My body jolts awake in the dead of night, heart pounding like a drum. I sit up and see Bellamy frantically pulling on his boots, face etched with worry as he slipped on his jacket. His face was hard and tense, brows pinched together in thought.
"What's going on?" I ask, my voice trembling with fear.
"I have to check on Octavia," he muttered, not even bothering to look at me as he tied his laces. "I can't remember seeing her when we set off the flares." Panic courses through me as I realize the gravity of the situation. My mind raced with thoughts of danger and death, but I tried to reassure myself that everything was okay.
"She's probably just sleeping," I said weakly but Bellamy's intense gaze told me otherwise.
"I should have check on her before going to sleep." He whispered, words laced with guilt. "She's my sister, my responsibility. Go back to sleep, Songbird. I'll be back." He turned to leave and I was left alone in the tent, shivering from both fear and the absence of Bellamy's warmth. As I laid back down, my hand shook as I reached for my forehead, unable to calm the racing thoughts in my head. Bellamy's worry was infectious, and now I found myself wondering about Octavia too. The last time I'd seen her was earlier in the day, before we'd started preparing the flares. She'd mentioned something about exploring the woods, but surely she wouldn't have stayed out all night?
I tossed and turned for a few minutes before giving up on sleep entirely. With a sigh, I pushed myself up and pulled on my own boots. The night air was crisp as I stepped out of the tent, a stark contrast to the stuffy warmth inside. The camp was eerily quiet, most of the one hundred still fast asleep after the excitement of the flare launch. Bellamy had a torch in his hand peering into each tent, one by one, looking for his little sister. "Octavia!" The flap to Clarke's tent was pinned up and she was sitting at the entrance as Bellamy approached her. "You're up?" She stood up and took a step outside the tent.
"Yeah." She breathed, glaring at him. "Knowing that hundreds of people might be dying on the Ark makes it pretty hard to sleep."
"Raven's flares will work."
"Her radio would've worked better." Bellamy stared at her silently, eyes wide with guilt and regret of his mistake.
"Haven you seen Octavia?" Clarke's brows furrowed, her anger replaced with confusion.
"No. It's Octavia. She's probably chasing butterflies."
"Clarke, I've checked the camp." There was a slight tremble to his voice as panic was beginning to set in at the thought of not knowing where his little sister was. "She's not here." Clarke stared up him, seeing the worry in his eyes.
"Ok. I'll help you find her. Let's check again. You go to the dropship. Juliett, check the wall. I'll check the rest of the tents."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Octavia." I nodded to Clarke and headed towards the wall, my heart pounding. The perimeter was dark, save for the flickering torches mounted at intervals along the makeshift barrier. As I walked, I called out softly, "Octavia? Are you out here?" Only silence answered me. I shivered, pulling my jacket tighter around me. The woods beyond the wall loomed ominously, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us from the shadows. I had almost finished my circuit when I heard Bellamy's voice, urgent and strained.
"Anything?"
"Nothing," I replied, turning to face him. The firelight cast harsh shadows across his face, emphasizing the worry etched there.
"She's not in the dropship either," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Where could she be?" Just then, Clarke jogged up to us, slightly panting.
"She's not in any of the tents." Bellamy's face contorted with fear and frustration.
"We have to search outside the wall," he declared, his voice tight with determination.
"Bellamy, it's dangerous out there," Clarke warned. "We don't know what's in those woods, especially at night."
"I don't care," he snapped. "My sister is out there somewhere. I'm going to find her." I stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm.
"I'll go with you," I offered softly. Bellamy's eyes met mine, a flicker of gratitude passing through them. Clarke sighed heavily.
"Fine. But we need to be smart about this. We'll form search parties, fan out in different directions. And everyone needs to be armed." Bellamy nodded curtly, already moving towards the gate.
"I'll get some volunteers." Bellamy said. "Meet back here in five minutes." As he strode away, I could see the tension in every line of his body. Clarke turned to me, her expression grim.
"We need to be prepared for anything out there," she said quietly. "Grounders, wild animals... who knows what else." I nodded, swallowing hard. The reality of our situation hit me anew - we were alone on a planet we barely understood, surrounded by unknown dangers. And now one of our own was missing. Five minutes later, a small group had assembled at the gate. Bellamy had managed to rouse about a dozen volunteers, including Miller, Finn, and Jasper. Everyone looked nervous but determined.
"Alright, listen up," Bellamy called out, his voice strong despite the worry I could see in his eyes. Bellamy's face transformed into a battle-ready mask, his jaw set and his eyes narrowed with fierce determination. Fear and frustration pulsed through his body, but they were fuel to his quest to find his little sister. "We're going to split into four groups. Each group takes a different direction. Stay together, stay alert. Grab a weapon." He held out my staff and makeshift sheath to me and I took it. "My sister's been out there alone for twelve hours. Arm up. We're not coming back without her."
"Guys, guys." A man called out, pointing to the sky. "Look up there." I looked up at the night to see dozens of flickering lights, sparkling and glimmering as they fell through the stars.
"It's so beautiful." I whispered under my breath entranced by the sparkle.
"They didn't work." Raven cried, her voice trembling. We all turned our eyes to her. She had sadness and grief all over her face. "They didn't see the flares."
"A meteor shower tells you that?" Bellamy questioned her with an arched brow.
"It's not a meteor shower, it's a funeral." Clarke whispered. "Hundreds of bodies being returned to the earth from the Ark. This is what it looks like from the other side." Bellamy casted his eyes down to the ground, swallowing hard. "They didn't get our message."
"This is all because of you!" Raven snarled as she charged at Bellamy, hands balling into fists. Finn and Clarke each grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back.
"I helped you find the radio." Bellamy reminded her, defending himself.
"Yeah, after you jacked it from my pod and trashed it!" I placed a gentle hand on Bellamy's chest as I stepped in front of him and looked at Raven, trying to diffuse the tension between the two.
"Yeah, he knows." I told gently, but my tone was firm. "Now he has to live with it." I looked up at Bellamy who looked a little hurt but there was understanding in his eyes. He glanced back up at the burning lights before turning back to the camp's gate, face hard as stone.
"All I know is that my sister is out there and I'm gonna find her." Bellamy said with determination. "You coming or what?" Everyone nodded their head. "What are we waiting for? Move out!" We moved through the forest in tense silence, our footsteps muffled by thick carpet of leaves and moss. In our group, it was Roma, Jasper, Finn, John, Chelsea, Alex, Bellamy and me. The darkness pressed in around us, broken only by the fain glow of our torches. Every snapping twig or rustle in the underbrush made us jump, our nerves stretched to breaking point. Bellamy led our group, his face set in determination as he called out for Octavia every few minutes. I stayed close behind him, my staff held tightly in both hands, ready for any threat that might emerge from the shadows. "Octavia!" Bellamy's voice echoed through the trees. "O, where are you?"
"Hey!" John called out. "Over here." Bellamy walked over to where John was peering down into a ravine.
"What is it?"
"Right there. Do you see it?" I squinted my eyes and at the bottom of the ravine in some undergrowth it looked like a belt. "Is that Octavia's?"
"Rope." Alex unstrapped the roll of rope on his side and tied one end to a tree before handing it to Bellamy who tossed the rest of it down into the ravine.
"What are you doing?" Finn asked.
"We need the rope to get back up. Flashlight." He took John's flashlight from it before wrapping the rope around his waist and slowly began to walk down the side of the hill. I watched anxiously as Bellamy made his way down the steep slope, his movements careful and deliberate. The rest of us held our breath, torches held high to provide what little light we could. As Bellamy reached the bottom, he crouched down, examining the undergrowth. "It's hers," he called up, his voice tight with worry. "I'm going to look around down here."
"Be careful," I shouted back, sliding my staff onto my back and into its holder. Bellamy moved slowly through the undergrowth, pushing aside branches and leaves as I took a hold of the rope and began my descent with others following behind. I jumped the rest of the way down and looked to my left to see Bellamy crouched over a rock, fingers skimming it lightly. He pulled out his flashlight and held his fingers under the light to see a red stain of blood on his fingertips. Finn looked at the mud around us.
"Someone else was here." He said. "The prints are deeper going that way. He was carrying her."
"Which means she's still alive." I tried to assure Bellamy.
"Like when they took me." Jasper whispered behind us. Bellamy's jaw clenched at Jasper's words, his eyes darkening with a mixture of fear and rage.
"If they hurt her, I'll kill them all," he growled, pushing himself to his feet. I placed a hand on his arm, feeling the tension thrumming through his muscles.
"We'll find her, Bellamy," I said softly. "But we need to be smart about this." Finn nodded, already examining the ground more closely.
"The trail leads this way," he said, pointing deeper into the forest. "It's faint, but I think I can follow it."
"Then let's move," Bellamy ordered, his voice brooking no argument. "Stay alert. We don't know what we're walking into." We moved through the forest as quietly as possible, with Finn in the lead, his eyes constantly scanning the ground for signs of passage. Journeying deeper into the dark woods, my breath caught in my chest as we came across a dozen posts sticking out of the ground on either side of the path continuing on. Attached to each post was a rotting skeleton with a torch on top to light them.
"I don't speak grounder… but I'm pretty sure this means keep out."
"Go back if you want. My sister, my responsibility." Bellamy swallowed hard, eyeing each one of the skeletons before pressing on. We pressed on, the eerie glow of the torches casting long shadows across our path. The air felt thick with tension, and I could hear the rapid breathing of my companions as we moved deeper into grounder territory. Bellamy's determination was palpable, his eyes fixed ahead, searching for any sign of Octavia. Hours passed and the sun was rising in the east, illuminating everything to the point where we no longer needed our torches. Finn was looking all around him at the ground before throwing his hands up, sighing heavily.
"I got nothing. We lost the trail."
"Keep looking." Bellamy insisted, his voice hoarse from hours of calling Octavia's name. "She has to be here somewhere." I exchanged a worried glance with Finn. We were all exhausted, having trekked through the forest all night. The adrenaline that had fueled us initially was wearing off, replaced by bone-deep fatigue and gnawing hunger.
"Bellamy," I said gently, touching his arm. "Maybe we should head back to camp, regroup, get some food and water. We can come back with fresh eyes—"
"No!" He snapped, whirling to face me. His eyes were wild, desperate. "I'm not leaving her out here. I can't."
"I understand that, Bellamy. And I'm not asking you to leave her out here but wandering around aimlessly isn't the way to find your sister. We should backtrack…"
"I'm not going back."
"Hey, where's John?" Roma asked, looking around. We all froze, scanning the area around us. John was nowhere to be seen.
"I just saw him a second ago." Jasper said.
"John!" Roma called out, her voice echoing through the trees. No response. A chill ran down my spine. Bellamy's jaw clenched, his eyes darting between the direction we'd come from and the path ahead. I could see the conflict in his face—the need to find Octavia warring with the responsibility for the rest of us.
"Spread out." Bellamy finally said. "He couldn't have gotten that far." As we began to spread out, a loud thud echoed in the center of the our group as John's body fell from the trees and collapsed on the forest floor. I let out a strangled gasp, taking a step back in shock as Bellamy took a hold of my arm to pull me back close to him. John's body was covered in blood with throat slit as his eyes were still wide with panic, fear being the last emotion he felt before he died.
"Oh my God," Roma whispered, her voice trembling. Jasper stumbled backwards, retching into the bushes. Bellamy's grip on my arm tightened as he pulled me closer, his eyes scanning the treetops.
"We're not alone." Bellamy hissed. Finn looked up into the tree canopy but saw nothing.
"They use the trees." He breathed as he still searched the canopy.
"We shouldn't have crossed the boundary." Alex told Bellamy.
"Now can we go back?" Chelsea asked frantically.
"There." Jasper pointed into the distance and we all looked to see a single figure standing perfectly still. He wore dark clothing that covered every inch of his body. His mask was covered with blue spikes on top of his head. He looked like a monster from scary stories.
"Another one." Alex breathed. I turned to see another figure walking in a big circle around us. He wore the same thing as his companion but he had a sword and a shield.
"We should run." Finn told Bellamy.
"Run!" Bellamy shouted, pushing me ahead of him. We took off, crashing through the underbrush, branches whipping at our faces. I could hear the others panting and stumbling behind us, Roma's panicked sobs cutting through the air. My lungs burned as we sprinted through the forest, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw shadowy figures leaping in and out of trees as they followed us. They started surrounding us but they never got close. They always stayed at a distance with one on either side of us and another one behind us. And any time we would try to change direction, they would cut us off. My heart pounded in my ears as I ran, branches scratching my face and arms. Suddenly, my foot caught on a root and I went sprawling, the wind knocked out of me as I hit the ground hard. "Songbird!" Bellamy's voice cut through the chaos. I felt his strong hands gripping my arms, hauling me to my feet. "Come on, we have to keep moving!"
"What are we gonna do?" Alex yelled. "They keep heading us off."
"Just keep running!" Finn called back.
"I can't run much longer!" Jasper panted, slowing down.
"I'm not stopping for him!" Alex shouted. Bellamy skidded to a halt, panting. I stopped beside him, bending over and placing my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath.
"I'm sick of running anyway." Bellamy snapped as he turned to face the grounders.
"What are you doing?" Finn asked.
"They know where she is." As the grounders got closer, Alex and Roma panicked and continued to run. Roma let out a blood curdling scream and we took off after them.
"Wait! Roma." We skidded to a stop as we rounded a corner and came face to face with Alex with spikes sticking out of his chest and blood dripping out of his mouth. My eyes grew wide at the sight, frantically looking at the contraption. It looked like the grounders had compiled a trap with a log that had spikes sticking out and if someone walked into it they would be skewered. "We have to find the others." Bellamy and Finn started to take off again but I called them back. My heart was pounding in my chest and anxiety was growing in my pit. My mind was racing as I began to panic but I forced myself to calm down.
"Everyone stop running!" I said and they froze. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, humming a little part of I Want it That Way by Backstreet Boys to help my logical side overcome my emotional side. When I felt my panic began to ease, I opened my eyes to look at everyone. "We're being herded. They were pushing us to come this way. It's the only direction we could run in. We're exactly where they was us to be." They all looked at me questioningly, panting softly. "Look around! They're gone! Because they got us where they want us." Bellamy looked at the group to figure out who was missing.
"After Roma." Bellamy took off in a run past Alex's dead body ignoring my protest.
"Bellamy, no! Wait! Damn it!" Without wanting him to go alone, I followed after him with the others behind me.
"There she is." Chelsea said, pointing ahead of me. We all slowed to a walk behind Bellamy as we saw part of Roma's shoulder stick out from behind a tree. "Roma!" Roma didn't move or respond. Bellamy jogged to the other side of the tree, eyes growing wide as he faced Roma. My heart sank to my stomach as I already figured out what had happened but I forced myself to witness to crime anyways. As I approached her, there was a spear that had pierced her in the chest, pinning her to the tree.
"They're playing with us." Bellamy slowly reached a hand out to close Roma's eyes, shutting off her fearful and pained look from the world.
"She only came because of me." Bellamy muttered quietly.
"They can kill us whenever they want."
"Then they should get it over with!" Jasper started yelling into the trees, getting worked up from his trauma being resurfaced. "Come on! We know you're out there!"
"Finn, shut him up!" I snapped, looking around the trees. Finn ran over to Jasper and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him to try to knock some sense into him.
"You want to kill us…" A figure darted in and out of the undergrowth heading towards us.
"Bellamy! They're coming back!" I grabbed my staff from my back as I saw another one to the right of us. I spun my staff in my hand before gripping it with both hands, ready to fight. Before they could get too close to us, a horn began to blow loudly, echoing through the forest. As soon as the grounders heard the horn, they immediately stopped and started to run in the other direction. The grounders vanished into the forest as quickly as they had appeared, leaving us bewildered and on edge. The horn continued to echo, its low, mournful sound sending chills down my spine.
"What the hell was that?" Jasper whispered, his eyes wide with fear.
"I know that sound… we heard it when we were down by the river getting the seaweed. Right before…" I looked to Finn wide eyed because he was there too. "The acid fog. We need to find shelter, now." Bellamy nodded, his face grim.
"There's no time to get back to camp." He said, pulling out a large tarp from his pack. "We need to find cover here." We quickly scanned our surroundings, looking for anything that could provide shelter from the approaching fog. My heart raced as I remembered the horrific effects of the acid fog we'd encountered before.
"There!" Finn pointed to a cluster of large boulders nearby. "Those rocks might provide some cover." We sprinted towards the rocks, Bellamy pulling the tarp behind us. As we reached the boulders, I spotted a small opening between two of them, just large enough for us to squeeze through.
"In here!" I called, already pushing my way into the crevice. The others followed quickly, Bellamy bringing up the rear with the tarp. Inside, we found ourselves in a small cave-like space, barely big enough for the five of us to huddle together. Bellamy quickly worked to secure the tarp over the entrance, sealing us off from the outside world. We waited for what felt like forever, all of us getting impatient. Bellamy was the worst. He was constantly shifting his weight from foot to foot, eager to get back out there to look for his little sister.
"How long are we supposed to wait?" Jasper asked.
"Will this even work?" Chelsea asked, her voice laced with doubt.
"We'll find out." Finn answered confidently.
"No." Bellamy said impatiently. "We won't." He let out a frustrated sigh and reached for the tarp that covered the entrance of the cave. I cursed under my breath, knowing that he was about to expose us to danger. Bellamy pulled back the tarp and peered outside. To our surprise and confusion, it was clear. Furrowing my brows in confusion, I looked outside with him. There was no yellow fog or storm anywhere in sight.
"Maybe it was a false alarm." I stepped out of the cave with the others behind as Bellamy took down the tarp and folded it back up to put it back in his pack. As we stood there, taking in our surroundings, a shadow caught my attention. It moved through the trees away from us. I grabbed Bellamy's arm and pointed to the figure.
"I think he's alone." I whispered, trying not to draw any attention to our group.
"Now can we run?" Chelsea asked.
"He doesn't see us." Bellamy observed, watching the grounder run. "I'm going after him."
"And what?" I inquired. "Kill him?"
"No. Catch him. Make him tell me where Octavia is, then kill him."
"Bellamy, wait," I hissed, grabbing his arm. "This could be a trap. We don't know how many more of them are out there." He hesitated, conflict clear in his eyes. I could see the desperation warring with reason. After a moment, he nodded tersely.
"Fine. But we follow him. Maybe he'll lead us to where they're keeping Octavia." We moved silently through the forest, trailing the lone grounder at a distance. The others followed behind us, tense and alert. As we crept forward, I noticed the grounder seemed to be moving with purpose, not randomly fleeing. Suddenly, he disappeared from view. We crouched low, scanning the area.
"There," Finn whispered, pointing to a small cave ahead. The entrance was barely visible, camouflaged by vines and moss. Bellamy's eyes narrowed as he focused on the cave entrance. Without a word, he started moving towards it, his steps careful and silent. I followed close behind, my heart pounding in my chest. As we approached, we could hear muffled sounds coming from inside. The cave entrance was small and hidden, almost blending in with the surrounding foliage. Vines and moss covered its mouth, making it easy to miss. A faint light flickered from within, the only indication of life inside. The grounder's figure disappeared into the darkness as he entered the cave. We crept forward, pressing ourselves against the rocky wall on either side of the opening. I gripped my staff tightly, ready for anything. Bellamy was the first one to enter the cave and when I heard Octavia's small voice, I let out a sigh of relief.
"Bellamy?" She called out.
"Octavia." He breathed, gratitude and relief flooding his tone. I rounded the corner to see Octavia a bloody mess and chained to the rocky wall. In front of her was an unconscious grounder with a gash across his face. Bellamy rushed forward to his little sister. "Get the key." Bellamy snatched the key from her feet and began to unlock the chains around her wrists. "Chelsea, watch the entrance." She stayed back to keep watch as Finn and I stood over top of the grounder while Bellamy helped Octavia to her feet. As soon as her hands were free, Octavia flung her arms around her big brother's neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Her eyes closed in relief as she slumped against him. Bellamy wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug. "It's ok. You're ok." He helped her to her feet as she let go of him. Octavia turned to Jasper and gave him a hug.
"How did you find me?" She asked as she threw her arms around him.
"Followed him." Jasper answered with a smile, pointing to the grounder.
"We should go. Now. Before he wakes up." Bellamy stared down at the grounder and I could see the murderous glint in his eyes in the darkness.
"He's not gonna wake up." Bellamy growled, taking a spear off the cave wall and stepping up to the grounder, holding the tip above his chest.
"Bellamy, stop. He didn't hurt me. Let's just go."
"They started this. Finn. Move." Finn crouched down next to the grounder, playing with something on his belt. He tilted a horn made of bone back and forth, examining the ancient Nordic symbols carved into it.
"Foghorn." Finn breathed. Before we could register what was happening, the grounder woke up and with a single fluid motion, he pulled a knife out and plunged it deep into Finn's chest. As I raised my staff, the grounder swiped my feet from out underneath with his massive arm. I fell onto my back, the air leaving my lungs. The cave erupted into chaos. Finn stumbled backward, blood blooming across his shirt. Bellamy lunged at the grounder with the spear. I scrambled to my feet, heart pounding as I watched the two men grapple. The grounder was incredibly strong, easily deflecting Bellamy's attacks. Jasper tried to come up from behind him, but the grounder kicked back at Jasper without even taking his eyes off Bellamy. He kicked Bellamy in the side of the knee, knocking him to the ground on his back. The grounder stood over top of Bellamy, using all his force to push the spearhead down into his throat. Bellamy grunted with effort as he tried to pushed up on the spear, struggling against the grounder.
"Stop!" Octavia's voice pierced the chaos, her desperation echoing through the tumultuous air. "That's my brother!" With fierce determination, I surged ahead, my staff a whirlwind of protection as I struck the assailant squarely in the jaw, forcing him away from Bellamy. Swiftly pivoting, I delivered a decisive blow to the back of the attacker's head, sending him crumpling to the ground in unconscious defeat once more. I stood over the grounder, panting heavily, my staff still raised. Bellamy scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with a mixture of gratitude and shock.
"Nice hit." He breathed, touching his throat where the spear had nearly pierced his skin.
"Finn!" Octavia cried, rushing where Finn lay slumped against the cave wall. Blood was seeping through his shirt at an alarming rate. Clarke would know what to do, but Clarke wasn't here.
"We need to get him back to camp," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "Now." Bellamy nodded, his expression grim.
"Jasper, help me with Finn." Bellamy ordered. "Juliett, you and Octavia lead the way. Chelsea, watch out backs." As Bellamy and Jasper carefully lifted Finn, I turned to Octavia. She was pale and shaking, her eyes fixed on the unconscious grounder.
"Octavia, we need to go," I said gently, touching her arm. She flinched slightly, then nodded, tearing her gaze away.
"Right. Let's go." We moved as quickly as we could through the forest, with Bellamy and Jasper supporting Finn between them. Octavia and I led the way, our eyes scanning constantly for any sign of grounders. Chelsea brought up the rear, glancing behind us every few seconds. Finn's breathing was labored, and I could see the pain etched on his face with every step. The makeshift bandage we'd fashioned from strips of cloth was already soaked through with blood.
"Hold on, Finn," I heard Bellamy murmur behind me. "We're almost there." The forest seemed to stretch endlessly before us, each step feeling like an eternity. Octavia stumbled slightly, her leg giving out beneath her. I caught her arm, steadying her.
"You okay?" I asked softly. She nodded, her jaw set with determination.
"I'm fine. We need to keep moving." As we crested a small hill, I felt a surge of relief as I spotted the walls of our camp in the distance.
"There!" I called out. "We're almost home!" We picked up our pace, desperation fueling our tired limbs. As we approached the gate, I could hear shouts of alarm from inside the camp.
"Open the gate!" Bellamy roared. "We need help!" The gate swung open, and we stumbled through, a flurry of activity erupting around us. Clarke rushed forward, her eyes widening as she took in Finn's bloodied form. The clouds began to roll faster above us as they sky darkened with an incoming storm.
"What happened?" Clarke demanded, already moving to examine the wound.
"Grounder," Bellamy panted, helping to lower Finn onto a makeshift stretcher. "Stabbed him in the chest." Clarke's face paled, but her hands remained steady as she peeled back the soaked bandage.
"We need to get him to the dropship. Now." As they carried Finn away, I turned to Octavia, who was swaying slightly on her feet.
"Let's get you cleaned up," I said gently, guiding her towards her tent but she protested.
"No, I'm fine." She snapped, turning to head back out of the camp. Before she could reach the gate, Bellamy grabbed her by the arm to pull her back.
"Why did you defend that grounder?" He asked, eyes full of questions and worry.
"Because he saved my life. That spear that hit Roma was actually meant—"
"No, you're wrong. I saved your life. For all you know, he was keeping you alive to use you as bait for one of their traps." Octavia's eyes flashed with anger as she yanked her arm free from Bellamy's grasp.
"No." She snapped. "I don't think so." Bellamy's jaw clenched, his expression darkening.
"You don't think, O! That's the problem. They killed three of our people today. And if you would've let me kill him when I had the chance, Finn wouldn't be in there dying right now."
"Stop it!" Octavia shouted back, her voice rising with frustration. "Stop blaming me for your mistakes. What happened to Finn is not my fault. I wanted to leave, so if Finn dies in there, that's on you. Everything that's gone wrong is because of you. You got me locked up on the Ark. You wanted me to go to that stupid dance. You got mom killed!" I blinked in shock, lips parting as I stared at them wide eyed. The flash of hurt was only in Bellamy's eyes for a second before his mask was put back on and a dangerous smirk crossed his face and he let out a low laugh.
"Me?" He sniffled, rubbing the back of his hand across his nose. "Mom was floated for having you. She's dead because you're alive. That was her choice. I didn't have a choice. My life ended the day you were born." Thunder rumbled in the distance as the temperature began to drop from the storm. Octavia and Bellamy stared at each with a heated, intense glare, both speechless. I was utterly speechless, unable to know what to say or what to do. The tension between Bellamy and Octavia was palpable, the air crackling with unspoken hurt and resentment. I stood frozen, caught between the two siblings, unsure of how to diffuse the situation. Octavia's face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes as she moved for the gate again but Bellamy pulled her back. "Where do you think you're going?"
"You can't keep me locked up in here forever." She snarled at him before ripping her arm out of his grip and storming towards the dropship.
"Get inside." Bellamy ordered everyone as he moved to close the gates. "A storm's coming." As the wind picked up, the curls in Bellamy's hair whipped across his forehead as he turned to face me, dropping his mask for a second. Instant regret clouded his eyes as he looked at me. I stood there, stunned by the intensity of the siblings' argument. The raw emotion in their words had left me shaken. Bellamy's eyes met mine, and I could see the regret and pain swirling in their depths. For a moment, he looked lost, vulnerable in a way I'd never seen before.
"Bellamy," I started, taking a step towards him. But before I could say anything more, he shook his head, his walls slamming back into place.
"We need to get inside," he said gruffly, turning away from me. "The storm's getting worse." As if to emphasize his point, a bolt of lightning split the sky, followed almost immediately by a deafening crack of thunder. Rain began to fall in heavy sheets, soaking us within seconds. "Come on," Bellamy called over the howling wind, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the dropship. As we huddled inside the dropship, the storm began to rage outside. Octavia was curled up in the corner. Bellamy stood by the entrance, his back to us, staring out into the darkness. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. The words spoken between the siblings still echoed in my mind, weighing heavily on my heart. I knew that beneath the tough exterior Bellamy portrayed, there was pain and regret buried deep within him. Taking a deep breath, I approached him slowly, mindful of the storm still raging outside. Bellamy didn't turn to look at me, but I could sense his walls starting to crumble, if only slightly.
"Bellamy," I said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "You don't have to carry this burden alone. We're all trying to survive out here, and we need each other more than ever." For a moment, he remained silent, his shoulders tensed. Then, with a heavy sigh, he finally turned to face me. His eyes held a mixture of emotions—guilt, sorrow, and a glimmer of hope.
"I never wanted things to turn out this way," Bellamy admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've made mistakes, said things I regret." He paused, his gaze searching mine for understanding. I nodded, offering him a small, reassuring smile.
"We all have our demons to face, Bellamy. But we can't let them consume us. We have to find a way to move forward, together." The storm picked up intensity, shaking the entire dropship, the thunder getting louder and closer. Bellamy took a deep breath, his features softening as he met my gaze.
"Thank you," he said quietly, a hint of gratitude in his voice. And in that moment, I saw a glimmer of the man he truly was—resilient, compassionate, and burdened by the weight of his past.