notion • john murphy

53 - LIVING

[ LIVING ]

༺═──────────────═༻

   "Five years?" Octavia's voice crackled through the radio. Sayah and Bellamy sat side by side as Bellamy held the radio tightly in his hand. "Can you really survive up there?"

   "Raven says we can." Bellamy replied, passing the radio over to Sayah for just a moment.

   "As soon as it's safe, we'll find a way back down." Sayah added.

   "We will meet again." Bellamy nodded.

   "I'll be waiting. . . under the floor." Octavia replied.

   "You're not that little girl anymore." Bellamy shook his head. Octavia didn't reply.

   "What is it, Via?" Sayah quickly asked through the radio.

   "I'm not sure I'm up for this." She replied, her voice wavering slightly. "They look at me like I know what I'm doing, just because I won a fight."

   "They look at you like that because you saved them. Because you're strong." Sayah told her. "Lincoln knew it, and I know it."

   Bellamy pursed his lips, adding, "Now you have to lead."

   "How?" Octavia's voice crackled through the static. "I'm not a leader. It should be one of you, or Clarke—"

   "O, stop." Bellamy cut her off. "Neither of us could've done what you did—well maybe Sayah—"

   Sayah snatched the radio out of his hand. "He's lying—"

   "Give it back," Bellamy pouted, snatching the radio back. "Octavia, you gave people hope when there was none. You're. . . you're Prometheus, stealing fire from the Gods and giving it back to the human race."

   "Prometheus got chained to a rock so that the eagles could eat his liver." Octavia replied, earning a scared look from Sayah.

   "Thanks for ruining my metaphor, O."

   A pause. "I love you guys. So much. I guess it takes the end of the world for me to say it."

   "We love you too." Bellamy replied, sniffling as Sayah leaned her head on his shoulder. After a moment, only static could be heard.

   "What's going on?" Sayah sat up straight, brows furrowed.

   "No—O? O, can you hear me?" Bellamy fiddled with the radio. "O? No, come on. O."

   Nothing but static.

   Sayah grabbed Bellamy's hand in hers. "May we meet again."

༺═──────────────═༻

   They all watched as Polis was swallowed by the death wave, flames and radiation covering every inch of the city, before it reached the drone and the screen went to static. Harper let out a shaky exhale—everyone feeling the effects of what this meant. Going to space was their only option. This had to work.