Fearless (Bellamy Blake - Book 1)

Chapter 53.

My head feels like it's going to implode, with every movement, every sound and every thought, it pulsates pain like a steady beat that I can't forget. 

With every step, I fear that my ankle will give up on me and send me face planting to the ground. The burning sensation it emits every time I put pressure on it terrifies me. 

I ignore both of these feelings throughout my body, because at this moment in time, as I run through the woods as best as I can, the only thing that consumes me, the only thing willing me not to give up, to keep pushing on, is Finn. 

"CLARKE!" 

I scream the blonde's name at the top of my lungs. We haven't even gotten through the gate yet, but it's in my view, and that's enough for me to release some of my fear, knowing that we managed to get Finn back home, and although he's nearing unconsciousness, he's still alive. 

"CLARKE! SOMEONE FIND CLARKE" I push open the gate, yelling at whoever can hear me, praying that they listen. 

The delinquents start to gather forward, curious as to what happened, but the only person I focus on is the blonde running toward me. 

"I'm here, what's up?" Clarke's face is full of concern, and she stands beside me as I lean against Jasper for support. 

"It's Finn." I tell her, my voice breaking. At that moment, Bellamy walks through the gate, struggling after carrying Finn all the way back.

"Finn?!" Clarke rushes forward with me at her side. She places her hands on him, looking down at the knife lodged in his chest. 

During the journey back, I hadn't the heart to look back at him, but seeing Finn now just reminds me how real the threat of him dying is. 

A group of guys take Finn from Bellamy, relieving him, and Clarke places two fingers on his neck, checking his pulse. 

"He's alive." Clarke announces, her voice hopeful. 

I release a breath I didn't realise I was holding. "Bellamy wouldn't let me take the knife out." I say quietly. 

"No, that was a good call." She nods. "Get him in the drop ship, now."

I nod and stand back, allowing the group to carry Finn away, "Be careful," I say, watching them go.

"What happened?" Raven asks, her voice full of emotion as she watched Finn be carried away. "What the hell did you do?!"

"What?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper as I regard her, shocked. 

"This wasn't Carter's fault." I hear Bellamy say defiantly from somewhere near by. 

Raven's eyes harden, but she turns away from me and to Clarke, leaving me staring at her. "Clarke, can you save him?"

"No, I--not me, I need my mother." Clarke tells her, trying to wrap her head around things. "I need to talk to her."

Raven lifts her hands to her head. "There's still no radio!"

"Raven, fix it! GO!"

Clarke pushes her away and Raven runs back to the drop ship to work on the radio. 

As if something invisible just punched me, I stagger back, having to rest my hand against the tree behind me, blinking rapidly as things in my line of sight start to double and haze.

"Carter?!" I hear Clarke ask. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I tell her, pushing her away, "Clarke go, please, go help Finn."

"Carter you need--"

"Clarke!" I yell at her, "Please! Don't...don't let him die."

Clarke hesitates before giving me a nod, taking off to the drop ship. 

I lean back against the tree, taking deep breathes with my eyes closed, before pushing myself up and following her. 

I stop before Bellamy, and for a moment, neither of us says anything, before I release a sigh and throw my arms around his neck, clearly startling him. 

"Thank you." I whisper, "for helping him. For bringing him home."

I let go of him and take a step back, not giving him a chance to reply before going over to the drop ship.