Finding Faith (Academy Fanfiction - One Shot)

One Shot

I barely felt the chill of the grass beneath my bare feet, my brain frozen in a perpetual state of horror and fear. The world around me blurred in and out of focus as five, life changing words echoed ominously in my ears. Deep down, I knew was in shock, but the thought was so inconsequential that it barely registered above the pounding of my heart.

Only one thought mattered, and it was changing the fate of those five words. In all of my years of life upon this earth I had never longed or wanted anything more than I did when he had uttered those five-vile words.

My stomach clenched in agony as I stumbled forward, my hands outstretched as I crashed into the floor. I was barely able to stop my head from slamming into the unforgiving ground, and I gasped as my body screamed in pain. Black spots danced across my vision and I blinked lazily as the world swam around me.

"Faith Sorenson will die tonight." Agony pierced my soul as his mechanical voice echoed in the darkness, and I forced my body upwards, gritting my teeth against the bone-deep need to succumb to oblivion.

She couldn't die. She just couldn't.

Stumbling to my feet, I clenched my fists as the world tilted.

I wouldn't give up. Not now. Not ever. Nothing in this world meant more to me then Faith Sorenson. My feet lurched clumsily across the ground as I forced myself forward, ignoring the biting sting of rocks and sticks digging into the soles of my bare feet. I would walk through hell itself to save her, and I would do nothing less for the girl who held my heart in her hands.

Branches tore at the bare skin along my arms and legs, like greedy fingers reaching for their next meal. The macabre image had my stomach bubbling as it threatened to upend its contents. Swallowing thickly, I gripped my gaunt elbows tightly as I stumbled through the dense trees.

Just a little further.

I knew the warehouse wasn't far, but in my weakened state it felt like miles as I staggered and slipped through thick mud and ghastly vegetation.

Don't give up now, Sang.

The faint voice in the back of my mind was so quiet I barely heard her, and deep down in the dark verges of my soul I knew what that voice was and what hearing it again meant. But I was barely able to comprehend the thought in my terror-stricken state, my mind completely and utterly focused on pure survival – not for me, but for Faith – and nothing was going to stop me from reaching her.

I had thought I had known fear, mind-numbing, paralysing fear – but as the harsh smell of smoke burned my nose and screams of terror and pain exploded across the star-lit sky – that was pure soul-shattering terror.

No! Please, god. No!

My heart seized in my chest and my legs shook so hard, that I feared the bones would shatter and send me to my knees.

No, no, no... NO!

Adrenaline surged through my veins, shocking my body into motion and I shot forward – racing for the edge of the trees. Tears blinded me as I stumbled across the forest floor, agony piercing my chest with every step. But I refused to give up. I would rather die with her then life another moment on this grisly earth without her.

I staggered to a stop and froze as the whole world stopped for a single moment, as my wide eyes tried to comprehend the scene in front of me.

The world was on fire and chaos reigned. People ran around screaming whilst others stood and watched – their eyes frozen in fear and shock. Men and women in black suits raced around large black vans and sleek black sedans. Commands were shouted, lights flashed, shots sounded. Bodies lay on the rough gravel, some deathly still – others bleeding out with paramedics tending to their wounds.