The gray and dark clouds consumed everything.
Near the edge of consciousness, a room.
Double bunk bed.
White sheets at the top.
A thin, tall, pale boy with short black hair curled up on the bottom bunk, baggy eyes shut, lips cracked, breathing shallow.
Underneath, on the lower bunk across, brown and black hair spread across the pillow, short, pale skin red to the touch, breathing ragged, eyes also shut, with a touch of unease.
Consumed by the darkness of the room.
Then—
An explosion.
Sudden.
Loud.
Then another.
Rapid explosions—one after another after another.
They both shot up.
Eyes wide.
Confusion.
Smoke.
Fire.
Noise.
Explosives going off like thunderstorms inside the room.
They looked around.
A shadow stood in the midst of the chaos.
They could tell by the silhouette alone.
Chi-Long.
Black ponytail moving in the smoke.
Red and black tracksuit.
Red lips emerging from the haze.
She spoke.
"Drop down."
Confusion.
"Push-ups. Go."
Ha Joon dropped immediately.
Started doing push-ups.
Explosions.
Noise.
Smoke.
He kept going.
His arms shook.
His chest felt like it was about to explode.
His vision blurred.
The lights grew brighter.
The noise louder.
His ears started ringing.
Pain.
Noise.
He couldn't stop.
Beside him, Eun Byol did her push-ups.
Faster.
Sharper.
More focused.
Bandages still wrapped around her wrists.
As she moved, blood started to seep through.
The white fabric turned pink.
Then red.
But she pushed on.
Ha Joon looked at the floor.
Clean concrete.
Then it changed.
Mud.
Spreading.
Consuming the whole floor.
He heard a voice.
"Good. Now get up and run."
Chi-Long.
---
Rain.
Heavy.
Wind.
Ha Joon got up.
Started running.
Black T-shirt.
Black shorts.
Black shoes.
He ran.
Eun Byol was in front of him.
Chi-Long farther ahead.
Not too far.
He ran.
His body felt like it was about to break apart.
But he kept going.
The rain grew stronger.
*Clump.*
*Clump.*
*Clump.*
His feet hit the mud.
Sank.
Burst free like a cannon.
A giant tractor tire appeared in front of them.
Massive.
Black.
Chi-Long's voice cut through the rain.
"Move it."
Ha Joon grabbed the tire.
Tried to flip it.
His muscles screamed.
He gritted his teeth.
Pushed.
Flipped it.
It landed with a heavy thud.
He grabbed it again.
Flipped it.
Again.
And again.
And again.
His hands burned.
His arms shook.
His vision blurred.
He slipped in the mud.
Tried to flip it again.
The rain pushed against him.
He fell.
The mud welcomed him.
His body shook.
He looked at the tire.
It kept spinning.
Moving.
He grabbed it.
Looked at Chi-Long.
She was watching.
Always watching.
He got up.
Flipped the tire again.
Succeeded.
---
He reached a field of barbed wire.
Eun Byol was already halfway through.
He tried to catch up.
Moved faster.
Dropped to the ground.
Crawled under the wire.
On his knees.
On his elbows.
The wire cut into him.
Slowly.
He tried to move faster.
Under the barbed wire.
All he saw was black and mud.
His breathing became shallow.
Heavy.
The T-shirt on his back tore.
His elbows.
His thighs.
Small cuts everywhere.
He got out.
Stood.
Ran again.
---
A giant pole.
Oil and grease covered it.
He tried to climb.
His hands slipped.
He fell.
Tried again.
Slipped.
Fell.
Again.
Again.
Finally, he made it to the top.
Dropped down.
Ran.
---
He saw Eun Byol ahead.
Wearing a green bag.
Climbing a wall with two ropes.
Wooden.
At the top, she dropped down.
Put the bag down.
Ran.
Beside the wall, another green bag.
Ha Joon grabbed it.
Put it on.
The weight pressed down on his shoulders.
Heavy.
He climbed.
Arms burning.
Legs shaking.
He reached the top.
Dropped down.
Put the bag down.
Ran.
---
He gave it everything.
Finally caught up.
He saw Eun Byol.
Chi-Long stood beside her.
"Drop down."
They dropped.
More push-ups.
The rain did not stop.
Ha Joon's arms trembled.
His chest scraped against the mud.
Eun Byol moved beside him.
Mechanical.
Precise.
Her wrists bled through the bandages.
But she didn't stop.
Ha Joon didn't stop.
They pushed.
And pushed.
And pushed.
The rain fell.
The mud pooled.
And they kept going.
Because that's what they did.
That's what they were.
The rain hammered down.
Chi-Long watched.
Silent.
Unmoving.
Perfect.
And they kept pushing.