Daylight |Bellamy Blake

Three

Now I was sure it would have been more fun to go with the others to get the supplies, anything would be better than staying here. So far all I have managed to achieve today was to convince Bellamy to help me get them to listen to us.

He didn't seem to have a problem with this, by the looks of it he liked being in charge. We'd started to clear the area and collect firewood, well we didn't do any of it, Bellamy has decided to start using his new authority to make people do it for us.

Some kids wanted to make knives and even though I had been against the idea at the start in the end I had to cave in. We didn't know how hostile the ground could be and we might need some protection, after all, how harmful could a few small knives be?

The group that had gathered around me to see how it was done included the arrogant boy from earlier, who I had learnt was called Murphy. We all picked up scraps of metal from the landing of the drop ship and sharpened them into sharp pints with rocks. It took a while but they came out well, after the first group more came to join so I had to repeat it all again. The good thing is that they listened to me and seemed ready to do what it takes to survive down here.

After this I stood up ready to stretch my legs and place my book back down, I looked at the two knives in my hand and tucked one in the waistband of my trousers. I gave the other a slight toss before I look up and see Bellamy observing the camp with a frown on his face.

"Why so grumpy?" I asked walking up to stand beside him.

"Nothing" he replies bluffly, he turns to me. "Done playing teacher for the day sunshine?"

"Oh yes, I had a very proficient class" I mock back. "Take a look" I say holding out the other knife to him. He takes it gingerly and inspects it with an impressed expression on his face.

"Nice job Kennedy" He says holding it out to me.

"You keep it, I already pocketed the best one for myself," I say with a smile and he lets out a chuckle. But then his face falls serious again and he turns back to look at the others, after a few moments of silence I ask again. "What's the matter? You can't expect me to believe nothing is bothering you?"

He lets out a sigh and after a couple of seconds, he responds. "Do you really think that when the Ark follows down everyone will be pardoned and re-accepted into society?"

I frown at his answer not sure exactly why he is bothered by that, it doesn't really affect him. "I don't know. I do find it a bit difficult to believe that after the strict laws up there, they will loosen them up and we will all be able to put it behind us. But I don't get it, why should you care? They didn't lock you up"

He gives me a shrug not ready to tell me, he runs a hand through his gel-backed hair as my mind spins with possibilities until I think of the only possible answer. "You didn't manage to just sneak onto the drop ship by chance did you?" At that I see him tense and I know I have reached the real problem.

"I... I had to do something I'm not proud of to get here, something that will get me killed if they come down" So I was right, but I still have no idea what he had to do even though I understand he doesn't want to tell me.

"Not necessarily, they could forgive you like the others"

"But I'm not one of them, and I will be punished accordingly," he conceded, his turmoil laid bare.

Gently, I reached out, placing a hand on his tense arm. The subtle gesture seemed to ease his tension, his gaze meeting mine as I offered a comforting smile. "We can figure something out," I assured him, a promise nestled within my words.

He nods and is silent for a few seconds. "What about if what we need to do is make sure they don't follow us down?"

"What?" I ask shocked and lower my arm. The only reason why they sent us down is to see if the ground is survivable, but why? Why would they want to follow us down to an unfamiliar place when they can all live on the Ark for another 200 years?