Fearless (Bellamy Blake - Book 1)

Chapter 101

The yelping cries of the Reapers approach from behind us, Lincoln leading them. When he sees Finn and I, he diverts towards us and leaves the Reapers in front of the Grounders. The second Lincoln gets to where we stand, we run.

We manage to get back into camp through the small, concealed entrance we left from. It's complete chaos. Everyone that isn't a gunner is just running around, unsure of what to do, yet trying to prepare themselves for a fight.

Clarke is the first person to see us, embracing Finn tightly. I don't bother looking around for Bellamy, knowing him he's out on the front line fighting against each and every Grounder that he comes across. I fight against every urge screaming at me to go and find him.

"What did you do?" Clarke's voice is a whisper as she and Finn pull apart.

"We kicked the hornets nest." He replies.

"You brought the Reapers?"

"I just bought us some time."

"Which we're now running out of." I cut in, stepping towards them. "Sorry to interrupt," I say blandly. "Raven?"

"She's not good," Clarke admits, leading us to the drop ship. "And the rockets aren't ready yet, Jasper's working on them now."

Finn hands Clarke the medicine. "Wait, Jasper? What's plan B?"

Clarke looks between us both, and even I have to admit the worry that fills my head when she says, "Jasper was plan B."

I watch Clarke and Finn run into the drop ship, but don't follow. They can handle it from here, I just have to buy them as much time as possible. I look around behind me, where did Lincoln go? He followed us to the entry point, he couldn't have fallen behind.

"NOW TO THE WALL!"

A surge of Grounder cries follow those words, as do multiple gun shots and shouts from our side of the wall. A shooter falls to the ground, an arrow lodged into him. I don't hesitate as I run over, picking up the gun from his body only to drop it from my left hand, the weight of the weapon holding me down.

"Shit!" I fall to my knees, the aching pain from my left arm sears up my body as I push back the tears. "Come on," I whisper to myself. I can't just stand back and watch this bloodshed happen. I won't.

With a deep intake of breath and in one fluid motion, I pick up the gun with both hands and move to a nearby crate, perching the gun on top as I crouch behind it. The camp gate falls forward and the Grounders flood through.

Behind me, I hear someone call for grenades. Soldiers charge into the camp, weapons raised. I shoot, killing one at the front as two explosions get the rest. The light lets me see more Grounders behind them, the heat causing sweat to run down my face. I fire more bullets at the entryway, hoping they hit their mark.

I heart thunders in my throat as the Grounders flood through, killing my companions. Arrows and swords fly and I duck further into my little corner, pulling the trigger as much as I can to slow them down. 

"Alright Jasper did it, everyone inside the dropship now!" Clarke's voice is drowned out by the sounds of fighting, but her words are useless to us here.

The trigger of my gun clicks. With a growl I stand and swing the butt of the gun at a Grounder's head, knocking him to the floor. I bring it down once more onto his head with as much strength as I can muster before dropping the gun. I grab the sword from his limp hand and let the fury within me take over. With a cry I swing and cut and stab as many bodies as I can, aiming for their legs which are the least covered part of their bodies. Fools.

I swing low but a Grounder kicks me down, his boot knocking the wind from my lungs. Now on the ground, a choked gasp escapes me, my chest tight. I hear my name over the sounds of the fighting, but I try to reach for the sword, he'll kill me if I don't.

With a cry, the Grounder swings for me. My fingers graze the hilt of my sword inches away. As his blade comes down I roll to the side, mud and twigs and blood sticking to me. I grab the sword on the floor and block his second blow. Metal on metal, our swords collide. A strangled cry escapes me as I use all my strength to block him. My feet hook around his and I bring my legs up, making him stumble back. I use my left foot to kick his knee, sending him falling to the ground. Crawling to my knees I bring my sword down and into him. Twice.

Someone grabs me from behind and I scream and thrash about, turning to try and swing at them.

"Chris it's me!" Finn's voice has me halting. "We gotta go, come on! COME ON!"

His picks me up and starts to run, dragging my exhausted body with him. My legs move on their own accord, my thoughts running a mile a minute. I dare a glance behind me to see a group of Grounders charging towards us. We're not going to make it.

"Finn—" I try to tell him this. Try to tell him we won't make it to the dropship in time, but he steers us away from it, towards the entry hole we came through earlier. Realisation hits me. We're not going to the dropship. We're too late.

"Go!" He pushes me through the hole and follows behind. "Don't stop, we have to move!"

I listen to him, and when I emerge from the other side, I run.

I try not to think of who may or may not have made it into the dropship in time. Try not to think about where Bellamy is, alive and safe inside...or one of the many forgotten bodies being trampled on by the Grounders as they swarm to the closed ship, banging on the doors and calling for blood. The last thing he asked—begged—was that I stay safe inside, and I didn't listen. He kissed me, for the first and last time, Bellamy and I had kissed. I feel my eyes start to brim with tears.

Maybe he is inside the dropship, angry and shouting and looking for me. Maybe the rockets will work, and the Grounders will die and we'll be safe. I don't want to think about what will happen if they don't work, or where Finn and I are running to now...or for how long.

I hear Finn at my side as an explosion sounds from behind us, followed by screams, but we don't stop. The woods around us light up and heat reaches my back. The rockets worked.

Finn and I don't stop as we run into the dark woods ahead of us.

~*~