The Wanderer
Clarke took a deep breath and walked away from her family. This war is now over and the girl didn't know what to do with herself. All she could see was Anya's face burning in front of her, blistered and deformed. Murphy's lost expression and his forced calm face when he looked at her.
'Maybe there are no good guys' Clarke whispered.
The muddy rainforest squelched underneath her. The slim of the woods collecting on her fingers. She took another deep breath and pushed her mother's words out of her mind. Clarke trekked the tough terrain of her new home, climbing over the hills and grabbing hold of the trees to push her on. She had no idea where she was going, but it was away. Away from her choices, away from her massacre, away from her guilt, away from her.
Lexa's face flashed in front of her 'NO!'
The echo of her shout bouncing off silent air. Clarke saw a sparkle to her right, and mindlessly followed it. A river. Clarke took off her shoes and jacket. Rolling up her trousers, she dipped her feet into the cool clear water. It stroked her toes, tingling her cells.
'You should come with me to the capital.' The memory of Lexa's soft, caring voice filled her with rage.
'Why would you do that to us? To me? I thought you cared!' Clarke kicked the water. 'Was this your plan all along? Lure me into trusting you, and then betray me?' Their kiss played in her mind. Clarke could almost feel the memory of that soft questioning kiss. The memory played on. Clarke could see Lexa's face when she said not now. 'You did care.' A sob escaped her throat. Tears had been running down her cheeks and she hadn't even noticed. Now no one was around, Clarke released the hurt that was trapped inside her. 'Why did you do this? Why did you make me do this?'
She didn't know how long she sat there, dangling her feet into the river, allowing her tears to mix with the water. Allowing her feelings to be felt. Clarke's skin ran cold. The air turned stiff. She jumped into the water, span around, crouched behind the bank.
A girl was watching her, curiously. Her big eyes taking in every emotion on Clarke's face. Slowly, the girl reached out her hand and held out a piece of bread. She lay it on the grass and walked softly onto another area of the river. With each step, the girl's face grew more inviting, all the while never taking her eyes off of Clarke's.
Clarke was stunned. Not sure what to do. She hadn't realised how hungry she was and the bread looked like too good an opportunity. She climbed out of the river, knife in hand, staring at the girl while she took the offering.
A silence played between the two girls. Neither one daring to look away from the other. But neither one feeling threatened. Finally the stranger turned away, stepped into the water and soaked herself. Clarke carried on watching, taking a bite out of the bread. Carefully she sat back down on the river bank. Not a word was said between the girls. Clarke stared as the girl swam around in the water. Her long black hair floated around her, fanning and greeting every water partial. The girls dark skin glistened as the sun played with the river. Eventually the girl came over to her and sat down, not too close but not far away either.
'Shish Trigedasleng?' The girl's voice sounded sweet yet thick and heavy. Her thick yellow fading clothes darkened by the water. The girl wasn't looking at Clarke, but as she didn't respond she looked at Clarke questioningly. 'Parle Franҫais?' she asked twisting the water out of her hair. Clarke was baffled, she had no idea why the girl was being so friendly, or how to respond. A giggle sang around the stranger. 'Okay, wie wäre es mit Deutsch?' The girl sat on her knees enticed in this new game, her skirt slipped a bit to show off her muscular thighs.
'I got 'okay' from that?' Clarke heard herself saying. Forcing herself to look back out onto the river.
'English! Of course! Should have guessed that, wanderer.' Her laughter growing as she flopped back onto the grass. 'So what are you doing here, stranger?' The familiarity of the conversation unsettled Clarke. She got up and made a move to leave.
'Hey, it's okay.' The girls face changed from fun to concern. 'You're probably here because you're lost.' The girl rolled over onto her front, looking up at her.
'I'm not lost I'm…'
'No I mean lost in the world. Like… Oh what's the word?' She snapped her fingers, her brows scrunched together in concentration 'Ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim. Get knocked down, get back up. You haven't gotten back up yet' the girl looked chuffed. Proud of her translation skills. She stood up and looked at Clarke like she was an old friend. 'You can stay with me and my people while you figure it out. Lots of people come to us when they are wandering. My name is Khalen, what's yours?'
'Clarke' she replied, unsure of what to make of the enthusiastic stranger.
'Clarke' Khalen tried to name on her tongue, 'Let me show you the way.' The girl walked off, so sure that Clarke would follow. And follow she did.