Full Summary: Riley Griffin has been dreaming of the ground since she was nine years old. They were vivid and filled her mind with beautiful images of what was waiting on Earth. She never expected to see her dreams come to life before her eyes once the Dropship landed herself, her twin sister Clarke, and 98 other delinquents on the Ground. Nor to see the beautiful green eyes that had long been drawn on the pages of her Journal, down to the face paint which surrounded them glaring at her so... viciously.
So I've been playing with this idea for a 100 fanfic at the back of my head for a while and here it is. I hope it isn't as bad as I am fearing...Yes, this is my very first fanfic, and though kind comments are appreciated and very much enjoyed, I am not closed off to productive criticism. In any case this is a trial run on whether I should continue with this idea or not...I just want to see how it goes for now and decide from that.
Thank you all and please enjoy the chapter!
Years ago, when I was eight, maybe nine, I had my first dream of the ground - Earth - and I can still remember seeing it all so clearly. Like it was really right there in front of me. There was the warmth of the sun rays against my skin, the sweet scent of wildflowers carried by a fresh breeze of pure air, green and tall trees surrounded me for what seemed to be miles, and the dirt and stray leaves on the ground felt wet from previous rain. It wasn't the Earth that was described in the books we read for Earth Skills, but the Earth that awaited for us. The Earth of the future, after the nuclear apocalypse, and the radiation was gone. We could go home.
For ninety-seven years, humanity took refuge in the vast vacuum of space, being the only survivors of the bombs. Back then, there were twelve nations that had operational space stations, the remains of humankind. It was them who came together and created the 'Ark'. One station from the many which now holds well over one thousand people. Space and oxygen were clearly a constant issue, and so strict laws were enforced on everyone for the sake of survival, and with the hope of living long enough to see humans on the ground again.
It was the dream each and every single person held on the Ark. My dream also since I could remember.
Pity. I'll never get to actually see for myself. One because there were still a few hundred more years before humanity could go back to the ground. Two, because even if I had managed to live that long, there were zero chances of me surviving my eighteenth birthday. Juvenile criminals of the Ark hardly did.
All crimes on the Ark were punishable by death, and everyone over the age of eighteen found guilty was ejected into space - 'floated' being the term commonly used. Those who weren't eighteen or older were sent to lockup, though it was better known as the 'Skybox' until they turned eighteen and their files would be reviewed by the Council. By then, the decision would be taken whether the said juvenile offender would be executed or not. Lovely way to spend one's birthday, really. The fact your life hangs in the balance adds just the right tone of anxiety and bone striking fear everyone needs in their life.
I had one more month before my review, mine and my sister's actually since we were twins. However, the odds of Clarke surviving were more plausible than mine considering I was the younger one. The forbidden second child no one else in the Ark was allowed to have - overpopulation being a huge issue - but I was allowed to live. No one knew I was on the way along with Clarke, no one had seen me on any sonogram seeing that my twin sister covered me completely with her body, and no one in the Council wanted to be responsible for sentencing a baby to a cruel prolonged death in space. That being said, I had a very tight rope wrapped around my neck in which any toe out of line could sign my death warrant. That has been my life until now.
Now, as I sit here on my cell in solitary, writing in the old worn out Journal that my Dad - Jake Griffin - gave to me for my ninth birthday, I'm counting my days until my birthday. There were no dreams or nightmares today at least, but I didn't get any sleep either. For a while, I've had this restless feeling inside me that doesn't seem to want to leave me alone. Like something is about to happen. Something big and life-changing. What could it possi-
.
"Prisoner 3-1-8, turn around and face the wall." A male voice barked the order causing Riley Griffing to stop writing mid-word, her head turning instantly to the now open door that had led in two guards, both male. One on the right carried what appeared to be a black box seemingly heavy as he carried it with both arms. The other was to the left, probably for in case the seventeen-year-old blonde attempted to run away if the shock stick on the side of the black belt of his equally black vested uniform was anything to go by. He could also have it there to subdue her in case she tried to not go with what they were saying which made Riley do as she was asked despite the million questioned popping inside her head, Journal and pencil still in her hand. She didn't really much want to know what it was like to be shocked by a stick that had the same voltage as the pedals used on patients when they crashed on the operating table or otherwise.
"What's going on?" Riley asked her back to the two guards, blue eyes looking over her shoulder wearily watching their movements as the guard on the right moved farther into her cell. She watched him open the black box to reveal about four metal bracelets, and panic began to set in her body twitching with the sudden need to run. "I don't turn eighteen for another month, boys. You're early."
"Be quiet and hold out your right arm, 3-1-8." Guard on the left ordered but Riley wasn't having any of it. If she was going to get killed earlier, then they should at least have the common courtesy to tell her as such.
"How about, no?" Riley snarked turning back around quickly just in time for the guard on the right to open the metal bracelet and the other to take out the shock stick. She watched them for a moment eyes darting out from one to the other. There was no way Riley could actually take them on in a fight. One, she didn't know how to actually fight, other than throw punches. Two, size and build were solemnly not on her side. Nevertheless, Riley doubted the could move fast enough.
"Prisoner 3-0-8 -"
Riley was about to sprint as soon as the Guards started to move towards her, but stopped at the voice coming from the outside of her cell. It gave the two Guards long enough time to subdue her. The one at the left held her still as possible while she struggled, Journal and pencil falling from her grip, while the guard on the right enclosed the metal bracelet around her right wrist. Riley let out a hiss at the sensation of needles digging into he flesh grasping her hand as she was finally released.
"Wait! Let me see her!" The voice sounded again, closer this time and the door to her cell opened once more to reveal Abby Griffin, Riley's mother and the Head of Medical. It took Abby a second took to take in the sight of her youngest, who stared at her with deeper blue eyes than that of her father and sister. She swore Riley had grown since the last time she saw her while both her and Clarke were being taken away from her too. "Riley," Abby called out gently her vision becoming slightly blurred, just as her daughters were and then a second later Riley was in her arms once more, holding on tightly, her body shivering likely from the fear she must be feeling than the colder temperatures that were normal for the Skybox.
"Mom!" Her daughter cried out taking in everything from her mother all at once. The feel of her arms, the warmth, her scent thinking that this would be her last time to do so. "Mom, what's happening? Are they Floating me early because I'm the second child? What about Clarke? Is she okay? Are they-"
"Sshh. Riley. Baby, it's okay." Abby tried to soothe her daughter as she pulled away giving the guards behind her daughter a look before focusing back on the panicking teen. "Listen to me you are not getting Floated. No one is getting Floated."
Blue eyes blinked up at the female doctor in confusion. "Wha-"
"You are being sent to the ground. You, Clarke, and all the other juvenile prisoners."
The word 'ground' had Riley's head spinning with images from her dreams. She once more saw the tall canopy of trees in a small clearing, felt the wet earth and fallen leaves by her foot, the sun, the light, a clear blue sky. It took a while before her mind came into focus and the words her mom had said fully registered in her brain. Ground. They were being sent to the radiation gold mine that was Earth. A death sentence, no matter how you looked at it because if radiation didn't kill them, the drop from the Ark surely would. "You are killing us reduce population and to give you guys more time." She breathed out shaking her head and tears streaming down her cheek. "No, no, mom."
"It is the best chance you all have Riley. A second chance." Her mom stressed but the words were of no comfort to Riley at all. Sure getting ejected into space sucked and it a was a slow death but compared to dying of radiation it was a quicker, less painful way to go. "Listen to me okay, Riley." The hard tone Abby used gained the attention of the girl once more. "You and Clarke, I know that you'll want to take care of everyone first, just like your father but I need you to be careful. I can't lose both of you too-"
"Mom you're sending us to the ground-"
"Stay close to your sister. Always." Abby continued cutting her daughter off and giving her a pained but stern look. "Everything will be okay." The ruefully, Riley watched as her mother smiled and moved a few strands of blonde hair from her face. "You have your dreams to help you."
"Mom, those are just dreams." Riley shook her head while remembering how her Dad always used to say the same thing. It was weird, and the way he sometimes said it felt like he knew something Riley was missing. The idea behind what he and now her mom meant was ludicrous though. Her mom should know better being the woman of science that she was. "Dreams are just dreams they don't mean anything."
"That's more enough." One of the guards said Riley wasn' sure which as she looked into her mom's brown eyes. This could be the last time she ever spoke to her or even saw her. Chances of her survival were slim even if her mom thought otherwise
"Dr. Griffin, we have to take her away." Added the other one almost with a hint of regret as her mom's eyes flashed towards the guards nodding grimly.
"I love you mom," The blonde teen rushed the words just as her arms were being taken by one guard and placed in a hold behind her back. " I love you so much." Her voice broke, and though there were tears in Abby's eyes the woman refused to let them fall as she nodded at her youngest. She took in every aspect of Riley's face before quickly kneeling down and taking the Journal from the floor swiftly in one move. Then before the guards started to push her away from the cell, Riley saw as she was once more embraced by her mother surprised to feel her hands hiding the old Journal in the waistband of her jeans, and hiding it under her shirt.
"I love you too, Riley. So much," Abby told her squeezing her and turning her head slightly to whisper in her daughter's ear. "Don't forget what I told you. Okay. Stay safe."
The seventeen-year-old blonde didn't get to say anything else as she was soon being taken away from her mom and pushed out of her cell by both guards. As soon, as she stepped out, however, Riley watched in slight horror as to however the other teens were being taken from their cells. Each of the screaming, and struggling against the guards, some demanding what was happening. The scene was pure chaos, and nerve-racking, with the noise making her ears buzz. Still, even over all of this, Riley was still able to hear the frantic yell of her name making her head whip around at the familiar voice.
Clarke.
"Riley!"
Her blue eyes met with a lighter version of her own and suddenly, the tears were falling from her face once more. "Clarke!" She yelled out in a choked cry attempting to turn and get a better look at her twin. Her big sister whom she hadn't seen since they were both arrested and their father Floated. "Clarke!" Sadly, the small attempt to get a better view of her sister proved futile as she was soon pushed once more and the entire view of the Skybox was blocked from her sight, the guards walking her away.
"You'll see her again kid," Said the guard from behind Riley causing the teen to look over her shoulder. Her blue eyes met with his brown ones, and Riley shook her head.
"For how long before we're both dead?" She questioned and the guard became silent while Riley tried to shake the image of her sister dying. All the jokes they'd made about being born together, living together, and then dying together, and it now it was happening. Riley didn't want it to come to that though. She wanted to believe that if there was the slight chance of survival, that they would survive. As slim as that chance was, the blonde wanted to believe it.
Look on the bright side, at least you get to see Earth, Riley's subconscious cheered before adding, for a few seconds before your literally spill your guts out and die.
Closing her eyes, Riley tried to shake the thought away and stay positive. It's what Clarke and her Dad would have told her to do by now, so she kept most thoughts of her impending demise to herself as she was lead quickly down with the other delinquents. She tried to look and see if she recognized anything of her surrounding but everything was strange and new. There was nothing about this part of the Ark that even seemed relatively familiar to her other than the guards who were pushing the delinquents down for another five to four flight of stairs before they lead them into the ship that was supposedly taking them to the ground. By now, every few continued to struggle most have come to terms with their fate as they were arranged in groups by the Guard. They were lead inside one by one, one guard at the door of the ship while two other's patted down the delinquents, gave them a jacket, and checked from the bracelet. Those were the only ones she could see but suspected there were more on the ship.
It was a long line before Riley was padded down and checked for the device. She met eyes with one of the guards patting her down hoping he wouldn't notice the Journal hidden in her clothes. Part of her cursing her mother because if that was found she could see herself getting into so much trouble. It was nice that her mom wanted her to have one of the last few things her Dad ever gave her, but the timing sucked. Riley only released the breath she'd been holding once both Guards nodded giving her the clear, and handed Riley her jacket. She walked up to the guard on at the door.
"Bracelet?" She demanded and Riley lifted her right arm, watching the dark-skinned woman nod in approval, before rushing her inside where another guard greeted her and led the blonde to the stairs passing through the empty spaces of the lower floor. Riley climbed up and yet another guard was waiting for her, as he leads her to a seat. This one was forceful as he all but shoved Riley into her seat.
"You sit here." He told her as if she were an idiot or a toddler. Riley wasn't sure which was worse, but either way, she glared at the guard. He ignored her. "Straps on and they don't come off until you're told so." He didn't leave until Riley was all strapped.
Watching him, Riley couldn't help herself and mumble. "And just who is going to tell me that, asshole?" The guard, however, did not hear her and continued to place more upcoming delinquents in their seats.
"Good to know you're still the same, Riles." The blonde girl froze at the voice beside her. One she had heard since being a little kid playing with her sister, and one had certainly never expected to hear again. She turned her head to the side gaping openly at Wells Jaha, the Chancellors very son, and her and Clarke best friend since diapers basically. The shock, however, was quick to wear off as the anger began to bobble inside her from what he had done. Wells saw this change and opened his mouth to speak, but Riley didn't want to hear it.
"Don't," She spoke harshly and her tone cold making Wells flinch. Not two years ago, Riley would have spoken him with a smile, warm tone as she teased him endlessly about her sister. Something he would reciprocate whenever the blonde herself had a crush on a certain girl. They were friends then. The three musketeers, but not anymore. Not since she and Clarke had been arrested and their father Floated. "Whatever you were going to say, or even thinking of saying Wells, just don't."
"Riley."
She closed her eyes and shook her head, turning to look away from the dark-skinned boy. "I don't want to hear it, Wells. I don't want to talk to you." There was a pause and then silence, so Riley took that as a sign that Wells was going to leave her alone. The two stayed silent as the seats began to fill with the delinquents, and neither so much as glanced at the other, or well, Riley refused to even look in the general direction of her right side, which was were Wells so happened to sit. As childish as her action was though, the blonde had not been kidding. Looking at Wells now, only reminded her of what the boy had done, of what his actions had taken from her. It wasn't something she could forget.
Her Dad. Her Dad had only wanted to do the right thing, and he was Floated for it. A stray tear fell from Riley's left eye but she was quick to wipe it off before anyone noticed, before Wells noticed. It was then that she caught movement from the corner of her eye prompting Riley to look up, and gasp as she saw one guard place down an unconscious body, on the seat beside her. Clarke's unconscious body.
"What the hell did you do to her?!" Riley growled using her hands to shake Clarke. "Clarke? Clarke!"
"She's been sedated." The asshole Guard from before told her. "Now be quiet and stay still unless you want to join her in dreamland."
Oh, that was it. "How about you-"
"Riley," Wells warned from her right an edge of concern lacing his tone, and Riley just knew he was looking at Clarke too. That he was worried about her. "She's going to be okay. Probably will be waking up soon."
Clenching her jaw, and glaring furiously at the guard as he left them be Riley repositioned her sisters head so she would be more comfortable and not have neck pain when she woke up. She also made sure to check on Clarke's pulse, not believing any of the imbeciles the Guard so happened to be filled with had used an overdose. Once she had and felt the pulse come out as normal the younger of the two blondes leaned back against her seat trying to relax. Her eyes closed for a fraction of a moment trying to reign in the panic and anxiety and pain that were rushing through her in huge waves. The feeling from the last few days all made sense now, somehow. She'd felt something big coming. Riley just never suspected it was this.
'You are being sent to the ground.'
'You have your dreams to help you.'
'Always trust your dreams Riley-Bear,' Her Dad's voice in her head caused Riley to open her eyes almost instantly. 'Those and your instincts will take you far when you feel lost.' Without much thought, Riley pulled out her Journal from its hidden place and opened it. She flipped through the pages stopping at one particular one which had an illustration she'd drawn years back. Now, Riley wasn't as big an artist as Clarke was, but she wasn't lacking in skill either. The image was vivid, almost as if it was really with the details she'd placed on the trunks of the trees, and the ground of the small clearing. She didn't remember dreaming this - she usually didn't remember dreams much - but she did remember drawing it.
She'd spent hours on it according to her mom as she had been off from the Med Bay and spending the day at home with her and Clarke while their Dad worked. Riley only remembered the strokes of her pencil. The image she was trying to place her head before it went away completely. To this day, Riley looked at this picture and thought that this was what the Earth would look like but with more color, more real. It was around this time that she and Clarke had begun to draw images of Earth. From either their books or just by their imagination. None of them had felt as real as this one did though. It set a feeling down in her brain. Like a long forgotten memory.
"Think the ground will look anything like that?" Riley heard Wells ask, seeing her former best friends looking down at her drawing with her.
Looking at him, Riley found she didn't have enough sufficient strength to tell Wells off. The past events and her own mind slipping to her Dad were beginning to leave her with the sufficient energy. So instead, she shrugged and looked at Wells in the eyes briefly before looking back at the drawing. "I don't know, Wells." The blonde sighed shaking her head. "It's just a drawing."
Dreams were dreams, and drawings were just that, drawings. No matter how real the actually looked.
Feedback if the fuel to my writing, so please tell me what you think! Stick around if you want more and Thank you for reading!