Through Their Eyes

[love_stripes]

Title: Through Their Eyes [Stolen]
Pairing: Yoosu
Chapter: 1/?
Genre: Angst
Rating: R
Warning/s: Violence, Swearing
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: But... Imagine yourself...

[Note: I make no promises about my ability to continue/finish this. I will try, but no promises. Comments welcomed.]

I will... never forget that day.

--

The wind whipped through the air, pulling Junsu’s heavy coat tight against his body as if trying to rip the secure fabric away from him. He shoved his hands deep in the pockets, shivering despite the multiple layers of clothing. It seemed that regardless of the season the ocean was always like this, harsh and cold. Junsu knew little of either reality, but he loved visiting his uncle and the island* where he lived.

Truthfully Junsu himself was not much of a fisherman, but he never turned down the invitation to go out on the water. He loved the feeling of forever that the endless waves and open ocean gave him, and he was fortunate enough to not suffer from sea sickness, something that could pose quite a problem on a boat that rocked and swayed as much as his uncle’s. The creaking and groaning caused by the constant motion might have made the stability of the ship seem questionable, but this had never bothered Junsu. The day was overcast, white-grey clouds covering the sky. Although it was not raining, the spray from the sea leapt up over the sides of the small fishing vessel enough that Junsu’s coat was covered in little droplets. He sat by the edge, staring out at the water thoughtfully, ignoring his slightly soaked clothes.

“So what did you say your brother was up to? I feel like I haven’t seen him in years! That boy always has some excuse not to come see me.” Junsu looked up at the familiar voice of his uncle, shaken from his thoughts.

“He’s attending a special summer program to study for the university entrance exam. He wanted to come though.” He answered automatically. It was true that Junho rarely was able to make the trip out to visit. He’d only been about half as many times as Junsu. As much as his brother cared for their uncle, Junsu was sure his frequent absence had something to do with his dislike of fishing.

“Entrance exams huh? What about you? Shouldn’t you be studying too?” Junsu smiled sheepishly.

“Well… I already got accepted on a sports scholarship.” His uncle smiled, giving him a teasing look.

“All play and no work aren’t you? I wonder whose side of the family that comes from. Certainly not your mother’s.” Junsu just smiled. He knew he would never be able to boast the same perfect grades as his brother, but he loved soccer and was content enough to focus on that. Life had always been very simple and easy for Junsu.

But that was about to change.

“Kim?” Junsu’s uncle looked up, sending his comrade a questioning look. “There’s a strange boat approaching from the port side.” The speaker’s voice was laced with an anxious undertone, full of forced calm. Instantly Junsu’s uncle’s face became serious, worry lines appearing on his forehead. Junsu frowned at the change.

“What kind of strange boat?” His comrade shook his head, turning and pointing back toward the other side of the boat. He opened his mouth, perhaps to say something important, perhaps only to verbally explain his gesture, but the words never came. The silence was stuffed instead with a sound that was foreign to Junsu’s ears. The hollow bang of a gunshot, followed by the thud of his uncle’s fellow fisherman collapsing onto the deck. Junsu’s eyes widened in utter shock, his mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened, but his uncle didn’t give him the time to sort out his thoughts. He felt himself being grabbed roughly by the arm and dragged to the top of the stairs leading bellow deck. Chaos had erupted all around as more gunshots rang through the air and the other fishermen abruptly scattered. As Junsu was pulled hurriedly down the stairs he could hear the sound of bodies hitting the deck above, the splash of others leaping or falling into the icy waters.

As his uncle rushed beside him down the steps he tripped over his feat, sending himself tumbling to the ground at the base. He cried out in pain but his uncle spared not a second to check if he’d injured himself. He grabbed his nephew by the arms and hoisted him up roughly, shoving him ahead once more. Junsu wanted to ask what was going on, but he couldn’t get the words out. Everything was happening so fast, and suddenly he found himself being pushed into a crawlspace, his uncle dragging a box to disguise the newly created hiding place.

“Stay here Junsu. No matter what, just stay here. Don’t make a sound.”

“Uncle what-“

“Not a word.” His uncle interrupted firmly, his voice sounding calm and controlled though currents of fear ran underneath. Junsu’s eyes were wide, his hearing heightened by the rush of adrenaline enough to make out the shouting and shooting on the deck above. He blinked and his uncle was suddenly gone from view. Fear overtook him and he struggled to turn about in the small space he’d somehow fit into. No matter how he maneuvered he couldn’t seem to get a view of anything. Pain lanced up his leg as he shifted once more, and he literally bit back a cry of pain as what was likely a sprain in his ankle made itself known. Blood trickled down his lip and he felt tears of frustration brim at his eyes. What was going on? He started to look up and froze at the sound of footsteps hammering down the stairs.

“Look around, search everywhere. There are probably some hiding down here.” Junsu’s heart must have been pounding a mile a minute in his chest. Where had his uncle gone? Who were these people? The language was familiar but the accent…

“Get off of me! Off!”

“Here’s one!” Junsu’s eyes widened further as a small commotion signaled that his uncle’s hiding place had been discovered. There were the sounds of a scuffle and a stray bullet ricocheted off the cabin wall with a loud clanging sound.

“Shut up old man!” The sound of something - a fist? Or the butt of a gun? - connecting with flesh was clear despite the rest of the noise. His uncle made no more protests, merely coughing painfully. “Bring him up with the others.”

“Are we done down here?”

“I’m the only one left, you murderers have killed everyone else.” The remark was strained, and the attempt to dissuade further searching was futile.

“I thought I said shut up!”

“You know what, we don’t need this one.” Another gunshot rang out, and Junsu’s cry caught in his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to pretend he was anywhere but there. It didn’t work. “Search every corner, and make it quick.” He listened as his uncle’s body crumpled to the floor and the sound of footsteps drew nearer. He could hear things being sifted through and shuffled around. There must have been several men looking. He prayed with all he had that they wouldn’t find him, but in his heart he just knew that even God would be powerless now.

Not a second later the box was kicked roughly aside and a tanned face appeared much too close for comfort.

“There’s one more here! I knew there would be more of you bastards.” Foreign hands reached in and grabbed him, yanking him out despite his attempts to resist. He had nothing to hold onto and so when he realized his efforts were pointless he lashed out instead, kicking and squirming, trying to reach the man’s face with his fist.

“Let- me- go-“ He struggled with the man, and for the briefest of seconds he thought he might be winning. But oh how wrong he was.

“Why you little- fuck it.” The man pulled away and the horrifying click of the gun being cocked and loaded assaulted Junsu’s ears. “Try that one more time and you can die right here with the rest of your pathetic fisher friends. Now get the fuck up.” Junsu looked up into the man’s eyes, right down the barrel of the gun, and felt fear flood his entire being. He was torn. He couldn’t go with these men, whoever they were. They killed his uncle, he couldn’t go with them. But he wasn’t ready to die. He was too much of a coward for that. He pushed himself up slowly, all the while being followed by the cold metal stare of the gun, the hard eyes of the stranger holding it.

“Now move it.” The gun was jerked in the direction of the stairs. Junsu took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself, trying not to let his gaze drift down to his uncle’s body, trying not to see… The gun made contact with his back and he stumbled forward, once again biting back a gasp of pain. “I said move it.” The man reiterated. Junsu walked ahead of him, up the stairs and back out into the daylight. He didn’t want to know, he didn’t want to see. This was unreal. This was a dream. This was a nightmare. This…

The boat was strewn with bodies, the water full of them. He told himself not to look, but he couldn’t hold back his painfully curious eyes. A small group of the remaining fishermen had been huddled together at the edge of the boat, 4 or 5 of the original 12, and were being forced across onto the foreign vessel that had pulled up alongside them. Junsu was herded along with the group, the last one. A man grabbed him and searched him, locating his cell phone and smashing it against the wet wood of the deck. He knew better by now than to resist. As he reached the edge he contemplated once more - should he refuse? Should he let himself be killed here? The butt of the gun connected with his back once more and he fell forward onto the other deck. A waiting stranger grabbed him as he fell and pushed him along after the others, barely letting him stay on his feet. When he lifted his eyes again he found himself facing the rest of the fishermen, their eyes full of horror. He turned around abruptly just as a large metal door was slammed in his face, the lock clicking into place with a sickening metallic clang.

Looking beyond the bars Junsu could finally fully take in the men - no the soldiers - who had captured them. He felt like he was staring at characters from some sort of fantasy storybook, some sort of horror fable. Once again he found himself thinking this couldn’t be real. This couldn’t happen. But there was no denying what his perfect eyesight proved.

He was standing in a metal box, caged like an animal, imprisoned by North Korean soldiers.

--

* BaengNyeongDo Island 백령도 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baekryong_location_2.svg]