Fallen Angel [Bellamy Blake]

Chapter 3: Welcome Home

"I'm breathing in the chemicals"
Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

IMMEDIATELY AFTER OCTAVIA BLAKE'S outburst everyone rushes out through the open doors.

I stand still, not moving from my secure spot inside of the ship. Mainly because I was awestruck by the lush green forest in front of me but also partially because I was still hesitant about whether this was a suicide mission. How long would it take the radiation to kill us?
Jasper does a small hop in excitement and gestures wildly for me to follow him before sprinting off on his own after the crowd. Monty follows suit.

I guess this was really happening. No sense in prolonging it. I would take however long I had left to appreciate the miracle of actually being on Earth. Slowly, I descend the ramp after them, allowing myself to really absorb every detail of my surroundings.

A light breeze blows on my face, and I inhale deeply to fill my lungs with the fresh air. Real (possibly poisonous) air from the Earth and not the artificial oxygen concoction from the Ark. And even though the air was probably soaked with radiation it was the best thing that I have ever breathed. I chuckle despite myself and close my eyes to savor the feeling. If I was going to die then this is pretty awesome.

The sun rays hit my skin, enveloping me in a warm blanket that was cooled by the passing breeze. I don't think I'll ever get used to these feeling or the smells. How could I?

The trees around me were one of the most impressive things I've ever seen. They towered above us like magnificent giants. There was a uniformity to their spatial pattern that was simply memorizing. And there are so many different types of plants around us—some with a burst of colorful flowers.

It was all so beautiful.

Jasper and Monty find me again. I hadn't wandered too far from the exit of the dropship but they had somehow gotten carried away with the crowd and lost me. They stare at my blissful face with a smirk on theirs.

"Say one word," I warn jokingly, too happy to put much bite into it. "And I'll give you your first black eye on Earth."

They laugh, bringing me in for another proper hug.

Everyone was chatting excitedly among themselves, touching and feeling everything around them. Admittedly I wanted to do the same.

Monty was listing off some herbs that he wanted to find and Jasper was talking about exploring the woods for wildlife. But I was too distracted by my surroundings to engage in their conversation. As I was looking around, I notice a head of golden blonde hair that shimmered in the sunlight by the entrance of the dropship.

I made a small sound of excitement in the back of my throat before leaving the boys behind, not bothering to explain to them where I was going. I jog towards the blonde girl, silently savoring the sound of the twigs and leaves crunching beneath my feet as I did.