Choleric

Chapter XVIII

"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up" ― Veronica Roth

[Unedited - Not even read over]

The two girls gripped tightly to each other's hands as they tried desperately to escape the fear crazed crowd that tried to tear them apart. Celia's heart hammered in her chest as bodies shoved her left and right. Her animalistic side had taken over, opting for flight her body became flooded with adrenaline. In the background Celia faintly heard the wind carrying her name. The voice was deep and demanding but the sound didn't process in her brain as she pushed herself further away.

Stomachs turned to liquid as the two girls made it to the outer parts of the crowd. Bad souls pounced on anything that moved, their coats matted with dirt and blood and their eyes unfocused, clouded over by a crazed expression. Bodies lay against the ground. Some withered in pain while others lay lifeless, the only movement was their blood slowly seeping into dry, cracked dirt.

Celia tore herself away from their lifeless eyes as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Instead she focused her eyes on the bad souls weaving through the bush and tearing down the innocent victims that ran from them. Most of the young, mateless crowd had sprinted into the thick bush, hoping their legs would be fast enough to carry them away from the scene to find refuge within the concealing trees. People shifted left and right, knowing four legs were faster than one as they tore through the first line of trees and disappeared.

Celia dragged Aria with her, following everyone's lead she crashed through the thick, knee length grass. Her feet wobbled on the uneven ground as she dragged the small girl behind her. The thick bush grew quieter and quieter as she tore through it, but she paid no attention. Only one thing rang through her mind and that was to run no matter what.

Aria stumbled, her companion's iron grip dragged her through the forest in a pace faster than she could match. "Alpha!" She called desperately, trying to stay on her feet. Celia turned towards the Omega and slowed down. Aria heaved, her lungs gasping for air as they came to a stop. "I'm not fast enough, Alpha Celia," she spluttered as her hands rested on her knees. "You need to shift and get out of here. They will catch you otherwise."

Celia looked down on the young girl. Watching the beads of sweat trickle down her freckle covered face as her chest furiously rose and fell. Omega's were weak wolves. At the bottom of the food chain, they were so weak they couldn't even turn, let alone keep up with someone with Alpha blood. Celia shook her head.

"I'm not just leaving you," she stated fiercely, grabbing Aria's elbow. She pulled away and stood straight, still fighting for breath. "Come on! We have to keep moving," Celia yelled desperately, gripping onto her arm once again.

"I can't!" Aria yelled. "I can't run fast enough or for as long! You have to go without me," Celia ignored her reasoning as she pulled the girl away from the gathering. She saw the logic behind Aria's words, but refused to pay it any attention. She couldn't live with herself if she just left her here to die.

The girls stumbled through the forest in a slow jog, Celia constantly tugged at Aria's arm every time she tried to stop until the blue, cloudless sky began to bleed a faint pink.

"Please! I need to rest," Aria whined for the hundredth time. Giving up Celia released her arm and licked her dry lips as Aria collapsed against a tree. "Thank you," she breathed out between pants.

Celia just nodded in response. "We have been moving for a while. We should be away from them by now," she replied all too soon. As soon as the words left her mouth she felt a heavy weight smash into her side, causing her long limbs to knock against the hard, uneven floor. The force of it caused her body to bounce back up again before her head smashed against the ground in a sickening manner.