War of Hearts 》Bellamy Blake

XII

*UNEDITED*

*****

i am of the earth
and to the earth I shall return once more
life and death are old friends
and i am the conversation between them
i am their late night chitter-chatter
their laughter and tears

what is there to be afraid of
if i am the gift they give each other
this place has never belonged to me anyway
i have always been theirs.

-Rupi Kaur

*****

Brinley barely made it through the doorway before she was grabbed.

The grip was firm, but not so tight as to hurt her, rather just enough to stop her from escaping or fighting back.

'What are you doing?'

The voice wasn't one she'd been expecting.

'I can't let you do this alone.' Her shoulder's relaxed slightly as the grip disappeared.

Lincoln had been waiting for her; clearly very aware of what Brinley was up to. Though the man was moved by Brinley's actions, refusing to let him go alone, there was no way he could allow her to go through with her plan. Octavia couldn't lose both of them in one day, as it was, she'd already lost her brother to Pike.

Just because Bellamy wasn't dead didn't mean he wasn't gone.

'And I can't let you go through with this.' Lincoln's voice was firm.

Lincoln liked Brinley, liked the fire, fight and attitude that was absent in so many of the Sky People. There was always a strange sense of understanding between them, even now as they stood across from each other.

'You don't have a choice. You can't stop me from making my own decisions.' Brinley turned to face Lincoln, seeing the determination in his eyes.

'Think about the people you'll be leaving behind.' Lincoln pressed.

'They'll be fine.'

'Will they?'

'What about you, huh? What about the people you're leaving behind?' Brinley crossed her arms, throwing his words right back at him.

'I have no family, my people will be glad to see me gone.' Lincoln crossed his own arms.

'What about Octavia?'

Lincoln looked away. 'Octavia will be fine.'

'Will she? I think you're underestimating how much you mean to her. She'll be devastated.' Brinley's voice softened.

'Octavia is strong, and she'll have you.'

'I told you-' Brinley frowned.

'I know what you told me, but I'm telling you, as your friend, to walk away.'

Against her wishes, Brinley's lower lip trembled. 'No.' Her voice got quieter. 'You deserve so much better than this.'

Lincoln's shoulders dropped in defeat, and Brinley was surprised when Lincoln moved forward as if to hug her-

- Until she felt a sharp pain in her head as her legs folded beneath her, Lincoln's sorrowful face looming into view as his lips parted and he whispered something to her, right before her eyes forced themselves shut.

*****

'Fuck.'

Brinley's hands flew to the side of her head, wincing as she felt the tenderness across her skin. For a moment, she was confused as to what had happened, right up until panic bubbled up in her chest as she realised she was outside, and Lincoln was nowhere in sight.