Surviving | A Clexa AU

Chapter VI: Not Everyone, Not You

POV: Clarke

Time: Past

Lexa clapped her hands over my mouth to stop any sound of fear that might have escaped my lips. I swallowed the bile rising to my throat out of fear, and took in a deep breath, trying to concentrate on everything else but the sick gnarling noise outside the thin metal door. 

Think about mom, Clarke, I told myself. Mom, maybe I'll never see her again. I didn't want to leave her alone right after dad. I could still remember the look on Dad's face when he realised he was turning. The way his eyes slowly went out of focus and pupils lost all color to turn a pinprick of deathly white. And then he turned into one of them, like the ones I could now smell outside the door. 

No, this wasn't helping. I needed a different line of thought. I shifted my neck slightly to look at Lexa. Her face betrayed no emotions. What she had said just a few minutes back, rang through my ears, "Not everyone, not you."

What had she even meant? 

The day had started normally, just like any other day at Lexa's camp. I woke up at the sound of the humdrum outside, and went to find Anya and Gustus loading food into a small minivan. 

"Wow you guys still got fuel?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. 

"Took it," Indra said curtly, and then added with a hint of smugness, "from Azgeda." 

"Why do you think Roan hates our guts?" Anya grinned. 

"Roan?" I asked, a little confused. 

"The northern camp, blondie," Anya explained patiently. "They've cordoned off the choicest part of the city. Cleared a few apartment blocks, got a warehouse or two, plenty of cars. They're well set for at least the next three years. But they got a bone to pick with us because we took this school. You see, this is a civil war era building. You know what that means?"

I shook my head. 

"We got bunkers, Griffin. And you know what bunkers do when a horde of walkers pass by? It saves our fucking lives."

I nodded, understanding the politics behind the place. You'd think that with one life altering threat, people would learn to live in peace. But we humans have a talent for destroying everything we touch. 

"Miss Griffin," I heard a familiar somber voice behind me. 

"Good morning, Commander," I gave a nod, "I was going to go and meet you to tell you goodbye. Thank you for the supplies."

"I will be coming with you, actually," she said, "I need to talk to your camp."

"With our camp? Lexa...I mean Commander, we don't want any trouble," I said apprehensively, well aware of Lexa's penchant for violence by this point. 

"I want to set up a trade between our camps," she explained, frowning slightly at my obvious alarm, "we provide food. You provide medical assistance."

"Oh.." I said, blinking, "Oh that is...a great idea!" 

Lexa's mouth curled into the slightest of smiles, "I'm not all about blood and violence, Miss Griffin."

"Im glad you proved me wrong, Commander," I smiled back. 

The journey was a slow one. We had to cross one Azgeda outpost, and usually stuck to the muddy forest paths, Anya driving like a maniac through the mud and soil. 

Lexa sat in front, looking intently at a map, and marking places off with a red pencil. 

I sat sandwiched between Indra and Gustus, both of who had spent all morning loading meat into the car, and now smelt of dead pigs. Gustus, despite his gruff appearance had the soul of an oversized teddy bear. He kept cracking inappropriate jokes.