Behind the Tears of War

Chapter 24

I was starting to wonder if I was going to die there. I couldn't breath, I wanted my mom, all I wanted was for her to hold me and tell me that I was going to be okay, but I knew she was gone. Not even my medication would do anything for me now, and the pain that radiated off my arm, It was unbearable. My face was soaked with tears, and I continued to struggle under the man.

Then I heard this loud noise that pierced through my already ringing ears. The man stopped and his eyes went to the back of his head. I spun before he could land on me and reflexively my hands went to my shoulder. I was bleeding again, there was blood everywhere.

"Are you okay?" Matt called running towards me, he looked completely distraught and confused."Uh, uh, I- I'm fine." I said shakily as he helped me to my feet. "We don't have time for this." I said shaking my head as I began to limp forward. Matt caught me by my wrist his eyes scanning mine carefully. I spoke before he could say anything.

"Create a distraction." I whispered. There were still soldiers everywhere, and I had an idea.

Matt smirked. "Just be careful." He whispered letting go of my wrist. Then he ran toward the swarm a pendomite soldiers. I saw movement, one swing, a hit there, a punch there, shouting everywhere, they were all going after Matt, but he wasn't quite that easy to catch ahold of, even in a crowd. I took that as my opportunity, they were too busy with Matt to notice me anyway. I leaned down unzipping the side of my boots compartment. Reaching inside I pulled out my wrathblade and slipped on the black leather glove.Then there was a scream, a high pitched familiar scream. No, not again. I whipped around but Katrina was gone, nowhere to be seen. Matt caught my eyes wearing the same worried expression on his face.

Then I heard a screeching noise. "Checking the perimeter." My heartbeat quickened, there were more soldiers.

Matt lunged toward the man who held the device. He slammed the Pendomite to the floor and stole the walkie-talkie right from his hand. The rest of the soldiers were gaining up on Matt now, completely ignoring the unconscious man.I ran forward while flipping the glove on, then I threw the blade as hard as I possibly could. The knife went right through one of the soldier's neck, and he fell to the floor choking, but the blade was already back in my hand before anyone could see.

"Everyone stop!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. My voice was shaking and I felt like I was going to fall. What happened to Katrina? "Leave them alone." I sighed. "I'm tired of all this, please just take me already. Don't hurt my sister." The soldiers went silent, all of them looking around, as if they were trying envision themselves in my situation, then their gazes came back to me.

"Drop your weapon." One of them said nodding his head. I let out a breath. That was a good thing right? They fell for it. I nodded still playing along, with a slow movement I clicked off my glove dropping my wrathblade.

Matt was watching me as the soldiers walked to me, his hands were shaking and his eyes looked heavy. I knew he was worried, I could tell he didn't know I was bluffing. The soldiers were all surrounding me now, and I could feel my pulse quickening. One more step and they would be able to touch me. I switched back on my glove, almost instantly feeling the knife hit my hand, then I threw the blade infront of me and spun. The soldier's stumbled back confused and a few fell to the floor unconscious. Then Matt ran by my side still holding the walkie-talkie in one hand. My breathing was rapid, there weren't but six soldiers to start out with, but right now only two were left standing. "I'm sorry." I whispered shaking my head.They were boys not much older than Matt and I. Just a couple days ago I too had experienced what it was like almost losing someone you love during a small battle. I gulped looking at everyone I had hurt, I didn't like knowing I was hurting people but what other choice did I have when they just kept coming.

Matt looked from the two soldiers back to me. "Go." One of the soldier's urged. Matt seemed to recognize the boy under his uniform. Both of their eyes being the same sapphire blue. Matt nodded waving the walkie-talkie at the soldier.Then he grabbed his backpack, tossed mine to me and swung Katrina's bag over his shoulder. Without a second thought Matt grabbed me by the wrist and we ran in the opposite direction the soldiers had come from. Then Matt raised the small device in his hand lowering his voice. "Perimeter secure, situation under control, all in the area maintain radio silence, return to base ." He breathed into the walkie-talkie slipping his hand off of my wrist.I ran my fingers through my tangled hair as Matt shoved the small black walkie-talkie in his back pocket. Katrina was still missing, what was I supposed to do now?

"Where did you go?!" I whispered, but then shook my head dismissing him that previous question. "Nevermind that, we don't have time for this, what if they already have Katrina?" I paced back and forth holding my wounded arm as it throbbed, continuing to bleed through the padding that stained my light blue sweatshirt.

"We need to find her Matt, we need to find her now." I didn't even look at him, I just ran, but then he caught me by my hand.

"Des," Matt was shaking his head at me, his eyes wide. "look at yourself for a second, your shirt is soaked, I bet your stitches were ripped out." He sighed. "I know Katrina is missing, but we don't know where she is, we're out numbered, and you're hurt." He scanned the area to make sure no one was around us. "Let me help you first.""Matt you can help me later." I breathed, my eyes finding it's way up the trees.

"Right now Katrina needs us, and I am not going to abandoned her." Lurching forward I found myself whimpering as I pulled myself up the large tree.

Of course climbing wasn't very smart right then, but how else could I get a better view? I heard a snap, and, I was falling. Luckily I was able to I catch myself before I hit the floor, but, instead with my bad arm I was able to pull myself up. Tears slipped down my face and my whole arm was protesting. I yelped, but managed to pull my weight so that my bad shoulder wasn't completely holding all the weight. Katrina I told myself, I was doing this for Katrina.Matt was right behind me the whole entire time though. Off the corner of my eye I could see his hand reaching, then there was hesitation when he saw me regained my composure. Slowly his hand fell back to his side.

"Destiny you shouldn't-" I cut the him off when he tried to tell me that. I already knew I shouldn't be climbing, I wasn't dumb, I was just so worried, and scared."Don't you tell me what to do!" I snapped. Beginning to feel heavy and faint I shook my head.

I did everything in my power to ignore Matt's stare, but that only seemed to make things worse on me. My face was burning, but not because of Matt,instead because I was scared, frustrated, and weak. How was I to help my sister if I couldn't even climb up a damn tree?! It was no use. I was shaking, my shoulder couldn't handle it anymore, and I felt like I was going to fall down.

"Come on." Matt whispered wrapping an arm around me. "Just a little farther." He allowed me to lean most of my weight on him as we continued our climb up the tree.It felt like ages, but finally we'd gotten to the top.

Matt led me carefully on the sturdy tree branch and sat down beside me. Though when I looked around the area below us, there was nothing. I could not see even a hint that might tell me where my little sister was. I was starting to get frantic, what if they hurt her? "I don't see anything." I whispered weakly. "We should be able to see everything from here. I-I don't understand..."

Matt was silent, he didn't say anything as his eyes scanned the floor below us. "Calm down." He whispered carefully placing his hand against my back. I gripped the branch tighter, my knuckles turning white as I closed my eyes in order to concentrate. I tried, I really did, but I couldn't seem to keep my mind straight. I was losing blood, and a lot of it, everything around me was spinning. "Destiny, hey, are you okay?" I heard Matt's voice and both of his cold hands were cupping my face gently.

"Yeah, I'm good, I'm fine." I nodded trying my best not to alarm him. "Go find Katrina." I mumbled. "I'll take care of my arm, just please go get Katrina for me." My voice cracked.

Matt shook his head not moving his hands away from my face. "I'm not leaving you."I bit my lip, trying to somehow bring myself back.

"We can't just leave Katrina behind either, Matt." I croaked, a tear slipping from the corner of my eyes. He still didn't listen though just slipped off his backpack and ripped the front of my shirt so that he could get a better look at my shoulder. Blood, that's all I could see smeared around my skin, but I still refused to look at my shoulder.Matt stiffened as his eyes landed on my shoulder.