The damp basement walls bore witness to unspeakable horrors, their cold surfaces stained with the marks of abuse and fear. Dim light flickered from a single, weak bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the concrete floor. In one corner, the muffled sobs of a child cut through the oppressive silence, each sound growing weaker, fading into hopelessness.

Jungkook's small frame lay crumpled, his thin body shaking with fear and pain. His clothes, tattered and dirt-streaked, clung to his skin, soaking up the sweat that coated his trembling body. He flinched with every movement, even as he lay still on the hard ground, his breathing ragged. His tear-streaked face was hidden behind messy strands of black hair, though his eyes—wide with terror—were glued to the towering figure before him.

A man, whose presence filled the room with dread, loomed over him. His fists were still clenched, and his breathing came in short, angry bursts. He was a brute of a man, large and imposing, the veins in his neck bulging with rage. His eyes glinted with malice, and a sick satisfaction seemed to dance behind them as he surveyed the damage he had done. The children who watched, frozen in fear, knew him only as *the man*. They had never dared ask for his name, for it was not the name that mattered—only the cruelty he carried with him.

The man's fist had come down on Jungkook like a hammer, his strikes filled with a hatred that the boy could neither understand nor escape. The younger children, too scared to move, stood huddled together in the far corner, their eyes wide with terror. None dared speak, none dared intervene.

Except Jin.

"Stop it! Please stop!" Jin's voice cracked with desperation as he threw himself forward, his arms outstretched in a futile attempt to shield Jungkook from another blow. His face was pale, his body trembling not only from fear but from the sheer hopelessness of the situation. Behind him, Jisoo followed, her hands trembling as she clung to Jin's arm, trying to pull him back before the man's wrath turned on him too.

But the man's fury was unrelenting. He shoved Jin aside as if he were nothing, sending him sprawling to the floor with a thud that reverberated in the children's ears. Jisoo, despite her own terror, rushed to Jin's side, pulling him back with shaking hands.

"You can't—" Jin began, but the words caught in his throat as the man raised his fist one last time. The sickening thud echoed through the basement as it connected with Jungkook's frail body. The boy's small frame shuddered and then went limp, his whimpering reduced to weak, shallow breaths. For a moment, it seemed as though the world had stopped.

The man, breathing heavily, looked down at the lifeless form of Jungkook with disdain. His eyes scanned the room, and the children shrank back in fear, none daring to meet his gaze. He spat on the ground, a sneer curling his lip as he finally turned and stormed out of the basement, slamming the heavy door behind him.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Jisoo was the first to move. She scrambled across the cold floor, her heart pounding in her chest as she knelt beside Jungkook. "Kookie...?" Her voice was barely a whisper, her hand trembling as it reached out to touch his cheek. His skin was cold, far too cold, and her stomach twisted with fear. "Noona's here," she whispered, though her voice was thick with tears. "Kookie, wake up, please."

But Jungkook's eyes remained closed. His chest rose and fell in uneven, shallow breaths, and his tiny body lay limp beneath her hands. The other children gathered closer, their faces pale with fear and confusion. Rose, her wide eyes filled with tears, clung to Jisoo's arm. "Unnie, what's wrong with Kookie?" Her voice cracked, her small body trembling. "Why won't he wake up?"

Jisoo swallowed hard, her mind racing for answers. She didn't know what to say, didn't know how to ease the fear that was gripping all of them. She could barely hold herself together. "He's just tired, Rosie," she whispered, trying to steady her voice. "He's going to be okay."

But even as she said the words, doubt gnawed at her insides.

Jin, rubbing his bruised arm, stood frozen for a moment, staring at Jungkook's limp form on the floor. His mind raced, searching for something—anything—they could do. But the reality of their situation crashed down on him. They were trapped. No one was coming to save them. They had no one to turn to but themselves.

Yoongi, one of the older boys, stepped forward, his eyes frantic. "Hyung, we have to do something!" His voice was high-pitched, tinged with panic. "Kookie's not—he's not okay."

Jin turned, his face pale. "I know, Suga, I know." His voice trembled with uncertainty, but he forced himself to stay calm. He had to. For the younger kids. For Kookie.

The basement was silent except for the sound of Jungkook's labored breathing. Jisoo knelt beside him, her fingers brushing through his sweat-dampened hair, whispering soft reassurances even though her heart was heavy with fear.

"There's one thing we could try," Jin muttered, his voice low, almost as if he was speaking to himself. His eyes darkened with doubt as he considered the possibility.

"What is it?" Jisoo asked, her eyes wide with desperation. "Tell us."

Jin hesitated for a moment, his mind racing through the consequences, the risks. But as he glanced down at Jungkook's frail form, his decision became clear. "We could escape," he said softly. The word hung in the air, heavy with both fear and hope.

The other children exchanged glances, their faces pale. Escape had always been a distant, almost impossible dream. A flicker of hope in their darkest moments, but nothing more. The man had made it clear they were his, trapped under his control.

"How?" Yoongi asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jin took a deep breath, the weight of the plan pressing down on his shoulders. "He goes out tonight," he said. "Dinner with his friends. That's when we'll run."

The room fell silent once again as the reality of what Jin was suggesting sank in. The children knew the risks. The punishment for trying to escape would be brutal, and if they were caught... they didn't want to imagine what would happen. But looking down at Jungkook, lying broken on the floor, they realized they had no choice.

Jisoo's hand tightened around Kookie's. "Okay," she whispered, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "We'll try."

The children huddled together, their hearts pounding in unison as the weight of the plan settled over them. They had no guarantee of success, no promise of safety, but as they looked at each other—at the bruises, the scars, and the terror that had defined their lives—they knew one thing for sure.

This was their only chance.

Tonight, they would run.

To be continued 

Word count : 1180

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