Chapter 18
Lexa's POV
I was barely staying afloat. The waves were so strong. I had swallowed so much water. The boat was completely wrecked once we went back into the storm. I couldn't see anyone. Maybe that was a good thing because there were no infected, but I felt my legs giving away. I haven't been able to train Alicia's body as much as I wanted to before we did this quest, and now it was definitely showing. I felt arms circle my waist and started pulling me to shore.
"I got you Ally." Donny said. We made it to shore and I saw the rest of my family. Their were luckily no infected.
"We're in New York. The storm. It must've moved locations in this world. I don't know how but it did." Nate said. The storm probably knew we needed to go here.
"How are we suppose to find Erica?" Strand asked.
"This is the place where we need to be. Listen Erica lives in her company business building in Manhattan. I can bet you she's still there even after the apocalypse. We're in the Bronx right now. We need to travel to Manhattan but we need to be careful. Manhattan was heavily populated by people which means it'll be heavily populated with the infected now. It's going to be a risk going into there. You guys will be risking you're lives, so I'm giving you the option again. You can stay here if you want." I said.
"We've gone this far already. There's nothing to go back to we don't have families anymore. The people worth living for in our lives right now are right here. We aren't going to abandon you Alicia. If we die, we die together." Marny said gripping my shoulder.
"Alright. Then we should go now then. We need to keep an eye on each other and watch out for the infected. We work as a team. Now, let's go kill that programmer." I said.
Walking to Manhattan would've taken too long, we checked the trains and surprisingly they were still working. We hopped on and rode the train to Lincoln center area. The train station lit up once the doors opened. The platform was filled with the infected and they saw us. They started walking towards us. We were trapped.
"Everyone get ready!" Strand shouted. We stabbed, shot, and fought our way to the stairs. Before we reached it, we heard a scream. It was my mom. I turned around. She had been cut off from us by the infected. In the heat of everything we forgot to look after each other. They started to close in on her.
"Madison!" Travis shouted before running back to my mom.
"Dad, don't!" Chris shouted. Before Travis could reach her an infected bit my mom on the shoulder.
"MOM!" Nick and I cried out. No! This isn't happening. My mom and I made eye contact.
"Nick. Alicia. I love the both of you so much." My mom said. The infected were now taking their turns at my mom. I couldn't watch this. Strand came and grabbed us.
"Go up the stairs now. I'll go back for Travis. It's not safe here. Move!" Strand shouted. I looked back at my mom one more time before Nick grabbed my arm and pulled me up the stairs. We reached the street finally. It was empty. We waited for Strand and Travis. No one said a word. We were all too speechless with what just happened. All I thought about during that time was that my mother was dead. I felt responsible. I should've left her with Clarke, where she would be safe. I lifted my head when I heard a gun shot break the silence. A minute later we saw a bloody Strand limping up the stairs with no Travis trailing behind him.
"Travis is dead. He was bitten. He shouldn't give up Madison. He didn't want her to turn into an infected. He was trying to kill her before it happened. I'm sorry Chris. He told me to shoot him. I had to. I'm... I'm bitten too. I need one of you to shoot me before I turn. I don't want to be like the infected. Please. I used my last bullet to free Travis from this hell. I'm asking you to do the same for me." Strand asked.
We looked at each other. How were we going to kill one of our own. In a way my mother was right when she tried to shield us from making the tough decisions and losing our humanity. We are just kids. We can't be shielded forever from this cruel world, but this. I thought Polis and the ground was bad but this... This was just hell on earth. Does it even make sense? He's like family.
"I can't. He's my friend. I've known him the longest and gotten to know him the most. Don't make me do this." Nick said looking at me. I glanced at Donny. Knowing he was the only one who would be able to make that shot.
"Donny. Please." I said. He nodded.
"Start walking." He said. I grabbed Nick's hand and we started walking in the opposite direction of where Strand and Donny were. Marny, Nate, Ofelia, and Chris followed behind us. We were all crying. Crying that we had lost family. Crying that we were alone and crying that we were leaving our loved ones behind. We all came to a halt when we head the gun shot. We didn't start walking again until Donny passed us and start walking in front of us, like nothing had just happened. We followed behind silently.
Clarke's POV
Indra was pacing back and forth in her room. Her face looked troubled.
"Indra. The clan leaders are in the throne room. They're asking for us. We need to tell them something. They're getting restless." I said.
"Le...let's go." Indra stuttered out. We headed to the throne room and were met with shouts.
"Where is the commander?" You promised us answers? Our end is coming and you are doing nothing to prevent it! Wanheda and Indra, say something!" The leaders shouted at us.
"The commander is already on a quest to defeat Alie. We need you all to calm down. We're giving into Alie's plans if we endure killing each other. The commander has given me the power to command in her absence. Wanheda will be helping me. Tell us in the meantime what your clans need and we will provide it. Peace must remain in Polis. Peace must remain in the 13 clans. Peace must remain with the coalition." Indra said with authority. The clan leaders were bothered by the lack of information but nodded with Indra's speech. They feared Indra almost as much as they had feared Lexa. The clans told stories about Lexa and every story included the ruthless and brave Indra. I would not have been able to get that effect from them. The clans still don't trust me. The sky and ground just touch, but they never come together in their eyes. If only they knew about Lexa and I. They would trust that the sky people and the grounders could work together, but politics in Polis refuse this belief. It's actually a surprise that peace amongst the grounders and the sky people even got this far. Gosh I hope Lexa was okay. I mean she should, right? She has her family to protect her. She knows the land. She knows what to do. I just wish I'll see her again, but then again that might not even be possible in this life. Wherever she is right now, I hope she's safe.
Lexa's POV
"It's getting late. It's not a good idea going to Erica's now with everything that's happened. We won't be able to see either at this time of day. We can't risk anyone else. We need to find shelter and food for the night. We'll continue the quest tomorrow morning." Donny said. We all agreed. We found a convenience store. There were only two walkers in there which were taken care of by Donny and and Nate. We barred up the doors with shelves from the isles. We gathered food and I started to cook it in the back. When I finally finished and handed it out I just felt worn out. I knew everyone was too. I didn't even have an appetite. I felt sick actually. We just lost some of the most important people in our lives. We couldn't help but be affected. I'm never going to see my mom, Travis, or Strand again in this life. I'm losing more and more preppie to fight for. Was this even worth it? Risking the lives of he remainder of my friends and family for something that might not even work? Everything just seemed so confusing now that my decisions affected people that I love. I was perfect at making decisions for the general good of the grounders when I was the Commander because I didn't have anyone else that I cared for in my life at the time. Now... It's different and I'm different. I don't know what's right and wrong anymore. I just feel completely lost right now. Almost empty. I felt the tears swelling in my eyes. I'm not okay.