Clarke laid out on the ground breathing hard, trying to slow down the racing heart that felt like it was trying to beat out of her chest. The very last thing she expected when she opened the door was for a zombie to come speeding out and crash into her. When the zombie's face went right up to hers, she could actually feel it inhaling her scent and for a second she thought she was going to get bitten again. It didn't happen though, the zombie sniffed her a few more times and then just got off of her, running off.
She still stayed on the ground for moments after it left, shaking and crying. But those few moments were all she gave herself, she had to get up and get moving, back to the people counting on her. On shaky legs, she stood, slowly and carefully making her way inside, thankful, yet confused, to see lights on above her head. The hallway she was in was huge and felt like it went on forever, she felt tiny standing in it. Glancing around she was pleased to see a map on either side of the door. Sparing a moment to look at it, she found that she had just not only found supplies for them but a place they could live. It was more than big enough for all of them and some. Whoever built this, built it with hundreds of people in mind. They had a medical area, two kitchens, a few large bunking areas, about a dozen private sleeping quarters, and countless other sections that she just skimmed over for now. They could spend more time looking around when they all came back together, first she had to go get them. With that goal in mind, she noted where the armory was and where the closest kitchen to it was.
Opening the door to the armory was like staring at a very confusing puzzle. While Clarke did know what a gun looked like, she didn't have any experience with them. Due to that inexperience this room, with its various different types and sizes, intimidated her. Slowly she walked around trying to see if she could figure out what would be easiest not only for the others to use but for her to carry. Grabbing a bag from a pile near the door, she tossed in a few smaller handguns from the table closest to the door and from the wall above that, took down a few larger ones. She planned on finishing up with a few of the guns with straps that she could carry on her back when a few bins in the back of the room caught her eye. One was filled with crowbars, another had axes with long handles. Figuring those would be easy to use for the ones that didn't feel confident with a gun she grabbed as many as she could fit in her bag. For a group of teens that, as far as she knew, had never used a weapon of any kind, she had to just manage with what she could carry and hope it was enough to get them all back in one piece.
After she grabbed four of the guns with straps she rushed to the kitchen, wanting to make sure the food supplies they were promised was still there. Entering the kitchen she could only stop and stare. This room had more food and water than she had ever seen. Rows and rows of shelves that touched the ceilings stood before her, all filled with food. One wall had nothing but huge clear drums of what seemed to be water, along with cases of water stacked next to them. If this was just one kitchen, depending on how much was still good, they wouldn't starve while learning to hunt and grow their own food.
Clarke let out a squeal that she would deny ever making as she ran to the cases of water, ripping into one and chugging a bottle down. It was the best water she had ever had and she slowly drank the next one, savoring the taste as she browsed the shelves of food, trying to figure out what might have gone bad and what would be the best food to carry and feed the people waiting for her. She had grabbed two more bags from the armory and had planned on wearing one on her back, one on her front while she carried the last one. It would really be a difficult trip back with all of it, but Clarke felt she had no other choice, they needed it all. Looking at all of the cans and bags of food left her feeling very unsure of what to get, most of the stuff she hadn't even had before! After walking up and down each row and examining everything she could see without a step stool or a chair, Clarke thought her best bet would just be some of the dried fruit and meats. Neither choice would be very heavy and she could carry quite a bit in one bag, leaving the last bag empty for water bottles.
Clarke finished gathering and packing the bags up with as much speed as she could, desperate to get back to her group. Not only did she know they had no supplies or way of protecting themselves, but she was also starting to get scared of being alone. With her mind focused on her goal, of being back with her group, she wasted no time in leaving and starting the hike back to them.
Citizen Z was jamming out to some music, giving his furry companion a free air guitar solo show when one of the voices he had been waiting to hear from was heard. It was Garnett and his group, letting them know that a tornado did touch down where they had been and while they got banged up some, they were all alive still. When Garnett went on to tell him that they needed to take some time to get some good rest, food, and stock up supplies for the rest of their trip, it was no surprise to anyone when Murphy started to complain. As usual, his objections got turned down or flat out ignored by the others. Citizen Z looked around their area and told them about a building with a pond behind it that was 20 miles west of them that he thought would be a good place to stay, that it was on a street with other homes and business that might give them some supplies was a huge help.
After making sure to remind them to keep in touch and let him know when they left the area, Citizen Z said his goodbyes and went back to rocking out with his dog, happy knowing everyone in that group was alive.
There were only a few miles left between her and the others, but as she stood there unable to take another step forward, she could see that the distance wasn't the only thing in her way. Standing just a few yards from her were some of the kids she had seen when they landed before the doors opened. Her heart broke at seeing what they had become and blinding anger took over. Anger at the Ark for sending them here, anger towards whatever caused the zombie virus in the first place and anger that most of them looked like they had just entered their teens, far too young for this. Lastly, she was angry at herself for not doing more to stop them from opening the doors so fast. If they hadn't would the same thing still have happened?
She didn't think, she just dropped everything at her feet, pulling one of the larger guns into her hands and pointing it their direction. Maybe she didn't know much about guns but there had been posters in the armory that she had briefly looked over. In her fury, she barely remembered to flick the safety off before squeezing the trigger.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Again and again until it clicked at her, making her glare at the gun like it had let her down for being empty. Luck was on her side since she wasn't really aiming, she ended up nailing a couple in the head, making sure they would never get up again.
Giving a roar that sounded animalistic at the fact that she missed some, she dropped the gun and grabbed one of the sharp axes, striding right up to them and without hesitation heaved it into the head of the closest one. The blood, brain and who knows what else that poured out when she yanked the ax out didn't even slow her down, nor did she notice it getting on her face, clothes and in her hair. She just kept going, making sure none of them would ever bite another human again.
Once there was none left she felt the anger slip away and waited for the horror and shame to come at what she did. When it never came she fell to her knees and cried at the loss of life, of what could have been for them had they lived and at who she had become. A killer. A murderer.
Her brain wanted to shut down at the thought of herself being a murderer and it caused her tears to slow down. That wasn't who she was. Was that now how she viewed herself? Would she introduce herself from now on as 'Clarke the murderer'? What about the others? If, no, when, when they had to kill zombies would she see them as murderers? No, she wouldn't, of course not. She would see them as surviving. She would be happy that they took the zombies out instead of the other way around, happy that it was another one, ten, hundred fewer zombies out there.
Still on her knees, covered in zombie gunk, sweat, and tears, she promised herself that she would do whatever it took to protect the rest of them, the ones that had survived, the ones still living. Never again did she want to see someone she knew turn into one of these things. Not if she could help it.
Bellamy had heard the bangs and knew it meant someone close was firing a gun. He believed it was Clarke but knowing they were not the only humans on Earth made him weary. One of the earliest things he had learned thanks to the Ark and it's people was that you had to look after you and yours because if not, no one else would. Not only that but there was always some that weren't content with the meager belongings and rations they had and would steal, lie or just take from those they thought weaker than them. If that was how it was on the Ark with their extremely limited food, water, medicine and other supplies, Bellamy knew people down here on Earth would be even worse thanks to the zombies roaming around and the lack of order. While he held the council accountable for what happened to his family and the one hundred kids they sent down here, he knew that they did for the most part work to make things as best as they could with what they had. They kept things and people in line and the Ark ran relatively smoothly. Remembering the Ark and its ways made him change his mind on what fell under his, it used to be just Octavia. Now it would be all of them that fell under him and his. He almost felt sorry for anyone that tried to do them harm. Normally Bellamy was mild mannered but he was honest enough with himself that he knew he had a ruthlessness inside of him that he would use when needed.
Desperate to look out he almost cracked the door open to see if he could see anything but stopped himself, if someone other than Clarke was nearby he didn't want to be found so defenseless. Instead, he turned and walked around to check up on everyone, happy to see that everyone but Monty was sleeping peacefully.
Bellamy paced and paced some more, quite bored of just sitting and hiding, waiting for someone else to save him. His first thoughts of Clarke had been that she would be a useless spoiled princess, wanting to be waited on and doing nothing to help. That changed when she asked if he had another bullet and pointed out that she was bitten as well. Then she offered to go alone out into the woods full of zombies and other unknown horrors to get them supplies and he knew he had pegged her wrong. She may have looked like a princess but was far from one that expected things handed to her. He respected her willingness to go even as he could see the fear in her eyes. The zombies had scared her, he also knew she had questions about what happened to send them back in time, why she didn't turn and other questions, instead it seemed she just pushed them aside to do what was needed. That type of person was one he could relate to and one he was glad to see on their side.
A girl calling his name had him looking around for his sister, thinking it was her. But no, she was still sleeping. His name was called again, this time, followed by a knock that came from the outside, letting him know who it was. Clarke had made it back! His victory yell woke the others and had them rushing to get up.
Monty was just steps behind him as he ran to the door and opened it so Monty could pull her in. Bellamy expected excited cheers or maybe some of the girls doing the hugging and jumping thing he knew they sometimes did for reasons he would never understand.
Instead, he heard loud gasps and crying from a few of the girls. His sister flew across to Clarke and gathered her in a hug as his brain finally caught up with his eyes. He took notice of the bags and guns hanging off of her but he just gave them a brief passing glance. It was the blood dripping from the tool still clutched tightly in her hand and the gore on her clothes that had him worried.
Monty stepped closer to her and slowly as if she was a wounded animal, took the bags from her and helped her sit down once she was unloaded of all her physical burdens. Bellamy could only watch, frozen by the thoughts running through him as his mind tossed around theories of what could have happened.
After reassuring them that she was unharmed she told them of her journey, leaving nothing out. She purged herself of her fears and thoughts as she told them of her small breakdown after she killed the zombies that had once been kids from the Ark.
Clarke wasn't sure what she expected when she finished her story but total support wasn't it. Not one person spoke up and said she did anything wrong. In fact, just about all of the older teenagers made comments about them hoping to have the strength to do the same if the situation ever called for it.
One of the guys offered his shirt to Clarke to wear, saying he would be just fine wearing his jacket zipped up for now. Seeing that, Octavia and another girl took one of the bottles of water being passed around and helped Clarke move away from everyone else to get cleaned up.
It didn't take long for the food and water to be passed around, and as they ate, they talked about their plans. One of the guys, Miller, voiced his fear of getting caught in the dark and knowing that time was against them, they all rushed to get ready.
Monty was sad to leave behind a way to communicate with others until Clarke told him that their new home was built for a small community, it had electricity and would most likely have a computer or radio room.
Bellamy and Miller sorted the weapons and passed them around, hoping it would be enough to get them to where they needed to go. Before today Bellamy was the only one of them that had seen a gun in person before, making them grateful for the other weapons. Just before opening the door to leave Bellamy gave a small lesson on how to aim, shoot and how to work the safety, reminded them to keep the girls in the middle and to keep an eye on their surroundings.
There was no longer a reason to stay but Clarke could almost see the fear coming off of them in waves, she didn't blame them one bit. Who would want to go out there? They had no choice, they needed to get to a better shelter.
Full of fear but determination they stepped out, eyes looking around for dangers. Seeing none at the moment let them start their trip, each praying they would make it to their destination alive.