Chapter 6
The group began to stir on their own due to the rising sun. Clarke stayed sitting down with Bellamy while everyone else wiped the sleep from their eyes and stretched. “Let’s get going,” Kane announced. “If we head out now we should be back behind the wall well before noon. You could grab a snack before lunch is served.”
It felt like you could hear everyone’s stomach grumble at the reminder of food. They all haven’t really eaten since yesterday morning. Clarke the night before that. Monty came over to help Clarke get Bellamy to his feet. Bellamy swayed and she caught a glimpse at his eyes as they dilated before going back to normal.
Both Monty and Clarke tightened their grip on him, worried he might pass out. “I’m fine,” he breathed before shaking his head and saying more firmly, “I’m fine.”
Clarke let Monty help him walk to the rover while she walked over to Kane. She passed Pike on her way, both holding the gaze until the last possible moment. “Marcus,” she called. “How long until we’re back? Bellamy really needs stitches and some medicine to prevent infection.”
He seemed to think about the best possible route back before answering, “4 hours, 3 and a half maybe if we get there fast. This is the first time we’ve ventured this way into Azgeda. As long as we don’t run into any complications we should be there quickly.”
Clarke thought about any complications that can happen in 3 and a half hours. Bellamy wasn’t losing too much blood any more, and he only had to sit in the back of the rover. Everything should be fine.
Clarke nodded at him before walking over to the back of the rover. Monty had gotten Bellamy in one of the back seats closest to the door. Pike was in the seat right behind the driver’s seat. With Monty himself in the driver’s seat and Hannah in the passenger seat Clarke was left with two options before Kane took a seat: sit next to Pike or sit across from him. She didn’t like either option but she didn’t really have any other choice. She climbed in and took a seat next to Bellamy, making a point to look out the windshield as best as she could over Hannah’s seat once she sat down. Kane jumped into the last seat and closed the door.
Monty started the rover and Clarke tightened her grip on her seat. The drive was fast despite some bumpy areas in the road. Once they came into range, they radioed to Arkadia to let them know they were fine and on their way back. Told them to have Jackson ready for a stab wound that needed to be stitched. They got there in about 3 hours and 45 minutes if Monty was right. Bellamy had fallen asleep half an hour in, despite his efforts to stay awake.
Clarke spent the whole ride mentally preparing herself for what she would face once she was back in Arkadia and asking a few questions here and there to try and ease her nerves. Her questions were the only sign that she was nervous.
‘Were you able to expand the wall?’
‘Yes. We had to accommodate for some cabins and tents outside of the station, it couldn’t hold too many people. The 42 from the mountain prefered to be outside rather than in another “metal container”, as they put it. We also added some work and storage areas, along with enough room for a sizable vegetable garden.’
‘How are you supplying food to everyone?’
‘We send out hunting parties for animal meats and some gatherers for nuts and berries. And we also have the vegetable garden like I’ve mentioned before.’
‘Are the 42 being treated right?’
‘Yes. It was made clear that they were pardoned from their crimes and not to be messed with.’
The questions didn’t help much to ease her nerves. So when Arkadia came into sight and they were nearing the wall she almost panicked. She wasn’t ready to come back. It’s been three months and she wasn’t ready. What if they hate me so much they hand me back over to the grounders in a trade for peace?
Clarke squashed that thought soon after it formed. If they hated her so much they wouldn’t have gone out to get her in the first place. And Bellamy, Kane, Monty, her mom… they wouldn’t let that happen.
They let the rover in the wall and Clarke saw glimpses of the people and buildings around them. It looked completely different. Little kids were running around. People were smiling and laughing. Everything was calm. They weren’t on high alert for a grounder attack. It made Clarke’s chest swell. Her people were safe and happy.
For now, she thought. Once the Ice Nation, or any grounder for that matter, figured out where she was they’d attack. She was Wanheda, afterall. She brought death with her wherever she went. Just another reason not to stay too long.
A shadow fell over the rover and as Clarke’s eyes adjusted to the change of light she realized they had driven into the station. It was a kind of loading area. Monty parked the rover and turned it off. There were people there expecting them and one of them opened the back of the rover and asked who was injured. They helped Bellamy down and tried to get him on the stretcher but he refused.
“I can walk, okay? Just give me a crutch or something.” It was just like him not to accept the stretcher. He didn’t like to not be in control, especially of his own body. Clarke stepped out of the rover and their eyes landed on her. She hated the attention but she knew she would be the main focus in any room she walked into while she was here.
“Clarke,” said a voice she recognized. Jackson. He seemed a little surprised to see her. There’s an awkward pause before he shakes his head and goes back to doctor-mode. “Are you okay? Any injuries?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“She’s lying.” They all looked at Bellamy, Clarke in confusion. I didn’t get injured… When he saw her confusion he said, “When I tripped yesterday you winced when my hand tightened on your shoulder.” She had forgotten about that. She had claw marks on her shoulder from her panther kill the other day.
“I’m fine, really. It’s already been cleaned and bandaged.”
“Let get you two to the medbay, we’ll check out your wounds there.” Before Clarke could protest, Jackson was ushering them out of the room. Bellamy once again leaning on Clarke.