Persphyni : I am Darkness

26

It was dark as I walked through the forest. Landmarks covered in shadows as I let the wind and my own free spirit guide me. Actually it was my intellect, but one sounded more impressive. I was doing just fine until I saw three rocket flares shooting high up into the sky. I was elated, only they were five miles to my right. Meaning I had almost passed the camp.

My footsteps were light, but my body felt so heavy. The blood of eight people were on me, having been too tired to stop and clean it off. Just wanting to go straight back to camp, crawl into my tent and lay down. Eating, drinking, peeing. It could all wait. Rest was more important.

So I turned, a slight perk in my step as I headed the five miles to camp. Covering the distance slowly but faster than most as I jogged even when my feet protested.

Six more flares, three at a time fired off in the direction I was headed. And judging on the pink purple color, it was definitely our tech. And as I got a mile out, and stood on a hill, I could see the top of the drop ship through the trees. Lights flickering out as I looked at out small camp below.

I felt a wave of exhaustion it, and I desperately wanted to sit down and watch the light show. But I had to get back. I had to.

Follow the flares.

Follow the flares.

The mantra repeating on a loop as I trudged through the forest. The closer I got to camp the louder my steps became. No longer focusing on making them light and soft.

I slowly climbed over a fallen tree, the fires of camp now lighting my path as I went towards the main gate. I counted two people on watch. Not acceptable.

"Who is that?" I heard one of them whisper to the other as I slowly stepped from the shadows.

"Persphyni?" I looked at them both, my red ponytail braid falling over my shoulder as I placed a calm smirk on my face.

"Surprise."

"What happened?"

"Are you okay?" I walked up to them, placing a hand on both their shoulders to make them shut up.

"I'm fine, quit worrying about me. And focus back on the dark forest I just came out of." They nodded and refocused. Moving slightly so I can walk straight through them. I hoped to make a quick dart to my tent but of course no. I mean when you're covered in blood, hair messy and probably has twigs and leaves in it, haven't been seen for an entire day, and probably look sick, you weren't getting far.

Because as soon as the first person in camp saw me walk over to the water station. He alerted everyone else. A chain reaction. People spread all through camp, from the large crowd over by what I'm assuming ramps for the flares were placed to the few settled near their tents. Everyone was watching as the bloodied Songbird drank water.

It was quiet until two sets of footsteps were approaching me. Both coming from the same direction, lighter ones first then the heavier crunch just behind her. I downed the cup of water and set it back to the side before turning around to face a concerned Clarke and a blank faced Bellamy.

"Explain."

"Explain."

"Explain." Well, if the leaders of the camp couldn't synchronize then we had no hope. Guess there was a smidge.

"You first, I'm honest to heaven tired. Both of you, my tent now." I rotated seeing everyone's eye still on us.

"Today, Griffin, Blake."

_______•*•*•*•_______

"So you're telling me, the dumbass over here screwed the radio up. And he didn't actually kill the chancellor. Raven is a mechanic who landed in that junk of a pod. The Ark was going to cull three hundred and twenty people. And Raven is also Finn's girlfriend." Clarke nodded, grimacing at the last sentence. "How winding the road." I rubbed my temples, standing near my bed slightly hunched at the lack of room. Bellamy was even worse as he resorted to squatting, but Clarke could stand directly vertical.

"Now tell us, why you're covered in blood. That isn't your own." Bellamy added. The sentence I had told him and Clarke multiple times.

"Well, the story is quite simple, really." I smirked, "it all started with a liar." And I dove into the story. From the point at which I left camp last night to getting back tonight. Leaving out specifics, like how the grounders can speak English and how I almost got lost.

They were quiet, listening intently. If I was speaking into a vent and locked in a cell, I would have thought we were back on the Ark.

I also left out the fight Bellamy and I had, and he noticed. And truthfully I couldn't tell if he cared or not. But, he definitely was more relaxed, and I knew it was because he wasn't a murderer. He wasn't a killer.

"You just let two of them go?" I glared at Bellamy.

"They were children, one barely my age the other Charlotte's." I watched the both of them flinch. They clearly weren't used to death.

"Still, why didn't you—"

"Why didn't I kill them? Oh maybe because I had just killed the eight other grounders in the group, and as I said before, they were children! And when I'm given a choice, I will not kill." They paused waiting for me to include children after kill, but I didn't. And they had no idea why. No one did. No one ever would.

Another specific I left out, my message I'd given to the grounders. They didn't need to know at the moment. Plus, my sleep was more important. Even if I was basked in blood, I would be sleeping tonight.

"Now, Bellamy, get out of my tent. I need to talk to Clarke." His eyes snapped between us before he left. Clarke and I watched him leave the tent waiting a few moments before speaking.

"You need to get cleaned up."

"Clarke, I'll do it in the morning." I sat down on the cot, taking my boots off and setting them down by my table. "Now tell me where you and Finn went yesterday. And don't even tell me it's nothing, I saw your grimace when I mentioned his girlfriend." I gave her a pointed look, folding my hands together. She took a deep breath before sitting on the floor and diving into the story.

And that's the day I learned I was one of the last virgins in camp, not that I care. But I did care that Finn never told her about his girlfriend, or that him and Clarke haven't talked about it yet.

"You have to discuss it, Clarke. I understand what he did hurts, but you both need closure." I stood up and wrapped the shorter girl in a hug.

"Thanks, Pers. Oh! Also I'm mad that you didn't tell me Pers, is short for Persphyni." I pulled away from the hug.

"And I'm perfectly okay with that. I like Pers better anyways. Persphyni is kinda a mouthful." She laughed before shaking her head at me.

"Get some rest, Pers."

"You too, Clarke."