While out in the woods, Bellamy and his group had started tracking a boar, while I had found a few plants I thought to be helpful; a few aloe plants, some mint, chamomile, some ginseng, and sage. I had dedicated two pockets in my jacket for the stuff for Jasper. One was filled with the leafs, roots, flowers basically the useful part of the plant, while my other pocket I had put seed and part of the plants in, with dirt in the same pocket, hopefully they'd last long enough to get home and be replanted. Then we could start our own supply at home.
I picked a few leaves into the top Brest pocket of my jacket, for my own personal uses. Currently, I was sucking on a mint leaf. Enjoying the chemicals of the leaf, the oil on it, that tasted cold and refreshing. I had stopped gathering plants, when I spotted the boar, ahead. I stayed where I was, giving a whistle, alerting the others, and pointed in the wild pigs direction. Then the boys all walked in front of me, while I crouched down quickly, noticing the boar was looking this way.
"Shh-shh-shh-shh." Bellamy whispered, walking forward, passing me in the process, "She's mine" He declared, his ax in hand. As he held it up to his head preparing to throw it, there was a crack behind us. Felt my fear, as I turned around, Bellamy did as well, throwing his ax hitting a tree, where a little girl, Charlotte. I stood up looking at her through narrowed eyes. Walking towards her, with Bellamy, and Atom, while the others went after the pig.
"Who the hell are you?" demanded Bellamy.
I answered him, as I stopped walking, looking at the preteen girl "She is, Charlotte Vidovic"
"I almost killed you" Bellamy stated simply, "Why aren't you back at camp?"
It was obvious why she was here, Jasper. She then answered, confirming my thoughts, with slight stuttering, "Well, well, with that guy who was dying, I just - I couldn't listen anymore"
"There's grounders out here" Atom informed her, trying to remind her of the danger, "It's to dangerous for a little girl"
Charlotte quickly responded, assuring us, "I'm not little" Then looked towards Bellamy. Whom seemed to be looking her up and down, contemplating on the situation.
"Let her come, she can help me" I stated, Charlotte then looked to me as did Atom, "I can use the extra pockets, also, who better to keep an eye on her than me?" I gave Charlotte a playful wink.
"Okay, then." Bellamy finally stated, "But you can't be out here without a weapon, and you stay with either Jonah, Atom or me, got it?" He ordered, she nodded, he then handed her, a knife from his side. She then took it, holding it tightly. Bellamy then asked, "Ever killed something before?" She shook her head, Bellamy then added softly and encouragingly, "Well, who knows? Maybe, you're good at it"
I looked at him, a bit surprised, he was almost calming, and soothing. Then when we were back, following the others, I kept looking at him. When Charlotte and Atom were behind Bellamy and I, I spoke "Who would've thunk it" He looked down at me with a raised eyebrow, as I added, "You a royal hard ass, would be soft"
He smiled, with a chuckle, "there are two sides to every coin"
"I'm guess there's more to it" I stated, rolling my eyes at his mumbo-jumbo, "She reminds you of Octavia"
He smiled, "Yeah, I figured you would know why, and you're correct" Then he added to it, in a serious tone, "What's her story anyways, Charlottes"
"Are you asking for information from me?" I teased, then adding "Charlotte, she was arrested for assulting a guard, that was taking her parents things to redistribution center. Her parents were floated previously. As for what I know of her personality, she's a scare young girl. I presume troubled by her parents being gone, otherwise shes, like most of us when we were her age"
"Which is?" He questioned, curious.
I chuckled, "the starting age of puberty, where we're still kids, yet we're not at the same time" I then added, "Just wait for the PMS-ing, hopefully she's not like most young women, bitchy, over sensitive and generally unbearable."
He then laughed at my comment of PMS, "Are you not like that?" he raised his hand, "You know what I don't think I want to know"
In that moment there was a sudden change in the atmosphere. Birds were getting loud, and seemed to be flying in one direction, while below use bugs were running in the same direction.
"We need to follow the bugs, now" I ordered, grabbing Charlotte by the arm, leading her in the direction that the bugs and birds were going. Bellamy and Atom right behind us. Then we heard the sound of some horn. It had to be a warning, of sorts, about whatever the bugs and birds are running away. Bellamy then ran ahead, grabbing a hold of Charlottes arm, as he did, we then climbed up a small, hill, where we knew a cave entrance was. As I climbed I could feel and see the yellow dust that had followed us. I felt the slight burning that the small amount did. Once inside the cave Bellamy grabbed me, putting himself in front of Charlotte and I.
"Bellamy! Jonah!" Someone yelled, Bellamy let us go about to walk out, only to start coughing as the cloud got close.
Quickly I grabbed him pulling him back inside. "We wouldn't be able to make it" I snapped, as he gave me a look, we then watched as the yellow cloud of smoke went past the opening of the cave, I then looked at Charlotte, "get as far away from the opening alright" I instructed, she just nodded, walking ahead, while I pulled Bellamy with us.
It had been hours since we entered the cave. Waiting for the cloud to pass. Charlotte sat on a slightly lifted bit of stone, that was her size. While Bellamy sat with his hand shown to me as I looked at the slight burns he had gotten from the cloud. I had taken out the plants I had managed to gather, currently I was applying the aloe to his hand, putting my palm on top. Hoping with the combination of heat would cause the oils of it to release.
"Any ideas what that is?" Bellamy questioned, wanting to know what the cloud was, "Radiation?"
I looked out the cave, "My guess it's a fog of acid. As for what kind of acid, I have no idea, whatever it is, can become air born and acts like a radiation storm, moving quickly." I then looked at him, "Radiation from what I've been taught acts differently, we'd be red or pink due to the burn, we'd be itching, burning and sore." I then removed my hand and leaves, looking at his hand observing it, "As for acid its results in skin irritation, redness, itching and blistering, which is happening now." I then put the leaves and my palm back, I let out a sigh"just being barely in that mustard cloud resulted in blisters and coughing, I don't think I want to know what happens when we're fully in it"
"How long is it going to last?" Charlotte asked her voice worrisome. I had no answer, this wasn't something I've ever thought about happening.
Bellamy seemed to take hint at my delayed answer and my face, as he answered her, reassuring her, "it's alright we'll wait till it's over." He then looked at me, giving me a reassuring look. I nodded, though I didn't by the comfort. For all we knew this is something that the Grounders could navigate, if they could, it would be bad news for us, we'd be stuck here, no way out. What of the camp? Or the hunting parties? Jasper can't wait to much longer without some sort of relief.
I decided to stay awake for the night while everyone slept. It was a bad idea, as I was struggling just to keep my eyes open. Staying awake the past few days with Jasper around was easy, him moaning every thirty minutes, waking me up. But now, there was just the sound soft snoring of Bellamy, and Charlotte, whom was mumbling in her sleep. The cloud hadn't passed, or let up what-so-ever. Bright side nothing came into the cave, or at least nothing has found us, not yet. As I had shut my eyes, moments later, there was a scream, waking me up, causing me to turn to Charlotte, Bellamy had woken up also. She was breathing heavily, when she woke up.
"I'm sorry" She whispered, as she sat up. Looking away in shame
"It's alright." I replied, why did she feel the need to apologize? It was just a bad dream. I motioned for her to scoot, so I could sit next to her, on her ledge, she then leaned her head against my chest, as I rubbed her back trying to sooth her.
While Bellamy talked to her, "Does it happen often?" He questioned, with genuine concern. Charlotte then let out a sigh, answering his question, then he asked another, "What are you so scared of?" I then looked at him, meeting his eyes, he seemed to remember our earlier conversation, that she was troubled due to her parents being floated, he then looked back at Charlotte, "You know what? Doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you do about it"
"But... I'm alseep" She responded in her soft, small voice.
Bellamy looked to the left, remembering something from his past, "fears are fears." He then looked back at her, "slay your demons when you're awake, they won't be there to get you when you sleep" I smiled softly, it was kind of cute. This non-total ass side of Bellamy. Was he like this before the ground?
"Yeah, but... How?" Charlotte questioned, not fully understanding Bellamy.
I rubbed her back, "you fight them, you have to" I whispered, quoting Bellamy, "Slay your demons you need to"
"You can't afford to be weak." He then went on a speech about the ground, "Down here, weakness is death, fear is death." A few moments of silence, he then asked her to pullout the knife he had given her earlier. When she pulled it out, he held her hand, making her wrap her hand around the make-shift knifes handle, he then looked at her, "Now, when you feel afraid, you hold tight to this knife, and you say; screw you. I'm not afraid"
"Screw you. I'm not afraid" she repeated him, in a soft tone. I wanted to laugh at the face the made next, instead I smiled and bit my tongue, encouraging her to say it like she meant it. "Screw you. I'm not afraid." She repeated, louder and more confidently.
He then patted her leg, "Slay your demons, kid, then you'll be able to sleep." He then looked to me, "I'll take the shift, you look like you need to sleep" He informed me.
I just rolled my eyes, staying where I was as I felt Charlotte lay on my lap, holding the knife. I hope she doesn't cut in her sleep.
Come morning, the fog was gone. Slowly, I stepped outside, making sure it was safe. seeing no more mustard yellow gas, or anything to worry about I looked back.
"All clear come on" I whispered
"Anybody out here?" Bellamy yelled, much to my displeasure. If Grounders are out here, they know where we are now. "Jones?"
A few heatbeats later someone spoke up, "We're here!"
Looking in the direction the voice came from Bellamy took lead, while I took the rear, Charlotte between us, holding her knife. We then saw three other people, jones and his group, looking a bit shaken up.
"Lost you in the stew. Where'd you go?" Bellamy questioned then, curious.
The pointed in one direction, "Made it to a cave down there" The leader, Jones stated, "what the hell was that?"
"Acid fog" I answered, noticing someone was missing.
"Where's Atom?" Bellamy questioned, noticing that one of his seconds were missing.
When there was no answer we, a moment of dread swept over us all. We then spitted up into various directions. Hunting for him. Splitting up into teams of two. I took Charlotte with me, walking aways away, till I saw something, that made my blood run cold. I grabbed Charlottes arm, stopping her from walking, quickly turning her towards me. I don't think she saw yet.
"Go get Bellamy alright, bring him here." I ordered, walking past her, down to where I saw Atoms body. Kneeling down I looked at him, feeling my hair stick up when he moved, looking at me whispering, begging to be killed, His body was covered in bumps all over his skin, his eyes are pale and gray possibly he was blind, only knowing someone was here do to the change in light.
Then a scream, I looked behind me seeing Charlotte, when she screamed again, Bellamy then showed up, I gave him a look of sympathy. Then he ran over kneeling on the opposite side of Atom. He then leaned in close to Atoms face, studying his eyes and hearing him beg to be killed. His face changed, he wouldn't be able to do it. To much of an attachment to Atom.
He went to lay a hand on Atoms chest, I grabbed his wrist stopping him from touching the boy, he then looked up at me, seeing my look.
"Is there anything we can do?" He whispered, begging for a solution. I didn't give him an answer. He then looked back at Atom. He then stood up, affected by the scene. As Charlotte walked over, putting a hand out, not to hold Bellamys hand but she had placed a knife in it.
"Don't be afraid" she repeated his words from last night.
Bellamy then sat up right, "Go back to camp. Charlotte, you, too."
She looked as if she were ready to object, "Charlotte, please" I said in a strong tone, looking away, back at Atom. When she finally left, Bellamy kneeled again, holding the makeshift knife close to Atom, whom had turned his head, waiting for it. I looked at Bellamy, looking to see Clarke standing behind, I motioned for her to come closer. When she walked forward she place a hand onto Bellamys shoulder, reasuringly, while I took the knife.
"It's okay" Clarke whispered, as she began humming. While I placed the knife against Atoms neck, right where his carotid artery would be, a pinky away from his ear, then plunged it in to the spot, quickly. A few moments later Atom had stopped breathing. I shut my eyes, hoping, praying it was the right thing to do.
It was night time by the time we made it back to camp, we had met up with Finn and Wells while on our way back. I had been holding my arm close, I just killed someone. Telling myself it was out of mercy, but that didn't help. I couldn't help but feel terrible about it. Octavia had a fling with Atom as well. She'd likely get made at Bellamy, accusing him for planning this, and it'd be my fault for her pain. I was the one that killed him. All I could hope for was that she'd understand eventually.
At the gate of camp, I saw Octavia walking over. I then grabbed an arm that went past me, it was Finn he looked at me, when he realized he was grabbed.
"Here take these, Jasper needs them" I whispered, handing him the plants I found.
When Bellamy entered with the stretcher that had Atoms body, he ordered someone to get Clarke anything she needed. Wells went to go get a grave dug for Atom.
"You better go" Bellamy suggested, looking at me, as Octavia got closer. But it was to late Octavia was already here. "Octavia, just stay there. Please, stay back" He weakly commanded. He then tried his best to keep her back, without forcing her to.
Wiggling her way past him, "Stop" she ordered, she then looked at me, as I stood in front of her, I couldn't give her any reassuance, comfoet, I just ended up looking at the ground, as I stood to the side, letting her pass, she then saw the stretcher, kneeled down, removing the jacket that had covered Atoms face.
"There was nothing I could do" Bellamy tried to explain.
Only to have Octavia hold her hand up and stop him, "Don't." I looked at her face, seeing the shiny trails her tears followed. She then covered up Atoms face getting up.
"Oh, Oh, please" Bellamy begged, wanting to explain.
"Don't." Octavia responded, walking away.
I grabbed a hold of Bellamys arm, stopping him from going after her, "Let her cool off, she'll come around. I'll talk to her in the morning" I advised him. He just looked at me then looked at Murphy as he walked up.
"Lose anyone here?" Bellamy questioned, as Murphy got closer.
"No" Murphy responded, which filled me with relief.
I smiled softly, "Good"
Bellamy seemed to relax a bit, then asked, "Jasper?"
What Murphy then answered "Still breathing. Barely. " He then went on, "I tried to take him out, but your psycho little sister-" bad choice of words. Because he was grabbed by Bellamy, and pushed, and then pulled Murphy close. Holding him by the neck of his shirt, "Bellamy-" He started, seemingly unaware as to why he was being treated this way.
"My what? My what?" He dared Murphy to repeat himself.
Murphy then realized, and corrected himself, "Your little sister" His tone, I couldn't help but as if it was a sense of his loyalty to Bellamy being cut. As if he wouldn't be as easily controlled. Not good.
Murphy then shoved back, confirming my thoughts, "yeah, that's right. My little sister." Bellamy reminded, him "Got anything else you want to say about her?" He dared him once more.
"Bellamy" I whispered, placing a hand on his back, "He gets it" I then looked at Murphy, hoping he'll just walk away. As much as I didn't trust him, I didn't want him to get beat up, we needed the extra hand around camp.
He looked to me, then back at Bellamy, then finally answering, "Nothing. Sorry."
Bellamy then backed up, I did also, as he would've stepped on me, he then looked around the camp, realizing everyone was watching.
"Come on." I ordered, him taking a hold of his arm. He couldn't falter anymore then he already has, he needed to pull himself together, before he could face, the camp, let alone Octavia.
He then looked at someone pointing at Atom, "Get him out of here" He ordered, then he let me lead him towards his tent. It was larger than the other ones, with a bed, that was made of leafs and various other plants, with a tarp over it, and part of a parachute being used as a blanket. It also had drawings in the dirt, of what I presumed to be plans for the wall. There was also a makeshift desk, that was just some wood stuck in the ground with a panel from the dropship on top. There also was a fern growing inside.
In his tent now he was walking back and forth, pacing. As if figuring out what to say to Octavia. I let out a sigh.
"Sit Bellamy, she'll come around. Just give her time, alright?" I ordered him, in a low voice, not wanting anyone outside to be heard.
He kept pacing, "How do you know she will? What if she doesn't stop blaming me?" He whispered.
I rolled my eyes pulling his elbow, stopping him from walking around, and I pulled him to face me, "I don't know. But with family you never know, they just come around" I then quickly added, "I was the one that killed him, I'll tell her that alright? She'll be more hateful to me then she is with you." I smiled and added, "I'll even let her punch me till she feels better. Bottom line she'll get over him, we all will. We won't forget him, we will just learn to live with the fact he's dead" I couldn't help but add on, "I have a feeling it's something we're all going to have to get used to now."
His eyes just studied me for the longest time, then he closed his eyes, as if accepting the fact, "you're right." He whispered, he then walked away, as I let him go, he sat on his bed, head face in his hands, as he rubbed his face.
"Want me to leave?" I questioned him, not sure if he still needed anymore reassuring, or comfort.
He shook his head, "No, not yet" He then looked up at me, then patted a spot on his bed next to him, I raised an eyebrow at him, he then chuckled, "Just sit woman, I just want to talk more."
"About what?" I asked, giving in and sitting next to him.
Giving me a shrug he then, answered, "Anything to get my mind of Atom, off Octavia."
I looked at him, as he was looking down on the ground, then I spoke, "I was born a week before Clarke was, back on the Ark, whenever I'd meet anyone that wasn't in my classes, I would go by my mothers last name, the name 'Kane' was a for sure a way to throw people off and make them keep walking." I then paused, smiling, "I wounder what they'd both think of me now, that I've killed someone"
He looked up at me, "They've killed people also, floating them. Voting to float them."
"Not to mention sending a hundred of us down here, unaware if we'd live or not." I added, then looked at him, "your turn."
Come morning I woke up, hearing someone scream about finding a body. I sat up bolt right, jumping up to my feet, Bellamy following my lead putting his boots back on, while I just walked out, as I hadn't taken mine off. I made my way through the group of people crowded that had started to form. Pushing my way through, I then saw, that the body that had been dragged into camp. It was Wells. I fell to my knees looking at him, his eyes were open, he had a cut in the neck, likely how he died.
I couldn't speak, I was to stunned. I predicted this would happen, that he wouldn't just die, but he would be murdered, killed by someone else. Bit it still shocked me. What happened? I then grabbed his hand examining it, no defensive marks, on this hand, it was pointed out that his other hand was cut, as fingers were cut off. Then all the sudden Clarke had rushed over, dropping to her knees on the opposite side of our dead friend. I looked up at her, we met eyes, we were both stunned. As people began to mutter, talking, questioning what happened.
"There aren't any defensive marks, aside from his cut fingers, which I presume he had stuck his hand up to stop the attack, otherwise nothing. He was caught off guard when he was murdered" I said aloud, then looked closer at his neck, "It looks like all it took was a stabbed in the neck, I assume into the carotid artery." I then pushed myself off of the ground, "He was murdered" I whispered, looking over the crowd, just about everyone here had a problem with him, hated him because of his father. However, I couldn't ignore the fact, that there were also Grounders down here. He might have been killed by one of them. But why? Why not attack us all while we're asleep? Why kill just one person? Were they playing with us?
Was it even the Grounders that did this? Or was it someone here? Wells was an idiot coming down here. He had hardly any support from anyone here, aside from me, and we had Grounders out there. He literally came down here, putting himself between a rock and a hard place. The moron should've stayed on the Ark.