Myth

Last stand

It was dawn when I awoke. I woke up Jupiter and we snuck to the river. My long bleach blond hair dangled in a braid and was slightly swept away by the current. Jupiter and I sat in silence. We had always been best friends but things had changed since my family was made the alpha of our pack. That's when we heard the townsfolk. We looked at each other as they drew closer, we could hear them shouting at us to move out of their woods, or our lives will be lost. (Even though technically the woods were outside of the Mystic town lined...) We ran back to base to find our pack awake and startled. My father told the Majors (Myths that are over 18) in our pack to follow him and I told the Minors (Myths under 18) to follow me. They followed me as I ran swiftly through the wood, that's when I heard her scream. I turned around to see Serenity got too far back and a man had his large, bulky hand around her neck. I looked at Jupiter and he met my gaze. He took the Minors and kept running. I ran and tackled the large man, and I told Serenity to follow Jupiter. I struggled with the man. He caught me off guard and wrapped his, large, rough hand around my neck and picked me up off the ground. I struggled but couldn't get free. He took out a whip equipped to his belt. I heard a large crack that sounded like it could be heard through the entire forest next to my ear. I felt the hard leather against my back. A shriek of pain escaped my lips. With another crack I felt blood rushing down my back. Four more cracks. I'm speechless with the pain on all of my body. He lets go of my neck and I fell on my knees gasping for air. He took rope and tied my hands in front of me and my ankles together. Still on my knees I feel blessed with the long pause and time to breath freely. I turned my head to face him and I feel the hard leather against my face and another scream slips out of my mouth. Now I'm mad. I shift my hands and find a loose spot and slip my left hand out. I fel another crack on the back of my legs this time and I fall on my chest. "Get up you worthless cretin. When I'm done with you. You will be begging me to kill you." His voice is slippery like oil but his articulation meets my ears like daggers meaning every word. I roll onto my stomach, the sticks and dirt stabbing at my back makes me grimace. The pain is unbearable and I am unable to stand. "I said get up!" he says sharply. His eyes are like knives. I quiver and I feel like I am about to cry. He smiles the jagged tooth smile."Fine, stay on the ground where you belong like the worthless little piece of trash you are." He hesitates and then askes. "How old are you cretin?" he says with fake curiosity in his voice. I don't answer and I look away from his gruff face. "Hmmm?" he speaks waiting for my answer. "I..I am..am..si...sixteen." I stutter my word unable to speak clearly. "And your name?" he asks smiling, he almost sounds like he cares about my life but I am not that foolish. I am too angry to stutter my words. "Clarity, my name is Clarity." I speak ferociously. I wiggle my other hand free. I make a plan in my head then take action. "If you are going to kill me at least let me have my dignity, let me stand and look you in the eyes, let me face my killer, you may torture me if you wish but let me stand." He thinks about this carefully then agrees. He unties my legs but tells me he is going to tie my hands to the rope hanging from a tree. He unties my legs and offers me a hand up. I meet his dark eyes and snarl as I take his rough hand. He pulls me up and I stand still as he walks around me eyeing me with perception. I stiffened as I felt his gaze making its way down my body. He moved closer to me I knew this was the time. He was right behind me when I kicked my leg back with all my force in my body and I felt him gasp as I hit him in what feels like the ribs. He stumbles backwards. I realized I have probably broken many ribs because Myths have the strength of 4 grown men and the speed of a wolf. All of our senses are enhanced to 600 percent as well. I tug at the ropes that are captivating my hands. He lunges towards me but I quickly side step him as he falls to the ground. He stands and wipes the dirt off of his pants. His eyes meet mine. They are now filled with hatred and anger directed towards me. He takes out an old shot gun and aims it at me. He aims it at my heart and I feel my heart beating faster and it feels like it is going to pop out of my chest. His eyes meet mine and I realize that nothing is stopping him from pulling that trigger and that he will do it. I close my eyes and bow my head in defeat. I hear the blast of the gun and I feel a sharp, uncontrollable pain in my left collarbone. I feel the blood pouring out as my heartbeat quickens. I have never felt such searing pain before. It feels like someone has set me on fire as all of my body burns. I rip the ropes apart that are holding my hands and turn to run in the opposite direction I am facing. I make no mistake in staying any longer. I tear off in the direction that the minors had left earlier. I ran and swiftly jumping over tree roots and rocks. I get to the river and without hesitation jump and let the cool water submerge my wounds. The water feels like heaven and hell at the same time. The water turns a dark red and cools my wounds yet it burns like no pain I have ever felt before. I come up and gasp for air as I realize I have been down there for around an hour. I swim to the side and use all the energy I have left in my arms to pull myself up. I lay on the soft grass. I raise my hand up to my lash I have on my left cheek. It burns at my cool touch as I trace it. It will scar, and then my hand makes its way down to my collarbone as I dare to touch it. Almost instantly remove my hand as the searing pain worsens.

I hear the soft footsteps as they make my way up to me. I sense it is my pack and stay in my position. I lay there still as any movement worsens my pain. I look up and see my horrified pack looking at the red liquid oozing from all of my body. A voice meets my ears. It sounds rough but only with concern not anger, it is also soft like it is scared. It takes me a second to recognize the voice, Jupiter. I feel his soft warm hands wrap around me as he carries me I snuggle closer into his chest, feeling safe for the first time in what is feeling like forever.