"How can you lose when you never stop fighting?"
Cassiopeia Walker-Simmons looked at her star from a tiny window in space her whole life. She never imagined that it'd be even more beautiful from the ground. Yet every time she gazed upon the dazzlin...
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WE'RE ALL MURDERERS
Cassie let out a huge breath, leaning her head back against the chair. It dug into her scalp but she didn't care; it reminded her that she was still alive. Jay was moaning, clutching at his head. She tried to block it out; he was becoming so loud that she couldn't drown it out. She felt obliged to ask him if he was okay.
"Hey Jay, you dead?"
His chest shook, and he released a shaky chuckle. "Not yet."
It was the shortest sentence she'd ever heard him speak. She was grateful in a way - she wasn't sure if she could deal with his voice droning on and on. She didn't want that to be the last thing she heard before she died.
Allowing herself some time to calm her beating heart, she remained sat down. Jay seemed to have the same idea, mumbling under his breath. She couldn't pick up what he was saying, but she could only imagine it was about the rocky landing.
Licking her lips she unbuckled her belt. It clicked, the sound being lost in the collective sound of belts being undone all over the drop ship. Shakily she got to her feet, teetering on the spot. She felt lighter than she did on the Ark, her feet more securely on the ground. She took a hesitant step, a closed mouth smile gracing her face.
They were on Earth.
She went to take another step when she heard Jay groan again. He hadn't even undone his belt yet. Daring a glance out of the corner of her eye, she saw that he was a sickly shade of green, his eyes unfocused. Pity overcame her, encouraging her to turn back to Jay.
His eyes were drooping as they faintly saw her coming back. He had to rein in the gasp he wanted to release as she reached across him and unclasped the buckle of his belt, freeing him. He remained silent as she helped pull him out of the chair, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"If you vomit on my shoulder I'll drop you, got it?" She warned darkly, taking the majority of his weight. Cassie led them closer to the door where a crowd was gathering, waiting impatiently. They needed to get outside as soon as possible so Jay wouldn't throw up on her. She'd rather risk radiation poisoning than get spewed on.
Cassie shuffled on her feet, readjusting Jay's weight on her. Her voice shouted over all of the others, the people around them spinning around. "Are we just going to stare at the door and hope it magically opens?"
"No!" A female voice screeched out. Cassie faintly recognised the voice, but it wasn't until they had climbed down the ladder and had battled their way to the front that she realised who it was. Clarke Griffin. Princess of the Ark. Arrested for unknown reasons, but the rumours provided many explanations, ranging from her setting up her father to get floated to stealing medical supplies to feed her drug addiction. "We can't just open the doors!"
A olive skinned man wearing a guards uniform stood in front of the door, his hands up as if to persuade people not to go any further. His voice was deep, rumbling through the shushed chatter. It struck Cassie with a sense of deja vu; she just brushed it off. "Hey, just back it up guys."
