The Girl of Shadows [COMPLETE]

Six

["You learn exactly what you want to be taught." -Seeker]

I could not put into words exactly how I felt, along with the others. Shivers ran down our spines as if it were a child towards its mother when fearful. From observing, I could tell everyone wanted to sprint to action and see what all the fuss was about, but they just couldn't. Nor could I for that matter.

I was the first to rise to my feet, still a little wobbly. My hands were instinctively on the ground for some corpses to protect us, and when everyone saw what I was doing, they ran to the scene of terror.

"Don't move or I'll end her!" A masked man called out. Celia was held by her waist up against him and was crying her eyes out. The display of shock among our youthful faces emerged more than it should have. We were showing fear, the first step of what not to do when face to face with an enemy. For Celia's safety, as well as everyone else's, we didn't step an inch.

Moments without end were spent in that hallway, each of us afraid for the very near future. Just one inch, maybe smaller, could end Celia's life in a flash. And of course we didn't want that.

I glanced around the hallway to everybody. Then I reverted back to facing Celia, or what was now an empty void, reappearing to dodge a bullet. That's when the animals were released from their hiding spots. Our first real fight - and it was together.

I swung a fist at a guy's face, missing, and him hitting mine. I grunted from the sudden sting that happened, though I got right back up and punched him twice as hard. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he was out before I could examine him. I just threw him in the closet for later. We could use him for interrogations later.

Now I was aiding Thorne and Riley, both taking turns knocking a guy out. He was very much out of it, bruised and nose bloody, close to unconsciousness. I kicked him in his shins to add to the pain. He deserved it for helping the leader - who was not here, they were obviously henchmen - break into our home for an unspecified reason. I was so angry that it turned my face beet red, which was the way you could tell. Though the guy was absolutely done with everything, I gave him a few more blows to his lower body. And I was strong, may I add.

I stand up onto my feet, which were exhausted from standing upright for so long, to monitor our progress - whether that be any. The ones with the powers that have side effects were leaning against the wall, head tilted back for some rest. I tried my best to help them up and bring them to their rooms. Conveniently, we were on the third floor, which is where the majority of their rooms were.

After they were put into beds for some recharging, I made my way downstairs, with corpses following me because I felt unsafe. Every step I descended made me feel more and more uneasy - like something was wrong. It couldn't have been my siblings because one, I did a headcount four or five times, and two, the injured were resting. What could it possibly be?

My mind escaped its forever wonderland and found a weeping Gianna on the countertop. Her eyes were full of numbing pain - more or less fury - and gazed hopelessly at the floor. She seemed as if her brain was running in circles, never tiring or asking for a break, though I knew she needed one bad,

"Mom....What's wrong?" I heard Hugo mumble to her, rubbing her back like a good son should. She turned to hug him no matter the height difference. I paced towards them to ask a few questions. Thorne, Kinslee, Niko, Hugo, and now myself. I cringed when Gianna's cries gradually became stronger in volume. Hearing her like that made me so immensely upset to the point where I was impulsively panicking. Then I noticed the obvious with me being the victim.

Cedric was missing.

Processing that made me tear up. Our leader, our companion - our father. Missing, and life status unknown. I didn't even want to go there. That would tear at my sensitive soul.