The Digger

I’m looking….but for what?

“씨발, Are you ok?” Holding on to the edge of the rock, my pulse quickens as each chip falls, and I look at the little girl I managed to grab just before she fell. Tears adorn the corners of her eyes; she is terrified.

“I won't drop you! I promise!” I try to reassure her while tightening my grip. Shit, how do I explain to a child who is dangling off a cliff that she will not fall?

“Please,” Her voice shakes from terror. ‘Come on, Ji-ho, pull her up.’ My body aches all over; I took a nasty fall. I am not sure what exactly happened. I just know at some point that I started falling. I ended up landing on my back…hard. I am surprised that I did not break my spine. I did not have an opportunity to register my pain before I saw the girl in question falling.

“Don’t let go! Come on, keep holding on!” Slowly, I bring her up to my chest, letting her wrap her little limbs around me; I feel her tears seep through my shirt. I managed to evade any sharp rocks that could pierce her skin; my skin was not lucky one by one. Sharp edge by sharp edge, I get higher and higher.

I manage to calm my voice just enough, not scare her.

“Can you climb, 여동생?” All I get in turn is a shaky nod, as I bring her to the top of the edge. I watch as she moves her weight to her hands and pushes herself over the edge, just in time, as my grip is slowly failing me. I'm starting to slip.

“Shit,” my grip fails me as I start to fall, losing the edge in the process.

Not yet, come on… Come on!! ‘Sansin, mountain spirit, I ask of you to let me survive this; please, I need to stay with this child…’ I won't let her be alone here. I’ll keep her safe, I’ll keep her with me; just let me protect the innocent life of this child.’

“Granted”

“Yes!” I manage to get the hold of the ledge again and start pulling myself up. I keep climbing until I can see the little girl's face, and then I push myself up over the ledge. As I am almost all the way up, I feel her grab on my shirt, trying to help me up.

Once I finally got up, I did not even get the chance to thank her for helping when she instantly broke down. I hold her as I let her cry in my arms.

“Youre ok…i wont let you go”

“Promise?” Her voice is soft….trembling and shaking as she asks me to swear

Smiling softly, I answer her, my voice matching hers “Promise. I will always be here for you.”

I don’t know what she is going through or how she will get through this ... all I know is that I am not leaving her alone.

I am not leaving anyone, especially her, behind…

I feel eyes all on us as we explore the area. We managed to find more people here ... ..not many alive.I cover her eyes any time i see one up ahead but she's a child and they tend to be more perceptive than me.

“Hye-jin close your eyes for me ok?”

“But-”

“Please, 인형”

Her voice lowers almost inaudible as she agrees “.....ok” She closes her little eyes as we turn the corner. I lift her into my arms just as she buries her head in my chest.

The bittersweet smell of blood floods our senses. Despite knowing the smell I know she still doesn't like it.Her tears soak my chest. She hates the smell.

“It's ok” I try to reassure her as I step over bodies…Seoul…the worst possible place for a situation like this. So many people…tourists and born who all met the same fate. My chest tightens as I keep walking, tears run down my cheeks as I take in the people around me. Just a few minutes ago they were smiling and laughing.

I didn't notice Hye-jin lift her head until I felt her hand wipe my tears away.

“Dont cry…its not your fault” she mutters as she continues looking at me. Not like I would let her be witness to the carnage around us.

“I know it's not but it still hurts not out of fault but out of compassion, they did not deserve this, they were happy” My heart aches for the people who felt like they were at the peak of their life only for it to be stripped away in a matter of seconds. Finally clearing the place I set her down.

“Lets keep walking 여동생” I keep my voice steady as I grab her hand guiding her away from the place, mentally telling myself to come back and give them a proper burial when she is asleep.

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