Skye Crying

02 ║ Amara

~ Numb: Adjective ~

Deprived of the power of sensation. Unable to think, feel, or respond normally.

~ Numb: Verb ~

Deprive of feeling or responsiveness. Cause (a sensation) to be felt less intensely; deaden.

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Clip Two - Amara's POV:

A strange shiver of foreboding crawled up my spine as I stared up into the murky sky. Something was wrong. Four out of the five weekly scouts had returned to camp hours ago, but someone was missing. I had begged with Cole to keep the gate open for at least fifteen more minutes, and he had reluctantly agreed, though he had warned me that it would not be kept open any longer. My best friend, Sierra, had not yet returned from her coveted post scouting for food. I paced nervously in front of the gate while the other runaways murmured nervously among themselves, anxiously watching the gaping space which was left vacant by the absence of the gate. 

They were understandably anxious. The gate was hardly ever kept open after 8:00pm, right when the sun started to set. It was one of many rules, but the most serious. If the gate was left open much past that time, the monsters would be able to find us. 

I glanced up to see Cole, his hand on the handle of his pistol, and Flint staring tensely out onto the ruined city-scape with his electric blue eyes. Watching for any signs of the monsters.

The lone hand on my watch ticks in quick increments. The fifteen minutes are up. Cole signals the gatekeeper and the doors begin to close without a sound. Everyone stops and watches as the gates close with a sickening finality. 

And in that moment I know. Sierra won't be coming back alive. 

Once the gate is closed, the watchmen spring into action, putting out all the lights and fires. They herd the newest refugees into the underground bunkers, and once everyone is safely out of sight they take up their posts on the wall, guns and bows at the ready. Cole descends the ladder from the top of the wall and wraps a gloved hand around my upper arm, guiding me into one of the more fortified bunkers. Well, as fortified as we can make it with the limited supplies that we have. 

Once he closes the soundproof door he starts. "Amara, I-"

I cut him off before he can get very far. I felt numb. It's sad how after you've seen so many brutal deaths that eventually you stop feeling. "Cole, I'm fine. I swear. I just need some time to think."

His expression tells me that he doesn't believe me, but its not like I expected him to. He's always been a ridiculously hyper vigilant older brother. Thankfully he steps aside and give me space to go to my steel cot in the back of the bunker. 

That night I lay in my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I want to care that Sierra is gone, but I just can't bring myself to. I also know that if I let myself sink into the deep hole of grief, I'll lose my focus and that could bring about the destruction of everything we've built here.

I fall asleep to the harsh, yet familiar screams of the monsters.

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