced with the hard reality of survival.

“We’re getting close,” Sae Joon Hyun said, his voice steady. “I can feel it.”

Jaeyeon nodded in agreement, but her stomach tightened at the thought of the white hospital building. She remembered the cold, clinical feel of the place, the sterile corridors that had once felt like a trap. It had been a prison for them, a place where their bodies had been tested, their lives manipulated. She didn’t know what awaited them now, but she had no choice but to move forward.

Boram pulled the jeep to a stop at the intersection near the white hospital. The building loomed ahead, its once-impressive facade now cracked and decaying. The windows were dark, the doors shut tight. No signs of life—just like the rest of the city. But the memories of their time there still lingered, and now they were about to walk back into that very nightmare.

“This is it,” Boram said, her voice low. She turned to face the others in the jeep, her eyes filled with resolve. “We go in, we find the doctors, and we get what we need. We have no choice.”

Eunhye took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. She had never wanted to return here, never wanted to face those doctors again. But now, as much as she hated it, this was the only path left to them.

The group exited the jeep, weapons in hand, their faces set with determination. The weight of the decision they had made was heavy, but there was no turning back. Every step they took toward the white building felt like they were walking back into a place of torment, a place where they had once been helpless. But now, they had the power to change their fate.

“We’ll stick together,” Boram ordered. “Stay sharp.”

They moved forward, their footsteps echoing on the silent streets of Seoul. Their journey was far from over, and the danger they faced was immense. But with each step, they clung to the hope that this time, they could turn the tide. They didn’t know if they would succeed, or if the doctors would even help them—but they had no other choice. This was the only hope they had left.

The doors of the white hospital loomed before them, cold and unforgiving.