Haunted || Octavia Blake || 1 ||

3: T h e W r o n g D a m n M o u n t a i n

XX

[ PREVIOUSLY: Octavia and the other prisoners land safely on the ground and experience the wonders of Earth for the first time in generations ].

"WHOOOO!" I let my voice carry throughout the wings of the wind breezing around me. I pummelled down the tree-studded hill towards a river that was tinkling it's way over rocks and stones towards a lake cresting the forest. I had never felt so alive, so free; it was an amazing feeling and I didn't want a single thing to change.

I heard the hoots and yells of the other teens surrounding me as they all stampeded down the hill towards the water. I was one of the first to reach our destination.

Dropping to my knees beside the grassy bank, I cupped my hands together and filled them with water. I lifted the transparent substance to my lips and took a sip of it's refreshing coolness. I sighed with contentment as it slid down my parched throat.

Smiling, I turned and glanced at the others who were frolicking around and shouting gleeful conversations to each other. Slowly I got to my feet as I gazed around at all of them. I didn't know a single person here, except for Bellamy and Charlotte. It was time to make some new friends.

I skipped my way over the stones crossing the creek and jumped safely onto the opposite bank. I plonked myself down beside the nearest girl I could see and smiled at her. "Hi."

She glanced up and looked at me as if I were a stranger. Wait. I was a stranger ... to her anyway.

"Seriously?" she huffed as she scrambled up and walked away to join her friends.

I rolled my eyes as I flicked my dark brown hair back behind one shoulder. Why was everyone so damn rude?

"You good?"

I raised my eyebrows as I turned to face the speaker. Spacewalker.

"Yeah. Why do you ask? Do I look like I'm miserable?" I shot back, leaning down to pluck some moist green heads off some grass stalks nearby.

Finn chuckled softly as he settled himself down next to me. "Yeah, you do actually. Getting into a fist fight with someone, having others gossiping about you, not feeling wanted among your peers; that's not exactly ideal. I mean, seeing Earth for the first time is great, but it's better when you have friends to share your excitement with."

I snapped my head up and stared at him incredulously. "Oh, so you can read minds now, can you?"

Finn shrugged carelessly, averting my gaze. "Something like that."

"Oi, Spacewalker, come hang with us!" a pretty brunette waved from a group of people loitering nearby.

Finn's face broken into a broad smile. "I'll be back," he waggled his eyebrows at me as he leaped to his feet and sauntered over to the girl.