The Storm: Chapter Two


With a jolt I awoke wide eyed.

"Ah," I yelled in response. Opening my eyes had not been the wisest of decisions. All I was able to catch before I squeezed the shut again was a blinding white light. I smacked my hands over my face and waited for the pain to subside.

Hot. That was my first thought.

It's really hot was my second.

"Oh my," I gasped as a cloud of dry heat seared down my throat, annihilating any little air left in my lungs. I bolted upright as I struggled to breathe. It was like someone had lit a fire within me. No matter how much a coughed, spluttered and gasped the dry air would not settle.

And I panicked. I forgot to keep myself calm. All rational thought abandoned me as I started to panic from the lack of oxygen. Only one thought remained.

You are going to die.

"No," I coughed through sharp breathes. I pulled myself to my knees and bent over wheezing, forcing the air into my lungs from the new position. It took a second, but eventually I caught it. I sucked the air in and puffed it out again until my breathing resumed into a normal rhythm. That first instant waking up had been the worst I had experienced since my arrival in the Glade, and that really was a panic-worthy moment.

I forced my eyes open for a second time, this time anticipating the pure brightness. I squinted and looked down at the dirt I tightly gripped between my fingers. Dirt would be an overstatement. I had seen dirt, that was rich-brown and full of life. This dirt was almost greyish and lifeless even. Not a single ounce of life breathing in it. And it was everywhere.

"Well duh. The man did say that the world had been destroyed by the sun flares," I muttered to myself and the dead dirt. I wondered if all the messing with my head had caused the rise in the level of stupidness I exhibited. That was really the only explanation for it. Because I couldn't be that stupid. Could I? No. No.

It was an exasperated "oh" and a kick of my foot that brought the small rucksack beside me to my attention. Dust had blown over it, not a lot, but enough to show that it had been sitting there for a while waiting me for to wake up. I stretched and dragged the pack closer towards so I could inspect its contents. As I unhooked the straps, I can feel that it has been made with a sturdy material. At least WICKED weren't skimping on something. But the colour. Wow. Bright orange was a choice someone made. This thing could practically outshine the sun if it had the chance.

I flipped open the flap and carefully pull out the provisions I found inside: one small scarf, a couple packets of crackers and what looked like a dried meat substance. I delved further into my bag searching for the thing that I would need almost immediately after I stood up. The pack was empty. There was no water.

"No, no, please no, this can't be happening," I choked back tears as a frantically turned the pack inside out searching for at least a small bottle. This was bad. Very bad. What crossed their mind when they left this with me? Did they actually want me to die out here instead of partaking in the stupid little game?

I slumped back and drew my fingers through my hair. Pulling out loose strands from my already messy braid. I quickly became aware of the dryness in my throat and my mouth, every crack that tore of lips. I needed to find a source of water, and I needed to find it fast otherwise it would be a slow and painful death for me.

As I refilled my pack and tied the scarf around my head, I had an awful thought. Maybe this was my fate after all. To die alone with nobody who cares. It was such an awful thought. "Like damn I let them decide when I die," I told myself. I snatched the bag and hauled myself up from the ground. If they left me with no water supply, then surely there would be one close by. They weren't this deranged. Were they?

I scanned the area that I found myself in. Small dunes towered over me as I stood in their crater. Maybe if I chose one, I could see what was laid out in front of me. Heading straight was the best option I had. It wasn't like I had nothing else to gain from any other direction. Other than death.

I scrambled up the side of the sandy dune, slipping every other step as the gritty sand parted beneath me. A few minutes later, I stood on top and surveyed the surrounding landscape. Or what little of it. When the old man said the world had been burnt, he really meant it. There was nothing out there. No life, only death. A flat, dry, lifeless earth stretched out ahead of me. Not a single tree. Not a single bush. Just an endless sea of dust, dirt and sand. Currents of hot air swelling upwards, sucking the life out of anything that dared to live there.

I diverted my attention from the death to the line of jagged mountains that rose far on the horizon. Just as the stretch of dust in front of me, the mountain was barren. No snow. No greenery. Just an extension of the ground.

The most interesting thing in that landscape (yes, I know, something other than sand) was a cluster of what looked like buildings that sat squatted together. From my position, the buildings must have once stood proud and tall, demonstrating the height of human capability. Now, it was just a ghost of the past left to decay and rot with the land around it.

"My first thought was a bomb, but there would have to be less buildings for that to make sense," a voice said behind me. The sound jolted me back to reality and I swore my soul briefly left me. I swivelled on my heel and lifted my hands up ready to fight whoever the voice came from. Not like I stood a chance against them.

The blond-hair shone, lit up by the brilliance of the sunlight. And for a brief moment, I was blinded by that blond-hair for I thought it was him that had come to my aid. A wave of emotions swelled up inside of me as my expectations increased. I could even feel a smile itching to escape. But I knew instantly that everything was wrong. That hair was not the blond hair that I liked so much. This hair was washed out to almost to a grey and was much shorter.

Poe. The voice belonged to Poe. My smile faded.

"Don't you look happy to see me," he teased pointing at my face which now held a sour look. "Sorry Poe, my face is twisted this way cause I really like looking sad all the time."

I blinked at him. What is going on? "Are you mimicking me?" I questioned him.

"Course I am, jeez did your sense of humour die as well?" Poe laughed as if he was conversing an old joke with me. The humour fell flat. He uttered "you really are gone" under his breath and shook his head in disbelief.

An awkward silence occupied the space between us.

Unbeknownst to me, my arms had lowered to their defence position and now rested by my side. Somewhere deep inside of me knew that I wasn't in danger. Would be nice if it gave any other indicators.

"Seeing as your whacked in the head I'll break the silence," Poe declared. "As we have found ourselves in quite a difficult situation, I'll offer you an agreement. I will help you to cross this place to the cure and in return I promise not to kill you."

"And why would I agree to that?"

"Well I'm assuming you need something and I have what you need." Poe pulled his pack in front of him and flicked the top of it open. He stuffed a hand inside and slowly removed the precious treasure. My throat went dry at the sight of it. "Now if I'm correct, you don't have any water."

"Who's to say I don't?" I asserted, trying to keep my astonishment hidden beneath a poker face.

"I know you don't. Want to know why?"

I nodded, the thought of keeping my cards close flying out the window as the pain in my throat intensifying. I longed to snatched the bottle from him and down the liquid in one gulp.

"One, your poker face has always been terrible," Poe laughed. "And two, I reckon you've got food cause I ain't got any."

I did not answer him.

"That's enough of an answer for me. I bet you'll be needing this as well." Poe removed a tightly bound bundle and threw it in my direction. I caught the bundle and unpicked the string that secured it together. A navy jacket unfurled from its cocoon. The material on the outside was made from a waxy canvas material that looked durable and waterproof. The inside was lined with a cosy fleece fabric that was removable by a zip. Best of all. It was in my size.

"Why would I–" I started to say before I stopped myself mid-sentence. I'm in a desert.

Think, Clarke.

"I'm gonna ignore that last comment. Though I still need an answer from you."

I, the nervous wreck, simply replied "Fine."

"Excellent, not the same enthusiasm I'm used to however I'm intrigued to learn the new Clarke." Poe pointed towards the sun, his hands above his eyes to block out the rays. A noticeable white scar etched down from the tip of his eyebrow to his ear. A very strange looking scar. "See how the sun is setting that way." I nodded a yes at him. "Well, the sun sets in the west and the old man told us to head north. So that means we should be heading that way." Poe pointed his finger in the direction of north. The barren mountains.

"Do you think we can avoid the buildings?" I asked him, hoping that his answer would be yes.

"You kidding?" he exclaimed, his face again screwed into disbelief. "The supplies in my bag will only get me to the buildings. Unless you've got something hidden up your sleeve, yours probably will last that long as well."

"It looks eerie down there." I hesitated, turned and looked at the cluster of buildings. "I'm afraid of what we may find down there."

"I am as well," Poe softly replied. He took a step closer to me. "But like you have said countless times 'we can't let the fear rule us, only we choose how to be ruled'."

"You make it sound I was once very wise," I sighed. "I wish I was that person that could say stuff like that."

My words hung in the air. They soon floated away with the current of the heat. There was no point dwelling on what I believed myself to be. If I was going to relish in this chance of survival, I was not going to be that person any more.

"We should probably start moving," Poe said as he moved the conversation on from my depressing end. "I don't know about you, but my sweat could probably fill one of these bottles up."

Poe walked past me and led the way on our journey to the end.


I never got used to the heat, the unbearable feeling of something pushing down on you consistently. I counted down the seconds that the sun would set and the world would be relieved of this pressure.

Sweat poured down my back as Poe and I trudged the long miles to the buildings. We did not speak for the first few hours of our journey so that we could preserve our energy and save as much water as we could. We stopped briefly once to sip at the water in Poe's pack (at which point I was finally granted my own bottle) and for me to catch my scarf that had flown from my head.

The silence was telling. Over the hours we walked I dared myself to probe Poe about the life of Group C and to spill every little thing he knew of me. The real me. The only problem was I was too nervous to engage with him. To bring up a delicate topic for both of us. Did I really want to know everything?

A further hour passed before I even plucked up the courage to ask him.

"Tell me about Group C," I asked him.

Poe exhaled and rubbed his sweaty hand over his head. "I was waiting for you to say that. Where would you like me to begin?"

"From the start would be best."

"Sounds right," Poe started. "You arrived earlier me. You weren't the first in Eden, but you were one of the first among us. They say you were angry when you first popped out of the ground. You shoved Leo to the ground and told the rest that if they came near you, you would punch them all." Poe snorted recalling the what he spoke about. "I would have loved to have seen his face. It took him and Wain to stop you in your rampage of destruction. According to Lottie (she tells this story so much better than me), they both were nursing wounds for a week after, mopping around like poor dogs cause they got their arses kicked in by you. Sorry, I'm going off track. Lottie saw something in you that day. No Novo had sprung out with such fight in them before. See, Lottie is, or was, our commander. She was the first in Eden so she is, was, the leader. Make sense."

"Yeah," I quietly reply to him, a wave of disbelief washing over me. "Who were the others that were there first?"

"Erm … let me think," Poe paused for a second as he recalled the names. "So you were number seven, I believe, and Lottie was number one. Leo was there … and Wain … Toni, Rudy … and … Trixie. That's seven, right?"

I nodded.

"'kay. Where was I? … oh … so some stuff happens. Lottie, you and the others establish Eden and get things started. A few more months pass and this handsome face pops up to say hello." Poe points at his own face, I let out an involuntary snort. "By then there is more order in Eden. We kinda know what we are doing, but we still had no idea what we were supposed to be doing. Lottie and some others had discovered quite early on that we were living in the middle of some gigantic maze. That wasn't all that they discovered. After your arrival, the hideous creatures started to come as well.

"They only came at night, these creatures. It wasn't every night, but it was enough us to spend days clearing up after the devastation. We learnt quick on where the best hiding spots were and where the best places to store everything. By the time of my arrival, you, Lottie and Leo had formed the Protector team where it was your job to not only search the Maze for those creatures and our exit but to also defend Eden.

"The rest of us were all given jobs to keep Eden going. I was a Gardener. I damn good gardener if you ask me. So good that I became the Captain of them. I was in charge of making sure that we had enough growable food for the kitchen and enough plants for medication. See, after a while the supplies started to dwindle and more Novo's kept arriving. That was your idea to plant everything. I think you said in the meeting: 'I don't know why anyone hadn't thought of it, it doesn't take an idiot to figure it out.'"

"Ouch," I replied with a wince. "Was I really that harsh?"

"Yeah. That one stung for a bit." Poe must have seen regret written on my face from hearing what I had said. "Oh don't worry Clarke. You didn't say it too me. That was aimed at Jackie, the Captain previous me."

"What happened to him?" I asked attentively. I was fully interested in the lives of the people I had once known.

"He's dead. Taken … look let me finish my story. So," Poe continued with a sigh. "Eden was fine for a while. It was just us, the Maze and the creatures. Our standard day-to-day life really."

Poe's words hung in the air. The way he described the life of those that lived in Eden sounded so much how the Gladers lived there's (with some differences, of course). The way that everyone played a part in the community for survival. For a moment, I could almost imagine my life there in Eden with Group C. Almost. It still sounded impossible.

I asked Poe the one burning question I had left: "Could you tell me about me, please?"

He eyed me curiously then he continued on with his story. "Like I said you were one of the first. And from your arrival Lottie put you to good use. It took a lot of convincing, but after a few months the first-ones made you their second-in-command. Quite rightly so. When you gave a command, everyone listened. You were the most intelligent, wisecracking, badass person in Eden. You were a take-charge sort of person who is fiercely loyal to your values and your friends, and you expected the same level of commitment from others that you gave to them. You were, are, fearless and are a strong leader. You led us well with Lottie. You two were the right balance that Eden needed. Someone kind, not cruel, and someone strong and pragmatic. Lottie needed someone like that to help. She can be a bit brash at times and let her anger rule her head. Even that brat Georgie did. Well that was until the day the Maze thing occurred?"

Who was this person that Poe spoke of?

I knew that was not me. I was someone that chose to approach things by not actually approaching them. How could I live up to this person that Poe seemingly idolised? I was a mere shadow of what she was, could have been. I was not a strong leader that inspired others. I was Clarke, the one learning that I should not be afraid of my fear. It was a long time before I spoke again.

I chose my next question carefully. "Why did Georgie stop respecting me?"

"That … that," Poe stuttered. He tripped over his words as I watched him remember the memory. "That is not a fond memory." He paused. "It was just before the End that you changed somehow. You, Georgie and Lottie had returned from the Maze one day, and you started to act different. As if your personality had completely switched. You were sharper, tolerated less of people. You even snapped at Jamie, which you had never done before. You treated that kid like a brother. No one could speak ill of him unless they wanted to face your wrath.

"We knew that something was wrong. And things only got worse from there. Georgie started to stir up trouble amongst her followings. She is a real piece of work and she practically despised both you and Lottie. I'm not sure why. One day, after she newly joined the Protectors with you, when she was more pleasant to be around, the three of you went into the Maze for a reason. When you returned, she was a sour pig and was never really the same after. Something happened that day in the Maze and she hated whatever happened in there. Neither one of you would ever speak of what happened in the Maze. IT was like there was an unspoken rule between you. No matter how hard anyone asked, you would all give the same response. It was enough for us to determine something awful must have happened out there to the point that Georgie went completely berserk at you. And Lottie, like she does, took great offence and nearly had her Banished from Eden.

"So, when she started to stir up trouble, she hit the wrong note. And by God, she hit it wrong. You…" Poe voice cut off mid-sentence as he immediately stopped in his tracks.

"You … what?" I asked, desperate to know what happened between Georgie and I. "Tell me."

Poe only shushed me and raised his finger to lips. I opened my mouth to speak again. Poe placed a sweaty hand over it for I could release a peep from it. "Listen," he whispered into my ear, the sound sending shivers down my spine. I tried to wriggle from him, but he only gripped my tighter. "Clarke, stop and listen." I closed my eyes, counted to three and let out a heavy breath into Poe's sweaty hand. That's when I heard it. A faint sobbing echoing. I inched my head as best I could, and spotted in the corner of me eye a small building located to the left of us.

"Do you think it's coming from there?" Poe whispered into me ear. His hand was still securely over my mouth. I replied with a muffled mumble that sounded like I said something, but in fact it was just a bunch of noise. "Oh, right do yo-"

"I heard you the first time. Yes," I said after he removed his hand from my face. "Are we just gonna approach the building? Do we need a plan?"

Poe shrugged. "Meh, nothing else to lose. Hope you remember how to fight."

I tried to grab Poe's arm as he brushed past me to stop him from going to the building. But my protests were met with a smile and a whisper "go with the flow Clarkie". I reluctantly followed behind him, making sure that he was always in front when we slowly advanced forward. I wasn't worried about who we would meet on the other side, I was more worried about approaching the building with no idea what we were going to do once we got there.

The faint cries grew louder as we neared the building. In the sunlight, a shadow had started to form. Not big enough for the evening, but just enough that one could confidently say that it was mid-afternoon. Against the backdrop of the desert, one wrong look and the building could have been mistaken for part of the scenery. It was only as we approached could you see the metallic walls that lay beneath amount of dirt.

Poe slowed his advanced and signalled for me to stay where I was. He edged a bit further in front and called the name 'Jamie' just loud enough to be heard over the sobbing. There was no response. Poe tried again, this time his voice slightly louder. The sobbing ceased. A mop of curly black hair peered around the corner of the building revealing that to be the small boy Jamie. He wiped a hand across his nose and pulled himself from his position so that he stood in front of us. One side of his face glistened in the sun light. Blood. It was blood. Fresh blood that dripped from the tip of his forehead to his chin and onto his shirt.

"Jamie, why are you bleeding?" Poe hissed loud enough for the young boy to hear him. He slowly stepped towards Jamie, putting each foot firmly on the ground before he took the next, an arm outstretched enticing the kid to take it. Jamie only shook his head and slumped back against the corner of the building, as if he was trying to hide from us. Poe kept moving towards him, his arms now open stretched to say that he was not a threat.

It was the flash of movement that caught my eye first. A figure descended upon Poe and tackled him to the ground. A tumble of coils fell over the figures face, but a push of her slender arm revealed who she was. There, pinning Poe to the ground with a small knife aimed dangerously close to his neck, was a girl that oozed vengeance. She was the one that stood by during the humiliating word tousle exchanged by Georgie and Lottie. Her being here was not a good sign.

A wicked smile revealed the bronze glow at her umber cheeks. She stroked the knife across Poe's neck, taunting him with every movement. I could see the tension as he struggled to free himself without persuading her to use the knife on him. Poe opened his mouth however his voice was cut off as the girl firmly placed her hand over his face and pinched the end of his nose.

The fear paralysed me. I felt my heart hammer inside of my chest as I watched the scene play out. Panic started to surge deep within me and I felt the blood drained from my face. I was helpless in that moment. I couldn't let out even a small squeak to help save this boy. I saw as panic flared in his eyes as the girl held onto his breathe for longer. He clawed the girl, trying with all his might to push her from him. It was no use. With every second he spent under her grip, he started to lose his.

"Clarke!" Jamie squealed my name. He yanked at my arm and dug his fingernails into my wrist. "Help him!"

I jerked myself out of my trance and reacted. I charged towards to the girl and tackled her from Poe. We crashed to the floor in a heap, both dazed for a second. The girl wasted no time in fighting me. She smashed an elbow into the side of my skull, catching the tip of my ear as she took the blow. I collapsed onto the ground and cradled my head.

MOVE!

I followed the command and shuffled away from the girl as quickly. I staggered to my feet as best as I could and turned to face another round of blows this girl was ready to give. She stood before me, her smile cold and calculating. She flipped the knife between her hands, playing with the wooden handle. Taunting me with every flick she gave.

"How lucky am I to be in the presence of Clarkie," she taunted, her voice hanging on the last syllables of my name. She turned and glanced down at Poe, who was still on the floor recovering from his ordeal. Her smile formed into a sneer on her face when she turned to look back at me. "If I'm correct, you don't know who I am?"

I didn't answer. I did not want to give away the fear that trembled at me throat. Nevertheless the girl seemed to sense it. A wicked glint lit up her golden eyes and as a dangerous look etched onto her face as she sized me up. The girl flipped the knife around her hand, the skill a simple glimpse into what mastery she held. The girl hummed in response to my silence. "Perfect, somehow this will make it all more fun."

I edged back from her; my arms now raised in a fighting position ready to take her on. She must have sensed some fear in me for she inched her way towards me. The knife now firmly gripped within her palm. I sensed that this was the moment she would attack. A small niggle had transformed into an itch that pestered for me to allow me to succumb to it.

The girl lunged forward, the knife glinting in the light as it plunged towards me. I dove out of the way, avoiding the sharp end by just a hair of my cheek. I scrambled back, making sure there was enough distance between myself and the blade. The girl whipped around, her sneer falling from her face as she reassessed her next move.

"Clever," she mocked, her voice dripping with venom. "Let's hope you got more moves up your sleeve."

The girl charged again with the knife high up in the air. With quick reaction, I grabbed a fistful of dirt and flung it her way. A perfect shot. The girl screamed as she was blinded and I again dove out of the way of the swing of the knife. With her now blinded, I slammed a fist into the back of her shoulder, hoping that this would cause her to drop her weapon.

No such luck. It only made her angrier.

"You were always such a bitch," she seethed through tears and gritted teeth. "I should have been Captain. Me Alice. Not him." The girl, Alice, thrusted the tip of her knife in Poe's direction.

"I don't know what you are talking about," I said. I knew full well that anything I said would enrage Alice further.

"Georgie was right." Alice's nostrils flared, her checks turning red with rage. "She never said why but I know. You were never fit to lead." Alice let out a manically laugh. "You hid it so well from everyone. You attacking her let us all see how deranged you really are. How far gone you were."

I did not have time to comprehend what Alice had meant before the charged again, the knife angled at a deadly slant directed straight for my head. Her words had caught me off guard and I was not prepared for the swing of the blade.

I shut my eyes instead, readying myself for the pain that would explode when the knife plunged into me. The anticipation was the worst part of it. Yet, the moment never came. I peeked my eyes open and watched as Poe grabbing a hold of Alice's arm and jerking it back so forcefully that she fell from her feet onto the floor.

In frustration, Alice quickly jumped to her feet and attempted to kick Poe in the legs. He predicted her move and jumped back far enough that her leg brushed his kneecap. He didn't relent. His hands still tightly gripped the arm keeping the knife firmly between them so that neither could grab it.

"Alice, calm down," he pleaded with her, his voice strained from trying to stop her rage attacks. "Let us talk."

"No," her hoarse voice shrieked. "I don't want to talk. I'm done with that."

Alice released a feral scream. She swung for Poe with her free arm. Her fist missed his face, but it was enough of a warning that she was not going to give up until she had completed whatever she had set out to achieve. They were both strong, the days of working the Gardens very evident in their struggle. Yet, not matter how much Alice attempted to outmanoeuvre Poe, he was that tad stronger. And that made her angrier.

With one hand Poe forced Alice as far away from him as his strength could muster. With the other, he wrestled for the blade that hung in the balance. Poe attempted to pry the blade from her ensnare, forcing her to open her palm and release it. She spat in his face, a dirty attempt to blind Poe temporally. He relented and arched his head up so Alice could not reach it.

In a last-ditch effort to free herself from Poe's grip, she threw herself forward and loosened the stronghold against them. This surprised Poe, his eyes widening as he stumbled backwards from the sudden release of tension between them. He tripped over his feet and fell the ground bringing Alice and the knife with him.

A scream ruptured through my throat as I witnessed the chaos. I rushed toward Poe and Alice, wishing in vain that it was only Poe that was alright. They both had stopped moving, the fighting ceased as they lay there on the ground. Long seconds passed as I managed to close the distance to help Poe. I saw Poe push Alice off him, the knife still firmly in his grasp. This time it wasn't shiny silver, it was dripping in bright red blood.

Alice rose and stumbled back from Poe; her hands bright red as she clutched at the wound. Poe lifted himself towards her, his face a mixture of shock and grief. His words stuttered as he tried to apologise to the girl, but no true sentence came out. The shock overwhelming him.

For Alice, the blood just kept pouring. Her bloody red hand shaking as she held on to her chest. She fell backwards into the wall of the building and slumped down the sides. A coughing fit invoked her, the pain flicking onto her face as she twitched with each movement. Blood formed at the crack of her lips, threatening to spill over and down her cheek. Fear had now replaced wickedness in her golden eyes as she realised the fate that she was about to succumb too. Her lips trembled and her breath shuddered as she struggled against controlling the pain of her wound. In her last moment, Alice pointed a glistening red finger towards our direction and whispered in a raspy bloody breath "I hope they kill you."