The Purge
Chapter 13: Halley

“She’s a virgin goddess. Men aren’t supposed to fall in love with her. She’ll break him, and she won’t care.”

Antigoddess; Kendare Blake

I heard them calling to me.

Their voices filled my ears with the whispers of the dead. I was scared. These monsters lingering above me are seething through my head. They’re talking to me. I screamed as loud as I could to keep them out but they kept on coming… whispering.

My world started to darken and I felt a singe of pain on my left cheek. Bri had slapped me out of my delusions.

“You need to get the hell up, Halley! Or so help me I’m gonna throw you right at them if that’ll wake you up!” she said through gritted teeth. I looked at her with wide eyes. Conleth was lying in her arms, blood streaked his shirt. My body shook from fear. Con was barely breathing and I noticed Bri shaking. She was afraid.

A flash of blinding light disrupted my vision and it cut through the flesh of the aliens surrounding us. Looking up, I replace Major Ross holding a circular blade in her hand. Blood displayed on the edge of the blade.

“Get up,” she ordered. My body swayed as I forced myself to get up on my feet. She rushed towards Bri who held Con like a ruined toy. Soldiers started to come to our aid but as I was taken away, I could only hear their cries reaching out to me like grasping hands. They wanted to pull me down with them.

I woke up in a room filled with survivors from the alien surge. Blood and death still filled my head and the voices lingered. They continued to replay scenes that I dreaded the most.

The voices were a combination of many. Languages molded into one tongue. They whispered in my ears like savages.

Athren crossed the room with Sigourney at his side. I was relieved to replace them both safe and unharmed. When he found me sitting in a corner, he led both of them towards me. They exchanged questions about Con and Bri but my lips remained sealed. The shock running through my head had shut my lips.

Sensing my fear, Sig knelt down beside me. She reached out for my hand and she gave it a gentle squeeze.

“We’ve lost so many lives today.” She smiled weakly. Her eyes were stained with dried tears. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She scooted closer and she hugged me.

The door opened and my eyes found Bri along with Major Ross and Colonel Black, each on her side. Whatever they have talked about brought a crease on Bri’s eyebrows. Once she found us, she made her way to us.

“You guys all right?” she asked.

Athren outstretched his arms proudly. “Alive and breathing.”

Bri’s eyebrows unfurled but then they furrowed as she narrowed her eyes at Athren.

“You shouldn’t have run off like that. It was reckless.”

“It’s my fault, chief.” Sig voiced out. “If I had not been napping I would’ve heard the sirens. Athren wouldn’t have ran back to get me.”

“What happened already happened.” Bri told us. “I’m relieved that you’re all fine.” I let out a breath of relief as I felt the sincerity in her voice. I was about to think she was made of hard stone.

“Where’s Con?” Athren asked and Bri’s expression changed. She looked like he had just punched her in the gut.

“He’s in the infirmary.” Bri answered quietly.

“What happened?”

“He had been cut. But he’s all right. He’ll live.”

The sternness in her voice made me want to flinch and exit. Even if she doesn’t show it, I know she blames me for Con’s injury.

When the awkward silence settled in, Bri sat beside me. Athren and Sigourney went to fetch some food from the counter.

“You never told me what happened to the girl.” I said just to break the silence between us. My mind had set off to the conversation we had before the attack.

Bri’s eyes went to the rows of soldiers making their way in the room.

“What happened after the authorities took her?” I asked. She looked down at her boots. The heels and edges were painted with dried blood. When she looked up, her eyes lingered on Colonel Black and Major Ross. She let out a deep sigh before saying,

“She became a soldier.”

A soldier.

I looked across the room where Bri’s eyes had laid. Colonel Black and Major Ross. The authorities. I looked at the metal walls that surround us. I looked back at her. She raised her arm to wipe the dirt off her face. I noticed a scar on her wrist. An imperfection ebbed on her perfect features. It looked like a bite mark, like something had bitten off a chunk of her flesh. An untold story about the commander.

Could it be?

“You blocked out, Halley.”

“I’m sorry.” I said. I don’t know what was I apologizing for.

She turned to look at me and she raised an eyebrow. “Are you really sorry?”

I covered my face with my hands. “I thought I could be brave like you. But I can’t.” I heard my voice crack with the last word.

Bri sighed. “It’s the times when I’m scared that I truly learned to be brave.”

“You’ve always been brave.” I said as I wiped off the stupid tears falling down my cheeks.

“Not always.” She said. “Earlier, I was scared.” She turned her eyes away and she set them off into a distance she could only see. I wonder if she had been thinking of Con. My poor, love struck friend who is willing to die for her.

She narrowed her eyes back at me. “How will you rise to your true potential if you keep on holding yourself back? I think it’s time to be selfish and help yourself.”

I pursed my lips shut and my eyes dropped to my sweating hands.

“Next time, if you’re going to be scared don’t let people die for you.”

Tears started to burn my eyes but I kept them at bay.

Coward. I scolded myself. She didn’t really mean those words. They were spoken out of a broken heart. She almost lost Conleth—of course she loves him. She cares for him deeply. She just doesn’t show it. Love is in fact a weakness. It scared her to feel that way. It scared her to love him and loose him.

Conleth had appeared in our view. He was carrying two sandwiches and two bottled water. Upon seeing him, my heart failed to beat. My eyes wanted to seek a different view. A part of his gauze peeked out of his shirt.

It’s my fault.

“Hey there, Blondie.” He leaned in like he’s peeking through the curtains of my hair. I flinched at his closeness. He noticed my reaction and he smiled. “How’s it going? You all right?”

I swallowed my tongue and I nodded.

“Should I make a memo that states: you should be resting right now until you heal?” Bri glowered at him but Con just shrugged off.

“I’m bored. I wanna get out of those white walls. They don’t feel much of a haven.”

He handed Bri one of the sandwiches. He turned to me and he offered me the other one.

“Sit down, Con. She’s not healing from a severe injury. She can get her own food. Am I right, Halley?” Bri said before I could even reach for the sandwich. My stomach was already protesting but I had to suppress the look of a malnourish child aching for food.

So I swallowed back the hurt. She really hates me. Before I could stand and leave, I heard a whistle behind me. I turned to catch the sandwich on my face. Athren winked at me from a distance.

“Conleth!” Sig rushed to bear hug him. Con flinched when her arms accidentally scrapped his wound.

“Watch it. I’m still healing.” He snickered but he hugged her back.

She sat properly beside him. Athren nudged my shoulder as he sat beside me. I offered him a grateful smile for the sandwich.

“Do you need anything?” Sig asked Con. “I’ll be happy to be at service.”

Con smiled. “Thank you but I have everything I need right here.” He gave a meaningful glance at Bri who turned a blind eye at him.

She loves him. But she’s scared. That’s why she couldn’t have him.

Despite the hurtful words she said to me, I still wanted to roll my eyes at them. It’s true that behind this war, we’re still kids.

The doors opened and along with it came another set of soldiers dressed in white. People started to turn their heads. The murmurs started building while my head rallied with questions.

“Something’s not right.” Athren said. He disregarded his sandwich on the floor. “They can’t be back so soon.”

I turned questioningly at him.

“The Sentinel Pilots are back in base.” He explained to me. “This means, the Gates are about to open.”