Persphyni: I am Determined

112

"Here goes nothing." I whispered as we pushed through the fog. Bellamy and I leading the charge. Madi right behind me.

"Weapons down!" I shouted over the hollering as we came in from all sides. My sword lowered as I held a dagger in my left.

"Put your weapons down, now!" Bellamy shouted again as he aimed his barrel at the small crowd of invaders.

As they saw they were being surrounded, they knelt to the ground. Their weapons joining them as they rose their hands.

"Kill them all." Bellamy and I didn't spare a second.

"No." I stepped in front of Madi, my back to the invaders. Something I'd never do and hope that I don't regret.

"Hold your fire!" Bellamy shouted as he joined me. "They surrendered." He continued. "It's over."

"They killed hundreds of our people in that gorge." Madi started, my eyes narrowing on her.

"This can't be what the flame is telling you to do." Bellamy spoke softly as he looked down at her.

"I don't need the flame to tell me what to do with a bunch of criminals who invaded my home." I set my left hand on Bellamy's shoulder, my dagger away as I held my sword low.

"We've been here before, Madi. You remember the story I told you about the 100. We were the invaders, the criminals." She stared like I had burned her.

"We landed in someone else's home, and we went to war. You can execute them because they're the enemy, or you can break the cycle. You can be better than them. You can be better than us." I gave him a soft squeeze on his shoulder as I felt him get a little emotional.

"It's over, Madi. You don't want to do this." I looked her in the eye and did my best to convey my emotion through my eyes. "You shouldn't have this blood on your hands." My voice was softer, no longer firm as I only hoped she would listen. If she didn't, I wasn't sure what I would do.

"The choice is yours, Heda." Bellamy added as we both implored her to seek reason over revenge. Even though I had been guilty of the later for most of my life. But I was doing this for Bellamy and hopefully myself.

Madi never got to answer as a high pitched siren began to sound. My attention now on the Eligius invaders.

"What is that siren?" The crowd flinched at my sharp tone, one man brave enough to answer.

"The Evac signal." I motioned for him to keep explaining. "It means conditions are unsafe. We're supposed to bug out."

"What the fu-"

"Everyone listen up," Raven's voice interrupted me as she come over the intercom. "Life as we know it is about to end, again. Get your asses to the transport ship now. For immediate evacuation."

I kept face as I turned to look at Bellamy, his eyes already on me. For fuck's sake.

"Raven, this is Monty. We're transporting the wounded." Monty

"Thank God Monty, hurry." Raven

"So putting aside a thousand other questions, how long do we have?" Monty

"Nine minutes. We'll wait as long as we can." Raven

"Just a typical Tuesday on the ground." I spat out turning to face Madi. "Get them to the ship, Madi. Leave a small group of seven here to go door to door." I instructed to her, planning ahead as I mapped my route.

"What about you?" I shook my head.

"I'll be there. Get your people to safety, Madi." She looked like she wanted to argue but nodded and started shouting orders. Both Wonkru and the Eligius criminals moving at her command.

"Pers, what are you doing?" I looked at the hand that was holding my wrist, my eyes trailing to look at the worried male.

"I have to get Lyla, Molly, and Spring." I stepped forward putting my freehand on his cheek. "Get everyone to safety, and if I'm not back to the ship at the two minute mark, come find me." I knew he wouldn't leave me a second time, I wouldn't of it were switched. But I was the only one who knew where I had sent them, and unfortunately to explain it would be difficult.

"Four minutes or I'm coming to find you." I smiled leaning up and pecking his cheek.

"Three minutes."

Then we were running.

My feet carrying me away from safety as I flew through the forest. My sword back in my sheath as I used both hands to jump over obstacles or steady myself.

His feet taking him to the ship where he would get people to before breaking to help wherever help was needed.

Even though I had been gone from these woods for weeks, I still knew the terrain and path like the back of my hand. So I didn't falter. Each step moving confidently and securely as it led to the next.

Until finally I was in the clearing. The patch of false forest floor right in front of me as I dropped to a crouch and yanked the mat free. A small bunker door in the ground revealed as I yanked it open. A loud squeal of the hinges echoed as I called out.

"Lyla? Molly? Are you in there?" It was quiet for a minute before I heard soft footsteps.

"I'm here, Pers. We're here." I breathed a sigh of relief as Lyla and Spring came into view. The former coughing slightly as she squinted. "Remind me to bring a lamp next time. The tunnels were terrible." I laughed helping her up. My arms holding Spring as Lyla shut the door.

"Where's Molly?"

"She stayed back at camp to help with the wounded." I nodded knowing she was in safe hands with Harper and Monty.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we've got to go. I'll explain on the way. Let's just say we have anywhere from five to three minutes before the world implodes." I stopped, maneuvering Spring to hold her better, "on second thought, that's pretty much it."

"Well then, let's g-"

The world froze, time slowing as I flung an arm outwards to catch the equally as surprised woman. Our eyes mirroring each other as the sound of Spring beginning to cry filled our ears.

The sharp ring of a gun firing being the cause.