The Fall (On Hiatus until otherwise stated)

The Fall: Chapter 14 - Serena

We entered a clearing in the woods that I didn't even know existed until now, or maybe it had always been here and I had never noticed, I wasn't really the outdoorsy type. In the clearing was a small man made shelter. 'Is this were you've been hiding out up until today?' I asked. He nodded and led me over. Inside the shelter were a sleeping bag, a camping gas stove and a few empty packets of noodles and cans of supermarket own brand . There didn't seem to be anything that was non-essential.

I could see his school bag from earlier today neatly packed by the shelter, and no doubt his school uniform was laid out ready for tomorrow as well behind the wall of tarpaulin. The only thing I noticed that seemed to have any value to Finn at all was the Sphere. It was placed near the fire on a camping chair; it had obviously been wrapped up in a handkerchief, as a sea of white surrounded it.

"Is this all you've been eating?" I asked, concerned about his lack of fruit and . He smiled.

What am I still doing here?

I could hear myself say, but something brushed it aside as quickly as it came up. I was sure that only a few minutes ago...then Finn's voice broke through.

"I've been in a pod for who knows how long, landed on a planet that isn't my own and have had to survive on the native . So yes, this is all I've been eating, and it's." He grinned. I pushed him lightly on the shoulder.

Why did I do that?

"So what's your plan?" I asked him, he looked at me confused. I wasn't sure if he was messing around or if he was being serious, and I wasn't sure if I was being serious about wanting to know the answer to my own question.

"Plan?" he asked me, then he got what I meant. "Oh no, no plan as such. I thought I would just see what happens. I know they are coming. They know I know they are coming. I don't really see what one person can do against who knows how many."

He sounded like he was already giving up and I wasn't to let him do that. "Is there nothing you can do?" I asked, my mind wandered off to what other powers he might have...

The only power I have is this .

"Alright, you can't blame me for thinking it though." I sighed. "What do you think will happen when they get here?"

I couldn't breathe, my mind couldn't breathe. I knew what he had said was a lie.

"They'll either execute me here or take me home and do it, either way it doesn't end well for me ." Or me.

I didn't like thinking of Finn as dead, I didn't like thinking of Finn being dead on a planet so far away no one could mourn him, including myself. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. "I don't want you to die." I said. He put his arm around my shoulder and held me closer to him. took some comfort in this, and drifted off to .

What was happening to me?

I awoke to the sun creeping through the trees on the horizon. I could smell food cooking. It smelled like beans. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I smiled when I saw Finn sat by his small stove cooking the can of beans.

"Morning." He smiled

"Morning." I replied, I felt a slight chill but brushed it off. I was so happy, but I wasn't happy. I was scared, I was scared of being here with him, I was scared that if my parents found out I had been gone all night I was going to be dead..

I stood up quickly and held my hands to my head, pulling some leaves out of my hair. "I am so ." I said, looking at Finn, and then something strange happened. I could feel my whole body tense and then relax. A rush of emotions passing through me and I finally felt clear headed for the first time since I had argued with Finn. I quickly got up off the floor and took a step back from him.

"Are you ok Serena?" he asked, putting the wooden stirrer into the pan and looking over to me.

"Yeah I'm fine." I lied, and I knew he knew it. There was the briefest of moments before I made a run for it, and he quickly darted after me.

I ran as fast as I could, I wasn't sure which direction I was headed in, but as long as it was away from Finn I didn't care. I leapt over dead branches and piles of autumn leaves. I took a quick look over my shoulder; Finn was almost within grabbing distance of me. I panicked and took a swerve to the left, then stopped myself against a tree and watched as Finn ran on ahead, having to slow himself down and turn around.

I didn't wait to see what he did, and quickly ran in the opposite direction. I had only run for a minute or so when I couldn't hear any footsteps behind me. I took another look over my shoulder, and thankfully Finn was nowhere to be seen. I ran up to the nearest tree and hid behind it, trying to catch my breath.

My heart was beating out of my chest, my blood rushed through my veins. I hoped he didn't have some weird Alien hearing, though he needn't even have that. All he had to do was follow my thoughts. I tried my hardest to clear my mind, but I knew it wouldn't work.

"Serena." I heard him call out. I knew he wasn't far from my position as I could hear his voice as crisp and clear as if he were next to me. I held my breath, though I wasn't sure it would help me in anyway, but it's what people on TV did when they were being chased. "Serena, I won't hurt you. Let me explain." He said, though his voice was sounding less and less sincere.

"If you come out now, I won't hurt you." I could tell he was getting agitated now, but why? If he really cared about me surely he'd let me go? Let me sort through this mess in my head by myself.

I wasn't brave enough to call out to him, or to move, or even to do anything remotely life preserving. I stayed as still as a statue and hoped he wasn't listening in to my thoughts. I was sure he would of found me by now if he had been, so why hadn't he?

I was so confused, why wasn't he finding me by the thoughts in my head. Surely he could see where I was hiding, but then I realised he couldn't, because it wasn't him. It wasn't Finn.

Was that why I felt so wary last night? No, I am still wary of this whole situation, but now I knew it wasn't Finn, I had the upper hand.

"You won't find me." I shouted out, than ran toward another tree, trying to be as quick and quiet as I could.

"I will find you Serena." His voice seemed to be amplified by the trees, making him sound more terrifying than I had ever heard him before, I knew who I was dealing with now, I was certain off it. Even though it was Finn's voice I was hearing, the tone was familiar. It reminded me of the fight I had with Isaac.

"I know it's you Isaac." I shouted, again running behind a different tree. I took a quick look around, but I still couldn't see him.

"Clever human." he chuckled, as if I needed to be praised for knowing who he was, for working it out. Like a dog being given a treat after a trick. I took a look around and I could see a definite trail that would lead me back towards home.

I ignored Isaac and made a dash for it, but as I swiveled around to check if he was anywhere near hands grabbed me around my shoulders and held me tightly. I looked up into fierce purple eyes.

"Isaac."