Faded by Jordan Wadley (free reads .txt) 📕

"SAPPHIRE RUN!" Came Amanda's urgent and terrified voice from somewhere behind her. Amanda wasn't scared for her own death, but deadly terrified for Sapphire looking down at her brother with horror. Sapphire took a large step back from the body in front of her, the empty heart inside of her gaping. Her hands shook in fright with the amount of blood surrounding her on such an important day, the lifelessness in Nathan's eyes scaring her more than anything.

The sickening sound of flesh ripping behind her brought her from the horrid image in front just in time to meet Amanda's frantic expression. It seemed as if the image before her happened in slow motion, Amanda's eyes wide with realization when the jaw of the deadly and terrifying yellow-eyed beast clamped down on her throat. Amanda's lifeless form fell into a heap on the ground, the shock no longer evident on her pale features, but was now replaced with nothingness.

Sapphire bolted from the scene suddenly feeling sick but kept running in fright she may be attacked as well. Tears continued to stream down her face, the fear now twisting at the bottom of her stomach. She stumbled on her two small legs when acid rose from her throat and fell beneath the debris, a sickening smell reminding her that this was all but a dream.

She cleared her throat of the heart wracking sobs and ran in an unstable line as she continued to stumble. Sobs continued to shack her entire form, the heartbreak and horror she felt with the sickening images running through her tiny head. Sapphire closed her eyes to force the images out of her head, the realization that she'd never see Amanda or Nathan again. She'd never see the happy smile and pride they wore on their faces for her.

She ran, the tears no longer free falling from her face. She ran, from the people she once laughed and joked with. She ran, from the life she once lived. She ran, from death itself.

Some people have escaped the pain they endure daily, by forcing death upon themselves.

Sapphire believed forcing death upon yourself was cowardly, she knew to finish her task she'd have to face the days ahead straight forward. Though she didn't believe suicide was right, it didn't necessarily mean Sapphire was full of rainbows and smiles like she used to be when she was young. She'd grown up without trust and love, she didn't believe love or trust would get you anywhere in life. Sapphire sighed in frustration realizing she'd grown much differently than she wanted. The flames roared in agreement as they licked at the cold atmosphere with no mercy, slicing through the endless darkness that dare to invade its peace.

Now, as the days progress, you never have the peace that’s forever yearned for, only the endless pain that invades your soul like Sapphire has endured for such a long time. Her life has been all but havoc since the day she'd ran from her brother, Nathan, and his lifeless form.

After the attack of her pack she'd refused to take a foot back in the burned lands, she felt like a coward leaving the people she loved to bleed out on the floors while she cried. Though she was only five, she believed even then she could have done something to prevent her brother's death. Thinking back to the day she turned five her features hardened and her eyes raged dangerously. Images of that day continued to flash before her empty eyes. Once a happy little girl waiting for the presents to be ripped open, now a bitter and emotionless woman out for blood. She's been on the search for the rogue, Damien Wadley, for nine years. She's pretended to be a defenseless little girl as she ran from pack to pack, training and getting information about the neighboring packs. She'd been to almost every pack in the country except the four largest and most intimidating packs, Sapphire's never been to the same pack lands more than once knowing they'd find something suspicious about her.

She's been searched for Damien since the young age of ten, asking for help from other neighboring pack yet receiving nothing, so she traveled on her own. Only when she needed more training did she enter the pack lands and request training for defense.

Sapphire clenched her fists tightly before the numbing pain slipped its way into her aching hand as the thick liquid fell thoroughly down her slender fingers. The red liquid oozed out of the fresh wound buried deep into her sensitive skin and fell into the patted down dirt.

Whenever she ventured out into the open lands she changed her name, birth certificate, and personal information so nobody would suspect anything out of the ordinary. Sapphire has been to many school, yet in each school she didn't care of the information it brought. She seeked out Damien knowing he lived upon the human community.

To the open eye she was heartless and cold, to the people who feared her she was intimidating and idolized, yet to those who once knew her she is possessed and evil. She is to be feared as she is a criminal in almost every state, on the run from the people around her and the law that threaten to hunt her down until their last living breaths.

"Fire, Imma head out for wood. I’ll be back in a few," A deep edged voice sliced daggers through her thoughts sending her back into reality with the flicking flames before her. She could only nod; the numbness that began to spread to her heart slowly spread amongst her entire body.

She growled to herself, ignoring the strange look from the man sitting next to her. Many sat around the fire; each of the starved people only looked for an escape of this dreadful nightmare in which they lived. Sapphire hated that these people have yet to live their own lives, yes she never really did have a life since it was so mercilessly taken from her, but she didn't want anyone else to suffer like she has.

"Are you alright Sapphire?" Another feminine voice managed to force its way through Sapphire's train of thought. Sapphire turned to her, studying the blonde before sharply nodding and turning away without a second glance.

When she introduced herself to these people, her name is Fire, yet they knew no better. Nobody called her by her real name. They all knew her name was Sapphire but never, not once, had they called her anything but 'Fire'. Sapphire didn't want anyone to call her by the name her friends and family once called her, this would only bring terrifying memories and heartbreaking pain. She erased her existence in the Council's files which meant the human world couldn't access her files either.

The Council was confused considering she'd disappeared from the face of the earth, no body was found at the pack's rogue attack and no one knew of anyone with the name 'Sapphire'.

Gangs have been after her since she nearly killed entire teams, The Council was after her because her files suddenly disappeared, and the Federal Government was after her because she'd slipped some of their prisoners right from underneath their noses. Everyone in the country feared her because she was slick, the movements of a snake and the bite of a lion.

Sapphire loved the sheer power she held of those around her, friend of foe, she was terrifying. She could smell their fear from miles, the substance she hasn't felt since the brutal attack. She scared more than half of the world, she was a criminal after all, yet she held a demonic aura around her that those feared when standing close. First they'd begin to sweat with sharper intakes of breaths then they'd shake uncontrollably, at the final stage some may faint while most scream and run from her in sheer terror.

"I’m going out to hunt, excuse me," She ignored the five pitied stares that the people sent her and slapped on a fake smile before walking away from the glowing red pit with only remaining ambers. Sapphire continued to walk from their line of sight keeping her eyes trained ahead, she knew as soon as she was from ear shot the whispers would begin. They would question if she was coming back or bet with one another when she’d give up and leave the group to fend for themselves; that’s how these people were, they thought so lowly of her even after she saved them from death.

"Are you sure you’re alright?" The man from earlier, Tom, managed to walk along side with her continuing on deeper into the woods. His green glowing eyes shimmered in the darkness with his deep brown hair that framed his pale features. It’s been a while since they properly ate resulting in their extreme weight loss, but Sapphire never lets them suffer long until she prepares herself for a hunt.

"Yes sir." Rarely did she speak unless directly spoken to. She felt comfortable with a slight nod of the head but others seemed to prefer a direct answer, one in which she couldn’t’ give so well. Though she was only two years younger than the male in front of her, she didn't care for nor did she need his flirting attention, she only needed to continue her destination without unwanted attention.

Tom couldn’t help but pity the girl when her empty grey eyes met his, never has she shown any true emotion other than anger. They’ve been traveling a little over two weeks, and all of the people back at the site depend on her strength and leadership. She walked with a stiff posture, her blue/grey eyes glimmering with weariness still watching her surrounding with the expanding storm in her eyes ready to explode. It didn’t surprise Tom much when he first discovered how blunt the little girl was; she'd supossedly lost her mother, yet that was all she told them, they didn't even know if her parents were alive. Everyone at the camp site wondered where her father was considering she never mentioned anything about him, including his name. Every now and then she'd tell the group she had no parents but some were still confused; did they die or did they leave? She was intent on bottling up her emotions like a contained bomb.

Tom thought Sapphire was so emotionless considering she rarely even showed anger, she was simply blank. He envied the girl but sometimes even he couldn't help but criticize her. Was she only like this because she wanted attention? Why'd she save us from prison in the first place? Some kind of praise?

He noticed she only wore two outfits;