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IVY.

“I cannot abandon my blood. For it is my identity as a person.”

The sea breeze brushed past me. Dark clouds peeked over the raging ocean. Waves battled to reach the shore, demonstrating the power that nature held. The blues of the nature couldn't battle with the mere patches of green that meekly stood by its shore. The canopy of these weak twiddles sheltered me; which I readily accepted, for, I was Ivy.

The creeper Ivy grows in the darkness. In the shade, it resides, it's where it finds peace at. The shade is its home. And this shade has been mine, knowingly or unknowingly for many years.

The wave splashed fiercely on the rough sandy littoral; a gleaming figure adorned in the fluidity of the very ocean that it was created from. I was Ivy; I did what I was best at. I sunk deeper into the shades, concealing me from the outside; the obvious truth that laid right in front of me.

But how could I stop the eternal flow of nature?

Its loud roar reverberated through the silent lapping of the waves. The power it held vibrated through my nerves as shivers crawled down to my toes. This was the real me; scared, afraid of anything that could uproot me from my pits of comfort. But the omen of curiosity burnt at the base of my throat; of knowing what it is. Like a moth to a flame, I was intrigued even as I cowered in fear.

A gigantic wave sprawled, engulfing the shore in its embrace; just as the figure inched closer. Sockets carved out as hues of blues shaded the depressed areas. The vague outline of a human body materialised.

A gust of wind blew past my frame forming ripples on the smooth expanse of the blues while messing with the granules on the shore; displacing them around and piling them up as dunes. Its soft whistles were dimmed down by the thundering snarl of the sky above. The radiance of the ether was now dominated completely by the notorious dark clouds as they thundered and poured.

Raindrops kissed the ground, drenching me as it penetrated through the pores of the mighty green that sheltered me. A shuttered hum escaped through it as it swung along with the irregular harmony of the nature. I sunk back wanting to hide but nothing could hide me. Not even me as I catch the illuminating blue figure with its arms stretched heavenward. A whirlpool swirled around itself; as it levitated with the force.

In a split of second, before I could apprehend the situation; a heavy splash of water drenched me over and slowly emerged into a whirlpool, uprooting me from my hiding and tossed me into the rippling tides. I gasped for breath; I flailed my arms to reach for the shore or the surface. But I was drowning. Slowly and steadily.

I feel warm arms wrapping around my figure, cradling me as an elderly woman softly whispered into my ears.

“Come here dear. It's okay.”

My fingers had wrapped themselves onto the hem of her shirt. My shoulders trembled as tears flowed down. The smell of phenyl nauseated me; bringing forth the urge to vomit. It was that dreaded place. Where I had killed it. And no one was there to stop me; nor my conscience nor anyone else.

The woman's stethoscope poked at my neck. She was that doctor. I remember how she hadn't stopped me, or asked me to think twice. She always had a cheerful look pasted on her face; as if I wasn't committing a sin by killing it, as if it was all normal to do so. I was enraged after a whole week of that treatment; how could she not stop me? I had confronted her but she had smiled it away.

“Everything happens for a reason, dear. This is a blessing for the both of you.” She had said and prescribed another routine of medications; after which she had done the final surgery. Of cleaning it off.

And now here she was again. The blue trail peeked under her foot. And that was the hint which got clouded with the rage that filled my mind. My fingers curled into fists. A shriek escaped my throat as I pulled away from her and pushed her down by her collar. The smile didn't wipe off her face; it only aggravated me more to claw it off her face.

"How?!" I snarl on her face. "H-How could you do that?"

She looked on enjoying my frustration. It irritated me. I knew I was putting off the blame on someone else. But I was a naive girl who didn't know anything. I was a weak pathetic girl who took decisions on impulses when I had no one to rely on. Just like an Ivy, when I didn't find a core to curl against, or a comfortable pit to hide in; I ended up in the light and burnt under the intensity it passed on.

"How can you enjoy seeing a little unborn child, being k-killed? Why didn't you ask me to reconsider? Why didn't you recommend me a t-therapist? Why did you have to make me a, a—"

“A murderer.”

Everything blurred. Confusion eddied in my mind. Another whirlpool wrapped itself around me as I soared high beyond the limit. A gnashing pain grinded my senses into a puddle of impulses that made absolute no sense. I was back to the time when the fear and disgust were the only emotions I was capable of having. The roaring anxiety painfully pulled at my weak points. I felt light as I soared, until I plopped hard on a silky bed.

A masculine grip tightened around my waist as my eyes jolt open. Sapphire eyes stared back at me. The red lights were dimmed down to settle the mood of the night. My chest rose as I catch the crack at one of the ceiling lights. And a broken lamp fallen on the floor beside. The shuffled sheets and a supposedly unconscious Rick glaring as he stood up on his feet; wiping off the blood from the side of his head.

It was that night.

But I was here again. This time enclosed in the filthy arms of the dreaded. The one who must not be named.

“A murderer. A sinner. A weak woman who is desperate for someone on whom she can rely on, for she on her own, is nothing but a failure.” He pronounced every word with utter clarity as they stabbed an inch deeper into my mind.

"I..I'm not." I weakly retort back. Though I knew he was right.

“Lie to yourself. But the truth is you're a coward, a dud.” Rick added as he made his way here. His emerald eyes were void of any emotion he might have had. I breath hard as he neared. His smaragdine orbs contrasted with the strange gleam of blue that trailed down the ends of his mullet, and slid down the side of his neck.

I flinch when Alexander's fingers leave my waist and slowly trail up the side of my face. My eyes shakily glance at him. Blue drops stream down the outline of his jaw. His sapphire eyes scintillate with tints of blue; similar to that of the ocean.

“For you don't realise that you are always on your own. For you are always in the illusion of someone having your back. For you are always relying on someone else to take the heat.” I was suffocated under the intense gaze of the two men, spewing nothing but the truth. The red silky hues were engulfed with the radiance of blue florescence.

"Stop!" I beg as I try to sink myself deeper and move afar from them. But my twiddles were coercing me onto the surface. I was stuck here. I was stuck here to suffocate and burn.

“As an infant, on another person's simulation; as a kid, on her so-called parents; as a teen, on her only friend; as an adult, on men who have given up their life for her and yet she has no, nothing in herself to return their favour back. To protect her own self and the people around.”

The radiance of the blue light flashed across the room. My breath ragged as their words echo through the deepest chambers of my mind. I couldn't focus straight. Hazes flashed right in front of my eyes. Of me drowning. Of the shining metal.

“What have you ever done? You brought doom to everyone around you; for the sake of protecting you, they gave themselves up. For your sake, everyone suffered. For the sake of your selfish ass, you lost them, one by one.”

The more they said, the more was my head spinning. And the more I felt as if something was being extracted from me. A part of me was as if under the spell of something; compelling me to believe what they want me to and drown myself more into this contemplation.

“You've always been blaming. You've pushing away the ones who have been there for you. For what? For your selfish mood swings. For you suddenly find them incapable of being by your side.”

Salty drips of water clogged my throat as the visions of that platinum bracelet carved itself out. Suddenly everything was in the hues of blue. No longer were there Rick and Alexander; in their place stood the blue figurines with fluids flowing through their limbs.

"This, no.." Realisation striked me. But I was too late; as the figures dissolve with their creepy smiles and glares stuck in my mind. The room enclosed further; suffocating me and submerging me as the heavy wave-like structure fell over me. My breath clogged up in my throat, as my nostrils instinctively stopped taking in the salty liquid that surrounded me.

“You're Ivy, who snakes around for her own benefit.” I hear their voices ringing at the back of my mind.

But this wasn't true. It was all in my mind. It was just a trap. It was a way of extracting it from my brain. The scenario was similar to that moment where I had found it. No doubt, I was being manipulated to recreate it. All he needed was a drug to do this; and no surprises he had that.

I had to wake up. I had to get out before he could manipulate me into successfully recreating it.

But I had no control of myself. I was breathing hard, my limbs were immobile. I wanted to flail my arms around; I wanted to breathe in and make my way out of this hallucination. But I needed an anchor. And there seemed none here.

“Wake the hell up!”A melodious voice gritted right at my ears. The throaty voice I had been dying to hear since the past few days. My fingers twitch. I feel the numbness being replaced slowly, trickle my trickle as I try to discern my surroundings.

“It's all a hallucination.” He breathed out as if he was just near me. As if, if I had to stretch my hands, I would be able to touch him.

"Jungkook?" I called out for him as my sealed lips found a symphony to breathe through. My fingers itch to touch him as they inch forward in a vague direction. But I couldn't.

“Yes baby, you good.” It was so faint. I didn't even realise it ring through my ears. My toes twitch, as my nerves slowly flow through my joints and limbs.

Perspiration escaped the pores of my skin as I slowly, and steadily feel the air gush in to my lungs. A loud gasp escaped my throat as I feel myself being coerced forward and my eyes jolt open. Heavy breaths escaped my mouth, echoing through the empty room as I feel my palms pressed against the ceramic floor beneath. My legs were awkwardly sprawled in front of me as my back hunched forward. Sweat dripped from my hairline down the side of my face.

I was awake. After all, he was my anchor. 

I bring my eyes to gaze around the place I was in. My breath hitched as I met my reflection in the mirror; or the mirrors that replaced the plain walls of the room.

Hazel eyes with sunken dark circles and protruding cheek bones with a permanent mark of the injury on my forehead. I was still adorned in the janitor's light blue uniform with stray cuts on my forearm and possibly my legs. A small clot contrasted the skin of my neck. I tilt my neck to look closely. It was confirmed; I was drugged.

My locks fell messily over my shoulders as I crane my head around, examining my surroundings. Every image of mine stared back at me, just as I try to observe where I was.

"You puta!"

I was broken out of my trance when a deep throaty voice cursed loud, just as a certain blur passed through. Blinking once I alert my senses and sneak glances through the mirrors. There seemed no one around. I cautiously stand on my feet just as the blur reappeared. Snapping my head around, I try to catch it again.

A gasp escaped my lips as I feel the floor suddenly tilt over by an angle. I coerce my body forward to keep me standing. But that wasn't long as a figure abruptly materialized in front of me with those sapphire eyes glaring hard. I lose my balance and fall backwards, sliding down and hitting my back against the wall. A low groan escaped my throat at the impact as I snap my eyes back at him.

But he wasn't there.

"Just as I was this close, you had to wash off my plans eh?" Out of nowhere, he was beside me, with his fingers curled ready to choke me. Instinctively, I push him away but instead, the floor tilted again. I snuck a glance at the mirror only to find a multiple of him staring at me as my back hit the other side of the room.

"How long do you think you're gonna save it to yourself huh?" He flicked something towards me causing me to hide my face under my locks. But nothing hit me. Instead his voice resounded as he groaned hard.

Through the gaps in between the tufts of my hair, I peek through. My breath hitched as Jungkook's cracked lips quivered in pain while someone pulled hard on his hair. The distinct sound of sharpening knifes sent chills down my spine.

"Jungkook!" I gasp and stretch out my hands to hold him; to stop whoever was causing him pain and strangle the shit out of whoever did this to him. But how could I, when this wasn't real.

"You'll have to speak now, if you want him alive, else. . ."

The knife blade slid dangerously close to the side of his neck, inching close enough to slice through and allow a trickle of blood. He winced at the impact, though I knew he could endure it. He has to. He will.

My fingers curled back as the image vanished with the psychopathic chuckles of the gruesome man. But the image was pasted in my mind. It made my insides tremble in rage. In fury, of the audacity of this man of going this far. The level of cowardice and foolishness of this man to think he could ever get it out of me with all this. The ignorance of the man of not calculating what could be awaiting him next.

I shift my eyes to glare at him. He had a sinister smirk put on, satisfied to have me all riled up."Your pretty boy made me believe he had it all. But he lied. And he will pay for it; once I get my job done with you."

My chest heaved as I stare at him. He was the reason everything was wrong in my life; in our life. He was the cause of this misery. He was the reason nothing was right when it should have been. And I will end it. 

His eyes follow my movements as I push myself up, as his lips move in confidence that he was finally winning. He was forgetting that he had crossed the limit. He had gone far beyond the rails; far enough to call upon his end. I glower at him as his lips curl further smugly. He was a good distance from me.

And on delicate observation, he had a good reason for that. For this was all another phantasm.

He wasn't real. This was his hologram, the faint grid lines passing through his body gave away. No surprise he was exploiting his technical facilities. He would do it anyway; for he had nothing of his own. His hollow brain alone filled with science enough to understand his narrow-minded conscience, but not enough to comprehend the consequences of what he was doing.

My eyes shift to look at the mirror opposite to me. He was stupid to not notice that the red light projected towards him from a certain area was visible; enough for the human eye to decipher. I knew what I had to do as I meet his eyes back.

"You've been selfish enough for yourself." He mocked. And that added fuel to the fire burning within me.

"It's a give and take. You give me the numbers, I will give him back to you." He challenged as if Jungkook was a thing we could exchange. As if the lives he had taken before would be forgiven when Jungkook would be freed. As if all his crimes will be reversed and everything will be just right when he gets hold of the password.

"Jungkook is not a deal I make. There's no option between him or anything else." I seethe as I stride towards him. Not breaking our gaze, I raise my index finger and coerce it forward to stab it on his chest. But he wasn't real; my finger went right through him.

I scoff as I bring my hand back. "You sound scary in your threats. But in reality, you're nothing but an illusion. Hiding behind screens 'cause you got no balls to face me. Concealing yourself with my name for you're afraid that no one will otherwise accept this sick plan for yours and your grandfather's."

He flinched at my words. I could see his eyes hardened with an element of shock lingering in them. He clearly hadn't expected me to not give in. I had had enough with his games. This was real time shit, it was now and now itself.

"Such a pussy." I spat at him. "All these muscles and brains; good for nothing for your character. It rots like the dirtiest of the drains. And yet, you've the audacity to say I am selfish." His figure shivered in rage. I knew I was on his last thread of patience.

"No wonder Jinae chose me over you. She never had a thing for cowards."

And that was the last blow before he growled and slammed his fist against what I presumed the machinery. The floor tilted by almost a hundred and eighty degrees. My back stuck onto the wall at the impact. But I didn't have the luxury of wasting this opportunity.

I squint my eyes and trace the ray that passed through the back of his erect body. It came from the side; it had to be the way out of here by logic. But given how foxy he could be, I knew I had to go through the other way, fortunately which happened to be the nearer end. Just a little more.

"There's nothing wrong with me! I am not sick. I-It's you. It's you who needs to be cleaned. You're the only barrier in this project; and I will make sure I dispose you off well after I am done with you." He blustered. The way his sapphire eyes dimmed down, I knew he was serious. He was raging, and ready to kill. He could do anything, and I didn't have the resources enough to handle it at the moment.

"You hear that, puta?!" He pressed further causing me to slide down by an inch. My heart palpitated as I glance down. There was no surface beneath. Just the black void. Sweat escaped as I avert my eyes quickly and concentrate on reaching the escape route.

"You-you're the chicken. Your threats are, just as empty as you-yourself." I stutter out as I push myself more towards the end. He was blinded by his rage. He didn't notice my feet finally touch the wall. With all my strength on my toes, I push hard.

"You're Ivy. Always the snake, the obstacle lingering; even then, even now." He seethed as he presses on, tilting the wall dangerously by a milli-radian each second.

Ivy, who's afraid when she has no one to rely on.

Ivy, who's scared when she's exposed in the light.

Ivy, who isn't capable of standing on own feet. For she is always relying on someone else, snaking around them for her own selfish benefits.

Ivy.

Ivy.

Something stirred in me; the rage I had felt, simmered up to the extent I could feel it in my fingertips, in my toes, the tip of my hair. My teeth sink into my lips as I put all my strength. The minute relative movement between the walls assured me of my way out of here. I curl my fingers tight and with all my strength, punch hard on the mirrored wall.

"Ah!" My knuckles twitch at the collision. The dent formed gave me the anchor I needed as I carefully hold onto the ridged area. The pointed ridges poked painfully at my fingers while I support my body weight through it and let my back push me forward. My feet fell flat against the wall.

"It's not easy for you to escape." Alexander mocked, though his tone laced with panic and shock as everything happened in a split of second in front of him. I purse my lips as I hope for the best for the next set of actions.

I bring my right leg down, causing my balance to go unsteady. My palms sweat as my heart plummeted at the loss of surface under my feet. My back slipped against the mirror inching me closer to the black void beneath. The other leg lowered down a bit as I ready myself for the next move. I bit my lower lip and close my eyes as I swing my right leg back. With all my strength on both of my feet, I push hard against the wall as a loud creak sounded by the impact.

"Fuck—" He exclaimed, causing a tinge of relief to flow through me, knowing I was going through the right track. But as the wall moved under my feet, I feel the muscles of my upper arm being strained. The sweat that glazed my palms reduced the friction, causing them to slip from the wall.

My heart stopped when I find to anchor on while my back slowly and steadily tilted downward. Exerting as much force as I could by my thighs, I try to coerce myself, move my body weight towards the now-moving wall. The upper side had shifted backward revealing a dark room with red and green lights glowing on particular points. The ray of light that projected him was visible. I was at the right place for sure. Just a little more.

I shriek loud as I swing my arms. My calves slid down further, causing the wall to tilt further inwards. As I feel the back of my knees on the surface, I curl it around and force myself forward. It all happened in the flash of a second as my weight slid down the wall and my feet successfully landed on the concrete surface.

My breath came ragged as my body weight forced me forward, my knees touched the floor while my palms held me from hitting my head on the floor.

I reached here. I did it. One step towards success. Relief flooded me as I lowered my head and push myself straight on my feet. The machine in front of me had numerous buttons and screens flashing lights that made no sense to me.

And it didn't need to. The screen that radiated the light was enough to have him stopped. I walk towards it as I hear Alexander snarl in frustration; it only made me more confident in what I was doing. I stand in front of the screen as dots and lines stared back at me. I didn't know Morse code. But I knew how break the source of one.

I take a few steps back and turn to face the man. "I am Ivy. Who knows how to slither her way when she wants to. She has lived in the darkness for long, it's time she shows what she really is. My tendrils seem weak and toxic to you; but they're strong for the ones it has to be."

With that, I flex my right knee and push it back as the pad of my feet hits the screen's main functional unit. The distinct sound of a dysfunctional machine reverberated as Alexander's hologram disappeared. The wall that was tilted before slowly regained back its position while the wall in front of me, slowly closed itself trapping me inside.

My fists clench as I glance around and turn on my heel to find an escape from this area. There was no one who could stop me now.

Once Ivy slithers around its anchor, it poisons whoever touches the both of them to death. It cannot be got rid of, until it is cut.

I am Ivy. Who has held onto her anchor with a purpose driving her forth. And nothing could be more dangerous than this Ivy.

🤍🤍🥀🤍🤍

sorry it took so long. i had a terrible writer's block and no exaggeration, i have 3 drafted copies of this chapter with different sequences, each with min of 1500 words. :(

will try to update the next chapters asap :))