Hood

CHAPTER VI: In Utter Darkness

A/N: This story needs to be edited. Really…. (sigh) I’m a really bad author…. I’m terrible (facepalm)  I’m sorry if it all goes wrong, but hey, I’m 13, so yeah…

            Commander Julia Valdez stared at the window with a blank expression on her face. Her emotionless green hues are fixed on one single view from outside.

And what a terrible view it was.

Chapter VI: In Utter Darkness

The atmosphere was unbelievably choking. Screams and cries pierced through my brain like a sharp arrow. I swear if I get to see one dead corpse again, I’ll probably vomit bile all over. To make it worse, the wound in my thigh was excruciating.

For the last three days, we have to do three tasks: help, protect and stay alive. But I can’t even sleep a wink at night because of the situation we’re in right now. Others are really trying to stay sane but it was useless. I thought the undergrounds could hold our population, but unfortunately, it can’t, even though we’ve lost more than a thousand people already. We’re cramped and we have barely enough food and water.

I suddenly screamed and tripped, dropping a bucket of water as I felt a sharp pain well up on my wound once again. I gripped my thigh as I grit my teeth and hissed, sweat rolling down from my forehead down to my chin.

“Don’t you know that water is scarce now?! Why did you drop it? You’re a Hunter, aren’t you? You’re supposed to be strong!” I looked up and saw an old woman, her gray hair tied up into a messy bun, deep furrows on her brows, glaring down at me, “… A foolish lass you are, this is why women shouldn’t be trained for this purpose! How unfortunate…”

I don’t know whether I should be angry or I should let the old geezer scold me like a child trying to play with fire. I looked down and saw a puddle from the water I dropped earlier reflected my face. My face was now pallid, with dark shades under my eyes. I haven’t eaten for three whole days, so I’ve gotten skinny as well. I looked to my left and right and saw people staring at me from a distance. I’ve tried to get up, but the pain was a big hindrance.

“Fang! Is everything alright?” I suddenly saw Zyrinne, as she tried to help me up.

“No, don’t…” I yelped in pain but despite my protests, she still tried to help me stand. I tried once more, bearing the pain in my thigh as I did.

“Good. Let’s get you to the infirmary…” she said.

“You forgot to take some morphine, did you?” Zyrinne asked, as she sat next to one of the beds in the small infirmary we had. Even in this crisis we’re in she managed to put up a smile. It smelled like blood mixed with dust in here, which I hate. The old cemented bricks that make up this small building are now filled with moss and grime, like this place is about to crumble in any minute now. I sat on one of the dirty white beds, with a glass of water in my hand and nodded at Zyrinne’s question, “Shouldn’t you be with Zero checking the squads?”

“Zero did. I didn’t.” answered she, her smile wavered, “… Zero hasn’t been himself lately… unlike before, he doesn’t smile anymore or even mock me with those pestering insults of his. He talks so glib now, I don’t even know him anymore.” I stared into her clear cerulean eyes that looks like they were about to shatter like glass. There was suddenly a pregnant pause between us until I said, “It’s going to be alright. I think he’s trying to process of what is happening right now. It’s just that, this all occurred too fast I don’t even believe it.”

“So did I, but, do you think we’ll be able to survive here?”

Her question made me think as well. Will we able to adjust in this kind of living and stay here? But when? How? I don’t know.

“I don’t know either…” I said, “… but we’ll find a way to make things right.” She nodded in response but I wasn’t sure of my answer. I don’t know if there is still hope for us to survive. The world is merciless, dark and cruel. If we don’t fight, we die. We’re already coated into darkness, not knowing the way out.

And maybe we’ll keep walking into that darkness, waiting for the time where we’ve come to meet our demise.

We soon got out of the infirmary when we heard a shrill cry. The pain in my thigh was now gone, but I know it will only be for a while. When we got to the source of the scream, we saw a young unconscious woman being taken care of and a few Hunters in front of an open tent, their faces pale and jaws open. When I tried to get a look on what they’re staring at, I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. I felt iron being pressed down my chest and bile rising up my throat.

It was a male Hunter. His body limp and lifeless, his eyes painted white all over with his jaw hanging open. His wrists soaked in blood that pattered on the ground. And what’s worst of all…

… he was hanged.

A/N: I suck… Hehehe…  Feel free to vote and comment! If they're any mistakes, just say! Constructive Criticism is welcome... :-)

 RedVanguard out.