AMNESIA - BELLAMY BLAKE

꧁Chapter Two.꧂

❝Cause now again I found myself

So far down, away from the sun.

That shines into the darkest places

I'm so far down, away from the sun again.

Away from the sun again.❞

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“There are too many people in this bunker...” Octavia had said, covered in the blood of those that didn't agree with her. “And if we don't do something about this, none of us will survive to see the sun, the sky, the ground, and I won't let that happen.” She walked amongst the ones who had tried to take over the cafeteria, along with the bunker.

“Each of you have committed a crime against wonkru,” Octavia had continued. “And the punishment for this,” she said as she moved up the railing to look down on them. “Is death.”

Phoenix’s eyes were wide with shock. Both at the blood that coated her skin like some kind of armor, and at the words she said. He couldn't help but feel nauseous. It wasn't the road she should have went down. He should have stopped it. He locked eyes with Miller and Jackson as a grounder shouted about his clan member not belonging down there with the criminals, as she had only stolen blankets, while Skaikru had stolen food.

“There is no Skaikru,” Octavia replied back to the man quickly. “There is only Wonkru or the enemies of Wonkru. Would you like to join them?” When she received no response, she continued. “But this isn't the Ark, and this isn't the ground, either. There is no blood must have blood.”

Her next words sent ice down Phoenix's veins, he felt sick.

“In Rome, the Gladiators had the opportunity to fight for their freedom.... On your feet,” she ordered the criminals. She threw her own sword down in the middle of them.

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It's been six years since Octavia had become what the grounders call, Blodreina, which apparently meant Red Queen. Six whole years inside the bunker struggling with the loss of his memories. Phoenix stood next to the fence beside of Miller, a guards uniform on. Octavia had promoted him to guard three years ago, which he didn't exactly want. He disagreed with her methods, but was smart enough to keep quiet about it. As the years went on, Octavia became ruthless, power-hungry, the blood of her enemies empowering her.

Phoenix watched, keeping his face expressionless as Kane walked out in the center of the gladiator ring. Kane had been accused of stealing medicine, though to Phoenix, it sounded like something Abby would have done.

Gaia stepped forward, explaining the same speech they've heard for the past six years about the people who committed crimes against wonkru. Phoenix still to this day was sickened by it, the opportunity to by back their freedom, as if their freedom really mattered after being forced to kill your friends. Not to mention knowing where the dead would end up. Phoenix couldn't dwell on it too long, the thought made him close his eyes briefly before he forced them back open.

“As always,” Gaia continued. “When we invite death into these halls, we honor it,” she bowed her head, the others following suit.

“Omon gon oson.” (English: All of me for all of us.)

Phoenix couldn't tear his eyes away from the arena, Kane choosing to stand in the center of it, his gaze on Octavia. It was blatant refusal to fight, as chaos swirled around him. Just as a man went towards Kane, he ran towards the gladiator wall, grabbing a shield for self defense. The man attacked Kane, his sword clanking against the metal shield, which sent Kane towards the ground from the impact.

The fight happened so fast, it was hard for Phoenix to keep up. Somehow Kane had wound up with an Axe to go with his shield, fighting back only in self defense. It was down to Kane and his last opponent, Kane ended it quickly even though he lost control and began hammering the opponents head in with the axe over and over again.

“Marcus Kane,” Gaia spoke, silencing the booing the people of wonkru were giving Kane. “In stealing life-saving medicine from Wonkru, you have committed a crime against our people, but you are the last. Has he earned his freedom, Blodreina?”

She turned to Octavia, who stood up from the makeshift throne to look straight at Kane. “No. He fights again tomorrow.”

Phoenix let out the breath he had been holding in disbelief, leaning in to whisper to Miller against the loud cheering of the crowd. “I bet you didn't see that plot twist coming.” the worry for Marcus drowning in the desperate attempt at a joke.

★《☆》

The nights were the worst. Phoenix could lay there for hours and still struggle falling asleep. He was honestly jealous of those that still could fall asleep instantly as soon as their head hit the pillow. He sat up on his bed, placing his hands on the back of his neck in frustration. It wasn't exactly that Phoenix hated the night, he welcomed the insomnia if it meant keeping him from dreaming. His dreams were the most confusing.

Sometimes, he'd dream he was back on the Ark with his dad after his old man took one too many drugs. He knew those were his true memories because he remembers those. He could still feel the bruises on his skin as if it happened yesterday. It were the dreams that had a sort of haze surrounding it that confused Phoenix the most.

Just when he thinks he can finally grasp at a memory, it disappears, leaving him with a massive headache and more questions than answers. It would happen when he was awake, too. Tiny flashes and then nothing. Gone. If he tried to bring it back after the memory dissolved, then the pain of the headache would bring him too his knees. He scared Miller doing that once and vowed to never do it again, if he could help it.

He leaned back against the pillow, closing his eyes one more time to try and sleep. When sleep finally came, he wished it wouldn't have.