PICKPOCKET━━━━ bellamy blake.【 editing! 】

Chapter 43

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

"You don't even go here!" 

***

The woods were silent. 

 I was expecting to hear Grounders jumping in the trees and smiting me from above, but instead, all I heard was the sound of my feet pounding on the ground, and occasionally me when I tripped and cursed loudly. I have yet to see any Grounders.

 I timed my breathing to pace with my feet as I ran, finding that all of the time I spend running from Grounders has increased my endurance, making up for the two and a half years I lost in the jail cell. 

 It was weird how beautiful Earth was. I feel like since it bears so much death and destruction, it should be dark and creepy... nope, it is lush with green vegetation, and the air is sweet and fresh compared to the stale, thin air of the Ark. 

 I hate that I love it. 

It was weird, you know? To feel like you are actually able to breath for the first time in seventeen-well, I guess I am technically eighteen now-years. On the Ark, you had to live in constant fear, it's the same on Earth, but it is a different kind of fear because you can fight it. 

 Another sound broke into my conscious, making me stop in my tracks. It was a rustling, in the bushes, and as cliche as it sounds, I froze. My head crept to the knife on my belt, although I knew I should have been drawing my gun at this moment. 

 Again I say, I am a terrible shot. 

 I wracked my brain for the little knowledge of the Grounder language that I have. Phia only taught me basics, and right now I am hoping that is enough. "Hei?" I called out tentatively, squinting into the thick brush. "Um, Ai laik Nataniel kom Skaikru!"

 The movement made my eyes dart to the side again, and then another to my back. I whirled in a full circle, contemplating the survive-ability of this situation... it wasn't high. "I don't want any trouble!" 

 "Neither do we." 

 I whipped around, surprised that the unknown figure actually responded to me. I thought the way this was supposed to work is that I talk to the creepy dudes, and then they stab me or something. 

 But no, this wasn't a Grounder... not even close.

 It was a person, sure... in what looked to be a big, white hazmat suit. My first thought when I looked at him was that he looked suspiciously like an astronaut to me. The big, white suit, with the clear space for you to see through, and an oxygen tank strapped to the back? Yep, I'm getting really spacey vibes. 

 Before I knew what I was saying, my confused state of mine just blurted out: "what? You don't even go here." 

 "You're Nate Masteron?" The hazmat suit dude asked, and I took a step back, creeped out that he knew my name. "Monty has mentioned you." 

 I felt my heart jump to my throat, and the blade of my knife dipped. My mouth went dry, and I very vaguely heard Bellamy asking me to report through the walkie-talkie. I gasped, the thought that this person knew Monty making hope shoot through my chest.