The fall

Chapter 5

Blake

Something feels off, I haven't seen Lucian in a couple hours now. He was with Penelope but now she's gone too, she's reckless but not that stupid to let my little brother run off somewhere.
I organize my different guns, checking them on my list before I pick up and polish my sniper with a sigh. Where the fuck are they?

I come back to reality as Mason, one of the district 8ths guards rushes inside my tent, he's panting since it seems like he just ran a fucking marathon.
"Commander...It's—fuck, I gotta catch my breath."

I stand up and place a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, just breathe. In and out."
I point at myself as I help him breathe to show him to copy me.

He soon calms down and my mind goes blank at what he's telling me. Penelope brought in a shape shifter that was disguised as a dead man and as the shape shifter went into its original sinners form, my brother led it into the forest, running away from camp with it chasing him and apparently the other kids from the training squad went along.
I pat Masons shoulder with a blank expression. I feel sick to even say a clear sentence..

I just walk past him as I mumble out and walk out of my tent.
"Call Gabriella Martinez, she's a shadow user."

Before Mason can call out to me, I'm already gone.
I am running through district 8 to reach the main camp there, my heart is beating rapidly at the thought of her turning into a sinner and my brother dying in the hands of one.
Fucking hell—Don't be scratched, Penelope, please don't be scratched.

I reach the main camp after another minute, the air there is turning thicker and thicker. It's hard to breathe, the eerie silence is making it harder to focus, where the fuck is everyone?
I jog through the camp, my gaze turns left and right every second after a moment my heart drops as I spot Penelope passed out on the ground with her blade in her hand.

I kneel down towards her and I shake her lightly as I cradle her in my arms.
"Penelope—? Goddammit, wake the fuck up!"

She stirs slightly and I sit her up.
"What happened..?"
She asks as she touches her forehead.

I help her stand up at the same time as me, caressing her palm gently with my thumb.
"I heard there was a shapeshifter incident, are you alright..?"

She nods and soon realizes where she is.
"Lucian—! Oh my god, he flashed the sinner with light and I got knocked out by it before I watched him lead it into the forest!"

I look down, fucking hell.
"I've sent an emergency call to Gabriella. Since it's too dark, she will move the shadows so we can see."

Penelope nods at that idea and I glance at the forest, she turns her head towards the forest as she follows my gaze. I tighten my grip on her hand, I'm worried that Lucian might already be—

I jump out of my thoughts as I feel her palm against my cheek and she smiles faintly.
"It will be okay, be confident in your brother and the others.."

I nod.
"You're right, now is not the time to be terrified.."

She stares at me before she takes her gun from her waist belt hand it to me. We nod in silence to each other before we start heading towards the Mantra forest, preparing for the worst possible outcome.