Behind the Shadows

Creaking filled Sapphires ears. It went on and on, relentless as she kept her eyes closed still in a state of light slumber. Her head was thumping all over. She could feel it behind her eyes, on her forehead and right at the top of her head. The pain itself was slowly rousing her awake. It wasn't just the pain though. It was a mixture of things. It was the ocean scented air, the cold crisp air that brought goosebumps up onto her arms and also the fact that she was currently swaying from left to right.
Sapphires eyelids slowly crack open. Darkness surrounds her with no sliver of light. Sight alone won't give her the answers she currently seeks. Sapphire would have to get up and investigate. Her legs shake as she brings herself up, causing her to fall ungracefully to the floor with a grunt. Frantically, she grasps up at the surface she had just been lying on. Only to grab at thin material that could be compared to a potato sack. The only thing that made sense would be that she had been asleep on a hammock. In her experience she had sleep on more comfortable things. Nothing was making sense. The swaying continued even with her off of the hammock. It made the task of getting to her feet a difficult one. Her hands grasped at the hammock and at the wall closest to her. The support was enough to get her shakily on her feet. Panic was beginning to settle into Sapphire. Her head was a muddled mess of pain and fogginess.
After a few minutes of feeling her way along the was her hands finally clasp around a door handle. Her breathing was beginning to go uneven as her mind started to worry about everything going on. Her main three questions were; Where was she? Why was she here? And lastly, who had put her here? What made it even worse that she was alone. Where was Jake when she needed his annoying self?
The door clicks open and does not make a sound as she slowly slides herself out of the room. All of Sapphires senses are on alert instantly as she looks left to right. Not a person in sight and all she can hear is the relentless creaking. All around Sapphire is white wall with little decoration. Door after door lines the walls along the obscenely long corridor. It made her nervous. If someone came around the corner she would have nowhere to hide. Expect from darting into the nearest room. Pushing all near death thoughts aside. Sapphire pushes ahead and begins quietly walking down the corridor. She was weaponless and that just made her even more on edge. All she had on her was her camp half blood shirt and her shorts. Neither could do much to protect her from being attacked.
The white corridor would not end. It just went on and on. Twisting this way and that way. Every room she checked was vacant. Save for a bed and ensuite. It was like she was wandering around a large hotel. Except this hotel was currently swaying and creaking. The white walls reminded Sapphire of a hospital. This place however, was no hospital. There were no signs of any doctors, nurses or patients. The rooms also held no medical equipment. What was confusing Sapphire was the constant smell of the ocean. No matter how far along she got in this white maze the smell lingered. Almost as though it was encouraging Sapphire to keep going. Keeping her strong and focused.
"Why can't you just admit it?" Someone grumbles loud enough to warn Sapphire to dart to safety. She grabs the handle of the nearest door and slips into the room. Her ear is instantly on the door, listening in. Her hand clamps over her mouth and nose in an attempt to quiet her breathing.
"Admit what exactly?" Another voice mutters back. Sounding slightly annoyed.
"You saw how she looked at me. I looked at her three times and each time she was eyeing me up" Their voices get closer and closer to Sapphires door.
"I saw nothing. Except that you were the one eyeing her up. She was probably just creeped out" Their steps halt just outside the door. Casting a shadow by Sapphires shoes.
"You're just jealous. I have a better bone structure than you and you know it" Their voices go quiet for a split second.
"Bone structure?"
"Yes. My jawline and cheekbones are all the girls talk about" I hear one of them sigh heavily before walking on. Soon followed by the other person's steps. Sapphire lets out a long breath not knowing why she even bothered listening. She waits a few minutes before creaking the door open and stepping back out into the corridor. She was starting to become impatient to get out of this weird place. There had been no sign of an exit anywhere and it bothered Sapphire a lot. Her head was beginning to clear up and with it snippets of what had happened earlier was beginning to show itself. So far all she knew was that she had been fooled into pranking Clarisse and that then caused her to kidnapped. She still had no face to the kidnapper, nor the person who had fooled her. Her main priority was not them at the moment. It was finding a way out of here. Wherever here was.
Her hands were shaking in anger and impatience as Sapphire bagan kicking in every door she came across. Not even caring that it left a dent in the door. After opening about twenty door she was starting to realise that she was not likely to run into anyone else. The place was silent save for her frustrated stomping and breaking doors down. She had not come across anyone else and Sapphire was beginning to think she just imagined encountering those two men. Her head was now just a dull ache which was only fueling her anger. Five doors were not hanging on their hinges as she made her way to her sixth, then her seventh, eighth and ninth. On her tenth she paused. Someone was talking behind it. It was barely a murmur, but she heard it. Slowly Sapphire creeps closer to the door and puts her ear against it.
"I don't understand" A female states. A sigh follows and then the sound of someone pacing the room.
"You don't have to. I need her here and that's all the should matter." A male replies with a hint of authority.
"But why her?"
"Why is this bothering you so much?"
It isn't."
"Good. Stop asking questions." Sapphire squints her eyes wondering if it was her they were speaking about. A mixture of impatience and curiosity were to blame as Sapphires hand wraps itself around the door handle and slowly turns it to open the door. The scene before her instantly puts all the dots together.
"Luke?" Her voice is a near whisper. He sits in a large leather chair behind a desk with his head in his hands. Before him in another chair is a woman who had a snake like glare pointed at Sapphire. Lukes head leaves his hands and his eyes find Sapphire.
"Saph" He replies and is instantly on his feet. "You're finally up"
Sapphire takes another step into the room and eyes his suspiciously. Not really knowing what to do with herself. It was safe to say this whole situation was a little awkward.
"Why am I here?" Her question seems to stop Luke as he looks down at her in confusion.
"I thought you would be happy to see me again"
"Why am I here?" Sapphire asks again. Luke smiles sadly at her in a way that says he thought she would know the answer already.
"I need you here" Luke steps closer and lifts his hand to tug a strand of Sapphires hair. Instantly Sapphire yanks herself away feeling irritated.
"You don't need me" The words manage to wound them both at the same time. Sapphire had been avoiding admitting to herself. Luke's hurt expression does not last long. Almost instantly its replaced with a false confidence with little emotion to be found.
"I want to share this with you. When I win the battle I want you by my side, Sapphire. Just like you have always been" He pauses to smile at her. Sapphire just stands there unsure of her next move. "I realised when I left camp that I was selfish. I should of told you from the start. Made you feel more involved in my life. We used to always share everything and I want that to continue. I don't want us on opposite sides of this battle. I don't want to see you hurt. I need to keep you safe"
"No, Luke. You stopped sharing a long time ago. You may need me, but I no longer need you. I don't want to be involved in your life if this is the route you're gonna go. I am safe at camp half blood. I am safe with my friends. My Family!" Sapphire takes another step away from him. Seeing him there in that moment was like someone had just blasted her in the face with a ice cold water. They could no longer go back to how things were. The thread between them, connecting them had been cut and now there was no going back. He would no longer be the one constantly at her side and she would no longer be able to hide behind him. This was the end road they had always been heading towards. Sapphire just wished it hadn't come so fast. Ignoring the hallow ache in her heart she took another step away.
"I am your family!" Luke's voice cracks, but the look in his eyes tells Sapphire that he too knows it's the end. "You and me. Thats all we need. It's all we've ever needed"
"Not anymore, Luke" Sapphire ignore the tears burning the back of her eyes. Threatening to break free. "I can't be the one to stand by you through this. Neither side in this battle is worth fighting for. I have no place on either side. Let me go, Luke. Please"
Luke squints his eyes at Sapphire as though he is trying to place her words together. It takes a moment before he finally takes a deep breath.
"I will always be here, Sapphy. Always will be." A tear finally falls from her eyes. Not wanting to linger Sapphire flees the room and her family.

Notes

This chapter is completely rewritten because the first draft made me cringe. Enjoy!