Kings // c. griffin

Chapter Seven

"It's all clear," Bellamy called back into the cave. Isaac stepped out first, Charlotte's hand in his as he guided her along, out of the cave. He was tense and tired and nervous, but for some reason he wasn't jerking away from the young girl. "Anybody out here?" Bellamy called. "Jones?"

"Over here!" the trio heard, and they all headed over in the direction of Jones' voice.

"Lost you in the stew," Bellamy called to them as soon as they were in sight. "Where'd you go?"

"Made it to a cave down there," Jones explained, pointing towards the direction they had come from. Isaac didn't pay attention as the two boy continued talking, instead he scanned the faces of those present. 

Suddenly, something dawned on him and he subtly slipped his hand from Charlotte's grip and he crossed his arms over his chest in a protective manner. "Where's Atom?" he asked hesitantly, seeming to be the only one who realized that the black, curly haired boy was not here with the group.

Jones frowned, looking to Bellamy as it dawned on him as well that their friend was missing. "I thought he was with you," he said, and the Blake's eyebrows shot up. 

He glanced at Isaac, who pursed his lips as he noticed Bellamy looking at him expectantly, almost as if he wanted an answer. "We should um.. split up," Isaac muttered, his voice deep and croaky from the acid fog he'd almost drowned in last night. "Cover more ground, search for Atom." 

Bellamy, surprisingly, nodded in agreement. "Right," he sighed. "Everyone, go in your own direction. Charlotte, with me."

Isaac and Charlotte exchanged a look before they separated, Isaac trudging off in a different direction than she and Bellamy. If he was being honest, he was utterly terrified of what he (or someone else) might find. What if Adam was dead? Or injured? What if they didn't find him at all? "Atom?" he called nervously, anticipating something bad happening. When nothing happened, he relaxed a bit, but only for a moment until he heard a girl screaming. "Charlotte," he breathed, racing off in her direction, protective instincts taking over. 

He darted into a clearing, eyes widening as he saw Charlotte. In his haste to get to her, he tripped over a root that was sticking out of the ground and tumbled forwards, down a hill and rolling until he hit something. It was warm and blistery, but still moving, and Isaac huffed as he made to push himself up, glancing at whatever was in front of him. Isaac let out a terrified yelp as he gaped at Atom, or more, what was left of him, scrambling away in surprise, pushing himself along the ground. His breathing quickened as he stared at the boy in front of him; he eyes were light blue and glazed over, there were huge blisters all over his skin, blood coating his body in a thin, but nonetheless terrifying, layer.

"Oh my god," he blurted, choking on his own breath as he struggled to regain his breath, staring at Atom in horror. 

"Atom!" Bellamy was by his side in a second, kneeling down next to Atom as Isaac collected himself, crawling closer to the two. 

Atom was clearly struggling to breath, or speak, which was what he seemed to be trying to do. Bellamy leaned closer to Atom's mouth, tilting his ear to hear it. "Kill me," Atom was trying to push the words out of his lips but they seemed to stop inches from his mouth as he choked painfully. "Kill me."

Bellamy glanced up at Isaac, who was already looking at him, frightened. "What do we do?" he asked softly, though deep down he already knew the answer; he just dreaded actually following through with it. 

Bellamy stood up while Isaac stayed, kneeling, next to Atom's broken form. He rested a hand on top of the black curls in an attempt to soothe the poor boy, staring down at him with nothing but sadness in his eyes. He heard Charlotte approach, and watched out of the corner of his eye as she handed Bellamy the knife he had given her. "Don't be afraid," she told him.