You and Me

Chapter 6

The floors and the walls, the door and the window, the bed and her sheets, every inch of space in Clarke's cell was filled with images. First, she drew people. Then, parts of the Ark. Now, Earth.

She hadn't been permitted to attend another Earth skills lesson, but she'd heard the steps pass her door. Yelling out wasn't an option, the guards gagged her before going to retrieve the other teenagers. They took off the gag after the others returned to their cell, but always left her shackles.

Her guards claimed she'd attacked them and tried to attack Octavia. Jaha didn't seem to believe it, but Commander Shumway pushed for her to remain in tighter chains when going to and from the showers. Jaha approved. Shumway told his guards to keep them on.

With her movements restricted, Clarke's morning workouts had to be adjusted, but she did them the best she could, growing stronger every day in anticipation.

"Prisoner 319, face the wall."

Clarke stood, but didn't turn her back to the guards. "What's going on."

"Hold out your arm," the guard ordered, ignoring her question. She watched him take a metal bracelet from a box that held others. She spotted a needle inside the bracelet.

"No!" Clarke pulled her arms up, so her chains diverted the man's hand away. The other guard got out his baton, but she was in a fit.

Clarke pushed the guard into a wall and defended against the baton with her chains. Kicking and yelling, she managed to get past them both and into the hallway. She slammed her cell door behind her, stumbling with the chains holding her feet close together.

She was the only one in confinement, but down the hall, she heard the other delinquents yelling. Whatever had been planned, was happening now.

Another guard turned the corner, spotted Clarke and yelled out "Prisoner 319, stop!"

Clarke bolted, but her chains slowed her down. When she turned the corner, she ran into another guard.

"Clarke, stop!" The voice froze Clarke and had her looking up at her mom for the first time in a year and a half.

"Mom?"

"Let her go," Abby Griffin ordered the guard, still a commanding presence in any room.

"Mom. What's going on? They're sending us to Earth, aren't they?" Clarke felt hysterical as her mom pulled her into an embrace and cradled the back of her head like she had when Clarke was a child.

Her mother pulled away and touched her cheek. "You're being sent to the ground. All 100 of you."

"It's not safe. We'll die."

"No, this gives you a chance to live, Clarke."

But this sounded like a councilwoman script, she could recognize it. Clarke had seen her mom prepare to argue in the council room, repeating things until she'd lose her normal tone and take on her council voice. "Your instincts will tell you to take care of everybody else first, just like your father. But be careful, I can't lose you, too."

Clarke shook her head and tried to pull away, but Abby held her close and whispered, "I love you so much." Clarke felt the injection of a sedative.

"No." Clarke thrashed against it, tried to stay awake. "Mom."

Abby held Clarke as she fell to the ground and cradled her. "Earth, Clarke. You get to go to Earth."

Above them, the guards said, "leave the binds for now."

*

"We're back, bitches!" Bellamy had to laugh at his sister's enthusiasm, not minding when the other teenagers pushed past him to get to the ground.

Earth.

Bellamy breathed in the scents, felt the change in gravity the Ark hadn't quite been able to replicate. He listened to the sound of life -along with the shouts of the delinquents.

"Hey! We need some help up here!"

Bellamy turned and saw Wells Jaha's head peer down from the second level of the Dropship. Bellamy's stomach dropped. This was the boy that got Clarke arrested. The boy whose father Bellamy had shot three hours ago.

"We got sent to the ground, we all need help, I think you can wait," remarked Bellamy. Next to him, two guys stood watching the interaction.

"We've got a guy injured and a girl still in chains!" another male voice called from above.

The dark-skinned boy next to Bellamy said, "Oh yeah, that crazy girl from solitary's up there. They kept her in chains when she attacked the guard."

"I say we leave her. Danger to herself and others, right?" The other boy commented, but Bellamy was already hurrying up the ladder.

His head just crested the second level when he heard, "Bellamy!" and he locked eyes with Clarke Griffin.

"Hello, Princess," Bellamy remarked. She rolled her eyes at him, but he was just elated to see she was still alive.

"Do you have keys? You're a guard, aren't you?" asked the other boy. Bellamy recognized him as the kid that took the unauthorized spacewalk.

"Yeah, I've got them."

"Someone needs to go check on that kid," argued Clarke impatiently. Wells, Bellamy and the spacewalker moved, Wells and Bellamy going to Clarke to unlock her, and Finn to the injured boy in the corner.

Once Clarke was freed, she flew out of her chair to check the kid. Bellamy followed her with his eyes but stayed standing by her seat. She checked the pulse, then shook her head.

"Clarke?" asked Wells.

She didn't answer him but stood and approached Bellamy. "Octavia?"

"Exploring Earth. Would you like to join her?" Despite the destruction and death, Clarke managed a smile and the last of the 100 finally stepped foot on the ground.