2199 Day's - Bellarke Fanfic | ✔️

Chapter 33 - Clean Air

~Clarkes POV~

I stumble into the green, the escape from the sun relieving as I can feel my skin starting to heal already. The sun burning down on it for hours on end.

I look at my hands and smile as I find dirt covering them from falling to the ground in such a heap. The dirt finding its way under my fingernails and in the small lines of my skin, making the patterns almost magical and more unique to me. Confirming, or at least making me believe that I am the only person on earth with these patterns.

I move off the ground and stand under the canopy of leaves high above me, the sun above them cooking at the layers of their leaves. I start a slow walk and within a matter of seconds I know where I am. This is a very small island of green and I got to know it very well within the six years I choose to stay.

Every little rock stick and precious tree, all marked down and mapped within hundreds of sheets of paper stored safely in the rover. The rover that is now locked outside of the bunker with only Octavia knowing the location of the key.

I look up ahead and see small beds in the soft dirt. Ones that I know all too well, the small shape of a footprint comes into focus then many follow, leading off deeper into the green harshness of the small forest I used to live in.

I take a deep breath and start a slow jog off into the trees, following the foot prints that Madi has not bothered to hide like she would if she was running away from something. Using things such as logs or rocks to place her feet instead of the soft ground.

I follow the tracks deeper into the trees, Madis footprints guiding me through the long grass and maze of mossy stones as I look around at the green abys. The wild flowers and the same poison sumac Monty had told us about on our fist precious days on earth.

When we would look at the forest with excitement and not fear and space with pity, not the want to return to safety. Our own small compartments with our rationed protein paste packets. When the air was savoured and precious, when it was considered rude to take deep breaths from the vents when you would woke up in the mornings. As in the night the Ark would reduce the oxygen consumption, giving every effort to survive.

Where now, down on earth. I find myself forgetting the old rules but never forgetting the Ark itself, not the home I grew up on. The floating death trap sailing through space, not finding the meteors that would fly so close to the ship scary, or even the slightest bit terrifying that it could collide with the ship at anytime.

Ending all life as we knew it.

Children born in space not having the chance to even touch the earth soil. Waiting their whole lives to feel their toes run through sand and their feet in the water, the waves of a beach splash against the skin of their legs. The salt of the water mending the small scratches and bruises of landing on the new planet.

Having their lungs full of air, having the feeling of taking your fist real breath. All the ones before only tastes of what the real thing would feel like, having the oxygen race through your blood and your body craving more like it would be taken away.

The 100's first moments on earth were completely silent apart from the heaves and falls from their chests. I was one of them, I couldn't believe how it tasted in my mouth, not of leaves or water like I expected it too, but instead freedom.

The taste of a new beginning, a new start with the people around me. I didn't expect to fall utterly in love with the first boy that talked to me on the dropship only to have him break it again. But then mend it so fast.

Then I lost him just like that. Another man taken from me, taken by the world and the person who runs it. An unknown god that is worshiped yet hated by all. A taker but a chooser of life, how I wonder some nights why he choose not to take me the first hundred times.

Why I wasn't the first one to swing across the river, why Jasper decided it was him who had to go and not me. Why Bellamy saved me that day, why he didn't let me fall and take the wrist band for himself. Take charge of the hundred and rule them to be better. Train them to be better warriors. Maybe we all could have survived if I had just fallen, gotten speared.

Why that fall from Mount Weather didn't kill me, why I didn't drown, why I wasn't used for bone marrow, why I didn't get hit by a stray bullet, why Roan didn't kill me when he had the chance, or Bellamy, or Murphy, or Jaha. So many people, so many missed bullets, wrong punches.

Why is it that I didn't stay that last month in my cell, rotting away?

Because, I choose to survive, until the last fight, the last hill, my last breath on this beautiful planet that is so breathtaking yet so cruel. I will live for the people I love, for Bellamy, for Madi. For the people, I have lost and loved, my mother, Lexa and Finn.

My father. That put never ending amounts of belief and treasure in me, that gave me the strength to let me love the people I wanted to love. Who gave me the strength to keep going, keep pushing through, plummeting through. The one who kept me walking those last miles, shouting those last words, keeping my eyes open those last seconds.

I look up and see the glint of a fire and stop in my tracks. It's a small fire, hardly any smoke is noticeable, and you almost can't hear the crack of the fire against the wood that Madi has thrown into the fire, its orange heat melting the fat of the animal she is cooking over the flames.

I bob down onto my knees in the bushes surrounding the small clearing Madi has chosen to stay over the past few days in the middle of the small island of green. I keep my eyes peeled for her grey beanie that somehow has survived all this time, its woollen fabric warm and soft to the touch.

Like I have been hit by a bullet I'm tackled to the ground and arms tied around my neck. I chuckle out a laugh and smile when I feel Madi's breath on my neck and her smile against my skin.

"I thought you weren't coming back." She whispers in my ear. Inside I break knowing that I had scared her into thinking I was dead.

"I wouldn't leave you, my little Nightblood." I say with a smile and teary eyes. I hold her flush against my chest, making sure she knows I'm here, and not in a pit somewhere yelling for help.

"What smells so good?" I ask and pull her of my chest slightly to get a better look at her. I watch her eyes light up and then a small smirk, one like Bellamy's plays onto her face.

"Squirrel, it's nearly done." She says before returning our hug, her arms tight around me. I squeeze her once then let go slightly so I can talk to her face to face.

"Madi, we can't stay here. I need you to pack your things then meet me back here in ten minutes, ok?" I ask knowing she is probably very confused. I watch her nod then get off of me before leading me over to the fire.

I watch her hurry around shoving small things into her bag, clothes and trinkets being most of the things being shoved into her bag. I remind her to pack her gun and canteen and soon she is ready. Her gun hidden at her belt under her jacket and her canteen and clothes stashed away in her bag.

She gives me a smile and I give her one back. I know she has questions and I promise myself I will answer them on the way back to the bunker. I take the time at Madi's camp to refile my canteen and wash my hands and face before taking the squirrel off the fire and giving it to Madi to eat.

If we want to make it to the bunker in the next day, we will both need our energy.

"Ready?" I ask hoping for a smile and big nod. Thankfully that's what I get and soon we are making our way back through the trees, Madi's hand wrapped in mine, one hold we will never break.

Yes this has taken a very long time and I'm sorry, I hope this chapter makes up for it all. :) thanks guys for the views and votes, we just reached over 10k which is nothing but amazing, so thank you all so, so much.

-RFRC