After the End [ The 100 ]

28. Are you perchance a fan of Katniss Everdeen?

unity day | i am become death

———[eiden]

I breathe in the chilly air, panting as I weave through the trees.

My boots pound through the ground, splitting twigs and kicking up leaves.

Loose strands of hair fly into my mouth, causing me to spit them out with a grimace. I barely avoid a tree, twisting around it just in time and picking my pace back up.

Thanks to Clarke never lending me her watch - despite obvious hints - I have no idea how long I've been running.

But it's the only thing that keeps me warm, and it's the only thing I really like to do. Fire is nice and all, but it just isn't as thrilling as running.

I should be cringing at the noise I'm creating, but by now I don't think my body could handle it. My chest is starting to strain, and my legs are moving slower.

So when I finally exhaust myself and slump to the ground, it's not long before my eyes find a tree. I'm a little dizzy, but I push myself up, meeting the ground with my knees. I pull an arrow up from my shifted quiver.

Focusing my dreary eyes on the trunk, I pull back on the string.

Damn. I'm smiling when I go up to the tree. The moonlight glints off the arrowhead barely sticking out. I grab the stone and pull back.

Looking around, I twist the stick part of the arrow before looking down at it. Then back to the dent in the tree. No, the hole.

There's a loud boom overhead. My first instinct is to raise my fists, but I doubt it's going to help me fight the ship falling out of the sky.

Woah.

I mean, woah! What the hell?

The Ark! It's the Ark!

They must've found a way to come down! It has to be everyone. My mom, Abby, Jaha, even Brook and Jediah!

My head cocks to the side as I watch the increased acceleration.

I look around, and especially at the bow in my hands. A look of insecurity crosses my face as I look back up.

Someone's in a hurry. Is it really necessary when the ship is alway already coming down?

Suddenly it's spiraling.

What the shit!

My eyes widen as I stare it down.

The explosion happens not long after.

"No," I gasp. I turn to the heat emanating off the ground at least two miles away.

Is everyone gone? Was it meant to hold everyone? Was everyone even on board?

My head is still shaking along with my hands.

No, it probably wasn't everyone. If they planned on using a ship none of the prisoners would have been sent down early.

That's what I'll tell myself.

Wait.

I'm not the only person down here.

Wood splinters in my hand, and I look down to see the arrow completely snapped in half.

My jaw lifts in apprehension as I drop the two pieces to the ground.

Ali, Clarke, and the others. They'll be at the burn site. And if I know the camp is going to investigate, that means so do the Grounders.