The fall

Chapter 8

Penelope

My head is spinning, I feel as I am running through infinite darkness—Where even am I? I don't feel anything it just feels like I'm in a daze. What was I even doing a moment ago?
I see a door in the distance and I reach my hand for the knob, I open it and I stepped inside the room. It just stretched into an endless hallway.

Ahead of me, I saw them—Gabriella and Blake. Walking away from me. Their voices grew fainter, my heart twisted.

"Wait!" I called, "Don't leave me!"

But they didn't stop, Gabriella vanished into the dark mist as the hallway only seemed to stretch further. Pulling them further away from me. Gabby vanished like a dream. Only Blake remained now. I reached out to grab him, my hand shaking, but my fingers grasped nothing.

I soon fell to my knees, gasping for air, the cold floor biting into my skin. Like something was biting into my soul.

...

I jolt awake and immediately start coughing as I bring myself back to reality, It was just a dream.
Blake spits some dirty blood aside and I reach touch my own lips, they are smooth and I feel the thickness of the red liquid on them.

I lift my head and open my mouth to say something, to ask what happened, he pulls me towards him—caress the back of my head in a reassuring manner for himself that I was alive. My face pressed against his chest, I relax from the adrenaline I felt a second ago while he rests his chin on my head.

"You're so fucking stupid, Pen." He says between a sigh.
I look up at him, he's slightly pale and he breathes out In relief—which makes the panic in his expression slowly die down.

"What happened..?" I finally manage to ask.

He stares back at me before he reaches his hand and caresses my cheek lovingly. "You pushed Gabby away before a sinner could grab her, not just any sinner...a fear sucker, rank B to be exact." He sighs in relief once again once he know's I'm okay, he then presses his forehead against mine. "Thank god—you are okay, we got too you just in time. But that thing was doing something to you."

"So that's what the dream was about, my fear.."

He pulls away as he tilts his head in confusion.
"What dream—"

His sentence cuts off short as Gabby pushes him out of the way with a thud, Blake frowns—glaring at her sideways—and stands up dusting off his clothes. "Move—!" She mutters at him. Gabriella soon places her hands on my shoulders, shaking me lightly as she turns to me with a lecturing frown.

"You stupid, reckless, most annoying hunter! How dare you do that? You scared me half to death!" She flicks my forehead at my in a dumbfounded expression and nervous laugh. "If you died, I would actually go to the afterlife and bring you back myself! My god, Pen—don't do something so reckless."

I smile faintly at their concerns for me, how I love them. "I'm sorry guys, It won't happen again." I say in a gentle tone.

Later on we stand up and regroup, Richard soon came back from watching the dead sinner, apparently it hasn't started dissipating until now. That's a rank B for you.

I reach and gently ghost at throat, the sensation of having my life sucked away in my dream was terrifying. I've never been choked so It's a scary feeling—feeling close to death. I thought I didn't have any fears, but I guess it lingered in the back of my head.. My biggest fear; being abandoned by everyone I love.

I raise my head and snap of my thoughts as the others call for me, we continue walking deeper into the forest, it feels like we have been looking for the kids for days—but it has only been about six hours. And by the minute Blake is getting more anxious about finding his brother, we all try reassuring him—but it feels like a lost cause soon.

We soon hear a branch break behind us, causing us all to prepare for an attack only to turn around to see Lucian pointing the tip of his dagger towards us. The entire blade is glowing, our training sure paid off because must've imbued his evol in it.

Gabby bursts our laughing, probably because a kid is threatening us. She then gestures to Blake with a knowing grin. "Is this your little brother, commander?"

Blake sighs at her remark before he nods while rolling his eyes, they always try mocking each other in the worst situations. "Yes, Martinez. Seems like it."

Lucian threatens once again with the glowing dagger. "You're all sinners! Step back or I will not hesitate to kill you!" Lucian yells in a firm tone.

Richard immediately frowns and out of instinct aims his gun at him, which makes Lucian flinch and continue threatening. "The fuck? How even old are you, 5?"

"He looks five, B." Gabby adds.

Blake face palms his face and groans in annoyance at their comments. "Just shut up, both of you. Listen, Luc—"

Lucian steps back and I hold out my hand gesturing gently to stop him as I speak in a soft tone. "Hey, It's okay—It's us, we are not shapeshifters."

He frowns, obviously not believing us. "That's what all shapeshifters say!"

Blake rolls his eyes and tilts his head back slightly, sighing while he pinches the bridge of his nose.
"When you were seven, you came too my room cause you pissed—"

Lucian covers Blake's mouth immediately with his evol and his cheeks flush into a deep shade of red at his embarrassment. "You promised to never bring that up, big bro!"

Blake stares at him, his gaze softening before he pulls him and hugs him tightly. Lucian hugs him back while he starts sobbing and shaking hysterically in his big brother's arms and I pat his head with a gentle smile.

After he calms down, Gabriella speaks up. "Alright—lil man, where are the others?"

Lucian sniffles while wiping the remains of his tears. "They are not too far from here but many are injured, I was looking for help."

I sigh preparing for the worse, before I pat his shoulder faintly. "You did very well, now show us where to go Luc.."