I'm Just A Kid

Chapter 13: Contents Under Pressure

The moment I stepped fully into the lower level of the dropship, I realised why Bellamy had wanted me to come down.

It was chaos.

The storm had worsened while I was upstairs. Rain hammered against the metal exterior, making the entire dropship shudder beneath its force. Every few seconds, lightning illuminated the camp before darkness swallowed everything again. Nobody was outside anymore. Everyone had been forced into the dropship, and there were far too many people for the space.

The lower level was packed with people pressed against the walls and crowded together wherever there was room. Wet clothes, muddy boots and the smell of rain filled the confined space. Voices overlapped as everyone struggled to be heard above the storm.

My eyes immediately found Finn.

He was lying on a makeshift bed near the wall, surrounded by people. Clarke was beside him, completely focused on what she was doing, while Wells and several others passed her whatever she needed. I stood there for a moment, watching.

Finn looked terrible. He was pale, far paler than usual, and everyone around him looked frightened. Clarke was trying to remain calm, but the tension in her movements made it obvious how serious things were. My stomach twisted.

I wanted to go over and ask what had happened. I wanted to know whether Finn was going to be okay. But I wasn't Clarke. I didn't know what I was doing, and the last thing he needed was another person standing around and getting in the way.

So I stayed where I was.

Somewhere behind me, someone shouted.

"Hold it back!"

I turned just as several people rushed towards the entrance. Through the rain, I could make out a group of delinquents struggling with a tarp. The wind kept trying to rip it away from them, their voices almost completely drowned out by the storm.

Another flash of lightning lit up the camp.

Then everything went dark again.

My attention shifted when I heard a familiar voice nearby.

"This is Raven Reyes. Calling Ark Station."

Raven was standing beside the radio, completely focused on the equipment in front of her. Her voice was firm, but there was strain beneath it.

"Come in, Ark Station. This is Raven Reyes. Calling Ark Station. Please come in."

She paused.

"Please," she whispered. "Please. Can anybody hear me?"

A girl nearby looked uncertain.

"Are you sure you have the right frequency?"

Raven immediately turned towards her.

"Yeah," she said firmly. "I'm sure."

Then she returned to the radio.

"Calling Ark Station. Ark Station, please come in. I'm on the ground with the hundred."

Her voice became quieter.