Always Forever (Catradora)

Chapter Fourteen

"Silence is only a distraction.

Silence. . .

. . .is what brought them to this place.

. . ."

The figure shook her head in aggravation as she threw her arms in the air. "And what good will that do us, have you ever thought of that?!" She spat, her eyes slitting as she slammed her fist into the wall. Instant regret. Though, she wouldn't show that.

The person she was speaking to had a glare rested upon his face, his yellow eyes piercing through her. "I've already done it. It's been sent to check on the project and it will not return until it's done so," he spoke lowly, his eyes narrowing as the woman let out a hiss of frustration. She clenched her fist, trying to keep her rage in check. It. Of course that's all he meant to him. Disgusting.

"You've changed... you're not the person I fell in love with—no... you're worse," she spat, turning from him as his nails audibly scratched against his metal seat. He said nothing. The woman felt tears well up as she stalked away, more agitated than ever.

Not even a goodbye?

The woman gritted her teeth and dug her nails into her palms. She had one destination and one destination only.

The portal.

Fire. So much fire. Why. . .did this place have so much fire? The woman's eyes flickered across the unfamiliar village, her senses tingling with fear and anxiety. She hoped he wasn't here. That wouldn't be good.

Cries and screams echoed through the air, followed by the stench of burning flesh. Buildings were battered and crumbling over as tanks rolled through. Tanks. A war? He had mentioned something of that—though she hadn't entirely believed it.

"Come now, we have to go," a gentle voice urged from behind the woman. She turned in curiosity, to see a woman who seemed younger than herself herding a weeping child away from the flames. The younger woman's hair was a dirty blonde, caked in ashes and debris. Quite possibly beautiful beforehand.

The young girl was clenching onto the younger woman, who the woman assumed to be the child's mother. "What's going on?... w-where's Ser—" the child was cut off as the mother dove behind a building and covered the child's mouth.

"We have to be quiet—quiet, okay?..." the mother whispered, her eyes watering but never breaking.

The child was mid-nod when an explosion sent the two of them flying, and, without really thinking about it, the woman dove toward the child to shield them from the blow. Surprisingly, it was successful. A barrier stood between the two of them and the explosion, and the child was shivering gently in her grasp. She glanced up, as if to ask who she was, before her eyes dulled as they set on the scene before her.

Her mother laid on the ground, tattered and torn as blood began to pool from her wounds. Her body was hardly recognizable, yet her breaths had not stopped yet. She let out a cough, blood bubbling from her lips as the child raced to her, in concern. Not in understanding.

"My child—" she whispered, her voice croaking as she glanced up at the woman. "...I...please..." she pleaded. The woman stared at her silently for a moment, before nodding.

To ease her passing on, the woman began to sing a haunting, yet peaceful tune. The mother seemed to relax as she smiled gently, cupping her child's face one last time. "...Hailey..."

"Silence is only a distraction.

Silence. . .

. . .is what brought them to this place.