Experiment of Fate ~ A Bellamy Blake story

Chapter 15 - Flame

The rover jolted forward again, Bellamy's grip tightening around the wheel as he swerved past low-hanging branches and muddy puddles. Every so often, he'd glance at Isla sitting beside him, her knees hugged close to her chest. Her bruises were still fresh, purple marks shadowing her cheekbone and neck—a reminder of Emerson's cruelty. The thought of what she'd endured under his control, especially the things she'd never talked about, weighed heavily on everyone's mind. It was as though the entire rover was filled with a quiet grief, an unspoken tension that no one dared address.

Octavia's eyes remained fixed on the map, but every now and then, they darted to Isla. Clarke, sitting beside her, was pale, concern etched into her features. Jasper, too, stared at Isla, his expression a mixture of sorrow and anger, as if he could understand some small part of her pain.

Isla's voice cut through the silence. Her voice barely above a whisper, "I never talked about what happened in Mount Weather... with Emerson." She hesitated, her voice trembling as she continued, her gaze distant. "He was obsessed. When they first locked me up, he...he would come in at night, call me Griffin, call me 'Experiment Zero.' Like I wasn't even human." She let out a shaky breath. "He would hold me down and—"

Her words faltered, tears slipping down her cheeks as she forced herself to keep going. "I fought him, but I was too weak. I was starving. I couldn't even make a spark." She looked down, her voice breaking. "For the first time, I thought... maybe it would be better if they just killed me. I didn't want to live through that."

Her words hung heavy in the air, the depth of her pain settling in like a weight none of them could shake off. Bellamy's knuckles turned white against the wheel, his jaw clenched tight. He reached over, taking her hand in his, his voice filled with a fierce tenderness, "Isla... you're strong. So strong. And you didn't deserve any of that. You survived, and you're here now. Emerson can't hurt you anymore."

Isla looked down at their hands, and something soft and warm flickered in her chest. She didn't need to say it—she loved him. The realization settled quietly, and she gave him a small smile, a sliver of light in the darkness.

Bellamy squeezed her hand and turned his attention back to the road. "We're running out of daylight. We should stop soon to charge the battery." He glanced at the dreary, rain-soaked sky, clouds swallowing any hint of sun.

"What sun?" Isla replied, almost smiling through the pain.

Clarke nodded, her voice firm. "We keep going until it dies."

They all looked at each other, silent but united. Octavia turned, her determination fierce. "We keep going until we get to Luna."

Jasper gave a nervous laugh, glancing down at the map. "And what exactly are we supposed to say when we get there? 'Hi, can we put an AI in your head?'"

Octavia's expression softened just a little, her eyes sad as she thought of Lincoln. "He said she helps those who need it. She'll help us too."

Just then, Bellamy slammed on the brakes. The rover skidded along the muddy trail, jolting them all forward. Isla braced herself, wincing as her ribs flared with pain.

"We'll have to backtrack," Bellamy muttered, looking through the rain-spattered windshield. "Find somewhere where the trees aren't so—"

Before he could finish, Octavia was already climbing out of the rover, pack on her shoulder. Isla sighed, glancing at Bellamy. "Guess we're going on foot."

The rain hit Isla like icy needles as she stepped out. She shivered, pulling her jacket tighter as she and the others rushed to follow Octavia. They moved as quickly as they could, their boots slipping on the rain-slick earth. Isla could feel every jolt, every ache from her bruises, but she forced herself to keep up.