I lay on the thin mattress staring at the ceiling. How many days had it been since the guard had stopped coming? 40? 50? Who knew? Food slid in through a tiny flap in the door, and dishes were collected the same way. I had turned 19 about 7 months ago…I knew that much. By all rights, I should be dead. But nope. They just keep me here. Locked up. Unable to speak to anyone. If I'm being honest with you, sometimes I think death would be preferable to the constant silence accompanied by the endless machine hum. Sitting up, I pulled my hair out of its braid and combed through it with my fingers before rebraiding it. Just then, the door burst open.
"Prisoner 682. Stand up and face the wall." The guard said.
"Actually," I responded, surprised that my voice still worked, "if you're going to kill me, I'd prefer to be lying down." I reclined back on my mattress, lacing my fingers behind my head. I looked at the guard.
"You're late, you know." I continued sarcastically, overjoyed at just being able to talk to someone, "I was supposed to die over a year ago."
"Get up and face the wall." The guard repeated, drawing his weapon.
"Or what? You'll electrocute me? Then I'll be unconscious and unable to stand or face the wall. That doesn't sound like it will work out for either of us." I said raising an eyebrow.
It looked like I was starting to get under the guards skin, which is what I was aiming for. He sighed, sheathed his weapon and reached down to pull me off the bed.
As he reached down, I shot a leg out, kicking him in the groin and bolted off the bed and out the door.
"Prisoner 682!" The guard called after me. "Stop!"
"That is not my name!" I shouted back, continuing to run down the hallway away from solitary confinement. "Why don't you try asking nicely?" I rounded a corner still full sprint and collided head first with a squadron of guards. "Shit." I muttered.
4 of them drew their weapons and advanced.
"Guys," I said, walking backwards until I was pressed against a wall. "Can't we talk about this? Come to some sort of compromise? You know who my father is. Don't do this!" I protested. It did nothing to stop the volts of electricity from traveling through my body. I slid to the floor unconscious; the last thing I felt was a violent pinch around my wrist.
The first thing I felt was pain. That was a good sign. Pain meant not dead. The second thing I noticed was the chatter of voices. That sparked my interest and I started to rouse. I groaned as lifted my hand to neck – the area where I had received the brunt of the electrical shock.
"Hey! She lives!" A guy said. My eyes adjusted on his face. He was tall, skinny and wearing goggles.
"Well I doubt they would put a dead person on the dropship." The guy beside him replied.
"What is going on?" I asked, groggily.
"Well, I suppose you missed the thrilling video message from the Chancellor," Goggles said, "But we are going to earth."
"Earth." I said, not sure whether to believe him or not.
"Well, as long as the chutes deploy and we don't all die upon landing." He laughed. "What's your name?"
"Tara." I smiled. "What's yours?"
"I'm Jasper." He grinned, reaching over to shake my hand. "And this here is Monty." He gestured at the Asian kid beside him who waved in greeting.
"Nice to meet you. "
Just then, the chutes deployed and a commotion could be heard from downstairs. The dropship crashed onto the ground and settled into the earth with a loud crash. The three of us looked at each other, pausing only a moment before scrambling to unbuckle ourselves from our seats.
"I can't believe we aren't dead." Monty laughed.
"I can't believe we are going to get to see earth!" I replied.
"Well, hurry up, let's go!" Jasper shouted, already at the ladder. We scaled down to the second floor and saw two bodies on the ground. A somber silence overtook us. I walked over to the two kids and shut their still open eyes.
"I suppose it was a rough landing." Jasper said quietly. "C'mon." He rested his hand on my shoulder. "There is nothing we can do for them now."
I nodded quietly, brushing the tears back from my eyes. What was wrong with me. I didn't even know them. Still, seeing them dead was a reminder of just how hard the path ahead of us was going to be. We climbed down the last ladder to see the door already open.
"Well, it's good to know the air isn't toxic." I sighed. Jasper and Monty ran ahead outside and I was quick to follow. I stepped off the ship surprised by how soft the earth felt beneath my boots. I took a deep breath and smiled. Free. I was finally free. Turning to my left I saw someone who I thought I would never see again in all my years left to live.
"Clarke?" I asked, seeing her distinct blonde curls. "What are you doing here?"
"Tara?" She looked shocked for a moment, then laughed and gave me a hug. "I thought you were dead!"
"I should be. But I guess my dad pulled a few strings. Why are you here?"
"I have been in solitary for a year. "Clarke frowned. "My dad and I found out the ark life support systems were failing. He was floated for it."
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry." I said, pulling her into another hug.
"Yeah, well, I guess you have to be careful who you trust with secrets." She replied, glaring over, at….was that…..Wells?
"Wells?" I said, following her gaze. "You know he would never do anything to hurt you."
"You've been in solitary awhile." She said. "A lot has happened. But first things first. We've been dropped on the wrong peak."
"What?" I asked, glancing over her shoulder at the map she had laid out on the drop ship.
"The food. The supplies. They are all on mount weather. There is a radiation soaked forest between us and our next meal."
I was about to reply when a voice interrupted.
"Why so serious, Princess. It's not like we died in a fiery explosion."
I turned to see a boy with long dark hair, and kind eyes standing behind us.
"Try telling that to the two kids who tried to follow you out of their seats." Clarke glared.
"I get the feeling you don't like being called princess, do you princess." He grinned. Clarke huffed and walked off to a different part of the dropship and I was left with the guy.
"Well." I smirked. "That was smooth."
He turned to look at me.
"Have we met?"
"Doubtful. I'm Tara." I replied.
"Finn." He replied. "You look awfully familiar."
"Just one of those faces I guess." I said, suddenly self-aware. I walked over to where Clarke, and Wells, now were.
"….and that's why we need to go to . We have to leave now if we want to be there before dark." Clarke lectured to a group of teens, who were looking on unimpressed.
"I have an idea." A tall, dark haired guy said. I looked at him a little longer, and recognized him as Bellamy Blake. He was a guard for a while. "You two go. Get it for us. Let the privileged do the work for a change."
"That's not how it works!" Wells said. "We all have to contribute equally."
"You think you are in charge here? You and your little Princess?" A brunette girl viciously spat.
"Look everyone!" Another kid said stepping forward. "Chancellor of earth."
"You think that is funny?" Wells said.
The kid sauntered forward, all innocence, until his kicked out Wells leg. The crack could be heard all among the group.
"No," he smirked, "But that was."
That was enough for me.
"Oh yeah," I started, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Violence is always hilarious. It's not like violence is the reason we weren't able to live on earth for hundreds of years. You're a riot."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Why don't you come say that to my face, and see what happens?"
I lifted an eyebrow and jumped off the dropship platform where I had been standing.
"Tara?" Wells asked. I grinned.
"Nice to see you too."
"Hey!" The boy who had kicked out Wells leg shouted at me. "I know you. You're Tara Kane!"
I looked at him for a moment trying to place his face and then it clicked.
"John Murphy." I said, smirking. "Nice to see you're still a first class asshole."
Murphy lunged forward but was intercepted by Finn jumping off the dropship in front of him.
"Hey." He said, standing between us. "That's enough. We have food we need to get and time isn't moving any slower."
I shrugged and took a step back to help Wells up. He cringed as he put weight on his foot and I helped him limp away.
"Hey spacewalker, rescue me next." The brunette girl said flirtatiously. The crowd dissolved into laughter and tension eased, but I could still see Murphy watching me, as well as Bellamy. Both of them had their eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Wells hobbled off to go moon over Clarke, who very obviously only had eyes for Finn. I sat on the edge of the dropship before wondering if I could get the communications up and running. I climbed up onto the roof only to see all the panelling had come loose. It would take time, but eventually, I could rig it so we at least had electricity. That meant light and heat.
"Kane!" The shout came from below. It was Finn.
"Are you gonna come get food with us?"
"I'm gonna try and fix the comms." I shouted back. In the distance I saw Bellamy turn his head at that.
"Can you do that?" Finn asked.
"With time. And great skill. I happen to have both." I joked. "I'll keep an eye on Wells. I don't trust Murphy."
"Be careful." He said, starting to walk away.
"You too!" I shouted back. I stayed up on the roof grafting wires for a while until I heard a commotion below.
"You know, my father begged for mercy…..when they floated him." Murphy's voice drifted up. I peeked my head over the side to see three of Murphy's goons and the brat himself standing in front of Wells. On the ship, the words "First son, first to dye" were carved. I rolled my eyes and shouted down.
"You spelt die wrong, genius."
Murphy glanced up, pure loathing in his eyes. I signalled Wells to walk away, which he did, very slowly.
"Tara Kane. You better get down here right now." Murphy shouted.
"Or what?" I laughed. "You gonna throw your little knife at me? Well! Colour me frightened. Or should I say Dye me frightened. "
"I know what you did. I'll tell him." Murphy threatened. Well. That got me. How could he possibly know. No one knew. I hadn't told anyone except those at my trial. I climbed down the ladder, looking at Murphy coldly.
"That's what I thought." He smirked. "All talk. You don't want them to know your little secret."
"Speaking of secrets, how do you know it. And how do I know that you actually know." I said crossing my arms.
"Guess you'll just have to trust me." He said stepping forward and smoothing the loose strands of my hair out of my eyes.
"Go to hell." I said, shoving him away.
"Fine." Murphy shrugged. "Hey! Bellamy!"
The call caught Bellamy's attention and he walked over. Panic filled my chest and before I knew was I was doing, I lunged and punched Murphy in the throat, rendering him unable to do anything but gasp for air.
"Hey!" Bellamy said, catching my arms, and pulling me away from Murphy. "What the hell was that."
"Nothing….I don't know…..sometimes I hit people." I shrugged, before walking away to find Wells. I quickened my pace as Murphy began to be able to form words. I glanced over my shoulder to see a stormy look on Bellamy's face. He was glaring at me. He caught my eye and I knew right then in that moment, I was screwed. I turned, continued to walk like nothing was wrong until I got to the forest, and then I ran.
It didn't take long for Bellamy to catch up with me. He grabbed me and spun me around roughly.
"It was you?!" He shouted. "You're the reason they found Octavia." He spat the words at me.
"I never meant…" I started. He slammed me roughly against a tree, cutting off my words.
"Oh, you never meant? YOU NEVER MEANT?!" He roared. "Bloody privileged, thinking that they are so much better than the rest of us. Well, your mistake nearly cost my sister her LIFE!"
"If you would let me finish," I said wrestling with his steel grip, "I swear, I never knew it would happen. I stole for lots of people. I'd never been caught before. The guard who caught me waited until I delivered the food tokens. No one was supposed to be home. That's how he found O."
"DON'T YOU CALL HER THAT." He said, shaking me.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I said, anger beginning to replace fear. "But it wasn't my fault! Nigel turned me in. Someone offered her something better for information on me."
"So that makes it ok, does it." Bellamy scoffed. "You disgust me."
"Well, the feeling is mutual. I did what I did to help people. I helped a lot of people before I got caught. Now let me go."
"So what. Octavia was just collateral damage?" Bellamy said, increasing the pressure of his forearm against my throat.
"Let. Me. Go." I choked out. His eyes were filled with rage. "I'm sorry. I can't change the past."
"You're sorry." He mocked, releasing his death grip. "You're not sorry. Not yet. But you will be." With that, he stalked off leaving me alone in the woods, holding my throat, gasping for air.
I stayed in the woods for a long time. When it got dark I figured I would return to camp. After all, the worst was over. Bellamy's threat still hung in the air, but there was no way in hell I was going to let him think I was actually afraid of him. As I came into camp, the air was tense. I walked over to the fire to see Wells and Bellamy in the midst of what appeared to be a standoff.
"What the hell are you doing?" Wells sharp voice cut through the air.
"We're liberating ourselves. What does it look like?" Bellamy replied.
"It looks like you're trying to get us all killed. The communication system is dead. These wristbands are all we got. Take them off, and the Ark will think we're dying, that it's not safe for them to follow."
I walked silently closer to the fire, failing to notice a still very angry John Murphy standing at the edge of the group.
"Have a nice chat?" He asked, his voice hoarse.
"That depends." I said, examining my nails. "How's your windpipe." I smirked viciously. He pointed his knife at me.
"After I get Jaha, you're next, sweetheart." He said venomously.
"Try it. I dare you. See how far you get."
At that moment Bellamy stepped down from his grand speech, pulling me roughly aside.
"Murphy, forget Jaha for a moment. I have a plan for our girl here." Bellamy glanced down at my wristband.
"No!" Wells said, jumping forward. A bunch of kids reached to restrain him from their new leader. Murphy smiled, walking over with his knife.
"What's the plan, boss?" He asked, running his knife blade across my cheek. I struggled backwards only to be held tighter by Bellamy.
"How many people are on the ark who she cares about." Bellamy grinned.
"Oh, quite a few, I'm certain." Murphy said, his blade still pressing into my skin. "After all, her dad is still up there." I swallowed hard.
"And how distraught would they be to think their precious princess is dead." Bellamy asked, fingering my wristband.
"Precious princess?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "A+ for alliteration."
"Shut up." He shook me roughly. "Get the wristband off her." Murphy grabbed my arm and pulled it down to a rock.
"This may hurt. In fact, I can guarantee that it will." He grinned, jimmying the knife under the metal, as Bellamy held me in a deathgrip.
"Don't. Please. I have family up there."
"Well." Bellamy shouted for all to hear, "I have family here. These people are my family. And I'm going to make sure that your family never hurts them again."
The crowd roared its approval, when all of a sudden the sky opened and rain poured down, drenching everyone. Bellamy, in his shock, loosened his grip for a fraction of a moment, but that was all it took for me to wrench myself away and disappear into the crowd.
"Too close." I thought to myself, shoving my way through the people. I glanced back, briefly making eye contact with Murphy who smirked viciously and waved the knife in his hand. I knew this was far from over.
"We should collect this." Wells said, pragmatic as ever.
"Whatever the hell you want." Bellamy replied, rain dripping down his dark hair into his face.
I scoffed and took Wells by the sleeve, leading him away from the testosterone fuelled pit.
"Are you going to sleep in the drop ship?" Wells asked me as I helped him rig up some containers to catch the falling water. I was soaked through already, my army green jacket hanging limply and not offering much warmth.
"I'd like to, but I'm worried I'll get stabbed in my goddamn sleep." I muttered back. Wells chuckled briefly.
"I know the feeling."
"I knew I should have started to build a shelter the second I was off the drop ship." I sighed, running my hand through my wet hair. "But I got so caught up in trying to fix the drop ship comms, and Clarke's mission…"
"They'll be back with food before you know it." Wells smiled encouragingly. I grinned in return.
"Thank god, because I am starving."
"There are some edible berries in the woods, just a short distance off." Wells replied. "I noticed them while looking for water earlier. I didn't tell anyone because there is hardly enough for 100 people."
I smiled to myself. So typical of Wells Jaha. Either there was going to be food for everyone, or food for no one. I guess Bellamy pissed him off to the point where he realized his "all for one and one for all" mentality wasn't going to work on the ground. I was just glad that he decided I was worth sharing with.
"Well let's go then." I grinned, excited by the prospect of eating. Not even Bellamy Blake could ruin this for me. My first meal on the ground…
Wells and I slept beneath the tree by the berry bush. As it turns out, they were blackberries, and they were delicious. Enough to take the edge off my hunger at any rate. The storm had cleared and us two pariahs of the camp settled down on a relatively dry piece of land. I fell asleep the instant my head hit the arm that was cushioning it. I awoke with a start when a hand was placed firmly over my mouth to keep me from screaming. My panicked eyes met Bellamy's cold brown one's. I was just about to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier when I noticed what was in his hand. A gun. He held it to his lips warning me to be quiet, and he removed his hand.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you with Jaha. You seemed smarter than that."
I said nothing, looking around for Wells.
"Where is he?"
"Don't worry, your boyfriend isn't dead. Or at least not yet."
My blood ran cold. The icy barrel of the gun kissed my neck, making me shiver. It's cold, I told myself. Not fear. Never fear.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, as Bellamy walked us to a clearing. In the clearing, Wells was kneeling on the ground.
Bellamy smirked at him and then whispered to me, "I told him I'd put one in your leg if he moved while I was gone."
"You're despicable."
"Likewise." He replied. "On the ground."
Not seeing much choice, I knelt beside Wells.
"Now, despite what it may look like, I don't want to shoot you. Hell, Wells, I like you, but I do need them to think that the two of you are dead."
I reached for a rock on the ground beside me, hoping the darkness would give me cover, but Bellamy was quicker.
"Tsk, tsk… I wouldn't if I were you, Tara."
I glanced up, my blue eyes meeting his brown one's and withdrew my hand, scowling.
"That's better."
"Why are you doing this?" Wells asked, imploringly.
"I have my reasons. I also have the gun. So I ask the questions, and the question is, why aren't you helping me? Your dad banished you, Wells, and yet here you are, still doing his bidding, following the rules. Aren't you tired of always doing what's expected of you? Stand up to him. Take off that wristband, and you'll be amazed at how good it feels."
"Never, no, not gonna happen. Is that clear enough for you."
"Yes. It is. I'm sorry it had to be this way." He tucked the gun away in the waistband of his pants.
That's odd, I thought, before following his gaze to where Murphy and his goons were coming into the clearing.
"Get them down. Get the wristbands off." Bellamy ordered. Panic filled my chest, and I did the one thing I knew would get me out of there with my wristband still on. I picked up the rock that I had been reaching towards early and hurled it toward Murphy with all my might. It hit him square in the shoulder, slowing him down briefly, but briefly was all I needed. I leapt to my feet and ran. Ran, and left Wells behind.
"Get her." I heard Bellamy bellow. Adrenaline raced through my veins, and I ran to the one place I knew I might be safe. Using the darkness to my advantage, I raced through the woods to the dropship and quickly climbed the ladder to the roof, ignoring the fact that my boots were sliding like mad on the slick metal surface. At the top, I pulled the ladder up, cutting off access. I dared a glance down to the ground and saw a few of Murphy's friends arguing about who was going to tell Bellamy that I had escaped. Collapsing on the roof, I tried to catch my breath. Tears pricked at my eyes at what had just happened. At how I had just left Wells behind. But on the ground, it's those who run who survive.