losing my sanity (book one)

chapter 9: the after part 5

Clarke's POV

"Keep your eyes level!" I shouted

"Keep your shoulders back!"

"Steady your feet!"

"Like this?" Madi asked.

"Perfect."

Training Madi was what kept me sane during the day. We trained for five hours everyday, hunted, gardened, radioed the Ark, and gathered fire wood. At the end of the day, Madi always requested at least one song and a story. We kept this routine, and I know she gets bored easily, but there's not much else to.

"How about we go hiking? We can radio the Ark after," I suggested!

"Yes! I'll go pack some supplies!"

"Wait, Madi. How about we bring some blankets and lay under the stars tonight?"

"We're switching it up? Kind of like a vacation?" Madi asked hopefully.

"Yeah, like a vacation," I smiled.

Madi started packing up some blankets, fire wood, and a makeshift shelter.

"Let me carry something," I laughed as I grabbed half the gear and the radio.

We started making our way up a short mountain.

"I'll race you up!" Madi shouted as she started running.

"You little sneak!" I shouted chasing after her.

Being on the ground alone for a couple years with nothing else to do really helped increase our stamina levels because we were at the top within fifteen minutes.

"This is a perfect spot," Madi said as she looked beyond the mountain.

The sky was turning a shade of pink mixed with an orange as the sun set. The grass beyond where we were had not grown back because there was no one to take care of it. Madi began to set up the blankets and pitched a little shelter in case it rained. We both hoped it would rain since we were running out of water.

"Can we call them now?" Madi asked.

"Yeah," I said as I reached for the radio.

I dialed in to the only frequency that seemed to have any sort of signal.

"It's been 1,934 days since Praimfaya-"

"And it's boring!" Madi chimed in.

"That was Madi," I laughed and continued saying, "but she does have a point. If you're listening Bellamy, Raven, or even Murphy, it's okay to come down now. The radiation has cleared and I need help keeping up with my gardening. Bellamy, I don't know if you heard me last time but..it's not important. All you need to know is that I miss you, I miss everyone. Figure out a way and get down to Earth. You know what? I had a good day today and I'm feeling a little risky, so Bellamy? I love you. It took me almost seven years to even admit it, but I love you...so much. I'm going to regret pouring my heart out everyday because Murphy's probably going to say something witty and sarcastic, but it doesn't matter. I'm so lonely Bellamy, you left me behind. You promised," As soon as I said that, started to cry. Madi came up and wrapped her short arms around me. I wiped the tears away and kept talking.

"I'm not crying, it's just, allergies. Nightblood allergies, it's a thing. Anyways, Bellamy, I know you'd like Madi and she can't wait to meet you."

"Yeah, Clarke told me everything! Don't worry, it's all good stuff. Did you really climb down a cliff to save someone you barely knew? Did you really-"