A/N: Welcome to chapter three! A special thanks to those who reviewed. I appreciate it :) Also a thanks to those who followed/faved. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. This chapter marks the beginning of the real conflict, so fasten your seat belts.
Enjoy!
"During the Third World War, before M.A.D could come to it's head, countries worked together to create several bunkers, each code-named 'Eden'. The intent was to create a starting point for humanity after the nuclear fallout had cleared and the ground was livable again. It's also a vain attempt at trying to assure that, in some small way, we make amends to our posterity for the mistakes we've made. It's our fault, after all, that these Edens are even needed. If we had tried harder sooner, perhaps we wouldn't be preparing for this impending doom. Perhaps we'd be looking back at a time, much like the old Cold War, wiping our brows and thanking the ancestors for their cool heads and even tempers."
Excerpt from Earth's Survival, by Tom Handson, AE 8
The 100
Chapter Three
Day 337,119, AE 923
Earth
Northeastern United States
Keith's feet were already aching as they began their lengthy journey. They'd dismissed themselves, after some reluctance from the three tag-alongs, and had followed the map and compass in the direction of Mt. Weather. They could only guess at how long it was going to take to get there, but Keith assumed it'd take a least the rest of the day.
Day. That was a weird concept.
Being aboard the Ark, time passed in a sort of clunky, immeasurable way. Time was incredibly relative and seemed to be based off the old system of time that was used when the sun and moon cycled around humanity. Now, standing on the surface of the earth, seeing the sunlight shimmering through the golden leaves overhead, Keith understood what 'day' actually was.
From behind them, Lance chirped his disapproval again. "We sure we need these supplies that badly. Didn't we take that 'earth survival' class and learn about berries and stuff?" He trudged the furthest behind, had complained about his feet hurting the most and had made it incredibly known that he disliked being forced to trek into the wilderness. Keith could only sigh heavily.
"If you want to forage for berries, be my guest. But there's a bunker with perfectly good supplies. And I don't know about you, but that sounds better than irradiated berries."
Hunk spoke then, "They shouldn't be irradiated. Or at least, not anymore. I mean, if we can breath down here, the levels of radiation within other things, like soil and plants and water, would have to be at a low enough level, too, since those things help compose the atmosphere—"
"Boring!" Lance put his arms behind his head. "Look, how much further is this Mt. Weather, anyway?"
Allura pulled out her map again, looking half-irritated. Unfolding it, she examined it yet again, Lance jogging to catch up and look over her shoulder. "We landed around here," her finger poked at the location of the drop ship. "According to the Map, Mt. Weather is over here." She poked it again, Lance visibly deflating.
"So, like, an eternity."
Allura nodded, "yes, an eternity. I'm guessing if we keep a good pace, we can reach the bunker by nightfall, rest there and then head back to the camp at first light."
Rolling his eyes, Lance growled under his breath, "wow, such a great start to our vacation."
They walked in silence from there, which Keith was grateful for. Of all the people he was traveling with, Katie had been the most pleasant. But that was probably because she hadn't said a word since they'd departed. Her eyes were examining the terrain, the foliage, everything. The massive forest they found themselves in was captivating her. Keith was also mesmerized by the nature around him. It was crazy just how breathtaking it all was. And with each sound that graced him, he felt both startled and excited. So when a rushing sound came, something like the engines of the Ark, they all froze, looking around.
"What...is that?" Allura squinted, trying to focus beyond the trees.
Keith tried to zero in on where it was coming from and then, he followed the sound. He ignored the calls from behind him, urging him to stay put. Whatever this noise was, it couldn't be a ship. But what it was, he didn't know. Breaking into a jog as he reached a mild hill, he gasped as he crested and saw what stood on the other side.
A massive river, water as blue as the sky, snaking from one end of the horizon to the other. "Guys!" Keith called back, "You've got to see this!" And when the others did manage to catch up, they were just as awe-struck.
The mist spraying from the crashing waves hit Keith, chilling him in a delightful way. A river, like he'd seen in pictures, but far more grand. So loud, too.
Allura was the first to break them from their traces, "We can't cross here, the water's moving to fast. We need to move downstream to find a better crossing point." It took a moment for any of them to acknowledge, but finally Keith nodded.
"Right, let's get going."
Day 337,119, AE 923
Ark Substation 1
Control Room
Adam stared absently at the monitors, brain buzzing in the back of his skull as he tried desperately to focus on the screens in front of him. He tried not to think of the medical station, of what had happened there. He had work to do, after all, and he wasn't going to let anything prevent him from fulfilling what Shiro had sought to do from the beginning—save the Ark.
His hands typed away at the keyboard, eyes darting between the vitals of each individual child. The system was programmed to log updates every minute, compiling mountains of data. But it was needed, if they were going to monitor the survival rate of earth. Even more so, it was needed to keep him busy. Burying himself in his work was the only thing that could distract him from the intrusive thoughts, from Krolia's concerned look and cryptic words. Pinching the bridge of his nose again, he tried to ward off a headache. "Damn."
The monitors beeped, drawing his eyes immediately. One more was dead, followed by another and another. Their stats were fine but then jumped to threatening levels before everything went still and the screen went dark. "The hell?" That wasn't what he'd predicted radiation would look like. No, they'd see a steady, albeit fast, climb in stats before the termination of the square. Unless, of course, the radiation was that potent.
"Get Krolia and Alfor in here, now!"
Day 337,119, AE 923
Earth
Northeastern United States
It took more time than Keith had hoped to find a path in which the river thinned out enough for them to cross safely. Keith had gone first, slipping off his shoes and rolling up his pant legs before taking his first step in the water. It was cold, frigid, like it felt when the heaters aboard the Ark stopped working. But somehow, this cold was even worse, sharp almost. Careful to keep his balance, though, Keith ventured one step at a time across the river. Rocks slipped under his feet several times, nearly causing him to fall, but he managed to stay upright. And as the current tickled his feet, little shimmery fish scurried past him. He looked down in awe for a moment, captivated by the tiny creatures, before continuing on.
Once on the other side, he sat on the grass and wiggled his toes, wrapping his hands around them in an attempt to warm them. Shouting across, he warned, "It's very cold!"
Allura furrowed her brow, "that doesn't sound pleasant."
"Well," came Lance, "Lady's first." Allura set an annoyed glance his way before pulling off her thick boots and cuffing up the legs of her jumper. She following after Keith, mimicking his path across, careful on the slick rocks.
Keith watched from the other side, grinning at the cheering Hunk and Lance were doing from the other side of the bank. Allura didn't look pleased to have the encouragement. Katie was even smiling.
And then Keith heard something. Or had he? Up in the trees? His eyes darted up, examining the branches and foliage. It'd sounded like a branch snapping, sort of like when they'd pushed branches away to make space to walk. But nothing was there.
"Keith?" Allura's voice. He turned to regard her, seeing that she'd successfully made her way across the river. "What is it?"
He shook his head, "Nothing. Just thought I heard something..."
Sitting, Allura worked on warming up her own feet before speaking. "This place sounds very different from back home. We're all a little jumpy." She was right, of course. None of them had heard nature sounds. Perhaps he was just on edge from it all, though the sinking in his stomach said otherwise.
Pushing himself to his feet, he tried to ease his own mind and watched the other three cross the river.
Day 337,119, AE 923
Ark Substation 1
Control Room
Krolia examined the stats the computer had recorded prior to the deaths of one James Griffin, Nadia Rizavi and Ina Leifsdottir. That stats were consistent with Adam's story, but she had him recount it anyway. "And you're sure they experienced heightened stats prior to termination."
"Yes," Adam nodded, "it was quick but it was there."
"Can you say what it was?" Alfor's concern was palpable. "Do you know what caused them to die?"
Adam shook his head, "The stats didn't climb like we'd expected with radiation sickness, however, it's possible, if the levels of radiation climbed fast enough, that we'd see an almost instantaneous death like this."
Alfor's face grew taunt, grim. "What can we expect to see if it is, indeed, radiation."
"More," Krolia said. "More will follow."
Taking a deep breath in, Alfor nodded. "We knew the risks of this plan when we designed it, when we sent those children to the ground. All we can do is watch and wait. Hopefully there is another explanation but until then, keep watch." Alfor made to leave the room, Krolia watching him go.
She looked back at Keith's square, his vitals beating strongly. She longed to be with him, to hold him and protect him. Whatever was going on down there, whatever hell they'd sent these children into, she could only pray that Keith was strong enough to survive it.
"I'll be there, soon, Keith."
Day 337,119, AE 923
Earth
Northeastern United States
The sun had begun melting into the mountain range then, disappearing behind black peaks, when the team had finally stumbled upon an old sign. It was rot with rust, the words long since erased from its surface, but Allura's face lit up when they stopped to look at the map. "This is it, this sign is supposed to be a marker for the beginning of Mt. Weather." They broke into cheers, grinning and laughing. All that was left was to find the entrance to the bunker, which according to Allura's map, was not too far from their location.
She put the map back in her bag and continued forward, the others following. Hunk spoke as he stretched his neck, "I cannot wait to get there. Some sleep is going to do wonders for my poor feet."
"You got that right!" Lance chimed back.
Spirits were much improved as they hiked up the mountain, careful with their footing and making light conversation. Keith kept quiet, though, listening too the forest around them. A couple of other times on their way to the mountain, Keith had heard the snapping of branches in the trees. Others seemed to have heard it too, but mostly ignored it. Animals, is what everyone's common answer was, but Keith's nerves were on fire. Whatever it was, it was stalking them, and the thought of some wild creature hunting them made him anxious. Bears climbed in trees, that much he knew. Was this part of the world known for having bears? Was that information even accurate anymore?
That's when Keith spotted something in the distance and urged the group to pause. Lance showed visible irritation at this but Keith shushed him. "Don't you see that?" Heading towards what he was seeing, Keith only stopped once his mind could make sense of what he'd stumbled across. He felt his blood run colder than the river's water as he stared at what stood in front of him, barely hidden with brush.
Bones.
Lots of them.
They were tied to the tree trunks with vines, strung up between branches like decoration. Animal skulls rattled in the mid-autumn breeze, clicking absently together in a sort of eerie melody. Beyond the strug bones was a cave, dark and mossy, whose entrance was clear of brush. A home, but for what, they didn't know. It was Katie who broke the silence, who hadn't spoken once since beginning their journey to Mt. Weather, "Guys, I don't think an animal did this..."
The snapping of branches had them all flinching, all looking around, just in time to see Lance's body go limp, an arrow wedged deep within his chest. Immediately, they all dove for hiding places, somewhere, anywhere that would provide cover. Allura reached out from the tree she'd scurried behind, grabbing ahold of Lance's wrist. With a determined tug, she drug Lance's body closer to her, his groaning echoing through the trees around them. "He's alive!" She tugged again, stomach churning at the crimson train he was leaving behind.
Another arrow came, this one lodging itself in Allura's forearm. With a scream, she pulled away, cradling her wound while biting back the agony that welled in her lungs.
"What the hell is happening!?" Hunk shouted from his own tree, "I thought the Ark was the last of humanity!"
Calling from her own location, Katie shouted, "Maybe this is some sort of mutated big foot!"
More arrows, burrowing deep into the trees they found themselves behind. "Great," Keith growled, "mutant Sasquatch." Another set of arrows, Keith hissing as one nicked his arm. Quickly, he aligned himself with his cover. They couldn't stay where they were but they couldn't leave, either. From his vantage point, he could only make out Allura and Lance's position, if Lance's limp body laying on the earth could be called a position. Any chance of Lance surviving was slipping through their fingers. "We have to do something!"
And then there was a crack, loud and booming, monstrous, as if something were tearing through the sky. Bright daggers of light sliced open the evening as dark, billowing clouds bubbled from the horizon. A loud horn sounded, Keith covering his ears, and the branches in the trees above them snapped and popped as whatever had attacked them scurried away. The wind, which had been a calm breeze, began to whip around them, the skulls and bones clattering together in a chaotic symphony.
"I don't like this," Hunk said, carefully emerging from cover.
"Neither did big foot," Katie stated, rushing over to Lance. She looked at his injury, the blood pooling around the arrow and drizzling down his shirt and jacket. "We should go. Now."
Keith rushed over, working on picking Lance up as carefully as he could, Hunk offering his own support. As he did, the wind picked up even more, the sky gave a guttural roar and brilliant streaks ripped across the sky. From the direction of the building storm, they could hear heavy rainfall as an acrylic stench filled the air.
Allura stood, gripping her arm tightly. "What is that?"
"We should run," Keith said, he and Hunk finally getting Lance situated between them, his arms draped over their shoulders while his feet drug across the ground. Once Lance was secured, they began hoofing it down the mountain, away from the growing storm. The acrylic stench only grew thicker, like something was burning, and the wind swirled around them so strongly, Keith thought it would sweep them off their feet. At the base of the mountain, they jumbled over the sign and made their way to the river.
"There's no way we can outrun this storm!" Allura shouted, more thunder growling overhead.
Hunk countered, "I don't think there's another choice!"
That's when Katie chirped in, "Over there!" It was to their side, far into the trees, a dark oval that disappeared into nothing within the side of a large hill. Perhaps it was a cave. Perhaps it wasn't. If it was, they may be able to wait out this massive storm. If it wasn't, they'd burn precious seconds of time and possibly be caught in whatever the black, blistering clouds had wrought into this world. Keith felt like time froze for a moment as he weighed the options. Allura was right. They couldn't outrun it. Once they hit the river, they'd have to cross it and it was hard enough to cross alone, let alone when he and Hunk were carrying an unconscious Lance. But the drop ship was the only place they could hope to find first aid supplies, which meant it was Lance's biggest hope of survival.
Gritting his teeth, Keith shouted, "Let's check it out!"
Diverting course, they hurried towards the dark mass on the side of the hill, feet carrying them as fast as possible. Another cadence of thunder, like the roar of a lion overhead and the flickering of lightning tearing apart the sky. The pounding of rain was closing in, as well as the stench of burning, acrylic heat.
As they pushed forward into the darkness of the hill, the rain slammed into the trees and brush, splattering wildly. Diving, they found themselves at the entrance of a cave and eagerly they crawled inside.
Day 337,119, AE 923
Earth, Cave
Northeastern United States
The rain stank of acid, though looking through the mouth of the cave, they saw no erosion on the plants or earth. The ground greedily lick up every droplet, despite the stench. Katie just sat and watched it come down, furrowing her brow. "I've never heard of a storm forming that fast."
"That's nice, Katie, but we could use some help." Keith called from deeper within the cave.
Hunk had managed to create a small fire using matches and some of the trash from their rations. Lance was laying next to it, ashen, breath panting. Shuffling back towards them, Katie knelt down beside Lance, looking between Hunk and Keith. "How's he doing?"
"Not good," Keith admitted. He'd removed his own jacket, bunching it up at the source of the bleeding and had been working to apply steady pressure. "We could remove the arrow and sear the wound shut, like they taught us in 'earth survival' but removing the arrow will make him bleed to death."
Katie's mouth fell into a line, lips pressing together. She'd spent a lot of time reading underneath the floor of her family's home and she'd learned a lot at that time. All of that knowledge felt useless in this very moment, when she needed it most. Trying to force her mind to think through the medical and biology books she'd absorbed in her years, she was coming up empty. Cauterizing the wound was their best option. It'd stop the bleeding and buy Lance more time. Katie examined him closely, seeing the sweat building on his forehead as he gave a breathy groan. The wound, though poorly packed and treated, was receiving pressure and it seemed to be slowing the bleeding quiet a bit. Lance had also been struck in the sternum, which Katie knew could be a good thing—possibly. The thick bone there might have helped prevent the arrow from going too deep and it didn't look to be in-line with his lungs, stomach or heart.
If they kept him like he was, he might survive the storm, but when they went to move him again, it was likely the bleeding would start all over again. They needed to know if there was internal bleeding. "Get him on his side," Katie stated. The two didn't ask why, simply following direction. Carefully, Lance was moved to his side, his groaning intensifying. Once he was situated, Katie pulled his shirt up, looking at his back.
Good, no bruising or discoloration. The arrow hadn't cut something important—yet.
"If we're careful, we can remove the arrow and seal the wound. It's about as good as he's going to get down here." Katie finally responded.
Swallowing hard, Keith frowned, "We'd have to stab it back in, right? Too seal up the bleeding on the inside?"
Katie nodded, feeling her own hands begin to tremble. "We're just going to have to be faster than his bleeding."
A long beat of silence passed, the tension thicker than the acidic stench in the air. Allura, who'd been sitting to the side, cradling her own wound, shuffled forward, gaze hardened. "One of us will remove the arrow, heat it and cauterize the wound, the others will hold him down." The others gave her a tight nod. They were all terrified, unsure of what had happened out there and now, they were doing rudimentary surgery on a wound that shouldn't be possible down here. Taking a deep breath, Allura positioned herself at one side, careful with her injured arm.
Everyone looked between each other for a second, Katie finally swallowing and speaking up. "I'll cauterize." Both Hunk and Keith moved into position, Hunk flattening himself on Lance's legs while Keith took his arms. Allura positioned herself on the opposite side of Katie, pressing down on his torso.
Sweaty, trembling palms were wiped on her pant legs as she carefully removed Keith's coat from the wound. The blood was beginning to pool quickly again. Mentally, she hardened herself. She didn't have time to be scared. Getting a tight grip on the arrow, she whispered an apology before tugging it free. It was more difficult than she'd imagined and the ungodly whimpers and shouts from Lance's mouth made it even worse. His body contorted, the others pinning him down with all of their might. As the tip of the arrow came free, blood began spilling from the wound. "Someone put pressure on it!"
"Right!" Allura maneuvered, still trying to keep Lance's left side from jerking, pressing the jacket back against the wound. Leaning in, she grunted as Lance pushed back, trying to be free of them. "I'm sorry, Lance, just hold on!"
Katie held the tip over the fire, arrow shaking wildly. Not too hot, she reminded herself. If it was glowing orange, she'd have it too hot and would have to wait to cool it down. She didn't have that kind of time. It felt like hours, though, waiting for it to heat up and finally, when she deemed it done to the best of her abilities, she removed it from the flame. Allura had only seconds to react, jerking back, jacket in hand, as Katie drove the hot tip into Lance's chest. Lance wailed, trying to kick himself free, body twisting underneath the weight of Hunk, Keith and Allura.
Gritting her teeth, Katie pulled it free and Lance fell limp, breathing heavy and body drenched in sweat.
Moments passed. Then minutes. Lance's breath eventually settled into an unsteady pattern and the three finally picked themselves up from their position.
Katie let out a long breath, one she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "First surgery on the ground in nearly one thousand years..."
"Yah, and it might be the last surgery." Keith wiped the accumulating sweat from his brow, sucking in a cool breath. "Whatever shot Lance, it knew what it was doing and it's got some deadly aim." They were silent, listening to the crackle of the fire and Lance's shallow breaths. Keith sighed, "humanity finally gets back to the ground after almost one thousand years, only to be picked off by some mutant big foot."
Hunk shivered, "You don't think it's actually a big foot, do you? God, that's be scary. Just imagine a giant 10-feet tall monster, all covered in hair..." Hunk shook his head, "you don't think it eats meat, do you? Human meat? Was it trying to make some lunch meat out of us?"
Allura put her good hand on Hunk's shoulder. "Whatever it was, the storm scared it away. Hopefully we can get back to the drop ship without incident once the weather has cleared." Hunk gave a weak nod and Allura returned a soft smile.
"Regardless," Katie said, scooting back from Lance to lean against the cave walls, "Big foot didn't like us getting close to Mt. Weather. It's going to make getting those supplies even more difficult."
A sigh escaped Keith's lips as he stared into the fire. "We'll worry about that after we get Lance back to the drop ship." And that ended the conversation, the group sitting and listening to the sounds of rain and fire.
