Persphyni : I am Darkness

36

"This changes everything." Bellamy said as he set up one of the blankets.

"No more running from spears," I popped a nut from one of Bellamy's many rations in my mouth as he continued, "ready to be badasses?" I rolled my eyes eating another nut.

"Please, I'm as badass as they come." I threw a nut in the air before catching it. Smirking at Bellamy as he rolled his eyes before turning to Clarke.

"Look. I'm not going to fight you on bringing guns back to camp. I know we need them but,"  She trailed off, looking at the rifle in her hand, "don't expect me to like it."

"We're lucky the rifles were packed in grease. The fact they survived means we aren't sitting ducks anymore. You need to learn how to do this." I watch the words being exchanged. Something was off with Bellamy. He was just, acting weird.

"Then I guess you're going to have to teach me as well." I ate one last nut before setting the bag down and grabbing a rifle from the stack.

"You don't already know how to do this?" Bellamy asked. His genuine surprise made me smile.

"The first time I shot a gun was the day we three became official leaders." I went with the less gruesome and less bad option to describe that day.

"Finally. Something you aren't good at." Clarke said giving me a small nudge.

"Who said I wasn't good?" I walked to stand between them and raised the gun to my right shoulder and aimed at the target, finger outside of the trigger as I stared down the scope.

"A little higher." Because of how we're standing, Bellamy's front was pressed to my back as he leaned in to adjust my grip. My eyes wide as his other hand grabbed my left hip and pulled it back to make my stance more square. Then his right hand drifted from my shoulder and the butt of the gun to my elbow and raised it slightly.

I don't think I've ever been so frozen in my life. And Clarke's soft laughter wasn't helping as I fought back a blush. I was embarrassed because he had moved back, but he had moved away from me and given me the go ahead nearly a whole minute ago.

"Uh, Shadow, you okay?" I could hear the smirk in his voice. Oh I wanted to drop the gun and punch him right now. But that wouldn't help anyone. I clicked the safety off before looking back through my scope, clearing my mind as I blocked Clarke's laughter and stared at the blanket.

Bang! The bullet had made a hole right in the middle of one of the lines that made the 'x'. Roughly a few inches from the center but still good none the less.

"Clarke, your turn." I breathed. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. It was loud, but powerful. And I felt the thrill of shooting it, which is why I set it down.

Clarke went and Bellamy helped her adjust her gun as I walked back over to the bag of nuts I was eating earlier, having set the gun back down after turning the safety on.

"Right, good. Um, watch and learn." Bellamy grabbed the gun I had just used and clicked the safety off and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened, a small click. Bellamy cocked it again and pulled the trigger once again.

I was howling. Clutching my sides as Bellamy huffed and tossed the gun back to the side.

"My bullets are duds. Try yours."

"Pfft, oh so many inappropriate jokes I want to make." I laughed as Bellamy glared at me, though he smiled as I began gasping for breath.

Clarke shot as I calmed down. The outburst had gone longer than it should have but I'm so glad it happened because the duds brought Bellamy down a peg.

"You need to practice." I snorted as I popped another nut into my mouth.

"We need to talk about how we're going to ke-" Clarke's voice cut out. I furrowed my eyes as I saw the two of them still talking, but I couldn't hear them.

I could see Bellamy fire the rifle but I couldn't hear any of it. I looked down at my hands feeling in a surreal experience as I dropped the bag of nuts.

I saw them turn to me but that was it. The last thing I saw was Bellamy storming off outside then everything went black.

_______•*•*•*•_______

A grunt sounded from behind me. I turned around to see nothing. Another followed but it was more of a groan. I stepped forward in the darkness. A hand outstretched to not run into anything.

This wasn't making sense, but my mind wasn't focused on why it was happening. I was focused on what was happening.

The groan came again followed by a quiet hiss. I followed the noise. Trying to find a wall to follow but I couldn't. And I couldn't see my own hand, it was like I had a blindfold on and was placed in a dark infinite room.

I remained quiet as I followed the pained noises. They were getting louder and I was getting closer. At one point I turned around and walked back to where I thought I had started. I was utterly lost, I only knew to go towards the pain.

Move through the dark, towards the pain.

A blood curdling scream ripples through the darkness. It's sound so loud that I was practically standing on top of who was making it.

I spun around, looking behind me. My eyes squinting as peered through the dark. The scream erupted again but this time when I turned around I saw what it was. A spotlight shone on the scene, lighting up the dark grey walls.

A little girl, held suspended in the air. She was sagging, leaning against the chains as they were the only things holding her up. My knees collapsed, my throat tight. My back began to hurt and my left cheek tingled.

The little girl lifted her head, the red messy bun falling as she stared into my eyes. Her green eyes held conflict, and strength. But they were broken, and they held tears but she refused to let them go as she opened her mouth and screamed again. Slouching forward her head bowing again as she huffed. Her fists clenched around the metal chains.

She raised her head once more and stared at me. Defiant, unbroken, as she took another blow to her back, but she didn't scream. She didn't even flinch. I only knew because her nose twitched.

Then I heard the swoosh as a whip unraveled behind her. She didn't break her stare from me as I struggled to get up from where I was locked on the floor.

"Stop!" I yelled even though I couldn't see who was holding the whip. I could just hear it as the little girl stared down at me. I felt the wind shift and then the thwack of the whip cracking against her back.

She couldn't hold in her scream. I crawled because this twisted, horrid nightmare had made me unable to stand. I crawled to her until I was in the spotlight and could see the floor underneath me. I heard the crack of the whip again, but before it could hit her, I managed to jump around her and in front of it. Falling backwards as I tried to avoid the swing but also not let the girl get hit.

And when my back made contact with hers, I fell. And continued to fall.