Survival ✘ Bellamy Blake

2. Earth

2. | EARTH

"Can you believe we're actually going to the ground?" A boy beside of Raina said to the kid next to him as the drop ship disconnected from the Ark and sent them soaring through space and towards earth. The idea of that alone was enough to terrify Raina and yet she was the one who agreed to a one way ticket straight to the radioactive planet.

The ship abruptly rocked and Raina clenched to her seat like it was a lifeline as she forced her eyes shut. You're an engineer, you've been in space plenty of times. And yet her stomach never failed to twist every time she did which was why she hated it.

"You okay there?" Finn asked his friend, sensing her discomfort. Raina pried her eyes open to look at him and forced a nod. "I just..." The ship rocked. "Ugh, this isn't even the worst part of it, is it?"

The lights dimmed and Raina's attention averted to the screens as Chancellor Jaha appeared above them. "Prisoners of The Ark," His automated voice rang through the drop ship, earning a collective of groans and a scoff from the boy beside her. "Here me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable."

"Your dad's a dick, Wells!" Someone on the floor shouted. The boy beside her snorted and Raina looked around the drop ship in utter surprise. Wells was on here? No way would Jaha send his son down with a hundred criminals. The sound of a buckle being undone from the left of her caused her to snap her heads towards Finn, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Finn, what the hell are you doing?"

"Taking a walk." He sent her a cheeky smile as he floated out of his seat and in front of her, arms crossed. "Care to join me, Athena?"

"No, because I'm not an idiot like you. The parachutes are going to deploy soon and you don't want to be in the air when they do. Now sit down before I put you down."

Two boys decided to follow in Finn's footsteps, unhooking their seat belts and floating around. Another person in the drop ship across from them yelled for them to stay down as the drop ship took another tiny but noticeable rock. Raina reached for Finn's arm as he gripped the seat like it was a lifeline, his eyes now filled with fear. "I'm starting to think you were right." He mumbled. Raina nodded as the ship abruptly shook even more. They were about to hit earth. "Finn. Sit down, now." She demanded and he tried to but every time the ship shaked, his hold was faltering. "I-I can't."

Another rock, the other two kids that followed Finn had been thrown against a few pipes and steam was now clouding the drop ship as sparks flew over their heads. Finn met Raina's stare, dread bubbling in his stomach. If they die during the landing, he had to tell her now. "Raina, I - " He started but the parachutes deploying sent him flying across the room and hitting the same wall the other two boys did.

"Finn!" Raina shrieked. The sight of his unmoving body was enough to send her head spinning. The ship shook again, now like it was just taunting her. Raina forced her eyes shut, desperate to drown out the screaming and cries. Then suddenly, everything went completely silent. For a fraction of a second, Raina thought maybe she was dead. However, that thought went away once she reopened her eyes and found she was still alive and surrounded by ninety-nine criminals. She quickly unbuckled her seat belt, followed by numerous clicks. Raina's mind drifted to Finn as she hesitantly stepped towards the boy's unconscious form. She kneeled down to him.