12. internal enemies

5.6K 160 39
                                    

The first part of the trip was spent in complete silence. 

I could tell that Bellamy was still upset, and clearly Clarke could too because she remained quiet from where she sat in the back. 

Well, that was until- "How are you feeling, Avery? I feel like I haven't had a chance to check up on you." she questioned, leaning forward slightly as she awaited my response. 

For the first time since we left Arkadia, Bellamy pulled his dark eyes away from the road. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his gaze flickering between Clarke and myself. 

I closed my eyes, letting out a huff as I mentally smacked myself in the forehead. Clarke seemed alarmed as her face paled. "You didn't tell him?" she whispered, as if Bellamy couldn't hear us. 

I replied in the same hushed whisper, even though I knew it was useless. "No!" I confessed. "What good would it do anyway?"

"Is someone going to tell me what happened?" Bellamy wondered, eyes flickering between the road and the two of us. 

I gave Clarke a warning look, almost daring her to test me. The minute she told Bellamy that I had collapsed, we would go right back to the way it had been for weeks- him not letting me join in anything 'too physically exerting.'

"Avery collapsed." She blurted. "Her wound was infected...it could have killed her."

"I'm going to kill you." I muttered, shaking my head as I stared straight ahead, not wanting to meet Bellamy's eye. 

"When did this happen?" he demanded, and even without turning my head I could tell he was staring at me. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"Let me think..." I mocked, bringing a finger up to my chin.  "...It happened somewhere between you being held hostage by the Ince Nation, Octavia almost dying and our home going up in flames." My face was challenging as I looked over at Bellamy, brows raised as if to say 'get it now?'

Of course I didn't tell him. There was no merit to do so. Everything else going on took much more precedent that my tiny little bump in the road. 

Bellamy scoffed as he looked back to the road. "You shouldn't be coming with us."

I spun in a hurry, giving Clarke a pointed look. "And that is exactly why I didn't tell him." 

Clarke gave me a sheepish look, a look that slowly turned to confusion as the Rover began to slow. 

"Bellamy, it's too late to kick me out." I announced in the process of turning back around. However, when I was facing forward once again, I realized the reason Bellamy had stopped the Rover was not to kick me off of the trip, but rather due to something blocking the roadway. 

More like someone-or many someones. 

A group of Trikru crowded the road, seemingly looking for help. 

I leaned forward slightly, scanning the area for any sign of danger as Bellamy radioed to the caravan behind us, letting them know why we were stopping. 

"Looks like a Trikru checkpoint. Stay alert, show no weapons. Keep your passengers on ice."

"Wait." I whispered, my eyes finally spotting something out of the ordinary. "It's not a checkpoint. They have wounded." 

I didn't wait for a response before throwing the door of the Rover open, Clarke scrambling after me as Bellamy let out a frustrated sigh. 

A Trikru man stepped out of the group, approaching Clarke and I. "Wanheda." he greeted, looking to Clarke before giving me a brief nod. 

𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍─𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞²Where stories live. Discover now