#straykidsOT8

[macaroonff]

Liberation- OT8

Genre: Dystopian AU, inspired by their district 9 MV and "I AM NOT" trailer Word count: 2.2k Songs: Not!, District 9, honestly just the entire I Am Not album

Had the world failed them or did they fail this world? They’d never know. There was no way for them to find out. Mere infants wearing the mask of adults, acting upon decisions that needed more brooding; being forced to bear the brunt of brutality in its stealthiest forms.  

Generations of ignorance, decades of stagnant intent and years of escaping reality, while completely severing ties with the present. Because the present wasn’t a gratifying gift where one would find evident hints of utopia; no, it was Pandora’s box, which would release devastating ruin if opened. 

So they ignored it. Those adults, parents, major decision-makers who turned a blind eye and taught their youth to do the same. Taught them of curiosity’s cons, of humanity’s bane; that a singular symptom of irregular intrigue was reprimanded for. 

“All harm caused is all because of toxic inquisition.” they enforced

19th March 2018, 

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

“They say people were born different, but why does it feel like we’re all the same?” Chan had asked Minho, minutes after their off-the-cuff facial expression test; an evaluation that hid the faculty's smallest face of confinement.

“You shouldn’t ask such questions, they’d hurt you if they could hear you.” Minho addressed the older boy, almost panicking. They knew that curiosity killed the cat, and quite literally. Every child that was captivated by the unknown and escaped the training camp had died. Executed, without any mercy. Or by luck, if they got out safely, they’d still die of starvation. They couldn’t run away from here. “After all, it was life, and they should have to face reality with courage,” Minho had proclaimed to his seven spectators.    

“But life is just a prison for us isn’t it?” Changbin whispers softly, not meaning for the others to hear, but the silence afterward confirmed their unvoiced thoughts. And they were scared, all eight of them. They had been captives in the camp all their life as they never saw, or even heard from their parents. They were raised by fear and uncertainty, by ‘humans’ who were covered in white from head to toe, with faces hidden by daunting masks. And they had not known humans any other way, in exception of when they were in their dorm. The only place they remembered their birth names instead of the numbers they were assigned by. The only way they knew vulnerability.

21st March, 2018

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

Out of his time spent this lifetime, Yang Jeongin had no clue as to the outcome of his life. Time had become static and if he could derive any form of peace in the slow ticking of his existence, he’d sit down in the old, rusty bus at the bare plot behind. He didn’t know why it remained there when they didn’t use buses as transportation, especially since fuel wasn’t something you could find any longer. He was curious, but as they had taught him, curiosity was harmful. 

Eventually, after a long time waiting, he couldn’t deny as curiosity ultimately got the best of him. He wasn’t sure if he'd be reprimanded for touching the bus, or spending more time here than in the dorms. However he trusted the merits that he earned in the camp would ease whatever punishment he had coming for him. Leniency wasn’t something the training camp was known for, but he wanted to be curious. He wanted harm. It did make him feel guilty, but in the long run, he wouldn’t regret not fulfilling his interest. Besides, the bus wasn’t functioning. It wouldn’t be a problem.

It was functioning.

The engine roared ,being awoken from its period of  dormancy once he shifted the first gear, his legs already on the brakes. And this startled him, not because it was loud, but because it worked almost as smoothly as it would’ve if it were new. But Yang Jeongin had never touched a bus before, nor did he want to touch it again.

He didn’t want to expect anything from this wreck of a vehicle. He wiped off his fingerprints from the workings of the bus before leaving to his dorm in a hurry, the footsteps of the surveillance teams approaching the plot getting louder. He never wanted to entertain curiosity again.

The dorm was silent once the younger had reported his findings to the other seven spectators. There were mixed reactions at first but they knew not to be too loud, whatever they did, they couldn’t attract attention from the inspectors. That way Jeongin might be saved from vile scrutiny and sentence.

The silence only amplified their shifting eyes as they scanned each other to determine the common ground. And they were all thinking the same. It was the first time hope emerged in the corner of their locked lives and hearts. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for escape. It was a sign, an omen, a glitch.

“We’re all thinking the same thing aren’t we?” Felix speaks up, his voice deeper than usual following the gravity of their frantic, untamed thoughts. 

“We can’t endanger ourselves any further,” Hyunjin opposed.

“But if we run away, we’ll be safer.” Jisung supported the idea.

“Not really, not with the lack of supplies we can gather.” Changbin relents

“What if I told you I’m in charge of the warehouse in 3 days.” Seungmin speaks up for the first time.

As a student representative, he was allowed different responsibilities, he was allowed access to things others could dream of. All because he seemed to tolerate best of what others couldn’t. The policies, the rules of this hellish place, all because he was unlike what others thought of him, good at misleading authorities. It was his wildest dream, Kim Seungmin’s to get out here and find a parallel, healthier way of living. 

The others were shocked at his willingness to help, and for a minute, Minho couldn’t trust him. Lee Minho admired Seungmin. How he could hide his emotions from the superiors despite waking up to his tear stained pillows. Minho would know, he shared the top bunk.

He would stay awake listening to the younger’s muffled sobs as he lay there looking at the revolving  fan. He observed how Seungmin wiped the tears away when it was morning and dried his crusty eyes. How he soullessly carried the duties of Student Representative. How he completed his tasks like they didn’t hurt him.  How he would do anything to hold onto whatever power he had, and how he effectively used it. But why was he, who had worked so hard, ready to give it up so easily? Had Seungmin reached his breaking point? With what courage, or the lack thereof did he want to help?

Lee Minho could only wonder, and Lee Minho could only hope it was sincere. As he foretold, trust was all that kept them rational in times of dishonesty.

24th March,2018

21:45 hours

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

It was past dinner as the students had retired back to the dorms. It was Han Jisung who was on night duty this time. Out of the eight, he was the only other one who was eligible for night duty, Seungmin of course handling all the data that he could gather before they broke out.

He was nervous, Han Jisung had never imagined that he would participate in something as exhilarating. He was always afraid of being labelled a rebel or troublemaker. But a troublemaker he would be, if it meant freedom, especially as his role was crucial to the seven others in order to escape. He had to make sure no one was left behind, and that no one would be caught in the crucial 10 minutes that they had. Ten minutes to hack the system, open all the gates, trap the inspectors and guards all before they get on the bus. 

Seungmin was already at the warehouse where he found some cash, stores of dry food, spare clothes and masks. He was also able to retrieve the key to the monitoring room and handed it over to Hyunjin.

Hyunjin respected Seungmin's capabilities but wasted no time in hurrying to the room. He was disguised in the same outfit that the staff would wear, the garments also found in the warehouse. Hyunjin was in awe the moment he entered the room. It was four times larger than their insufferable dorm, the interiors plain but the big screens that greeted him seemed hostile. He could see every site in the vast campus. He was also aware that there was a traitor in the room who proved his ally. From what he suspected, it was the boy in the middle of all the other  staff. His hood was half pen, his dark hair in plain view. His head was the only one that stood high, the rest of them passed out against the desk. That was when Hyunjin realised they were unconscious. The surveillance team wouldn’t disturb him.

“Glad that you made it on time Hyunjin, all the best with your break out.” 

The boy turned around, giving him a small smile. Something he hadn’t seen in ages. 

“What’s your name? Why are you helping us?”

“If I told you, I might die.” with that the stranger left, his footsteps softly landing against the floor. 

Hyunjin was curious, but he had no time to thank the good samaritan. Nothing could go amiss. He speedily gathered all the data he could before breaking into the lock systems of the place.

As they had estimated, it would take about two hours for him to finish his research, which would be by 11:45 pm. He would only have five minutes to gather where the bus was parked. He was rushed, but confident and soon he’d be able to do his part in this mission.

24th March 2018,

22:50 hours

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

Felix had received all the maps he could from Hyunjin in brisk trips to the monitor room. He was disturbed and confronted about five times by certain guards but he was able to knock them off with his taekwondo skills. He never thought he’d need them but was glad he could contribute anyhow. Back at the dorm, Chan was arranging them so that they could gather whatever little they knew about the outside world. They had two stops that guaranteed safety.

A barren field where they could camp in case they were close to being found, or a deserted tunnel to hide the big vehicle. Chan did prefer the tunnel than being out in the open to be caught by hollow civilians. They also had very little fuel and the tunnel was closest to the campus. There were risks to both the places but they also had to be efficient with whatever resources they could salvage. But more important was that they could get out. Hyunjin had only been able to unlock two out of the five main gates that protected the campus. He had done all that in an hour. His rate of breaking through was less than expected and they gathered they’d send Minho to help. 

24th March,2018

23:30 hours

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

Changbin was near the parking lot where the bus was parked. Han Jisung was nearby, looking around to make sure no one could see him. Everyone was in the recognisable all white costume that covered their faces. They were inconspicuous regardless of whoever saw them. From what he heard from the receivers, Minho and Hyunjin had broken through all the gates. Now they had to wait for Jeongin to ring the alarm before they all left for good.

24th March,2018

23:45 hours

The 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

He was in charge of distraction. The minute he rang the fire alarm, and everyone gathered on the main lawn according to the safety procedure, they would leave through the back gate. 

If they were to be discovered within that time, they might be executed. So the burden fell on Jeongin’s young shoulders; rather, he chose the burden. He was no stranger to fear but for once he wanted to befriend courage. He was almost an adult, and he wanted to help the only family he had known.

With trembling hands he broke the glass that concealed the red button before pressing on it as the corridor lights blared red following the sound that signalled the beginning of their final step. He heard the doors opening and closing as people ran around in panic. Only that he ran in the opposite direction to where the rest would be.

In three minutes, all of them had boarded the bus except Hyunjin and Minho who had a long way to come from the monitor room. They did make it another minute as Minho quickly took the driver’s seat and stepped on the pedal. The engine roared in vitality, despite being muffled by that of the alarm as the wheels spun after forever. 

They were close. So very close to leaving. 

By the time the guns were being fired at them, they were three quarters over the wide road near the back door. Hyunjin was glad he had disabled the bigger weapons structured near the entry and changed the password of all the gates before they could leave.

The eight of them watched in glory, as they found liberation in carving a new way for themselves. Regardless of whether they had failed, the world had failed them, they only looked towards success, even if it may be short lived.

25th March, 2018

00:01 hours

Outside the 23rd Youth Training Camp, Seoul 

They had survived.

[bangchanswipey]

minsung is an op duooo