Down to Earth (A 100 Fanfiction)

Chapter 34 - The Aftermath

The bits of soil seeped through his fingers. He let it fall into the hole in the ground. Another hand dropped some soil into the hole as well. They continued to do this until the hole was completely filled up. He gently patted the soil to flatten the area surrounding the trunk of the tree.

Roman leaned back and looked down at the Eden Tree. A large brown circle of soil at its base. His heart felt heavy as the wind blew into the leaves.

"May we meet again, Gran."

"May we meet again."

Roman looked up at his father. There was a solemn look on his face, and his father's eyes were sad as he looked at the tree.

"She'd love this spot. I'm sure she'd want the Tree to be planted here," his father said, turning his head to the view.

Roman followed his gaze, looking out into the vast valley. The sun was still new and fresh, just above the outline of the mountains, illuminating the countless trees scattered across the terrain. It was beautiful. His grandmother would love it. This was probably the closest that they would get to having a proper funeral for her.

"I miss her," he mumbled, gripping the sides of his dirty jeans.

"Me too, buddy."

Roman and his father continued to sit in silence by the Eden Tree. They had planted it in this area because it seemed like a fitting place. A place where it could grow and become a gigantic tree. Roman remembered the promise that he made to his grandmother. That he would help his father plant the Eden Tree.

Finally, Roman and his father rose to their feet and started heading back toward their settlement. He managed to see the large, reinforced metal fence surrounding the Mecha Station. The settlement had grown over the past month and a half. Sinclair had placed Roman in charge of developing buildings - cabins where people could live in instead of tents. Construction was almost done, with people moving into the first few cabins already. Camp Jaha was starting to look less like a "camp". People were even starting to call it by a different name. Arkadia.

"We're having a meeting this afternoon," Roman turned his head to look at his father walking beside him. "I'd like you and Bellamy to attend."

Roman raised an eyebrow. "But we're not Council members, why do you need us there?"

One of us shot the old Chancellor, and the other was falsely accused of being the man behind the assassination attempt while also taking part in an illegal launch to the ground.

We are hardly Council Member material.

"I'm placing Bellamy in charge of training new additions to the guard," Roman's father responded, holding his hands behind his back. "We also need his expertise when it comes to hunting for meat."

Roman had to admit that was a good strategy. Back at the delinquent camp, Bellamy spent most of his time leading hunting expeditions and teaching the other kids how to use a gun. He was one of those kids (involuntarily). Bellamy was more than capable of training the kids who wanted to join the Guard and showing where the main hunting grounds were. Roman only hoped that they didn't bump into any of the Grounders during their hunting expeditions.

The only part that baffled him was how he was involved in anything about the meeting. He already tells Sinclair about all the progress during construction. And then Sinclair relays that information in Council meetings.

"So, why do you need me to come then?"

His father came to an abrupt halt, causing Roman to stop as well. He turned to face the older man. His father ran his tongue over his lips, his eyebrows scrunched together in deep thought. He was deciding how he was going to explain to him.