Persphyni : I am Destruction

2

To save all of them. She had used everything she had and she did it. She saved them.

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"I need you."

It was dark. It was cold. My head pounded against my skull desperate to end its suffering. And I was so damn tired.

I've never felt more fatigued in my life than in this moment. Not even when I went nearly a week without sleep after we had landed. Nor any time I had to fight for my life back up on the Ark. Those were mostly physical fatigue which I was able to push from my mind. But this, this was all mental. My mind tried to push it away and fight it, but I didn't have the strength.

I knew I was meant to be doing something, seeing something. But I couldn't. It was just black. Like I was in a box underground where even the small whispers above were muffled to silence.

"Please, Persphyni."

I found myself laughing. Of course I'd end up in a mental prison. An actual tomb of the mind- Glorious.

The Great Warrior ensnared in her own mental trap. The battle going to the Victor of Thought.

At least I didn't loose my sense of sarcasm or storytelling. Guess I'm alright then.

"Persphyni, open your eyes."

I felt my body shiver as a cold wind swept across my covered skin. How could something be so cold yet so comforting?

This darkness used to be all I knew. And it will always be comforting. But now it's cold. Too cold. It makes me want to find something warm. Someone warm.

"Bellamy. We have to talk about the plants. We have six m-"

"I got it, Clarke! Can't, can't we talk about this later?"

Who's voices were those? They sounded so far away. Why are they talking about plants? What are they? Botanists? Where are they? Where were we?

"I- yes. It's just urgent. We have six months Bellamy."

"Six months is longer than you think. For all we know, Persphyni has six minutes."

Like hell I do.

My mind began to start as I connected pieces slowly. Finally recognizing both voices as curiosity and concern courses through me.

"Six months will go by faster than you could imagine. Especially if we can't find a solution."

She sounded stressed, but so did he.

"I understand. But how can you not worry about your best friend?"

"I do! I do worry. And I am. I'm terrified that she won't wake up. She saved me Bell. She saved all of us. She risked her life for ours. And it isn't even the first time. Every damn time I worry. I worry that she's going to die and it'll be all my fault."

I wanted to reach out and grab the girl's hand. Her voice was cracked and broken.

"She's saved me more times than I can count. Sacrificed more times than I wish. And this is how she's repaid. An inch away from death."

I could hear the sobs slowly inching forward. I felt the small drop of water on my face. Surprising me as I worked on focusing my attention on their conversation.

"She's saved all of us more times than I can count. But she's not dying here. Not if I can help it. You hear me, Persphyni? You're not dying here."

I wanted to raise my eyebrow and set my hands on my hips, a snarky comment coming to mind. But I was still stuck. Still frozen in the dark abyss.

"Just hold on to my voice. Come back."

I'm trying, Bell. I'm trying.

I felt another drop of water, this one on my forehead. My focus turning towards the feel of it as it traced down my skin, another following it.

"Hold on, Persphyni."

I listen to his whisper. Trying to focus solely on him. His voice that he serenaded me with, his tears that he shed, his hands that cradled me, his arms that pulled me in and made me feel safe, and finally- him.

I forced myself to push past the exhaustion and imagine him. His curly black hair, his brown eyes, his tanned skin, his hands, his boots, that stupid guards jacket, the cuts and bruises that littered his face. Everything and anything that pulled me towards him.

"Persphyni?"

I clung to his voice, reaching with everything in me to climb the rope that suddenly dropped from the black ceiling.

His warmth, his smile, his laugh.

"Clarke, are you se-"

"Yes, keep talking."

"Persphyni, come on."

I grasped the rope with two hands. The material like a tether as I climbed back to the real world. Groaning at the effort I was exerting.

"Come back. We need you."

I could feel the smaller hand in my own now- Clarke. I could feel the cage of muscle that was holding me, arms solid and wouldn't let me go-Bellamy.

"Fight it. Open those green eyes."

I tried, but it was too soon. I steadied myself, focusing on the senses I could. Sound, touch, taste, and smell. I breathed in the rust of blood, the woodsy scent of our clothes, and the mix of fresh rain on the forest that somehow clung to Bellamy. The small tear that had fallen second tracked to the corner of my lip, no doubt leaving a salty trail as it slid along my chin.

"I'm here, Pers. I'm here."

I felt his breath on my face, he was closer to me than before. I gathered my strength and clenched my hand tightly. Clarke's hand now wrapped weakly in mine, as I squeezed.

"Bellamy. Look."

I squeezed again, showing them I was there. Showing them I could hear them.

"You can do it. You can do anything you set your mind to, Persphyni." Bellamy encouraged, his voice growing nearer and nearer. "Just find us."

I was nearly there. I heard his words so clearly, like we were standing face to face having a conversation.

I could see light behind my eyelids and a shadow covering my face. I swirled my eyes from side to side, trying to force my eyes to open.

"Yes, that's it! Come on!" I couldn't just hear his excitement and relief, I felt it. I felt the joy and I felt the sigh that left Clarke's lips.

"You're almost there. Just breath, and follow our voices." Clarke spoke, my brain following her words as I felt myself return to my body.

The out-of-world or out-of-body experience gone, and I could feel the blood pumping in my veins. I could feel the hard ground I laid upon.

A cool wind swept through the room again, but this one was different. This one wasn't numbing. This one was encouraging, brushing my face as if to open my eyes for me.

"Pers?" My eyes fluttered, opening for a split second before shutting again.

"Bell?" I croaked, finding my voice. My throat dry and sore.

"Yes, I'm right here."

"Clarke?" I tried again, my eyes fluttering before falling.

"Yes, I'm also here."

"I can't," I croaked, "get my fucking eyes open." A groan leaving my cracked and dry lips as I finished my sentence.