After Praimfaya

Chapter 2: Bellamy

Almost 5 years later.

There are only 24 hours left for the big day, the day to return to Earth, something that we've been waiting for since the first moment we set foot in the Ark.

Although, these years have been better than I expected, I couldn't stop thinking about Octavia not a single day. But something inside me, tells me that it's okay, that she has already grown and that she is no longer a girl, and although, I recognize it hurts, but it's the truth.

As for Clarke, I tried for over a year to contact her through the radio. But I stopped doing it when observed a planet Earth full of ashes. Although the years have passed and there has appeared a green spot, to about 300 kilometers of where Polis was.

Raven, Harper, Monty, Murphy, Emori and Echo have all thought the same thing as me, but no one dares to say it out loud: it's impossible for Clarke to be alive.

I wasn't aware of what those words meant until one night I started to cry. I was remembering all the moments that we've happened together and the times that we had helped each other. And it wasn't at that precise moment when I realized that I had loved her, but I had never dared to tell her, and I would never have that opportunity again.

It took almost another year to me to be the same Bellamy as before, but it was thanks to Raven, who was there all the time, by my side. From the first day that we arrived at the Ark, she had promised me that we would all be united and that they wouldn't let Clarke's sacrifice of staying on Earth be in vain.

When, exactly three years have passed since the day we arrived at the Ark, we celebrate it as "the day of salvation". In addition to the usual food (algae) we opened some of the few bottles of alcohol left in the Ark and we heard music from the command center. That night was special, not for the reason of the celebration of the party, but for someone.

I had spent a lot of time with Raven since we got to space, but the last months have been different. There were times when we both fell silent and we didn't know what to say, but our eyes met more than once.

That night, we were the last ones at the party, and when we left it, the heart dominated reason and suddenly, we were kissing in one of the corridors of Arkadia.

There's my story with Raven, and I can't say I'm in love with her, but I really like her and she's been supporting me all this time.

On the other hand, Monty and Harper, and Murphy and Emori, are still together, and their love is stronger than ever.

I'm happy to know that in all this time, there have been no discussions between us, and I'm also happy about the evolution Echo has had during these 5 years.

When I found her in one of the rooms of the Alie bunker about to commit suicide, I thought there wouldn't have a solution for her and she would try it again in the Ark. But it wasn't so, with the help of all of us, we've achieved that Echo returns to feel hope. She still doesn't have a king or a queen, but now she has a family and we are that family.

............

- In 24 hours the Earth will already be habitable – said Raven – the few levels of radiation that still exist on Earth will disappeared before we land, which means...

- Which means we'll have to bring all the bottles left in the Ark to celebrate the return to Earth after 5 years – I interrupted Raven, but all of us couldn't stop laughing.

- Now, seriously - said Raven - return to Earth on the ship can be as dangerous or more than the first time we went up here. A single fault and the ship's engine may explode or it may not be able to slow down the landing - Raven had caught the attention of all of us and the smiles had turned into serious faces – We'll get down on the only ship we have, the same which brought us here, and although, I've been preparing this moment all these years, a mistake can make the difference between life and death.

- You've always had good motivational speeches, Raven - said Murphy with wryly - In 24 hours we'll have to do the simulacrum we've been practicing for years. Why don't we enjoy now the last hours in the Ark? I never thought I'd say this, but, I'm going to miss it.

A few hours after, we are in the command center, celebrating the last party that we would have in the Ark. We were happy, very happy. Our eyes shone with a spark of joy that we believed extinguished.

I remembered Murphy's last words and realized he was right. I had always hated the Ark for all that it has done to my family, but now, at this moment, I considered it a home I would probably never see again.

But most important of all is that in less than 48 hours I would be embracing Octavia, because the bunker would also be open in a few hours.

..................

- Well, guys - said Raven, lowering the volume of the music a little - I think it's time for us to rest. In 12 hours, we'll take off and I don't want anyone to be delayed because I'm dying to go back to Earth.

- Well, who doesn't arrive on time, can spend another 5 years here, after all, it's the first time I've been in space and it's not that bad either," Echo said with a laugh.

Amidst all the laughter in the room, I heard a slight beep that kept ringing. I thought I was imagining it, because no one else had noticed it, but suddenly Rave stopped laughing sharply.

- Shut up! - she said as she turned off the music.

No one else understood what was happening, but they all remained silent and listened attentively. Now it was heard more clearly the beep, it was constant and came from a screen that was in the middle of the room.

We all approached and watched the screen. In it was a graph showing the front face of the Earth and space around it. A red dot was advancing slowly toward the Ark.

- What's up? - asked Emory nervously.

But no one answered because no one knew what was happening.

- Is it a meteorite? - asked Harper this time.

- No, it isn't, the meteorites cross the space with much faster speed - replied Monty - this can only be ...

- A ship – interrupted Raven – it's a ship and is heading toward us.

- Come on - said Murphy incredulously - we know that's impossible. The Ark is the only ship that is in space, if there was another I think we would have realized many years ago.

- Unless ... - I said as everyone turned to look at me - that all this time that ship has been behind the face of the Earth that doesn't appear in the graphics - I said as a shiver ran through my body.