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21.
No one slept the night before the bridge. The Grounders were marching on camp at dawn, so they needed to plant the bomb just before the warriors got to the river so that they could take out as many as they could. Bellamy and Clarke, both in different tents, lay awake all night, pondering what this war meant for their people. They both knew that a lot of their own people were going to die; there was only so much time they could hold the Grounders off after they had recovered from the bridge. They would eventually come at full force, destroying everything in their path.
Bellamy knew they didn't stand a chance locked in this camp. They needed something else, something that they wouldn't see coming- a tactical advantage. But what? What could possibly be something that they could use to their advantage against these people? They were on a foreign planet with an enemy that knew the terrain better than the back of their hands. With Lincoln's help, they now knew where the Grounder's camp was, but what good was that information when they barely had enough weapons to just defend themselves?
Clarke thought about relocating camp, but she knew that having everyone out in the open would surely lead to a massacre. There was no hope for them outside the walls. A part of her wished that she could reason with them and make them understand that they meant no harm. But from personal experience, she knew that was impossible. There was no way the Grounders would listen to her or any one of the "Sky People", as Lincoln would say. They were aliens to the Grounders who had invaded their territory and she knew that they would do anything to defend it.
She heard someone open the flap to the tent. "It's time," Bellamy's voice whispered. It was too dark to see his face, but she knew his eyebrows were furrowed in that way his face was when he was nervous. She heard it in his voice. She turned on the electric lantern and saw that Octavia was stirring as well. They put on their boots, grabbed their packs, and followed Bellamy out of the tent. They met Lincoln, Raven, Jasper, and Finn at the gate. They were all pale with nerves and a lack of sleep, but they looked ready to take on their enemy with everything they had.
"Stay here," Bellamy said, turning to Octavia.
"Bell-."
"No, Octavia. Stay here. You're in charge if this goes bad."
She smiled weakly. "I wasn't going to argue with you, big brother."
"Good." He pulled her in for a hug half expecting to cry, but tears never came. She held him close for a while and kissed his cheek.
"May we meet again," she said when she pulled away.
"May we meet again." Silently, he turned and started to follow Lincoln to the bridge. He didn't look back.
…
The forest was dense up until the river's edge, so they were nicely camouflaged amongst the trees. They sat quietly for a while, each assessing the situation and they all came to the same conclusion: this would make or break them. The war drums started in the distance, making the hair on the back of Clarke's neck stand on end.
"We should probably plant it before they get here," Jasper said, his hands shaking.
Clarke gulped and silently held out her hands to receive the bomb. Raven, who had insisted on carrying the bomb herself, started to hand the aluminum-can of an explosive to Clarke, but Bellamy suddenly intercepted it and took off toward the bridge. "Bellamy!" she hissed. Shit.
He zoomed over obstacles, keeping his grip on the bomb gentle as if he were carrying raw eggs. He reached the center of the bridge and the drums sounded closer. He could hear their chants echoing through the forest, sending chills up his spine. Clarke watched him carefully place the can in the center of the bridge and take a few steps back. But suddenly, something flew out from the opposite bank and hit Bellamy in the shoulder. Clarke gasped as he stumbled backwards from the impact. He quickly yanked it out of his flesh and buckled over in pain. War cries filled Clarke's ears and she was suddenly in a panic. They're coming. The first few Grounder warriors flooded onto the bridge. They were only yards from reaching the center; from reaching Bellamy.
"Blow it! Take the shot!" Bellamy called in their direction. He turned to run, but he tripped over a loose rock. Clarke saw his body curl with pain from the fall. Get up you fucking dunce! What are you doing? She had never been so fucking frustrated with him.
Jasper raised his gun and aimed at the can. Oh, God.
"No!" Finn said, placing his hand on the weapon. "He's too close. The blast will kill him."
"BLOW IT!" Bellamy billowed, scrambling away from the bomb as quick as he could. Clarke snatched Jasper's gun from him and quickly lined up the crosshairs with the small "X" on the can. The Grounders were getting closer. Get out of there, Bellamy.
She fired.
The bomb erupted into a huge explosion, forming a mushroom cloud over the river. It blew the hair off of Clarke's forehead and the heat wave made her duck behind a tree. When she looked back again, most of the Grounders were retreating. The few who advanced were obviously disobeying the order to fall back. They hollering in a language she didn't understand and they were plunging into the river, furiously swimming to the other side. She scanned the scene, looking for a head of dark curly hair to pop up from somewhere. She had to save him.
Jasper, Finn, and Raven all looked at Clarke with eyes of pure shock. What have I done?
"We have to go," Lincoln said.
"Bellamy…" Clarke breathed. What have I done?
"Bellamy is dead. We have to go. Now." He grabbed Clarke's arm and they ran.