Capture (Book 1 in the Wolfen Brethren Series)

Hidden Walls

This is edited but there may still be some mistakes .

                   

Panting over the alarm system Neema attempted to gain her breath as the ringing of the alarm permeated throughout the walls of the cave, jarring everybody from their silent slumber. A clanging noise came from the opening of the cave as metal shutter snapped shut, barricading the entrance with rusting black walls, as if they would stop the wolves from reaching their hunt. The black shutters were flimsy at best, but to the wolves were probably like paper, something they could smash through with very little effort.

The alarm was stupid, it had probably sealed their fate more than it had saved anyone, but Neema still found herself clinging to the box as if it could save them. Nothing could.

The sound continued to blear through the walls, providing the wolves with a beacon to their location, if they did not already know. Hundreds of village members found themselves staggering into the long corridors. They were disoriented and confused, they did not quite understand the detrimental situation that they were all in. They were under attack; their freedom was flitting through their fingers before they could do anything to stop it. Before they could really appreciate the warped freedom they had.

Neema wanted to warn them, encourage them to move faster but her words were stuck in her throat. Her mouth was dry and she struggled to inhale.

Once she was in control of her body her surroundings snapped into focus and she realized her thin fingers were clinging to a metallic inanimate object and not her siblings. Siblings that she had left in a room alone. Alone! Caillum and Jana would be panicking because of her absence and the loud shrieking noise the system was making. Her feet moved and before she even realised what she was doing, she was fiercely shoving people out of her way. She had more important things to do then encourage them to move faster. She had sounded the warning and now it was their choice on how to respond. Her duty was done and now she had to get back to her room.

A red flashing light kept blinking throughout the corridors, bathing the walls and her skin in red. More colour, but the red was a marker. A reminder of the blood they would shed for this small slither of freedom they clung to.

Pushing through the red tinted people Neema began the quick jog back to her room, dodging the chaos that ensued within the narrow corridors. Violently pushing the obstructing people out of her way. She was desperate, and in her desperation she became feral. Barring her teeth at confused people who were clenching towards the walls in huddles. Huddles that formed like hurdles she couldn't jump over. Instead she barreled through them causing them to tumble in her wake. The People were stoic and frantic at the same time, but they're no longer her concern. Her two siblings were and they needed her now.

Barging through their bedroom door Neema was greeted with the picture of her brother's young body clasping a frightened Jana to his heart whilst stroking her frazzled bed hair. Her sorrowful sobs and his glacial eyes reminded Neema of how badly she continued to fail them. How their little minds must have wandered where she had gone, especially Caillum. Had he wondered if she was another family member he had lost. She had to do better by them.

The two young children were the only reminders of her mother and father, and as their last surviving relative she always felt an extra need to protect them from the harsh world they lived in. Acting as the only mother Jana knew, she always wanted to shelter them from the dangers ahead, but she knew their time of safety was over. If she had ever provided them with safety to begin with. The walls of this village could be as cruel as the world outside.

Stumbling across the room to the sight of her scared siblings, Neema grasped their young bodies into her tight embrace. Stroking Caillum's hair while pressing tiny kisses to Jana's forehead to help soothe the storm within their young hearts.