Fallen

Chapter Fourteen: We Are Grounders

Bellamy pours water on the main fire before they exit through the gate. Bellamy, Clarke, Ash, and Octavia lead the group through. Eighty-two of them walking along through the woods; gunners aiming towards the trees.  Heading away from the setting sun. East towards the beaches. Everyone behind discussing the possibility of enjoying the water.

"The open waters maybe safer," Ash tells Bellamy. "No way from Grounders to sneak up on us."

"Nowhere to hide," he responds. Octavia causes the entire group to stop, looking around.

"I don't hear anything," Clarke states. A blade flies right past Ash's ear, digging itself into Drew's head. 

"Retreat," Bellamy calls. Everyone quickly turns and hurries to the safety of the wall. Ash helps push the gate close once everyone is inside, locking it in place.

"No one leave through this," she orders. "Tunnel if you need to leave."

"We need to fight," Clarke mutters before looking at Bellamy. "You got your war."

"We have been preparing for this," Bellamy orders. "In positions. Now!" Everyone starts getting into positions as he turns to Ash. "I'm going to inform them of the plan-"

"And I am going to prepare our people," she finishes. He hurries inside with Clarke and Finn while she makes sure everyone is ready. Ash goes through, checking to make sure everyone with a gun has at least one full clip of bullets. Thanks to Murphy, it might not be enough. Each section has at least one walkie on them. Octavia pulls Ash over to the side.

"I need to be outside that wall," she states. "Lincoln taught me how to fight."

"Talk to your brother," Ash responds, picking up a spear. "The Gunners would need to know to avoid shooting you."

She mutters something before leaving. Ash goes back to directing the others. Grounders could be here any moment now. Many grab the hunting spears if they are not holding guns. Bellamy runs over to Ash.

"O's looking for you," she tells him.

"She can wait a moment," he tells her, pulling Ash to the side. "The plan is hold Grounders off long enough Clarke and Raven need us to. Then get everyone inside the dropship, setting off the flames."

"We need to spread the news," she states. "Not over radio though. Monty had one when he went missing. They can hear us."

"Shit," Bellamy responds, pulling out his walkie to give the new command. "Only use walkies for status updates. Otherwise remain radio silent."

After several confirmations, he slides the walkie back into his pocket.

"You better survive this," she orders.

"Same to you too."

The two quickly kiss before going to where they are supposed to be positioned. People hurry about as needed, but everyone else mostly remains still and silent. Soon darkness falls and fires are lit in order to provide enough light to see. An explosion comes from one side of the camp followed by gun fires. Ash pulls out her walkie.

"Foxhole Two, report," she orders. Nothing. Dead air.

"Two report," Bellamy repeats the order. 

"They're like ghosts," someone finally replies. "We can't seem to hit them."

More gun fire echoes through the camp.

"Don't fire if they're running horizontally," Jasper orders ring through the walkies. "They are trying to draw our fire."

Soon all the gun fire stops. Ash looks around at those around her. Every clutching some sort of homemade weapon. This has to be enough. They have to make it out of here. If they survive today, they can try escape again tomorrow. Soon the Grounders break through the wall and Ash's group engages battle. She uses the spear to knock down a man barreling towards her, stabbing him in the chest. She throws it, landing it in the back of a Grounder about to hurt a young girl. 

Her hands wrap around a sword near her and she goes to attack any Grounder near her. She is less skilled than her opponents, but she somehow is managing her own. A hand grabs her hair, pulling her back. A yelp of pain leaves her lips as she starts falling backwards. She uses the blade of the sword, cutting off some of her hair in order to escape. She turns around and plunges it into the Grounder behind her. All her rage and anger releasing at once. 

Everyone stops as lights streaks across the sky. Pieces of the Ark falling to the ground. There were some survivors and they are here. Reinforcements are finally here. There is a fighting chance after today now.

Soon another force runs in, ending the distraction. But instead of attacking the delinquents, they go for the Grounder. Ash looks around at the restarting battle. So many killed on both sides. In the distance, she sees Lincoln carrying an injured Octavia away from the battle. Bellamy comes from that direction, heading straight for her. Clarke hurries out of the dropship.

"Everyone get inside," she orders. Ash turns when she hears Clarke, distracting her from an oncoming Grounder. A dagger goes into her side, causing her to fall. Bellamy hurries over, catching her before she hits the ground. Jasper hurries to them and kills the Grounder that had attacked her. Bellamy goes to move the blade.

"Don't," she manages. Pain radiates through her body.

"Get her inside," Bellamy orders. "I will hold them off until our people are inside. Get Clarke to help her."

"Will do," Jasper responds, picking her up. He hurries into the dropship with the crowd of people. "Clarke."

He calls her name a couple more times before she finds them.

"Put her on the table."

He does as ordered before hurrying off to help with something. The dropship doors close and it sounds like the engine started. Clarke pulls the blade out of Ash's side, cause her to scream in pain. Clarke presses some fabrics against the bleeding wound.

"You're lucky," she states. "It wasn't deep and you'll live."

"If it wasn't poisoned," she weakly jokes. "Thanks."

There is some uproar near the doors of the ship and Clarke goes to deal with it. Ash holds the bundle of cloths against her open wound, her blood soaking through it. Soon the engines die down and she can hear the door reopen. Some of the crowd moves out. A cylinder flies in, smoke spewing out of it. Ash starts coughing, pushing herself off the table. Her entire system screaming in pain.

"Get away from the gas," she calls out, stumbling forward. Her legs give out and she falls onto the ground. Her vision gets blurry as hazmat suits enter get near her. She could feel a couple hands lift up her onto a gurney as darkness full takes over.