Petals on The Moon || Reyna Ramirez-Arellano x Fem!OC

XXX

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Hello again.

"Do you feel anything yet?" I asked as I walked alongside Ethan.

He shook his head. "No. But that bothers me." He glanced at me. "I know she did do it."

"So do I," I said quietly. I shined my flashlight forward, making sure I could see well ahead of me in the event of another strange hole. I didn't want to suffer anymore broken bones. Especially because I knew I'd be losing my leg soon enough.

Existing is a very strange thing, I think. Because sometimes I feel almost nothing at all. But, other times, it feels like my feelings are so deep- deep enough to drown me almost. I wasn't sure which end of the spectrum I was on at that moment. I had my half-brother next to me. I was going to be losing my leg. I had to get the Cup of Youth back. My friends were children.

I felt incredibly alone.

I didn't know if I wanted to call Ethan my "brother" yet, because I didn't know him. Maybe I did a long time ago. And maybe he is technically my brother because we share a mother. But that is all. I don't know anything about him. Not enough to call him my brother. That is Sebastian's role, not Ethan's. Not yet, maybe.

Ethan and I entered a large room, and almost fell down a big hole. Both of us reacted quickly, and stopped just before the drop off. There were large wood panels that broke suddenly, and they appeared to be rotting. Experimentally, I tapped one with my foot. It felt spongy and many pieces fell into the cavern, which whistled with an eerie, dank wind, almost like hot breath.

Ethan shined his flashlight around and frowned. "Look."

I looked. We appeared to be in a basement of some sort, rotted wood all around us. There seemed to be old picture frames on the walls, but the people in them were missing, and the glass looked fogged over. The rims might have once been ornate silver, bronze, brass, or gold, but the metal had been long corroded. An old staircase led upstairs, and we could reach it if we jumped properly. Otherwise, there was no way out but the spooky hole.

I pointed at the hole. "We shouldn't go down there."

"Why not?" Ethan was staring at the staircase. "That's an eight foot jump."

"Down there feels funky," I said. "Something bad's down there. We're supposed to make the jump." I pulled off my backpack. "Here. I'll jump first, you toss me my backpack, then you jump and I'll get you."

"No way," Ethan said, shaking his head. "There's no way we make that."

"Then, I will make it, and go get you a rope from upstairs," I suggested.

He stared at me. "You're sure that is the way?"

"Yes. It's tugging."

My words seemed to make no sense to him, but Ethan reluctantly agreed. He took my backpack for me, and slid out of the way, pasting himself against the wall. The wood would break about eight inches from the ledge, which meant I had to jump eight inches further. I got a running start and leaped, barely making it to the staircase. I don't know how. Something about demigods being very strong and skilled. Maybe I got those skills as well. But the staircase was intact- likely through magical means, because it should have disintegrated under me- and I pulled myself up. Ethan was watching me with wide, terrified eyes, but I gave him a thumbs up as I caught my breath.