The fall

Chapter 32

Penelope

The days kept passing, I didn't want to go. In fact, I never want to go on these missions. But of course, It was never really up to me, was it? No, because Richard had decided that I needed to join the Valortorian soldiers on their little expedition to capture a few sinners—the freaks that Mr. Fray liked to collect for his experiments. How charming. The whole thing smelled of blood and desperation, but it wasn't like I had a say in the matter.

But the worst part? I was still stuck with these fucking idiots who called themselves soldiers.

I met Arlo, who was one of them. Another cocky, obnoxious bastard who thought he was invincible just because he could use a large gun and talk a big game. The rest of them were cut from the same cloth, but he definitely stood out because of his stupidity.
And guess who got paired up with him? That's right—me. Not that I cared. As long as I did my job, I wasn't interested in their nonsense.

We set out through the forest, the air thick with fog and the ground soft underfoot. The creatures we were hunting left signs of their passing—twisted, malformed prints that made my stomach twist in revulsion. Mr. Fray wanted these things alive, preferably for his sick experiments. I didn't care either way. To me, they were just another set of monsters to eliminate.

Arlo, of course, was all fired up, his gun gleaming in the murky light as he led the charge, bellowing some stupid war cry. I just followed along, staying in the back where I could observe. I wasn't here to be some valiant hero. I was here cause I had to be. Nothing more, nothing less.

And then, It happened.

The attack came out of nowhere. The monsters—half-human, half-thing—came crashing through the fog. Rank C. I didn't panic. I just went to work. My sword appearing, flashing, before I started cutting down creatures left and right. I'd been through worse before. These things were just another set of obstacles in my path.

Arlo, though, got himself into trouble, as usual. I heard him shout from behind me.
"Dorothea!"

I glanced over. There he was, sprawled on the ground, clutching at his leg, blood pooling around him like a sick puddle. A sinner had taken a chunk out of him, and now he was begging for my help. He's already a goner anyway, so I don't get why he's so desperate.

"Please, Penelope!" His voice cracked with desperation. "I can't move... you've got to help me!"

I looked at him, still lying there, looking at me with wide terrified eyes. His face was twisted in pain, his gun just out of reach. And honestly? I couldn't bring myself to care. Guess I'm losing control over myself, again.

I gave him a cold, deliberate smile. "No."

Hi face fell, confusion and hurt flashing across it for a moment before he could speak again.
"What? You're just going to leave me here? You can't—"

I shrugged. "Not my problem. Not my fight."

His mouth opened, ready to protest further, but I was already turning my back to him. It wasn't like I could give him a good reason for why I was leaving him behind. I didn't owe him anything. I didn't owe any of them anything. They weren't my team, and they definitely weren't my friends.