And suddenly it‘s dark
Abby‘s pov
With every day that goes by, I‘m getting closer to storming out into the woods to search the whole planet if I have to to find my baby.
She‘s 17 by now and my nights are spent with dreams, imagining what she looks like now that she‘s almost an adult. Five damn years and I still can’t leave to find her.
„Abby, you know you‘re not supposed to be out here. It‘s dangerous.“ Kane. Of course he can‘t just leave me be. But then again, why would he? He‘s the chancellor and I‘m the only doctor he has. Or more accurately the only fully schooled one. Jackson still has to learn a thing or two and exactly that thing (or two) could cost someone their life if something happens and I‘m not there to help.
„Really? Because last time I checked the worst that can happen is stumbling and breaking an arm.“ Just because I understand his concern, I don’t have to like it.
„We don’t know that!“ I can tell he‘s getting exasperated with me. „There could be dangers in these woods we can‘t imagine. This earth has changed from the old world and we don’t know the extent of that change. So you will come with me back to camp right now and stay there until we know more.“
I‘m just about to respond when suddenly a cloth is pressed to my mouth and nose. The same is happening to Kane and he‘s the last I see before my vision becomes dark and my feet give out under me as my consciousness slips from my grasp.
The first thing I notice when I wake up is a voice saying something, but my mind‘s still too foggy to make out any words.
My eyes flutter open and my senses come back to me. I am in a tent. There are ropes around my wrists and a wooden pole pressed to my spine. Next to me sits an unconscious Kane, equally restrained as I.
There‘s a guard a few feet away from me by the entrance. As soon as our eyes meet, he leaves.
„Heda, won kom Skaikru ste awake. (Commander, one of the sky people is awake.)“ The voice is that of the man who just left, but I can‘t understand what they‘re talking about. It seems as if they developed an entirely new language.
„Os. Gon osir we en nou disturb oso sef taim em ste urgent. (Good. Leave us and do not disturb us unless it is urgent.)“ A female voice. She sounds as if she‘s giving a command. Probably their leader.
The voices fall silent and almost immediately the tent flap‘s pulled to the side and reveals a woman. She‘s young, extremely so if she‘s their leader. Her hair is bound into an intriguing braid and she wears an armour with a pauldron on her shoulder.
„Who are you?“ My voice sounds more curious than I aimed it to be as the woman stands in front of me with her hands clasped behind her back and her chin raised authoritively. For a second I wonder if she even speaks English, but then she answers.
„Depends. Who are you?“ Depends? What the hell does that mean? I would love to give her her own answer, but since I am the one in chains, I guess I will have to answer.
„I‘m Abby Griffin. I would give you my hand and introduce myself properly, but I can‘t move.“ The last sentence slips with a sarcastic bitterness before I can stop it and I could swear I can see her lips twitching for only the blink of an eye afore her features go back to being stoic and emotionless.
„In that case I‘m someone you will want to support.“ I raise my eyebrows in a silent question.
„We are going to war against Mount Weather, as you call it.“
I can‘t help but laugh at that. „And why would I help you with that?“
„Because they will take your people just like they are currently taking mine and once someone enters the mountain they will either never be seen again or return as Reapers, killing those who once were their friends and family, their people.“ My blood runs cold and I feel fear creeping into each and every alcove of my body. Will that really happen to my people if we don’t aid her in that war.
„Besides…“ for the first time since stepping foot into this tent, she appears to be hesitant. „…they have something you want.“ My irritation has to show on my face because she continues after a short but heavy pause. „Clarke.“
My already cold blood freezes in my veins and my heartbeat speeds up. My thoughts race. Of course she lived with them, how else would a 12 year-old survive five long years, but why does someone so obviously important know her?
„How do you know my daughter?“ It comes out harsher than intended, but I don’t care.
„That is not of importance right now. She might still be alive, but the longer we wait, the more likely it is that she won’t come out breathing.“
The danger and urgency of the situation hits me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. I can barely think. The woman‘s voice interrupts my trance.
„I will leave you to discuss this with your… chancellor and await your answer at sundown.“
She turns to leave. „Wait!“ She stops, but only turns her head slightly. „I still don’t know your name.“
„I‘m the commander, that‘s all you need to know, Abi kom Skaikru.“
„You can‘t seriously think we should go to war because of a mere possibility.“ Kane‘s voice is calm, albeit I know he‘s frustrated. „As far as we know they could be lying. Mount Weather‘s empty except for resources as far as we know. Of course there could be people in there who are at war with the grounders, but why should they attack us?“
„I don’t know, but I‘d rather have a possible threat less than risk our people‘s lives.“ I can see consideration in his eyes, but I know I will have to do a lot of persuasion.
I didn’t tell him about Clarke. It would only make him think, I only want to do this to get to her, but the fate of our people has also something to do with my need to do this. Though she‘s the biggest reason for me to want to help the commander.
If I have to go to war to get my daughter back, I will and Kane won’t stop me with his defensive nature. Sometimes you have to be offensive and sometimes that means going to war.
Clarke‘s pov
My eyes fly open and I try to sit up, but my head hits metal and I let myself fall back a little. Slowly my eyes adjust to the dim light and I turn my head, taking in my surroundings.
I‘m in a cage and wherever I look, I see more. Cages over cages filled with people. Mostly, I see Trikru and a few Ouskejonkru, but what infuriates me the most are my people, Azgeda, who are held here in nothing but undergarments as the rest too. They seem to be weakened and it breaks my heart.
„Ai haiplana.“ I turn and look into one of my guards‘ eyes. „I‘m sorry, we didn’t react fast enough.“ There‘s regret in his eyes, but I shake my head. „Don‘t be. It was not your fault and blame won’t get us out of here.“
He nods. „Sha, ai haiplana.“
Suddenly, the room is filled with alerting rustling. Most of the others are clinging to the metal bars of their cages, calling things I don’t understand and then… silence. You could hear a pen falling or, in this case, a door opening.
A woman in a long white doctor‘s coat walks into the room with two men on her heels. They stride through the rows looking at each prisoner attentively, as if they‘re searching for something specific. After a while they reach my row. The doctor points to the guard I was just talking to. With a quiet understanding the men behind her walk to his cage, opening it. My guard tries his best to attack, but there is nothing he can do. Almost immediately, they have a syringe in his neck and his body goes limb.
I can‘t just watch them take him away, I have to do something. Before I can properly think about it, my hands are on the cage door and start shaking it violently. „Nou! Nou toch em op! Breik em au! (No! Don‘t touch him! Let him go!)“
The doctor looks to me, unimpressed. „Her too.“
I try fighting like my guard has when they reach for me, albeit they manage to prick my neck with another syringe. My already weakened state makes it impossible to win. I only manage to whisper a short promise before I am in darkness again.
„I will kill you all, and if it‘s the last thing I do.“