October 2nd, 2148
She couldn't move.
Octavia Blake sat frozen on the cell's small cot, a single tear running down her cheek. She looked around at the gray metal walls surrounding her. What had she done? What would happen now?
The damned blue mask still hung around her neck.
The Unity Day Masquerade Dance, Octavia scoffed as she yanked it off, suddenly angry. What had she been thinking? She should've been more careful. She should never have accepted Bellamy's offer.
Oh God, Bellamy!
What would happen to him? Would they punish him as well? Float him?
It had seemed like a great plan at the time. Flawless. She would finally get the chance to see the Ark, to see other people. To have fun. Nobody would ever even find out.
And then it had all gone wrong. A solar flare alert had caused an unscheduled inspection at the Dance and she'd been discovered. Octavia had tried to run away from the guards, but they'd caught her almost immediately.
She stared down at the mask in her hands, wishing things could be different, wishing she could back in time and fix this, wishing – not for the first time in her life – that she'd never been born.
All her life, she'd felt like nothing but a burden to her family. Always having to hide her, all the secrets, the lies… The lengths her mother had gone to protect her and now she'd ruined everything.
The heavy metal door opened suddenly, startling her out of her stupor. The mask fell from her hands. Two guards stood before her, one of them carrying the now familiar restraints used by the Guard.
"Prisoner 1-6-7. Stand and face the wall".
She jumped up. However, instead of obeying the command, she stared at them in bewilderment and fear.
What did they want? Was this it? Were they going to float her now? Surely it was too soon. She was still 15. Almost 16, granted, but still… This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. The law stated that juvenile offenders were to be imprisoned until the age of 18, at which time they would have a retrial and either pardoned or executed.
I am not afraid. She chanted the mantra in her head as the guards began to lose patience.
"Prisoner 1-6-7. Face the wall." one of the guards repeated grimly.
"Wha– what's going on?" she stammered, paralyzed by fear.
"We've been ordered to escort you." replied the second guard.
She gulped. "Where?"
They said nothing.
If this was to be her time, she would show no fear. I am not afraid. I am not afraid.
Octavia turned and faced the wall as she'd been told.
She briefly closed her eyes. I am not afraid.
Her hands were yanked behind her and the harsh restraints put in place, pressing her wrists tightly together. She winced slightly but continued repeating the mantra her mother had taught her. I am not afraid.
Outside, the two guards - one at her side, the other behind them - walked her through the maze-like hallways of the Ark.
If she had expected the guards to speak again, she was wrong. There nothing but silence as they escorted her to whatever awaited her.
They took her to an empty room. The four metal walls were unadorned. In the center of the room, a single table stood along with two chairs on each side.
The guards removed the restraints that bound her writs.
What was going on?
"Wait here." One of the guards instructed, before they both exited the room and closed the door firmly behind them.
She walked slowly around the room, massaging her sore wrists and wondering what the hell was going on. She didn't have to wait too long to find out. Soon enough, the door re-opened and a familiar face entered. "Mom?"
Octavia ran straight into her mother's welcoming arms.
"Oh God, Mom! I'm sorry." She stammered between sobs, clinging to her mother. "I'm so sorry."
Her mother shushed her. "It's alright."
Aurora tried to be strong, to comfort her daughter, but on the inside she was crumbling.
"Listen to me, Octavia." Aurora pulled back from the hug and grabbed her daughter by the arms, looking her straight in the eyes. "I know you're scared but it's okay."
Octavia just shook her head and sobbed. "No…"
"It's okay." She affirmed again. "I don't blame you for what happened yesterday."
Octavia saw the truth in her mother's eyes, but the sickening guilt she carried still tormented her. She closed her eyes and repeated. "I'm so sorry."
"I'm not." Aurora stated firmly, holding her daughter's face, forcing her to open her eyes. "You are one of the best things that ever happened to me, Octavia. I don't regret a thing."
Octavia made a pained expression, lowering her head. Suddenly, she remembered her brother.
"What about Bellamy? What's gonna happen to him?" she asked her mother anxiously.
"I already spoke with the Council. I begged them to spare him, convinced them that he's innocent. That he was just a boy, trying to help his mother." Aurora explained. "They'll demote him to a janitorial position, but otherwise he'll be fine."
Octavia nodded, relief washing over her.
"Begged to see you one last time, too." Aurora sobbed.
She touched the little dimple on Octavia's chin. Octavia gave her a watery smile.
Aurora pushed the bangs out of the way and laid a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead. Her green eyes shone with tears as she gazed deeply into Octavia's eyes. "May we meet again."
Octavia was shaking, but she managed a nod. "May we meet again."
"It's time." One of the guards announced.
"NO!" Octavia screamed. She didn't even recognize her own voice. "No! Please don't!"
Aurora grabbed her daughter and held her close. "Be strong, baby." she ordered just before being grabbed by one of the guards and pulled away.
Fighting back the tears that wouldn't stop coming as the guard dragged her away, Aurora looked at her daughter for the last time with what she hoped was a reassuring expression. "I love you, baby. Be strong."
Octavia screamed and clawed at the guard trying to restrain her. "No! No, please!"
And then the door closed shut, and her mother was gone.
"No!"
She kept kicking and clawing at the hands holding her down. A sharp sting of pain on her right arm made her let out a gasp. She started feeling woozy and in the next moment, everything was dark.
Next thing she knew, she was back in her cell. Her new cage. She was lying down on her cot. When she tried to sit up, the room spun.
Laying back on the cot, she looked down and noticed that there was something on the floor of the cell next to the wall in front of her. She blinked again to clear her vision. A box?
Still struggling with the dizziness that had yet to subside, she stood up carefully and moved to retrieve it. She picked it up and brought it to the cot.
A quick sob escaped her when she saw what was inside. Her mother's things.
"Mom…"
Octavia saw a piece of blue fabric and pulled it out of the box. The jumpsuit her mother had worn so many times. Tears streaming down her face, she took off the dress and leggings she was wearing, and pulled on the jumpsuit.
She pressed the fabric to her face and inhaled deeply. It still smelled like her mother. One last piece of her, one that she would get to keep it. At least until they came for her…
Lying back down, she hugged the jumpsuit to her body as closely as she could, as if she could hold her mother in her arms one last time.
A single tear fell from her tired eyes and whispered "May we meet again".