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heelanat · 10 months

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five little ducks | zb1 au

cast| kim jiwoong, sung hanbin, seok matthew, kim taerae, shen ricky, han yujin

wc| 4.6K words (omo)

cw| 16+ disturbing content! read at your own risk, profanities, powerful entities, reckless driving, alcohol consumption, death, soft angst(?), horror/thriller, gore, reckless driving, mentions of internal organs, blades, decapatation, kidnapping, blood, skinning, cannibalism

synopsis| a group of college dropouts; matthew, hanbin, jiwoong, taerae, ricky, and yujin, decided to go on a little road trip for the summer - somewhere very distant from the city that constantly reminds them of their bullshit lives

credits| @cafekitsune for the dividers

ib| paa, tuhod, balikat, ulo (enhypen au) on tiktok

the summer breeze brushed past matt's blonde locks as he hooked himself on the van, securing all the luggage they had on top. after three tight knots, he jumped down and swept the dust off him from leaning against the vehicle. "alright, looks secured to me. is everyone sure they didn't forget anything?" matthew asked the five men who have been waiting for him for what felt like ages. "yeah, yeah, now give me the keys already and let's get the hell outta here!" jiwoong nagged as he opened the door to the driver's seat and held out his hand. matt rolled his eyes as he tossed him the keys that were dangling from one of his belt loops and proceeded to shotgun since it was his van, afterall while everyone else arranged themselves in the back. "don't get too excited, hyung. by the end of the month, we're all going back to our cruddy apartments and the endless cycle restarts" ricky uttered without prying his eyes from his phone since he arrived. not long after, they started moving. hanbin looked through the window as they passed by all the run down buildings, people's apathetic faces, and the overall depressing atmosphere. "yo, hyung, can i connect to bluetooth? i have spotify premium" yujin called out from the rear end, waving his phone. "where the hell did you steal the money for that?" taerae scoffed in a teasing manner. "work smarter, not harder. a magician never tells his secrets" he smiled sheepishly as he tapped on his screen to connect to the car speaker. "so, what song should i play?" everyone shrugged as they all synchronized in "you decide" as they were just gonna end up falling asleep anyway. "well if you don't give me - even a genre - i will start blasting nursery rhymes here" they all shared a laugh without knowing the youngest was already typing in the search bar. as the laughter died down, it was quickly brought back once "the wheels on the bus" started blaring from the speakers. "holy shit, jin" taerae rubbed his temple. "you wanted me to decide and you get mad? pick a struggle" he laid his head back as he let autoplay choose the following songs for him and of course, they were all nursery rhymes as well. there were the classics, humpty dumpty and old mcdonald, some underrated 'bops' such as hey diddle diddle and a tisket a tasket, and those that brought back a tsunami of nostalgia like ring around the rosie and head, shoulders, knees, and toes. they all laughed and sang along, even turning it into a competition by tallying who could still remember the lyrics word for word. during one particular rhyme however, no one could seem to recall what it was. well, no one except for hanbin, who was being rather quiet the entire time just gazing at the view from the window. "five little ducks went out one day, over the hill and far away, mama duck said 'quack, quack, quack, quack' but only four little ducks came back, you don't know that one?" he finally diverted his gaze to them after singing. everyone shook their head 'no' as they all looked frightened at how monotonous and lifeless hanbin sounded while he was chanting the rhyme. hanbin just shrugged it off and went back to staring at whatever was outside. silence replaced the once noisy singing as the tune continued to play in the background rather faintly. as jiwoong had keen eyes on the road and ears on the song, he didn't notice nor hear the snake slithering in the grass and potentially jumping in front of the window scaring him and everyone in the process, making him jolt out of shock, mindlessly steering the wheel as he loses control of the van.

ricky finally let go of his phone to pull taerae into a tight hug, screaming at the top of his lungs while he does the same. as the vehicle was just about on the edge, jiwoong finally steered and got back on track. hanbin, who was at the rear end with yujin, looked at the back window to see that the snake had disappeared, as if it wasn't even there in the first place. matt planted a loud slap on jiwoong's arm. "be careful, for fucks sakes! this van and i have been together through blood sweat and tears!" "we were literally on the fucking edge while 11 feet off the ground and all you care about is your fucking van?!" taerae pushed ricky off of him, causing him to hit the car door. the whole ride was silent after that. the fact that rock-a-bye baby was playing wasn't helping as well. as it reached the end of the song, jiwoong slowed down the van to park by the trees. "you have arrived at your destination" the gps announced just in time for the music to stop. everyone casually exited the van as if nothing happened earlier. "well, the sun is setting, im gonna go set up the tents. matthew, go gather fire wood, the rest, go look for edible berries and a drinkable water source. even better if you can also hunt down some meat and fish" jiwoong ordered while unraveling the knot that tied their luggage together. the five parted from him, on their way to do their tasks with nothing but their phones and the moon as their sources of light. while walking down the path, they couldn't help but listen to hanbin sing one of the nursery rhymes in the faintest voice possible. "five little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away" he whispered to the trees 14 feet below him. everyone snickered at the sight. "you really like that song, huh?" ricky teased while nudging his shoulder a little too hard, almost making him plummet to his death. "yeah, hyung, looks like the song choice was a good choice after all" yujin cackled. hanbin glared at ricky having almost dying but continued walking. "im gonna go look for logs and branches here, you guys go look for some sharp rocks or stuff" matthew waved as he split from the path. the four of them decided to scatter, turning it into a competition to make it more interesting. "whoever can bring two types of edible berries and a big fish first wins" that phrase from yujin alone was enough to get everyone to scramble, looking for trees and potential weapons. of course, yujin couldn't just lose to his own bet so he picked up a sharp rock and headed to the glacial lake up ahead and started aimlessly stabbing at the current, hoping for at least one dumb fish to get pierced. after a while of failed attempts, he stood up to straighten his back and turned around to check on the rest. the moment he turned his head, he was met by a blinding ray of light, causing him to aggressively squint, trying to locate where it was coming from but before he could do that, a giant rock collided with his head harshly and swiftly, causing him to fall back and splash into the water unconscious.

it was getting really late and no one had made their way back yet. worried, jiwoong rang the group gc. taerae, matthew, ricky, and hanbin picked up.

jiwoong: where the hell are you? and where's yujin?

taerae: uhh yeah, about that-

matthew: im on my way, i think ive picked up way too many logs and branches

ricky: he's dead

taerae: what the fuck ricky smack this is not a good time for those kinds of jokes!

jiwoong: how in the world did you lose him?!

hanbin: we split up

jiwoong: oh my fucking god, and who's genius idea was that?

hanbin, taerae, ricky: yujin's

jiwoong: jesus christ, just- sigh everyone come back to the tents first. we'll have better luck in the morning looking for him with the sunlight.

jiwoong hung up the phone with a sigh. i hope he's alright. after their small dinner, they all divided into two tents. "five little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away, mama duck said 'quack, quack, quack, quack' but only four little ducks came back" "there he goes again" jiwoong grumbles, covering his ears trying to tune out hanbin's dead voice singing between him and matthew. "go to duck-ing sleep!" matthew smacked his face using the pillow he used as earmuffs earlier. as the first rays of sunlight kissed the mountain peaks, everyone's memories were hazy, and they couldn't quite piece together when they had last seen yujin. all they knew was they separated from the path at one point. "what do we do now?" taerae asked, his voice trembling with worry. "were going to find him. split up and search the area," Jiwoong said, trying to keep a level head. "you guys go ahead. i mean, you need someone to look after the campsite in case of predators, right?" ricky volunteered to stay. the group divided into two teams: jiwoong and matthew went in one direction, while hanbin and taerae ventured off in another. everyone carried their phones to stay in touch. they followed the faint trail they remembered from the night before, calling out yujin's name and scanning the terrain for any signs of him. as they climbed higher into the mountains, the dense forest began to thicken, making their search more challenging. the terrain became rough and uneven, but they persisted, fueled by their determination to find the youngest. their phones buzzed to life every so often, with each team reporting their progress and exchanging encouragement.

hours passed, and the sky began showing signs of nightfall. jiwoong and matt stumbled upon a small clearing, and there, they found a half-burned campfire. "it was probably from the previous campers" matthew suspected. the sight filled them with both relief and concern. relief because they knew they were on the right track as yujin could have found this place, too, but concern for what might have happened to him. they parted ways to go look for more signs of the boy. meanwhile, taerae and hanbin noticed two sets of footprints leading further up the mountain and one leading to a glacial lake. the tracks seemed recent, giving them hope that yujin might still be within reach. they decided to seperate and quickened their pace, calling out louder and more urgently as they followed the trails, taerae going left while hanbin climbed higher. as the evening wore on, their spirits started to wane. the magnitude of the wilderness and the vastness of the mountain began to weigh on them. doubts began to creep into their minds, but they couldn't give up. just when they were about to consider seeking outside help, a faint cry for help echoed through the valley. they all froze, listening carefully. it came again, stronger this time, and they recognized matthew's voice. they rushed towards the sound, fueled by renewed energy. climbing with adrenaline pumping through their veins, they finally regrouped. "he's up there!" hanbin shouted, pointing to a rocky outcrop higher on the mountain. as they make their way to the top, matthew was no where to be seen and the sound of his voice was gone. they tried calling out to him but no one was responding. exhausted, they made their way back to the campsite, grateful to be reunited with ricky, but saddened to have another friend go missing. as they sat around the campfire that night, they shared stories, cherishing their friendship and vowing never to take their adventures for granted. "this experience should remind us of the importance of looking out for one another, especially in the face of adversity." jiwoong tried lightening the mood. everyone could only nod slowly in response without looking up from the ground. "hey, we'll find where they are alright? now that we've heard matt's screams, we should know someone's been messing with us— and we're putting a stop to it" he encouraged them while was feeling a little helpless himself. taerae put out the fire as everyone got comfortable in their respective tents. jiwoong hugged the pillow matthew used while fighting his heavy eyes, trying to stay awake. "four little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away, mama duck said 'quack quack quack quack', but only three little ducks came back" hanbin sang as he brushed his hair. jiwoong growled, throwing the pillow at him. "shut up and sleep already, god damn it" he buried his head in his own right after.

with a mixture of determination and anxiety, the trio set out on the relentless search, still leaving ricky to look after the tents and the food. on the third day, the forest seemed to stretch endlessly, with its towering trees blocking the sun, casting an eerie gloom over the landscape. they called out to matthew and yujin, their voices echoing through the forest, but received no response. as they trudged deeper into the woods, the terrain became rough, and the undergrowth thicker. jiwoong's initial confidence started to wane, but he kept it hidden, not wanting to worry the rest. taerae, usually the joker of the group, tried to maintain a positive attitude, but the weight of uncertainty was evident in his eyes. hanbin, typically the pragmatic one, began to wonder if they were heading in the right direction. hours pass feeling like days as they pressed on, following paths that seemed to lead nowhere. the forest seemed to be playing tricks on them, distorting landmarks and disorienting their senses. the supplies they were carrying were running low, and desperation started to cloud their judgment. "we should have stayed together when we were hunting for food" taerae said, a tinge of regret in his voice. "maybe we wouldn't have lost yujin in the first place." jiwoong shook his head. "it's not your fault, taerae. we didn't expect anyone to stray far from the path, especially deep in the night. we just need to keep looking." hanbin tried to use his phone's gps, but the signal was weak, and the battery was nearly drained. "we'll have to rely on our instincts now," he said, trying to sound more certain than he felt. as the sun began to set, they knew they had to make a difficult decision. keep searching in the dark, or find a safe place to spend for the meantime and resume the search at first light. "we should find shelter," hanbin suggested. "it's getting too dark, and we could get hurt stumbling around in the dark. lets go back to the campsite instead" jiwoong argued. reluctantly, the two agreed and started walking back to the campsite where ricky was waiting — or so they thought. when they arrived, the campfire was yet to be lit and the lights inside the tent were off. maybe he was just sleeping? hanbin and taerae opened both tents to only find pillows and blankets with no sign of ricky. they tried staying positive, thinking perhaps he just went to find some more water to stay hydrated. just to be safe, they all decided to sleep in one tent. they huddled together, trying to stay warm and comfort each other through their fear and uncertainty. the night was long and restless. every rustle of leaves and snapping twig made their hearts skip a beat, hoping it was them. but with each passing hour, the realization sank in that they might not find yujin, matt, now with ricky, that night. hanbin started singing his what they believed favorite song as if it were a lullaby. "three little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away, mama duck said 'quack, quack, quack, quack' but only two little ducks came back" this time, jiwoong and taerae only hugged him tighter as they remember yujin, who brought on that whole nursery rhyme thing in the car.

at first light, jiwoong had woken up to the smell of a foul odor and wood burning. he unzipped the tent and saw taerae eating meat while hanbin continued to grill the others. "mornin' hyung" hanbin smiled at the elder. "woah, were did all this meat come from?" jiwoong's eyes widened as he sat on a log in front of them by the fire. "we woke up at dawn and decided to go searching until we stumbled across the carcass of a deer with its meat and guts sticking out" taerae responded with a mouthful of said deer meat. "huh, this might just be the cheapest venison yet" jiwoong cackled as he took one of the paper plates and the disposable spoons as hanbin served him a slice using tongs. only having fish and berries for days, naturally you would get excited to dig in. "huh, this doesn't taste like venison. its a little on the harder side, as well" jiwoong examined the food on his plate while his teeth fight it in his mouth. "yeah, we thought the deer must've been there for a while now and maybe the meat was already decaying— but it's okay, the germs probably died in the fire!" hanbin joked in attempts of driving them away from thinking they're eating contaminated meat. after their small meal, they resumed their search with renewed determination. this time, jiwoong being left behind as he suspected whoever was messing with them moved closer to the campsite since ricky was the last target. if matthew was still around he would have been the one staying considering his strength but he's all hanbin and taerae have left. they agreed to do face time and keep it on no matter the circumstance in case of any more inconveniences that everyone is hoping don't occur. but despite their efforts, they were still unsuccessful in locating their friends. the forest seemed to have swallowed matt, yujin, and ricky whole. "two little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away— OH SHIT!" hanbin wasn't looking at where he was going and slipped on a rock, now he's quite literally holding onto dear life over the edge. "HANBIN?! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!" jiwoong jumped up from the foldable chair ricky had been using. "look at this idiot" taerae turned the camera to hanbin dangling over the edge whereas hanbin was smiling through the pain in his own phone. "don't worry, i got you" taerae grabbed his wrist and tried pulling him up but was too weak to carry his whole weight. his sweaty palm made him slip from the grip, causing hanbin to slide further down. "KIM TAERAE!!" he yelled, not being able to contain his fear anymore. "i don't have enough strength hyung" taerae whimpered. "leave a marker somewhere so i can identify where i should be looking and come back here for lookout" jiwoong instructed. taerae ripped the sleeve of his shirt using his teeth, setting his phone down for a while to tie it into a nearby tree. "there, i tied a white ribbon to the tree closest to the cliff" taerae pointed it at the camera. "HURRY!" hanbin screamed at his phone. taerae sprinted through the woods as fast as he could. jiwoong kept a close eye on his younger brother carrying his entire weight on his finger, worry coating his eyes. despite watching like a hawk, the screen suddenly turned black and glass shattering could be heard from his end. "hanbin? hanbin are you there?!" jiwoong shook the phone as if it was just the signal acting up. "h- h- hyu- u- u- n- ng-!" the audio was static but he could tell he was in need of help asap. "taerae, check on him!" jiwoong frantically yelled at taerae who has been running the entire time. "im almost at the campsite hold up" as soon as he said that, jiwoong could see him getting closer. he finally sprinted towards the opposite direction while skimming through the trees, looking for the marker taerae had left for him.

when he finally found it, he slowed down his tracks. "hanbin!" he called out to him. he slowly walked to the ledge only to find no sign of him. "t-taerae are you sure he was here?" jiwoong looked at his phone "i-i... t-the marker isn't there... right?" taerae's voice cracked, not wanting to conclude into the worst possible outcome. "im afraid it is.." jiwoong showed the tree that clearly had the white fabric from taerae' shirt earlier. taerae, who was holding back his tears, finally started bursting out into tears. jiwoong looked around for hanbin's phone. he thought the signal couldn't have just disappeared by itself, it must have been tampered with but there was no sign of it either. with a heavy heart, he decided to return to the campsite while comforting taerae over the phone, walking along the path. mid-way, he ended the call to take some time for himself. we could have went to the beach, to the club, hell, a children's playground, for all anyone cares! but we didn't know this hellhole was just as shitty as the one back at home. the breeze cooling his skin as he walked, his dark locks billowing in the wind as he hung his head in sadness, anger, and especially regret.

as he emerged from the woods, taerae was waiting for him by the campfire, drinking ground coffee he made from the beans he found while picking berries. he seemed to have calmed down from the crying earlier but, just like jiwoong, was and will still mourn the loss of their four amigos. jiwoong sat on the log across him. "can i have some?" he pointed at taerae drinking. "of course" he gave a slight smile before getting a mug and pouring hot water. "berries?" he offered them from a small dish. "thanks" jiwoong grabbed a couple and popped them into his mouth. they didn't talk to each other, they just kept each other company by simply being in each other's presence by the campfire while drinking coffee and eating berries under the starry sky. "i think we should call it quits now, ey? i mean, we've been doing it ourselves for days now, maybe it's time to report to proper authorities" jiwoong finally spoke after hours of silence and self-contemplating. taerae slowly nodded, still in disbelief of everything that happened. "s-sorry i wasn't fast enough..." he stuttered while shivering and gripping onto his mug, shaking it. jiwoong walked up to him and bent down to pat his back. "hey, it's not your fault. i know you were running as fast as you can, we were on face time, afterall. it's this fucked up place to blame" jiwoong gave a reassuring smile. taerae smiled back at him before he got up. "well, let's get packing." jiwoong said as he grabbed the foldable chair. him and taerae packing up the things their friends left behind was the most painful thing they had to do. as taerae settled in the tent, jiwoong put out the campfire using a bucket before laying down himself. "good night, rae" "good night, hyung" jiwoong pulled taerae into an embrace as they fell asleep in each other's arms. the next morning, taerae woke up to the sun blinding him. he stretched and rubbed his eyes and looked at jiwoong. "hyung, wake up, the earlier we go back home,the faster we can get them to find the boys" taerae tried shaking him awake but he wasn't budging. he tried screaming inches away from his ear. huh, he really wasn't budging. actually, he wasn't even moving at all. taerae took his index and middle finger and put it against jiwoong's neck to check. no pulse. "hyung?" taerae tried slapping him. "h-hyung, you can't do this to me" he tried piching and pulling on them but jiwoong was long gone. taerae bent down and buried his face in his shoulder sobbing. but it wasn't out of sadness, it was out of delight. "finally" taerae laughed to himself. he started singing as he was sliding the butcher's knife hiding under his pillow. "one little duck went out one day, over the hills and far away, mama duck said 'quack, quack, quack, quack' but none of the little ducks came back" taerae swung the knife and off came jiwoong's head.

"In a shocking and horrifying incident, local authorities have closed down a popular mountain area for a crime scene investigation after the discovery of severed heads in a trash bag. The incident occurred on Mount Zerobase, a beloved destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The victims were found by a group of hikers who stumbled upon a foreign odor coming from the bag, opening it to the gruesome scene early this morning. The authorities were immediately notified, and a team of investigators, including local police, forensic experts, and search and rescue personnel, were dispatched to the site.

As of now, the exact number of victims and their identities have not been released to the public, pending notification of the families. However, preliminary reports suggest that five campers were found dead at the campsite as of 3:20. The motive behind the killings remains unclear, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a random act of violence or a targeted attack. However, forensic experts have stated all of the heads had a duck carved into their foreheads using some kind of blade.

The closure of the mountain area is expected to last for an extended period to facilitate a thorough investigation. Visitors are urged to avoid the area until further notice to allow the investigators to collect evidence and ensure the safety of all visitors.

Local law enforcement has assured the public that they are dedicating all available resources to solve this heinous crime and bring the perpetrators to justice. The community is in a state of shock and mourning, as this tranquil and picturesque mountain spot was considered a safe haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

Officials have also requested that anyone with information related to the incident come forward and assist with the investigation. They believe that any detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could be crucial in solving this tragic case.

As the investigation unfolds, the thoughts and condolences of the entire community go out to the families and friends of the victims. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the need for vigilance and caution when venturing into remote areas, even those that are typically regarded as safe and serene.

This is Jeon Bichna, reporting live. Back to you, Myung Cheongseok."

taerae turned off the television and leaned back on the couch, smiling to himself as he took another bite out of his homemade burger— made with special ground meat.

"since that day, no one didn't dare go camping on mount zerobase ever again. the end!" taerae laughed as he turned off the flashlight that luminated his face. everyone was huddled together; jiwoong with matthew whereas hanbin and ricky both squeezed yujin from opposite sides. "oh you scared cats, it was just a campfire story!" yujin rolled his eyes. "yeah, a campfire story with our names and taerae being a FUCKING SERIAL KILLER" jiwoong yelled as matthew carressed his back, trying to calm him down. taerae could only cackle looking at everyone's reactions. "regardless of the names, fiction is fiction, reality is reality. now, who wants berries?" taerae took out a whole container of berries he brought from home and gave them all a sly wink and bursted into laughter while looking at their frightened faces.

a/n: boooo that was it? that wasn't thriller! that was pretty basic >:[ lmao ANYWAYS IM SO HAPPY ITS OVER NOW CAUSE I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE NEEN GETTING NIGHTMARES FROM THIS EHEHEHEH if you've made it this far, kudos to you! thank you so much for sticking around <3

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