Another Book Excerpt

The bright glow of the fluorescent light emanated from the ceiling, pouring over the victim chained to the chair. Ha Na, her hands folded behind her back and her black sneakers clunking noisily across the concrete floor as she stared at it, gathered her breath as she attempted to compose herself. Her limbs quivered as the blood coursed through them.

The victim refused to meet her gaze, eyes locked to the ground as his black mop of hair dangled over his eyes, his cracked lips trembling as large beads of sweat crept down the corners of his neck. He clasped his chained hands together, threading his fingers around one another and squeezing them until the white crowns of his knuckles broke through his tanned, rough skin.

Inhaling deeply, Ha Na gulped past the lump in her throat and seized his collar. "What did you do to Kim Hye Mi?"

The victim looked up at her, letting his head roll back crazily. A small smirk played upon his lips.

No answer.

Ha Na's fist crashed into the side of his cheek, jarring it. Blood congregated in the corners of his mouth as fireworks exploded in front of his eyes. He winced, opening his jaw as it cracked into place.

Again, she grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him upwards until the scalding heat of her wrath breathed down his nose. The sweat absorbed by his shirt squeezed into her fists, crumpling the material as her hands constricted around it. Her eyes glared at him through the scarlet rims, teeth clenched, barring the exit of words from her mouth.

"Tell me," she hissed, "what did you do to my little sister?"

His cheeks curled back into a mocking grin, a sharp laugh chiseling its way out of his mouth. "Haha...what sister?"

Crash!

He reeled backward, shoved downwards by the sharp jab of her leo against his stomach. Tears bled from the corners of her eyes as she lunged forward. Sobbing heavily, she showered a cache of fists into his sculpted body. Clenching his teeth, he flexed against her, attempting to absorb the shock of her assault. He clenched his eyes shut, barricading all sensations but the constant rhythmic pain drumming into him.

A small voice crept through the bit lodged in his ear.

"Endure."

He curled his body, folding into the fetal position almost instinctively, shielding himself agains the torrent. With each pang of pain came a memory exploding before his vision in brilliant detail. He saw his father looming over his body, laughing as he dove his meaty fists against the child's already bruised ribs. The screeches of the girl reverberated through his head with harrowing familiarity. Like the screams of his mother as she hung onto her husband, pleading for the life of her child. Not that the father cared.

"It's a cruel world." The sound of his father's voice echoed through his head. "Only the toughest survive. The rest? It's better for them to die early than to live at all."

Endure? He could endure. He had to. He had to show him. He had to prove that the world couldn't kill him. That he was strong.

A wrenching sensation yanked at Ha Na's gut and pulled her off the pile of cloth and damaged flesh heaped in front of her. Wrapping his arms around her, Tae Joon turned her around, allowing her to sob in his shoulder. She pushed against him, attempting momentarily to break free before surrendering into his firm embrace. Arms slipping slowly up his back, she curled her fingers around the badges stitched onto his shoulders and clung to them, shaking silently as she wept. Pressing her into himself, Tae Joon twisted around, looking up through the thick glass of the observation room. With his head, he gestured towards the motionless man lying upon the floor. In Suk nodded, motioning for the on-site medical staff. Rushing in, they congregated around the victim, bending over him with urgent concern.

Arm still around Ha Na, Tae Joon turned about and hurried up into the observation room. He bowed courteously to In Suk, who returned the favor stiffly. Eyes swollen from crying, Ha Na lowered her head quickly, bring it gradually up again only to meet her father's grim gaze - those sad, stony eyes swimming in disappointment. He looked away, facing the windows one more time with his hands folded behind his back.

"We have to change our approach," he said. "Tae Joon."

The boy lowered his head abruptly. "Yes, sir?"

"Take Officer Kim home."

Hastily, he bowed. "Yes, sir!"

Resting his hand upon Ha Na's shoulder, he guided her out of the room. Ha Na turned one last apologetic glance towards her father, only to be met by the icy stare of his sloped shoulder blade. Cold. Cut-off. Unapproachable.

They stepped out onto the sidewalk. they sun receded behind a cloud, hiding its cheery face in a world of bleakness. Striding over to his black car, Tae Joon opened the door and ushered her quickly in, slamming the door shut behind her. Climbing behind the wheel, he pulled into the road and sped away.

Moments later, an ambulance pulled into the empty space in front of the station. A group of six men rushed through the door , pushing a stretcher occupied by a man clothed in bruises and welts. He lay there, drifting constantly across the border of consciousness, his head listing from one side to another.

From the shadows of the doorway, they woman pushed the button and spoke into the microphone clipped discreetly to her clothing, speaking into it.

"'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?'"

The man froze, halting her words as a slow smile spread across her face. So he heard her.

"'So run that you may obtain it.'"

And then...

"Endure."

*Verse credit 1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV