ESCAPE ROUTE [THE HUNDRED]

CHAPTER TWO

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002 | ARKADIA
«live and die amongst the stars»

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THE NIGHTMARES ARE A PLAGUE she cannot outrun-drowning in the monsters and demons that dwell in the deepest crevices of her unconscious mind. Nova's body reacts almost violently, twisting and turning in her slumber to vivid images that play on a loop as she's forced to re-live the most tragic moments of her life. Agonizing sobs and horrific screams all echo through her mind with no end in sight until a hand extends itself towards her face and suddenly Nova sits up quickly-heart beating twice as fast as normal and beads of sweat adorning her temples.
The young woman lets out an involuntary gasp as she emerges from her bad dream and begins breathing heavily, recovering from the hellish nightmares she can't seem to drive away. That's when Nova finally notices her surroundings-the walls, and even the objects around her, are completely foreign; metal trays, small needles, clean bandages, material she has never seen before...

"Finally." A voice interrupts, momentarily startling the young woman. The man's tone is laced with impatience but his body language demonstrates a lack of concern for Nova. He sits comfortably at the edge of another bed, placed directly perpendicular of hers. Black and curly hair frame the sides of his face as he stares at her with a calculating look; he was the same man she had encountered in the forest. And though he sits a body-length away, she can see the details of his face-freckles like stars adorned his tanned skin, yet also littered with small faint scars.

"Who are you?" She demands, her voice full of dominance despite, just seconds ago, her nightmare, a clear sign of weakness. She stares back at him-waiting for his answer and at the same time observing him as a threat. Nova can feel that both her arms are tied down to the bed-restricting her entire body from making any sort of movement to protect, or attack.

"No. You came to us, where's Clarke?" He orders. Once again, his voice booming with confidence. His own arms are crossed in front of his chest, his entire stance guarded, something Nova recognizes. Before answering, the young woman hesitates, knowing Clarke's wishes to not be found by her people-a wish Nova respects and understands.

"She never takes shelter in the same place twice" Nova finally utters, watching as the man's face falls slightly, clearly hoping for a different answer. But just as he opens his mouth to demand a better answer or ask a different question, two sets of footsteps walk into the room-another man and a woman, to which Nova recognizes the uncanny resemblance.

"Ah, Bellamy you're already here and she's awake" The unfamiliar man acknowledged, turning towards her as he walked closer. The two adults now stare at Nova, eyes full of curiosity and a slight glimmer of fear, especially coming from the woman who is still reeling from the news that her daughter had been sighted after nearly two months in hiding.

"Hello." She starts, "This is Kane and my name is Abby Griffin, I'm Clarke's mother." Her tone is soft, and welcoming-motherly instincts still embedded, though subconsciously, in her voice.

"Clarke has told me much about you." Nova admits. There are aging lines around her cheeks-a feature that illustrates her old age and perhaps of the exhaustion of the ground, but Abby doesn't seem to let out any sign on fatigue. The older woman smiles and extends a hand towards Nova's retrains.

"Abby I do-"

"We can trust her." Kane declares, silencing the younger man's warning. Abby's fingers work on the restrains as she continues the conversation.

"What has she told you?" Abby questions. Nova can see the older woman's struggle-trying to find a daughter that refuses to be found, a daughter who bore the weight of her people.   The look she gives is something Nova pities, so her answer remains short and vague.

"Only what I need to know-that Lincoln knows the way East."

"Why would you need to leave? Where are you from?" Bellamy intercepts, growing tired of Nova's unfulfilling responses.

"There is nothing left for me where I am from." Her statement is followed by silence-none of the three adults stood in a semi-circle around her reply and eventually glance at one another. Nova can sense their discomfort at the situation, "I only seek safe passage, nothing more". Kane glances at Nova's now free wrists and waits for the grounder to lash out violently, but Nova stays still, only waiting for a reply-a sign that they would indeed help her.

"We can help you." Kane finally concluded, glancing at Bellamy who huffed in response. The younger man was defensive over the decision to trust the grounder, especially after the events of Mount Weather and of everything that came before, "Lincoln will be back soon and he'll assist you on your journey." 

"Thank you." She says sincerely.

"In the meantime. " Abby starts, approaching the grounder. "I've stitched up your leg and I suggest you stay off of it."

Nova nods in responce and the three take that queue to exit the hospital wing. Though it seems that for the moment, Skykru would help her and perhaps believe her story, Nova can tell by the the tense shoulders and hard look in Bellamy's eyes that he would need more time trusting her-if that could ever happen. As the three figures finally disappear behind the metal doors, Nova finally exhales the breath she never realized she was holding in.

The grounder looks up at the ceiling and tries to imagine a different life: that of people who live and die amongst the stars. Then, Nova remembers the necklace that still sits uncomfortably around her neck, ever since the day her life ended. She violently rips the necklace off her body and stares at the flat metal in her palm. A symbol is engraved, that of her clan, Delphi; the illustration still strained with dry blood and much like her own life, it will remain as it is; a fate she will never wash away. 

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