Oh, this house hid many surprises.
First of all, Clarke found the kitchen. The entrance was blocked with the wooden planks and bricks, apparently guys found the kitchen something completely useless and didn`t want to deal with it at all.
But in vain. Small and musty kitchenette was all completely shocked up with jars containing different potions. Jars and pots littered the tables and shelves, and they looked like a huge plantation of luminescent fungi. Clarke shivered and promised to come back in the daylight. The idea of a crazy serial killer who collected all sorts of creepy stuff in these jars did not want to get out of her head.
Then Clarke`s foot fell down in the hole to the basement. She was just passing by, and suddenly she heard a crunch of a board under the foot, and her ankle has stuck between floors. She had to call Finn. He was trying to rescue her for more than ten minutes, and by the end of it all she just wanted to fall through the ground literally.
After that she tried to scare him, hiding behind the door, and when he saw her, covered with web, some trash stuck in her hair, he naturally stunned and tried to take a step back, his foot got into a pile of dumped debris, and he fell. After a moment, they both laughed like madmen, pointing each other with dirty fingers and trying to freshen up.
The guys upstairs were doing some experiments, Clarke was just collecting candles scattered on the ground floor hall after her battle with Bellamy and giving them to Finn, when something popped upstairs, then puffs of blue smoke crawled down. Jasper and Monty ran out coughing and hang on the ladder. They were holding Wells, who obviously was not well. Gloomy and pale as chalk Bellamy was following them, he gave her and Finn an insensible glance, and then threw him his phone:
"Kane called. He said something about he drove into the bar and it was closed, so he was wondering why ... "
"Oh shit!" - Finn grabbed his head, put the package with the candles they were collecting on the table and rushed to Wells:
"Listen, can take your car? Kane will tear my head off because I closed the bar without telling him. Also I can bring Clarke`s car home.
He said good-bye to his friends and clapped their shoulders and finally hugged Clarke. That caused slight confusion among them all, including the very Clarke:
"Bye, Princess. See you in the morning
"Uh-uh, see you." - A little but stunned Clarke watched him disappearing in the doorway.
"Wells, dude, how are you?" - Jasper slapped his cheeks. "He stood too close to the explosion."
"And he will definitely thank you for it tomorrow."
"Oh, shut up, Bellamy, don`t you see, he looks so bad."
"You should take him to hospital and show to my mother. It will help. For sure. "- Clarke walked over and checked the Wells`s temperature and pulse on his wrist with very customary movements. "What? I know a little about poisons, but he clearly needs to get to hospital. "
"Right," - Jasper nodded. "Are you coming with us? We will quickly drop him there, and then go back home. "
Clarke looked aside. Hospital. She hated hospitals since her sister died, and each time, getting there, even for a friend visit, could not help but panic.
"I ... I don`t think ..." - she suddenly remembered that her car was still standing in the parking lot at the pier, far away.
"I'll take her home." - Said Bellamy. "Get him out of sight until his vomits and faints."
"Okay, then, hold on tight, Monty, or we all fall down."
Clarke led them to the jeep, helped to take Wells to the back seat, and left a wet handkerchief on his forehead, then looked at Bellamy.
He locked the house and handed her a picture with symbols:
"Do not forget the stuff you don`t want to show to the others, Princess."
"You know ..." - she folded the drawing and tucked in the pocket. "You don`t have to give me a lift. You don`t have to help me." - Clarke stared at the guy. Today he set fire to her car, arranged a small local scale apocalypse, and now he wanted to give her a lift.
"Yes. I don`t." - He put on his helmet and lowered the visor.
So Clarke came to him, sat behind and grabbed his waist, cuddling close. He didn`t give her a helmet. Apparently usually Bellamy rode alone. That was so typical of him, she thought.
Evening road was deserted, and Bellamy drove at full speed, moving in smoothly to every turn. They rode slowly at first, but when he realized that the girl behind him is not screaming in terror, he started increasing the speed, when Clarke stood up a little, her mouth to his ear:
"Faster."
He turned the head and met her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and passion and smiled:
"Hold on tight."
They were driving up to her street, Clarke pressed her face against his shoulder and was watching her hair flutter in the wind like golden flag; the strands of hair scattered over her face at every turn, blown forward they tickled Bellamy`s neck where it was not covered by T-shirt collar . She was staring at the goose bumps covering his skin, and the sense of lightness and fun seethed inside her, bursting with bubbles in the chest.
It was his way of saying "sorry" and she took it.
Next morning Clarke woke with a knock at the window. She put on a robe, opened the curtains, meeting eyes with Finn, who entertained himself by levitating small pebbles and forcing them to strike the glass.
"Hi, neighbor." - He smiled brightly. How could he be that fresh and shiny in the morning and look perfect? Clarke glanced at his bare tanned torso, worthy of a fitness trainer, and refused to think about it. At all.
She could only hope that he doesn`t see her looks and try not to blush in embarrassment.
"Are you always that happy in the morning?" - She asked, rubbing neck numb after sleep.
"Only when I meet such a beautiful girl. By the way, I brought your car, and it works again. Nothing I cannot fix really. By the way, how did you get home? "
"That was a fast drive. Monty and Jasper took Wells to hospital, and Bellamy gave me a lift. "
"Bellamy? Are you kidding?! "- surprised Finn almost fell out of the window. "It`s a worth cup of coffee talk."
"And what is wrong with Bella ... Wait!" - Clarke broke off. "You invite me for a coffee?"
"Yes."
"Is that a date?"
"Yeah." - Finn nodded. "And I want your phone number to send foolish sms until we agree on the place and time."
"Let me think... Oh shit, lessons! What am I doing here?! "- she watched at the clock, then ran to the bathroom to brush teeth and have a quick shower. Apparently, she still had time, but no breakfast, if she wanted not to be late for classes.
Finn was nowhere seen in his room. Quickly dressed, Clarke went to the first floor, grabbed some cookies and an apple in the kitchen and kissed her mother`s cheek:
"Good morning, Mom. Late for the first lesson. Sorry, don`t have time for breakfast. I'll call you during the break to chat about Wells, OK? "- She picked up her bag with books and ran outside, slamming the door.
Finn was standing in front of her house, leaning on car`s hood, thank God, he was dressed. He was playing with the key in his fingers:
"As good as new." - He smiled. "I`ll give you a chance to enjoy my company on the way to college, but in fact I have a devious plan of getting your number." - He raised keys higher, forcing Clarke to jump to get them.
It's not fair. You are too high. "- She laughed and started to tickle him, trying to lower his arm.
They heard the hum of the engine and saw Bellamy on his motorcycle riding to her house.
Clarke paused, confused:
"Hey." - she grabbed the keys from Finn`s hand using the only chance. "What are you doing here?"
"Wanted to make sure you get to classes in time."
"A-ah, well, it`s ok. Finn fixed my car. We're going in a minute or two. "
"Excellent." - He said glumly, started the engine and drove away without even saying goodbye.
"What's his problem? - Clarke watched him go, and then went to the driver's seat.
"Maybe it's because he`s there and I`m here." - Finn shrugged.
"That`s nonsense." - Yesterday he left in silence too. Overexcited with the race at the empty streets, she didn`t want to talk. He was silent all the time too. But Bellamy`s visit in the morning - that was something out of ordinary. Clarke frowned, shooing off strange thoughts: "Now, show the way, or we're late."
"Do you know what it is, Wells?" - His father stood over his motionless body, enveloped with tubes. That was Thelonious Jaha, the leader of the Circle and the mayor of Ark.
Wells frowned and looked at a copy of Clarke`s picture, that was in his pocket. He had taken it before he got into a cloud of blue shit and then in the intensive care unit.
"No idea, Dad."
"And I think, you know. Otherwise, it wouldn`t be in your pocket. Where did you get it? "
"I didn`t ..." - Wells coughed.
"These symbols are from our Book of Shadows, so I can suppose you took it. And sketched out. Have you lost your brains to think you can do the ritual on your own? I told you, the Circle shall take care of everything. We can handle it. We wanted you to bind your Circle so to learn to control the power and stop doing all sorts of ... "- Thelonious Jaha paused, trying to find proper word.-" stupidity. "
So the symbols were connected with some sort of ritual. Wells frowned. They took his phone ... He had to tell Clarke about everything. His father said that the ritual was dangerous, he didn`t lie. According to the hidden panic in his voice this ritual was something hideous.
"You disappointed me, son." - Jaha left the room and stood at a glass window. Wells saw him talking to Abigail Griffin and showing the copy of Clarke`s picture. The woman turned pale and grabbed his father`s hand trying not to fall down. Then she looked at Wells through the glass.
"Damn, I screwed everything up," - the guy whispered and closed eyes. "I`ll kill Monty and Jasper."
Before Clarke kills him.
Clarke returned home and found her mother sitting in the kitchen. Her packed bags stood next to the chair.
"What happened?" - She threw keys on the table and walked in.
"You must leave. Now. I already arranged everything with Millers; you shall stay with them in Albany. "
"No. I'm not leaving. I'm not going anywhere; I thought the conversation was over. "
"It`s not we but you who thought it was over. But now it's not important, you have to leave. "
"Because of the Hunters? Mom, they don`t even know where we all live, they do not know where Ark is. They can ride along and across the entrance to the city, but won`t get here, and I can protect myself. I am not Ellie. "
Abby heard the name of her dead daughter and turned pale and pursued her lips:
"Clarke, it's yours?" She passed a piece of paper with a tangled tree and a strange talisman in the center. "Can you explain this? Where did you get this? "
"Explain how, Mom, what are you talking about?" - Clarke came closer. "Did Wells give it to you?"
"Clarke, you do not understand, that thing" - and she pointed to the symbols, "Is not something you should have. You are in danger because of it, do you understand? "
"No, I do not understand and I refuse to understand." - Clarke shouted. "I won`t go anywhere, because here I belongs and belonged all the time, I was running from the danger you never told me about, and you don`t want to tell about it even now. Dad would have told me! «- Clarke turned round and ran out of the house, shaking with suppressed tears.
After her husband's funeral Abby refused to speak with her daughter about Hunters and anything about it, and now Clarke didn`t know what to do.
Dad died, and she could not ask him, she didn`t know what to do with lost time while drawing, with the Hunters who were somewhere nearby, and even Wells betrayed her. She no longer had someone to trust.
She wiped tears and walked down the path in the park, now she wanted to hide into the thicket, and cry like a child, while nobody sees.
She climbed the hill and sat on a large stone, watching the city, until she heard the steps next to her:
"Hey, are you all right?" - It was Finn. Of course, it was Finn. He always seemed to show up when she needed help.
"Is it ok, if I say no?" - Clarke sighed and buried her face in hands, "Why is everyone so eager to save me, or get rid of? How did you find me, was spying? "
"Well, when I see a beautiful girl burst into tears running in the woods, I can`t believe that everything is ok, so I went after you. What happened?"
"My mother. She found my picture. Technically, it was a copy of the drawing. I`ve got the original. And now she worries because of it. "
"Did you draw some freaks from a Rorschach test?" - Finn squinted.
"No," - Clarke could not help but smile, "I'm not crazy." - She sighed. "I drew a tree. And a talisman covered with symbols in the center. I gave it to Wells, he promised to check, maybe it means something. "
"Why did not you tell us? We could help. We are not that stupid you know. "- Finn sat near her on the stone.
"You know, I didn`t think about it. I know you just a couple of days. And you burned my car. "
"Well, I fixed it. I think I know what we gonna do, "- Finn slapped his knees. "Now I make a very sad girl laugh, and then we'll go to the house and look this symbol in the books, there has to be something useful. And if that doesn`t work, I can always come back to Wells and give him a couple of bruises. Right? "
"And how are you going to make a sad girl laugh?" - Clarke has calmed down a bit and looked at him warmly.
"I have an idea." - The guy got up and squatted in front of her, then took her hands in his and squeezed. "Now close your eyes."
"No." - she looked up at him.
"Come on, I don`t bite."
She couldn`t believe that she was going to do it, but closed her eyes obediently and sat straight, feeling the heat of Finn`s hands.
"Now think about the water." - His voice was low. "Think of the water."
"Water? What water? "- Clarke opened her eyes and gasped. Large drops of the night dew froze around them in the air. They gathered in little balls and gleamed like thousands of diamonds, generously thrown all around. Drops glided up in the air and disappeared in the sky.
"It's so ..." - she did not know how to find the words. "So magical." - She wanted to touch water drops, but was afraid to break the touch with Finn. It was his and her magic together.
"Clarke, I ..." - he looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her.
Clarke froze, looking into his eyes.
Suddenly a loud call came from his jacket, girl flinched with thoughts mingled, and all the drops rained down.
"Yes? What`s wrong? "- Finn said irritated. "Yes, we are nearby. I`m with Clarke. What? We`ll be soon. Yes. Bye. "
"I'm sorry." - Clarke smiled, watching Finn shakes his hair, like a big dog soaked through and through. Surely she was no better. Like a cat, drown in the lake, and she laughed aloud, imagining it.
"We both lacked concentration, but we can practice more. Come on. Bellamy calls us. Something happened."
"I think I'm getting used to the fact that something happens all the time." - Clarke shook her head and stood up, putting her hand into his. "Definitely."
"I heard night swimming is good for health." - Bellamy looked at Finn, and then shut up when he saw Clarke. She stood in big Finn`s jacket on her shoulders, with wet hair, like a stray child.
"So what happened?" - She asked, blowing off a wet strand of hair from the eye.
"Jasper called, he will be here in five minutes." - Bellamy scanned her again from head to toe with his impenetrable gaze and disappeared into the house.
He was doing it again, she thought. With one glance he managed to knock the ground from under her feet.
Jasper came in six minutes. He rushed into the house, gasping and wheezing, stood in front of friends and grabbed the door jamb to keep from falling, "I am ... Here ... Murder ..."
They sat him on the sofa and let him get his breath.
"I eavesdropped ... Well, you know that my father is Ark`s sheriff, and I deliberately modified his walkie-talkie to eavesdrop if something happens. Shorter. From what I heard today there was another car crash not far from Ark, ten miles or so. Burned to the ground. Father called Jaha. Said that it was a witch from another coven, Hunters tracked her. And he also said the witch could show the entrance to Ark. So my father, Jaha and Kane have already left there. That`s all. "
"Then we all know what to do. And quickly. "- Monty looked at friends. "We have to bind the Circle."
"There is a little problem, you`ve forgotten." -Bellamy crossed his arms over the chest. "Wells".