Light in abyss

CHAPTER SEVEN: UNRAVELING PART TWO

TWENTY HOURS BEFORE THE DEPARTURE

Katherine sat on the edge of her bed; her hands clenched tightly in her lap as she stared blankly at the wall. Her thoughts raced, a whirlwind of anxiety and fear swirling within her chest. It had been three days since she received the news of a new demon horde appearing on the front lines. After all that time she has only spoken to Chris once over a communication line.

"Katherine?" Elaina's voice cut through the heavy silence, her tone measured and composed as she entered the room. Elaina's expression was stoic, betraying little of the concern that lurked beneath the surface.

"What's wrong?" Katherine whispered; her voice barely audible.

Elaina took a seat beside her, her posture rigid and controlled. "It's Damon. He's been deployed to the front lines."

The words struck Katherine like a physical blow, her breath catching in her throat as a wave of panic washed over her. Damon, her beloved brother, was being sent into the heart of danger.

"No," Katherine whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "He can't go. He can't..."

Elaina's gaze remained steady; her expression unchanged as she regarded her sister with cool detachment. "It was inevitable, Katherine. Given the circumstances, it was only a matter of time before they called upon him."

Tears welled in Katherine's eyes, blurring her vision as she struggled to comprehend Elaina's words. "But... but he's not ready," she stammered, her voice choked with anguish. "He just turned 14. Why not send me, I am the one training to be an enforcer"

Elaina's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, a fleeting gesture of comfort amidst the sea of indifference. "He'll adapt, He always does. So just believe in his strength and pray for his safe return."

In that moment, Katherine realized the depth of her sister's resolve, the steel in her spine that held her steady in the face of adversity. Damon's deployment was just another obstacle to be overcome, another trial to endure in their relentless pursuit of survival.

As Katherine's tears fell in silent streams of grief and fear, Elaina remained by her side, silent in the darkness, offering a semblance of solace amidst the storm. After Katherine had finished crying, Elaina descended the stairs to prepare her sister's favorite comfort foods.

The news of Damon's deployment hit the family like a bombshell, sending shockwaves of fear and uncertainty rippling through their home. As Katherine grappled with her own anxieties, Amara's reaction was far more visceral, her usually composed demeanor crumbling under the weight of her emotions.

Amara paced the confines of her room, her movements frantic and agitated as she struggled to contain the storm raging within her. She had always prided herself on her ability to maintain control, to remain stoic in the face of adversity. But now, faced with the prospect of losing her brother to the horrors of war, that control slipped through her fingers like grains of sand.

With trembling hands, Amara reached for the small vial of medication tucked away in her dresser drawer. The pills offered temporary solace from the chaos swirling in her mind, a fleeting respite from the relentless tide of anxiety and fear that threatened to consume her.

As she swallowed the bitter pills, Amara felt a momentary sense of calm wash over her, the edges of her panic blunted by the numbing embrace of the medication. But even as the drugs took hold, a nagging sense of unease lingered in the back of her mind, a constant reminder of the turmoil that threatened to engulf her.