'Squirrel tastes horrendous,' I told my grandmother as she laughed. 'When you come down, I'll hunt you a deer. Now that's what I call good meat.'
'Well, I'm glad you're trying new things, at least.'
I beamed. On the other side of the screen, my grandmother was looking at me with nothing but love in her eyes. With my father's help, she had managed to take the last place on the comms before the pageant for Unity Day. She was dressed in her finest clothes and I bet she'd even put on perfume. It was a special day for her, a day of celebration, reconnecting and peace.
'I wish I was with you, sweetheart,' she continued. 'I was so worried when your father told me you were hurt.'
'I'm fine. It was just a bump.'
'Well try to be more careful from now on, alright? Thank God, Marcus will be with you soon.'
The first Exodus ship was scheduled to land in three days top. My father was head of security and would be on it, along with Clarke's mother. And I couldn't wait to see him.
'You'll come down soon, too,' I said. 'And we'll finally be all together again. Will you bring down the tree?'
My grandmother was a religious leader on the Ark. Her church was all about "coming home" and they took care of a small tree as a symbol of Earth. As a child, I was often charged of watering it. Although I was never drawn to religion, I had fond memories of those times.
'I was thinking of having your father take it down with him, actually,' she answered.
'Do you think he'll agree?'
'Honestly?' she laughed. 'No. But it doesn't hurt to try.'
A guard entered the room behind her and told her our time was up. The pageant was about to begin.
'I reserved an hour, three days from now,' she told me. 'We'll have more time then.'
'I'll miss you.'
'Me too, sweetheart. Stay strong. I love you.'
'Love you too.'
The call ended. I stared at the dark screen for a minute, feeling strangely sad. Shaking my head, I got up and joined the others outside. Raven was waiting by the dropship and I walked to her.
'Hey,' she said with a smile. 'Are you done?'
'Yeah. Thanks again. Do you need help to move the radio?'
'Nah, I've got it. You go enjoy yourself.'
I went back to the tent I shared with Amara, unsure what to do to pass the time.
For the past four days, I had worked on my new bow and it was finally finished. I had taken my time with this one and I was impressed with my work. It was bigger and stronger, more resilient. Clarke had even carved leaves and flowers in the wood, during a slow afternoon at camp.
But my bow wasn't the only thing I had been working on. I felt so guilty about hiding the truth from Bellamy that I'd decided to make amends by carving a knife for him. At first, I had meant to use metal from the dropship but when I had complained to Finn about not finding good enough steel, he had told me he had the perfect thing for me.
A few hours later, he'd returned with a drop point knife made from carbon steel. He refused to tell me where he'd found it, but I was too happy to care. After thanking him profusely, I had gotten to work. I separated the blade from the plastic handle, and started carving my own out of one of the antlers from the deer I'd killed.
Raven had helped me fix the blade to the new handle, and it was finally ready. Just in time for Unity Day. I was a bit nervous he wouldn't like it, but it was Bellamy Blake. If there was anything he liked in this world, it was weapons.
Amara entered the tent, grinning.
'Come on, Y/N! It's starting!'
We hurried outside and joined the group watching the screen, as Chancellor Jaha began his speech.
'This is a historic Unity Day. Every year, we mark the moment our ancestors of the 12 stations joined to form the Ark but this is the last time we do so while aboard her. Next year…on the ground!'
'Right,' Miller scoffed as people clapped. 'After we did all the work. Someone shut him up.'
'You shut up, Miller,' Raven said. 'No one's forcing you to watch.'
I laughed and she winked at me. I didn't know Raven very well, but something told me I would have no trouble becoming friends with her.
'For ninety-seven years,' Jaha continued, 'we have lived in space, waiting and hoping that someday our descendants will return to Earth. We now know that this is not just a faraway dream, but a certainty. Humanity is coming home.'
I heard cheers and turned around, only to see Jasper come out of the tent he shared with Monty with a barrel in his arms.
'Monty strikes again!' he yelled. 'I call this batch Unity Juice! Who's thirsty?'
The others crowded around him to get their drinks but I hung back and listened as Jaha continued his speech. There would be time for alcohol later.
'To our sons and daughters on Earth listening to this message: we will see you soon. The first Exodus ship will launch in under sixty hours, carrying the reinforcements that you need. So stay strong. Help is on the way. In the past week, we have seen the true soul of our people. The generosity and strength in our hearts in the face of strife. Every year after that, we will remember it. But enough from me. You are all here for the pageant anyway, right? Without further ado, I present the story of us.'
Jaha disappeared from the screen and the camera focused on the center of the room. The crowd cleared a space, and the pageant began. The children, each carrying a flag, walked in a circle around a little girl.
'Long ago,' she said, 'when the Earth was on fire, 12 stations floated through space, all alone. Then one day, Mir floated by Shinzen and they realized life would be better together. The other stations saw this and they wanted to be together too. When all the stations were joined, they called themselves-'
Suddenly, the screen turned dark. Frowning, Raven hurried to the radio, checking it over as we waited.
'There's nothing wrong on our side,' she said after some time. 'The problem comes from the Ark. I'll keep trying to reach them.'
Disappointed, the group dispersed. But I was sure that, with the alcohol flowing, they would soon forget about the pageant.
Aaaaand…I'm drunk.
It didn't take me long. One disadvantage of growing up with Marcus Kane as a father was that I had never been allowed to drink much. Or at all. This was the first time I'd been able to drink as much as I wanted to. And it showed.
'W-wait,' I slurred. 'What do I do, again?'
Bellamy groaned and pointed at the cups on the other side of the table, one hand on my shoulder.
'Throw the rock, in the cups.'
'But why?' I asked. I really didn't get the point of the game.
'Because it's fun, Y/N. Come on, I believe in you.'
Bellamy manhandled me to the table and put the rock in my hand. People around me were cheering, and I decided to go with the flow. With Bellamy's hands on my shoulders, I aimed and threw the rock. It landed in the center cup, splashing moonshine everywhere. The others clapped and laughed as Donovan drank, his eyes slightly unfocused. Bellamy pulled me into a celebratory hug, beaming.
'I still don't get it,' I pouted as I pulled away.
'It's okay, Sunshine,' Bellamy laughed. 'I still like you.'
I felt my cheeks flush and I was confused for a moment as to why. But I suddenly remembered I had a gift for him and my eyes widened.
'Oh!' I gasped. 'I nearly forgot!'
I grasped Bellamy's sleeve and dragged him to my tent, ignoring the complaints of the others as we left.
'Y/N? What are you doing?'
'Stay here,' I told him when we reached the tent. I went inside, quickly spotting the knife. I tripped and nearly fell as I got outside but caught myself before I faceplanted. I pushed a strand of hair away from my face impatiently and handed Bellamy the knife. He took it, confused.
'It's for you!' I told him with a smile. 'I know you said you weren't angry, but I lied to you. And lying is wrong, so I have to say sorry. Obviously, I already said sorry but I felt I needed to do more and-'
'Breathe, Y/N.'
'Right. I made you this. I hope you like it.'
Bellamy unsheathed the knife and ran his finger down the blade. I was tense, and the more time passed, the more I was sure he hated it. But when he finally raised his head, he was smiling widely.
'This is perfect. Thanks, Sunshine.'
I blushed again, and frowned at my reaction. It had to be the alcohol. We walked back to the others, but Monty and Jasper had taken our place at the table. To be honest, I wasn't heartbroken about it. That game was weird.
'Damn it,' Bellamy cursed. 'We could have won the Unity Day title.'
'Next year we will, I promise. Never mind that I still don't get the point of the game.'
'The point is to get drunk. It ain't more complicated than that.'
I tried to sit down and almost missed the bench, but Bellamy reached down and kept me from ending with my butt in the mud.
'I think I had enough to drink for one night!' I giggled as I managed to sit properly.
'No kidding,' he laughed, biting into an apple. 'So, let me guess. You were a pageant kid?'
'You bet I was. I carried France's flag. My grandmother was beyond proud. Until I almost ruined the show, anyway.'
'Now, this is a story I've got to hear.'
'It's not that great. But it does involve me accidentally giving the Chancellor a black eye, so…'
Bellamy laughed loudly, throwing his head back. I couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see him like this, so carefree and relaxed. Ever since Jaha had pardoned him for shooting him, a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He deserved to be happy.
I was about to yield and tell him the story when Clarke appeared from nowhere, a serious expression on her face.
'Hey,' she said. 'I need to talk to you.'
'Having fun yet, princess?' Bellamy asked.
'I'm serious.'
'You always are,' Bellamy said, rolling his eyes. 'So talk.'
'Finn set up a meeting with the Grounders.'
My eyes widened. He'd actually reached out to our enemy and ask them for a meeting? Was he brave or just insane?
'I'm leaving to go talk to them,' Clarke added.
'Because impaling people on spears is code for "let's be friends"?' Bellamy scoffed. 'Have you lost your damn mind?'
'I think it might be worth a shot. I mean, we do have to live with these people.'
'Bellamy, she's not wrong,' I agreed.
I agreed mostly because they had been picking us off like flies. They may not be aware of it yet, but the Grounders had everything they needed to wipe us out. Especially with the one we'd captured back with them. I was sure he had given them plenty of information about us. If we could have peace with the Grounders before they slaughtered us, I was all for it. He shook his head, clearly unconvinced.
'They'll probably gut you and string you up as a warning.'
'That's why I'm here. I need you guys to follow us, be our backup.'
'Does Finn know about this?'
'Finn doesn't need to know. And, Bellamy…bring guns.'
I was far from sober, but luckily, it was probably a long way to the place Finn and the Grounders had agreed to meet up. But Bellamy thought we needed more backup. We entered Raven's tent where Monty had told us Jasper was. They were talking, bullets lined up on the table in front of them and they both looked up as we went in.
'Jasper, you're coming with us,' he said as the boy looked at him, confused.
'I am?'
'You handled yourself well in the cave with the Grounder.'
'I- I mean, I hit him in the head.'
'Exactly,' I told him.
Jasper was probably the only reason the Grounder hadn't slaughtered us in the cave, when we had tried to rescue Octavia. Bellamy reached for the bullets but Raven stopped him, a hand on his chest.
'If you're planning on shooting anything, you'd better think twice. I haven't checked those yet.'
'Give me bullets that work.'
What do you need them for?' she shot back.
'Your boyfriend is being an idiot.'
Wordlessly, Raven gave him clips of bullets, her face set in a hard expression.
'Then I'm coming with you.'
Bellamy nodded.
'We should get Clarke,' Jasper said.
Bellamy and I shared a look. Everyone in camp knew how tense and awkward the situation was between Finn, Clarke and Raven. But as it turned out, Raven didn't need us to tell her exactly what her boyfriend was doing.
'Clarke's with Finn, isn't she?'
Raven sighed deeply at our lack of denial and I felt sorry for her. Neither Clarke nor her deserved the crap Finn was putting them through. But I couldn't focus on that, not when we might have to fight for our lives soon.
The four of us slipped away from camp, armed to the teeth. Thankfully, Clarke had left acorns for us to follow and we could go after them without too much trouble.
'At least, they're good for something,' Bellamy said as he picked some up.
'Sorry about bringing up Clarke earlier,' Jasper told Raven. 'That was awkward.'
'Shut up,' she scoffed.
'Both of you shut up,' Bellamy ordered. 'Keep your eyes open.
We walked for hours. By the time we found Clarke's last acorns, it was mid-morning. Finn and the Grounders had set up the meeting on a rusted bridge, and I could have laughed at the symbolism. As it was, I was much too tense. At least, the long walk had sobered me up.
We found a place to spy on the meeting, where hopefully, we wouldn't be seen. But as I looked at the bridge, I saw someone I hadn't expected.
'What's Octavia doing here?' Jasper asked.
She was running towards a man, and it didn't take me long to recognize him. It was the Grounder, the same that had kidnapped her, stabbed Finn and then escaped camp. They hugged tightly and he buried his head in her hair.
'I guess we know how he got away,' Raven said.
I looked at Bellamy, wincing at the anger on his face. I could imagine what was going through his head at the moment. But he quickly focused back on the situation at hand when there was movement on the other side of the bridge.
'Are those horses?' I whispered.
I was mesmerized. That is, until I realized what the riders were holding.
'They have bows. Shit.'
Finn, Clarke and Octavia were unharmed, looking at the Grounders with alarm in their eyes. We couldn't hear what was happening, but Clarke started walking towards the center of the bridge. A Grounder woman did the same, and I was relieved to see this one had no weapons, or none I could see. They met in the center, and from what I could see, the talks seemed to be going well. At least, Clarke hadn't ended up with an arrow in her chest yet.
'Grounder princess looks pissed,' Raven said after a while.
'Our princess has that effect,' Bellamy replied.
I rolled my eyes, strangely annoyed at the nickname. Maybe there was still alcohol in my system after all.
'Oh, no,' Jasper suddenly breathed out. 'No, this is bad.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'There's Grounders in the trees.'
My heart skipped a beat. I scanned the forest, trying to get even the slightest glimpse of those Grounders but I couldn't see a thing.
'Are you sure?' Raven asked.
'I don't see anything,' Bellamy added.
Jasper looked again and his eyes widened.
'They're gonna shoot! Clarke, run!' he shouted.
Before we could react, he came out of our hiding spot and started shooting like a madman at the trees. I ran to the bridge, knowing that I wouldn't be able to get a clear shot from the river. One of the riders was about to shoot but I quickly drew the string and my arrow pierced his arm instead.
'Y/N!' Bellamy shouted from the woods. 'Let's go!'
I started running, and it wasn't long before I joined them. We ran until we reached camp, some struggling more than others. Finally, we all stopped, panting, trying to recuperate. But Finn and Bellamy had other ideas and were glaring at each other.
'You got something to say?' Bellamy asked him harshly.
'I told you, no guns!' He yelled at Clarke.
'And I told you we couldn't trust the Grounders! I was right.'
'Why didn't you tell me what you were up to?' Raven asked Finn.
'I tried, but you were too busy making bullets for your guns!'
'You're lucky she brought that!' Bellamy replied. 'They came there to kill you, Finn.'
'You don't know that! Jasper fired the first shot!'
'You ruined everything,' Octavia agreed.
Looking at Jasper with hatred in her eyes, she stalked off towards camp.
'I saved you!' Jasper shouted after her.
She didn't turn back and he shook his head, disgusted.
'Well, if we weren't at war already,' Finn said as Jasper left, 'we sure as hell are now. You didn't have to trust the Grounders. You just had to trust me.'
Both Finn and Raven left, entering the camp with dejected expressions on their faces and then, it was just Bellamy, Clarke and me outside.
'Like I said,' Bellamy scoffed. 'Best Unity Day ever.'
I smiled tiredly at him but suddenly, we heard a distant explosion. I whirled around, worried it was the Grounders but all I saw was what looked like a shooting star fall from the sky. But it wasn't a meteor.
'The Exodus ship?' Bellamy wondered. 'Your parents are early.'
I shared an excited look with Clarke. Suddenly, the confrontation with the Grounders didn't seem all that disastrous. My father would fix everything. And finally, I would be reunited with my family.
'Wait,' Clarke said. 'Too fast. No parachute. Something's wrong.'
With wide eyes, I saw the ship disappear behind the ridge. And next thing I knew, there was another explosion and a huge cloud of smoke and flames rose above the mountains.
I think I screamed. I wasn't sure. There was a loud buzzing in my ears, and I couldn't feel my body anymore. Next to me, Clarke collapsed to the ground and I knew she was crying. I should be crying as well, I knew it. But I was paralyzed. My father had just died, but I couldn't move. I could only watch as the smoke rose in the sky.
I was powerless.
