Heartless Sin || John Murphy

19

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Byrd laid on the grass by the barrier, eyes set up at the stars as her chest heaved. The crickets chirped around her, the breeze soft over her skin. The anger that had once been sitting in her stomach had dissolved into sadness, weighing her down. She couldn't bring herself to move, needing the silence to echo in her mind just a little longer. 

She'd tried to stop her mind from whirling, but it didn't. Pushing through all her attempts. She let out a soft sigh, running her hand over her face as the coolness began to set in; a chill running down her spine. She meant her words, but deep down, something within her was telling her to be reasonable, which was something she usually ignored. The inner voice that tried to tell her right from wrong. 

'What are you doing, Byrd?' She whispered; 'This is all your fault. If only you'd... Stop it.'

She sat up, shaking her head as she clenched her eyes shut. She threaded her fingers through her curly hair, tugging at the roots with a long sigh. 

'Just go see Murphy,' She whispered; 'Go to bed with him and wake up fine.'

She pushed herself up to stand, walking through the vines with her hands out to her side; the leaves tickling her fingertips. The village was dead, not a soul in sight. The lights put a warm glow outside the buildings, leading her to the tavern. She pushed open the door, pausing when she found Clarke and Murphy sitting at a table together. 

Murphy opened his mouth to say something, but she was already walking away as screaming started upstairs. She shot up the staircase, pushing open the door to Gaia and Madi's room. Gaia looked to her, letting approach the screaming girl as she knelt beside the bed and took Madi's hand into her own. 

'Time to wake up, Strik Gona,' She cooed; 'Madi, fight it.'

Suddenly, she shot up, eyes wide open as she began to shout in her native tongue. 

'The commanders?' She asked Gaia. 

'Yeh,' The grounder nodded. 

Clarke strode into the room, reaching forward to shake Madi awake when Gaia stopped her. 

'No, no, no. You don't interrupt her when she's communing with the Commanders, not even Sheidheda, the Dark Commander,' Gaia shook her head; 'He's getting too strong. That's why we have to do the separation ritual now.'

'I'm not letting her suffer,' Clarke turned and shook Madi; 'Madi, wake up. Hey, wake up.'

'Clarke?' Madi gasped before wrapping her arms around her. 

'Yep. That's right. I'm here. It was just a nightmare, ok?'

'No. It was a memory.'

'But it wasn't real.'