trepidation |BELLAMY BLAKE| [1]

CHAPTER 36

AVERY OPENED HER EYES AND SCREAMED IN PAIN. There was a burning sensation on her abdomen and when she tried to move away from it, she couldn't.

"Hey, hey." She looked up to see Bellamy holding her still, "It's gonna be okay."

"What's going on?" Avery panted,

"You're lucky. The bullet went clean through." Clarke stated, "Turn her on her side."

Avery stared at the blonde, "Clarke? Where the hell were you?"

"Not important." Clarke stuck the blade in the fire once again, "We're leaving."

"Leaving? Thought we were gonna fight the Grounders." Avery groaned as Bellamy helped her onto her side, revealing the exit wound.

"Wouldn't think that you would complain about this option." Clarke commented, "Hold her down."

Bellamy's hold on her tightened and Clarke pressed the now reddened blade onto her skin and Avery screamed in pain.

Clarke pulled the blade away, "There you go. Now go pack up."

Bellamy helped her sit up, steadying her as she swayed, "Where are we going?"

"There's a group of people to the east. They'll help us." Clarke answered,

"How do you know?"

"Lincoln." Clarke placed the blade back in the fire and Avery furrowed her eyebrows. She turned to see Raven on the table next to her, her shirt lifted to reveal her own wound,

"Murphy shot us both." Raven grunted.

Clarke placed the heated blade once again on Raven, "That should stop the external bleeding."

"I don't understand. How did Murphy get a gun?" Finn asked from Raven's bedside,

"Long story." Bellamy replied,

"We got lucky." Raven said, "If Murphy hit the fuel tank instead of me, we'd all be dead."

"Wait, there's rocket fuel down there? Enough to build a bomb?" Clarke questioned,

"Enough to build 100 bombs... if we had any gunpowder left." Raven answered, 

"Let's get back to the Reapers. Maybe they'll help us." Bellamy stated, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

Clarke and Finn looked at each other for a moment, "Not this enemy. We saw them. Trust me, it's not an option."

"There's no time for this." Finn said, "Can she walk or not?"

"No. We have to carry her." The blonde answered,

"The hell you will." Raven moved to stand, " I'm good to go."

Clarke held her down, "Hey, listen to me. That bullet is still inside you. If by some miracle, there's no internal bleeding, it might hold until we get somewhere safe. But you are not walking there. Is that clear?"

Raven nodded and laid back down, "I'll get the stretcher." Finn said walking away,

"Can't run away fast enough, huh? Real brave." Bellamy commented,

Finn walked back over, "Dying in a fight you can't win isn't brave, Bellamy, it's stupid."

Bellamy let go over Avery and walked around the tables to square up with Finn, "Spoken like every coward who's ever run from a fight."

"All right, that's enough." Finn stepped away, "It's time to go."

"If they follow? It's a 120-mile walk to the ocean." Bellamy stated,

"Look, we're wasting time. If he wants to stay, he can stay." Finn said before walking towards the door,

"No, he can't." Avery said called out and slid off the table, Bellamy rushing over to help her, "We can't do this without you, Bellamy." She mumbled, looking up at him, "I don't want to do this without you."

Bellamy shook his head and Avery watched as he tensed his jaw, "What do you want me to say, Avery?"

"I want you to say that you're with us. Those kids out there, they listen to you, too." Avery replied,

"They're lining up to go." Bellamy responded, "They listen to Clarke more."

Clarke stepped over, "I gave them an easy choice. But 5 minutes ago, they were willing to fight and die for you. You inspire them, Bellamy. I'm afraid we're gonna need that again before this day is through." The blonde walked towards the exit, "Avery, you need to take it easy. The bullet may have gone clean through but you still lost a lot of blood."

Avery nodded before looking up at Bellamy, "Help me to my tent?"