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word count: 3.8k

genre: the fifth wave au

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Dad always said they existed. You know, a greater life force. Something else besides the human race. At first, I thought he was crazy. We all did — me, my mom, and my little brother Jeongin.

But then the Others came and I believed everything he had said about aliens. But these weren't like the little green things from a cartoon. They were smart. Smarter than us. And at the time, we didn't know what they wanted.

The first thing they took from us was our electricity. Nothing worked. Cars, lights, phones — nothing. It was almost like they didn't want us to have a way to contact anyone. That was the first wave.

It took out millions of people. I mean, just imagine it. Everything that worked with electricity stopped working all at once. Airplanes and cars, they all just stopped. I couldn't even imagine what it would've felt like to be on one of those planes as they suddenly started to descend until they eventually crashed.

With the second wave, twice as many people died. I called it a worldwide tsunami. Every island and every coastal city was wiped out. Those who got to high enough ground survived. My family was one of those lucky ones.

But the luck didn't last long. The third wave hit us and took out the weak ones. Dad said that the first two waves took out at least three percent of the world's population, leaving about 3.8 billion people. And the third wave was designed to take out the weak of those people.

And just how exactly did the Others take out nearly four billion people? Birds. There's roughly three hundred billion birds in the world, which is seventy-five birds per person.

The birds carried a disease, a virus. It was like Ebola on steroids. In quarantine, there were many names for it. The Red Death. The Blood Plague. The Fourth Horseman. The Red Tsunami. The Pestilence. Whatever you wanted to call it, it didn't really matter. A virus was a virus.

But this one was like nothing anyone had ever seen. My mom, who had been a doctor for twenty years, had never seen anything like it. It started in your lungs and you get a bad cough. That cough turns into a fever and your head feels like someone is repeatedly beating it with a hammer. When you start coughing up blood, the virus takes over your entire body until blood is coming out of every opening.

Me and my brother were immune to it. We were lucky. But our parents weren't so lucky. Our dad was one of the first to get sick and mom tried everything she could to help him. But nothing worked. It only seemed to make him worse. He died four days after he got sick and then my mom ended up getting sick too. She was immune at first just like me and Jeongin, but she still ended up getting sick.

So it was just me and Jeongin now. Well, at least it was until the Incheon military base came and took him from me. Well, to say they took him from me would be an understatement.

After we buried our parents, I made the decision that we should leave Busan. It wasn't safe for us anymore. So we left everything behind and took what was necessary. We had made it to an old campground in Ansan. It was a nice community really.

Then that's when the military base came. They rolled in with their big ass machines and school buses. It confused me. I thought vehicles didn't work anymore. I was able to point out the guy in charge. Minseok was his name and he gave off a certain vibe. A vibe that I didn't really like.

He said that they were there to help. They'd be taking the kids first and coming back for the adults. He said he needed to talk to the adults about something. I thought it was bullshit but decided to follow orders anyways.

Jeongin and I were on the bus and I was checking everything. Then I started to freak out. "What's wrong?" Jeongin asked me.

"Mom's necklace. It's not here," I panicked. "I must've left it back in the cabin." I stood from my seat and put my bag onto my back. "I'll be right back."

"You can't be serious, Y/N," Jeongin started to freak out. "The buses are about to leave."

"I'll be back, Jeongin. I promise," I said. "I'll be quick."

"Okay," Jeongin mumbled. I quickly went to the front of the bus and got off. Then I ran as fast as I could to the cabins. I went to my bunk and found the necklace hidden within the blanket. I had just managed to clasp the necklace around my neck when I heard a loud engine.

"Shit," I mumbled. Then I hauled my ass out of the cabin and ran for the buses. My legs burned from how hard I was running. I saw the last bus pull off and Jeongin was standing against the back window, smacking the windows. But the bus didn't stop.

I just stood there silently as I watched the buses get further and further away. "Jeongin," I whispered to myself. I headed to the main building, which is where all the adults were.

"The Others are among us," Minseok said and my heart jumped up into my throat. "They have came down from their ships and are walking among us."

People started firing questions at him and the other soldiers. My eyes met Baekhyun's as I found him amongst the crowd of people. He was one of the guys who took me and Jeongin in. He shook his head and I stopped.

Suddenly someone pulled a gun out and fired, making me jump. After that, I heard gunshots. A lot of them. It was like a war had started in that room. I covered my mouth with my hands as tears filled my eyes.

I backed away from the building and started heading towards the woods. I ran as far as I could away from the building. I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I wanted to get the sound of gunshots out of my head.

The gunshots stopped. Then I heard the sound of loud engines from their military machines. They all drove off and I waited until I could no longer hear the engines. Then it was silent with just the sound of the wind blowing the leaves.

I wiped my tears and walked towards the building. I immediately found Baekhyun and rushed over to him. I sat on my knees as new tears started to stream down my cheeks. "Baekhyun," I whispered.

"Don't cry," he breathed. He reached into his interior pocket and pulled out his M16. He shoved it into my hands. "The Others. They're among us. Don't trust anyone."

I nodded my head. "I know. I heard," I said. I held onto the M16 with both hands. I looked at Baekhyun as I held my tears back. "Thank you. For taking me and Jeongin in."

"It was the right thing to do," he said. Then he grinned weakly. His eyes slowly closed and then he was gone just like that.

I stood up and carefully walked out of the building. Then I headed in the direction the buses had gone.

I'm coming, Jeongin. I promise.

》 》 》

My hands, my legs, my whole body — I was literally freezing to death. Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad way to die after all. No, Y/N. Jeongin is depending on you.

I sighed and forced myself to keep walking. I had to find shelter, even if it was a broken down car somewhere on the roads. I came to the edge of the woods just as a light snowfall started. Just great.

I started checking the cars for one that was possibly unlocked. I was hoping to get lucky. I finally found one and climbed inside. I slammed the door shut and started rummaging around for blankets or anything to keep me warm. I ended up finding a quilt and wrapped my body in it. Then I tried to get some rest.

Hence the word try. Sleeping was nearly impossible nowadays. With everything going on, I didn't want someone attacking me in the middle of the night.

I couldn't trust anyone. That was the lesson the fourth wave taught me. Now that the Others were down from their ships and posing as humans, trusting someone could get me killed. And it didn't help that something was off about Minseok and those other soldiers.

Morning came and I moved out. It had been a good week since Jeongin was taken. And Lord knows what was happening or what they were doing to him.

I heard the sound of snow crunching behind me and stopped in my tracks. I heard a twig snap and turned around, raising my rifle as I did so. I was met face to face with a boy about my height, freckles adorning his cheeks and his brown eyes wide.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy," he said holding both hands up. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"Well," I snapped. "You kind of did." I kept the gun pointed at him. "Who are you? And why are you following me?"

"Easy," he repeated. "My name is Felix. And I'm not following you. I live around here." I hummed. "Can you lower that thing?"

"How do I know you're not an Other?" I asked and his eyebrows furrowed. "How do I know you're not going to hurt me or something?"

"I'm not going to hurt you. I don't even have anything on me," he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Trust me."

"I can't trust you. I'm not stupid," I said. "Trusting you could get me killed."

"Just trust me on this one thing," he tried. "What's your name?"

"It's Y/N," I mumbled.

"Okay, Y/N." He smiled and my heart suddenly skipped a beat. What the actual hell? "You know, being out here alone is kind of dangerous. Where are you going?"

"The Incheon military base," I told him. "They have my brother." I paused and lowered my gun. "How far is it?"

"I know of it. It's about sixty miles from here. I can take you," he said.

"No," I said. "I can go by myself."

"Y/N," he said. "Just let me help you."

"I don't even know you," I said.

"I don't know you either," he said. "But just trust that I won't hurt you. I just want to help."

I pursed my lips and stared at him. Maybe he could be useful, Y/N. I mentally groaned. I completely lowered my rifle. "Fine. But if you annoy me, I will not hesitate to shoot your ass."

"Noted," he said with a small laugh.

》 》 》

I used to not be like this. Tense and paranoid all the damn time. The Others made me this way. The waves. Losing everything I had in this world. It made me this way.

I used to be a normal teenage girl who went to school and obsessed over boy groups with my best friend. The last day I even saw her was the day of the first wave, which was over in minutes. She's probably dead now.

"There it is," Felix said as we approached the base. It was how you expected a military base to look. Big and secluded and surrounded by a tall fence.

I was about to step out from the edge of the woods when Felix grabbed my arm. I turned around and looked at him. "What the hell, Felix?"

"I need to tell you something," he said and I my eyebrows furrowed together. Why now? "This military base. It's ran by the Others."

"What? Felix, what the hell are you talking about?" I asked.

"The Others," he started. "They run this place. They're training the kids to kill off the remaining humans."

"You're shitting me," I said and he shook his head. "How would you even know that?" My eyes widened and I took a step away from him. I raised my gun. "Oh my God. You're one of them, aren't you? You're a fucking Other."

"Y/N, please. Let me explain."

"Your family," I whispered as tears filled my eyes. "You said they died. Were you the one that killed them?"

"No, no," he said quickly. "It was the waves. I didn't kill my family."

"The waves?" I scoffed. "The waves that your kind created. The kind that you created. You pretty much killed them. Don't you realize that?"

"Y/N," he said softly. "I'm not like them. I'm not like the Others."

"I trusted you, Felix!"

"I know and I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted to tell you. But I didn't know how you would react. I'm both human and Other. I always knew I was different. I felt different. Then the ships showed up and something inside of me woke up."

"Felix.." I didn't know what to say. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel something for him. It's crazy how much you can get to know someone in the span of four days, which is how long we'd been traveling.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," Felix said. "But I never intended to hurt you. Believe me when I say that I'm not like my kind. My kind...they don't believe in love. They think it destroys you and makes you weak. But you made me believe otherwise."

He continued. "We came here for Jeongin and I believe we can still save him. Don't let this change that. I want to help you save him. Please Y/N."

I hesitated before lowering my weapon. "Okay. Fine," I said. "Then let's save my brother."

"You can't be armed," Felix said. "They might shoot you right on the spot."

I nodded and tossed my rifle onto the ground without hesitation. Then I looked at Felix. "Now what?"

"We need to get into the base. Just follow my lead." I nodded. He walked out onto the street and I followed him. Immediately, a bright light shined on us.

Two soldiers came to the fence as it opened. They didn't say anything. They just grabbed us by the arms and lead us into the base. The guard holding me took me in first and lead me into a clinic.

I was forced to strip down by a woman in scrubs and shoved into a shower with cold tiles. The soap had a strong medicine smell, like the soap at hospitals. I showered and put on the ugly white paper robe while my body was still semi-wet.

The woman in the scrubs ushered me into a room and up onto an exam table. Then she left the room and I looked around the room, my anxiety slowly starting to work up.

A man walked in. The name Kang was stitched into his uniform and he was wearing a stethoscope around his neck. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Yang Y/N," I said and he nodded. Then he asked me numerous questions after that. How old was I? Where was I from? Did I have any family that was still alive? What happened to my family? Did I know where any survivors were?

By the time he was done, I was tired of talking and answering his goddamn questions. He patted my leg. "Well, you're safe now, Y/N," he said and I refrained from scoffing. Safe my ass. He showed me an implant, a small silver chip.

He made me get up from the bed, turn around, and then he moved my hair to one side before inserting the implant. It stung like a bitch. I winced and reached my hand up rubbing it.

"You're in luck, Y/N. You get to help avenge your family." He walked away from me and then I heard a ruckus outside of the room. I somehow knew it was Felix almost immediately. The door busted open and Kang charged towards Felix.

But Felix was too quick. He dodged blows and hits almost impossibly fast. He suddenly landed a kick to the man's face and he fell to the floor. Felix started landing blow after blow to the man's face until he was no longer breathing.

After he was sure he was dead, he stood and walked over to the cabinets. He tossed me a uniform and I quickly got dressed. Then he came over, turned me around and took the tracker out. Then he turned me back around and shoved a handgun into my hands.

"Come on. Let's go get your brother."

We both ran out of the room and down the hall. As we turned the corner, I ran straight into another person. Well, a boy. He was maybe a few years older than me. But I knew him.

"Chan?" I questioned.

He looked at me confused for the longest time. Then he lowered his gun. "Y/N?"

"Yeah," I mumbled. I lowered my gun too and looked over at Felix, who looked confused. "We went to school together."

"Are you guys in a squad?" Chan asked. "What squad are you in?"

I shook my head. "I'm looking for my brother. Jeongin. Do you know him?"

"Jeongin?" He questioned. "Yang Jeongin?" I nodded my head and he smiled. "He's in my squad. Come on. I'll take you to him."

So we followed Chan. The further we got into the base, the louder sirens got. It was loud and made my head pound. But I had other things to worry about.

"The base is evacuating," Chan told us. "I came back for your brother. Our squad was out to take down the Others. But then we all realized that the Others were here. We were the fifth wave."

"Smart guy," Felix said and Chan sent him a cheeky smile.

"This way," Chan lead us out of two double doors. There was a large area, and that area was filled with kids all ages. How the hell were we supposed to find him? There was so many of them.

"Oh my God," I kept my gun hidden and started looking for him. Jeongin had always been tall for his age so that was a bonus for me. As soon as I laid my eyes on him, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Jeongin!"

He stopped and I called his name again. He turned around as I quickened my pace. His eyes met mine and happy tears filled my eyes. I threw my arms around him and he hugged me back immediately, stroking my hair.

"Y/N," he whispered in relief.

I pulled away. "Come on. We've got to give out of here," I said. I looked over and saw Felix and Chan, who both waved us over. I grabbed Jeongin's hand and we ran over.

"We need to go now," Chan said. He opened a door and we all went in. He came in, slamming the door shut behind him. "Go. As fast as you can. It won't be long until they notice we're here." He raised his gun and shot the security camera in the corner. "Go!"

The four of us took off down the long narrow hall, turning corners as we came upon them. I saw an exit sign above a door at the end of the hall. We ran out and the smell of fresh air filled my nose.

"Stop right there!" I heard a soldier yell. Felix grabbed my arm and pulled me in the other direction. The four of us started running like our lives depended on it. Because really, it did.

Suddenly, an explosion caught my attention. Followed by another and another. "They're blowing the place up! Come on! Let's go!" Chan yelled.

We ran faster and I felt my lungs start to burn. A vehicle came down the road and I feared that it was the Others. But then it stopped and a boy with dark hair opened the door and motioned us to get in.

We made it to the car and climbed in. "You came back," Chan said and the driver nodded.

"You can thank me later," he said. Then he put the car in drive. He made a quick U-turn and drove away from the exploding base.

I looked over at Jeongin and wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back, resting his head on my chest. I kissed his head and looked at Felix, who was already looking at me. I mouthed a thank you to him and he smiled, nodding his head.

The driver, who's name I learned was Changbin, took us to an area where four other boys were. Minho was the other boy who had been in the car and opened the doors for us. The other three were Hyunjin, Jisung, and Seungmin. They ended up being a funny bunch and I enjoyed being around them.

"We have to save those other kids," Felix said as he came over to me. I was chilling in the back of the car, my eyes on the sky. I looked at him and nodded.

"But how?" I asked and he shrugged his shoulders. "We'll figure something out." He grinned at my response. "I'd like to say a proper thank you...you know, for helping me save my brother."

"I told you, Y/N," he said. "I want to help." He paused. "And I lied earlier. I told you I was both. But you can't be both."

"So?" I questioned. "What?"

"I chose to be human," he said quietly. "I chose you." He took a bold step towards me and cupped my cheek. Then he pressed his lips onto mine.

His lips were soft and warm against my own. I noticed this as I slowly started to kiss him back. I moved my hands up to the back of his neck and pulled him closer.

"Oh, yuck," I heard Jeongin say, making me pull away. I looked at him as he tried to suppress a grimace. "Not cool."

I laughed and so did Felix. I stood and slipped past him, half hugging my brother. I ruffled his hair, making him whine. Then I planted a big kiss onto his cheek. "You know you love me, baby brother."

"Sure, I do," he mumbled sarcastically and I gasped. I playfully pushed him and he laughed. Then he smiled at me, his eyes turning into crescent moons. "I do, though."

"All right," Minho groaned. "I'm sick of seeing this lovey-dovey shit. Come eat before your dinner gets cold."

The three of us went over to the rest of the group and sat down. Chan kindly handed us a plate of food and we all sat around while eating. We talked and made jokes while we could.

Because when morning would come, we knew we would need to come up with a plan to save those kids. Because if we knew anything for sure, it was that this was not over.