The Purged - Ajax's POV

Chapter six - Daenaira

" Be careful who you call a coward." he hisses; his face mere inches from my own and his green eyes blazing with malicious intensity.

My vision begins to blur as my eyes well with loathsome tears, threatening to spill over and wash away all sense of composure and dignity. As the first drop of moisture falls and begins it's brief sojourn down my cheek, one of my legs shifts backward, followed by the other. One step falling into the next, my eyes unable to break away from Ajax's cruel stare. I watch him start to shrink in the distance as instinct takes over my body and carries me away from the source of my sorrow and humiliation.

My chest tightens with the need to breathe, but, I know the second that air is released from my lungs, it will be my undoing and defeating sobs will rack my entire body. I refuse to let that happen, and I clench my jaw even tighter to cease it's quivering.

"Everything you stand for disgusts me."

His bitter words ring clearly in my ears; each repetition stripping away a piece of my spirit like a predator tearing the flesh away from its prey and I feel myself backing away with more purpose. As I continue to stare back at him through my damp lashes, a disconcerted expression replaces his punishing one from before. His eyebrows draw inward and he takes a couple of steps toward me, causing my heart to leap into my throat.

"You will never belong here." resonates relentlessly in my mind, tormenting me with each mocking litany.

He steps closer toward me and releases a burdened sigh. "Listen, I--"

The instant I hear his voice, the air I've struggled to keep locked away in my lungs releases in a rush and raw whimper falls from my lips. I quickly cup my hand over my mouth to silence it and turn my back to him, breaking into an urgent run as I feel more sobs looming from the back of my throat.

I don't look back, but I can tell he's chasing me by the pattern of his heavy boots crunching atop the dried leaves and shrubbery.

"Where the Hell do you think you're going?!" he shouts to me, but I don't answer, and I don't stop running.

"You know what, fine! Run away, Princess!" his voice resonates through the woods.

"But, guess what?! You won't end up back in your precious ship!" he scoffs.

The noon sun shines brightly through the canopy of the trees and the cool afternoon wind feels soothing on my heating cheeks and burning eyes. It's an entirely new sensation than what running had been on Gaia. There were treadmills available on the ship, but it was so structured; never moving from the same place. There was a level of control I had then. I could easily program how fast I wanted to go, when I wanted it to stop. Out here, there are no restrictions, no walls to contain me. For once, I've made my own decision.

I have no idea how long I just kept going for, but, I stop just as I see a clearing up ahead where the woods end. I lean forward and put my hands on my knees, hanging my head low as I try to catch my breath. Looking behind me, I see no sign of Ajax or the truck we'd arrived in. I'm completely alone except for a few squirrels scampering up and down the trees and birds flying overhead. I can either stay in this spot in the woods for a while or I can start making my way back. There's just one problem. I have no recollection of which turns I took or exactly how far I strayed from the hunting spot. Even if I find my way back, who's to say that Ajax is there waiting for me?

Just thinking about him is enough to incite the growing fury in my gut and I'm beginning to feel less like a wounded animal and more like a creature that had just been released from a lifetime of being in a cage.

With a contented smile on my face, I lift myself up and instead of running back, I run ahead.

Let him wait.