GROUNDER - The 100, B.B

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ⋅ᡣ𐭩 ་༘࿐ 002 - Spy

Sylva

   I was growing tired from following them through the dense forest, but I knew I had to see if they would cross the border. My muscles ached, my feet dragged, but I pushed through the fatigue, knowing the importance of my mission.

   After what felt like an eternity of silence, with only the sound of crunching leaves underfoot and the occasional rustle of wildlife in the distance, Finn finally broke the quiet. "Hey," he said, his voice cutting through the stillness. "You know what I'd like to know? Why send us down today after ninety-seven years? What changed?"

   Octavia, walking beside him with an easy, carefree stride, responded without a second thought. "Who cares? I'm just glad they did." Her tone was light, almost playful. She reached out and grasped a nearby tree, spinning around it with a wide smile, as if reveling in the simple joy of freedom. "I woke up rotting in a cell, and now I'm spinning in a forest." Her laughter was infectious, and it was clear, even from my hidden vantage point, that all she ever wanted was to be free. The forest seemed to be giving her that, if only for a moment.

   Monty, walking a few paces behind, had a thoughtful expression on his face. "Maybe they found something on a satellite," he suggested, his voice tinged with curiosity. "You know, like an old weather satellite or—"

   Before he could continue, Clarke cut him off sharply. "It wasn't a satellite." There was a weight to her words, a certainty that suggested she knew more than the rest of them. "The Ark is dying."

   The Ark? I thought to myself, What is that? If it's where the rest of their people are, then I hope they all die.

   Clarke continued, oblivious to my thoughts. "At the current population level, there's roughly three months left of life support, maybe four now that we're gone."

   Finn looked at her with surprise, his brows knitting together in confusion. "So that was the secret they locked you up to keep? Why they kept you in solitary, floated your old man?"

   Clarke's gaze dropped to the ground, her expression clouded with sadness. She sighed, the sound heavy with unresolved pain. "My father was the engineer who discovered the flaw. He thought the people had a right to know. The Council disagreed. My mother disagreed. They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were gonna go public anyway, when Wells..." She trailed off, the words catching in her throat, her eyes darkening with the memory.

   "What, turned in your dad?" Finn's voice was gentle but probing, seeking the truth behind her hesitation.

   Clarke looked up briefly, her voice flat as she resumed her story. "Anyway, the guard showed up before we could. That's why today. That's why it was worth the risk. Even if we all die, at least they bought themselves more time."

   Monty suddenly stopped in his tracks, the realization hitting him hard. "They're gonna kill more people, aren't they?"

   "Good," Octavia snapped, her tone bitter as she continued walking ahead of the group, her steps confident and unyielding. "After what they did to me, I say, float them all."

   "You don't mean that," Jasper said firmly, his voice laced with concern as he watched Octavia skip ahead, her defiance clear in every movement.

   Finn slowed his pace, reaching out to gently grasp Clarke's arm, his touch tender as he tried to connect with her. "We have to warn them."

   Clarke's eyes met his, conflict flickering in their depths. "That's what my father said," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, the weight of her past decisions pressing down on her.