Shameless ~ Bellamy Blake

4~ The Giant Mutant River Snake

We were several hours into the trek. My feet were killing me, but I would never complain. I'm not like that. I love adventure. Wildflowers cover the bushes and every now and then I stop to examine the different colored ones.

Clarke had assumed the lead and is setting a fast pace, appreciating none of it. Half of me really wanted her to slow down so we could look at all the amazing scenery, but the other half knew that we couldn't risk wasting time.

One thing I learned from the several hours we'd been walking is that Jasper and Monty were far from delinquents. They were clearly very smart and actually pretty funny.

Finn suddenly stops to pick a flower and slip it into Octavia's hair. I couldn't help but roll my eyes, I'm not the really romantic-y type.

"That, my friend, is game." Jasper says leaning towards Monty and I.

"That, my friend, is poison sumac." Monty says.

Octavia swats away the flower in one swift move. "Jesus, Finn! Thank you."

"Don't worry. The flowers aren't poisonous. They're medicinal. Calming actually." Monty corrects.

I furrow my eyebrows together, confused and looked at Jasper. 

"His family grows all the pharmaceuticals." Jasper said answering my un-asked question.

"Hey! Try to keep up!" Clarke said looking back at us from a good distance away 

"Come on, Clarke, look around you. How do you block all this out?" Finn asked looking up at all the trees. 

Clarke turns and scratches an X into the nearest tree, marking our pathway. "It's simple. I wonder: why haven't we seen any animals? Hm. Maybe it's because there are none. Maybe we've already been exposed to enough radiation to kill us...Sure is pretty, though." With that Clarke strides onward. We follow, our buzz sufficiently killed. 

"Someone should slip her some poison sumac." Octavia mumbles.

I laugh but Jasper laughs a bit too loudly and Monty smacks him, causing me to laugh harder.

"I gotta know what you two did to get busted." I say between laughs. 

"Sumac's not the only herb in the garden, if you know what I mean." Monty says wiggling his eyebrows.

"Someone forgot to replace what we took." Jasper said glaring at Monty.

"That someone has apologized a thousand times." Monty said glaring back.

"How 'bout you Octavia? What'd they get you for?" Jasper yells up to her. 

"Being born." Octavia says as she runs up to away from to catch up with Clarke. 

"That is so not game." Monty says muffling a laugh.

Before Jasper or anyone can respond we notice Clarke is holding up a hand for them to do the same.

"Oh my God, it's a deer!" I whisper excitedly tip toeing up to get a better look.

It was the first sign of life other than insects and plants we've seen.

"Can we eat it?" Monty asks subtly moving towards the knife he had with him.

I turn looking at him in disgust and disbelief.

"Kidding." Monty said dropping his hand and leaving his knife alone.

Finn takes one step closer and the animal turns and looks up, revealing that it has two heads. I almost scream but Finn covers my mouth just in time. But the deer still runs off.