Earth Kills

Shadow POV

"How's he doing?" I asked Clarke, kneeling beside Jasper as I reached out and touched his cheek. She pulled out her watch and begins checking Jasper's pulse. "Shut up already!" I hear a girl from downstairs shout out. I huffed, leaning down to his face. "Don't listen to them, you're going to make it through this, okay?" I smiled at Jasper, touching his cheek again. "I promise" I whispered to him. "Can he just die already?!" A boy then shouted loudly. "I'm gonna get clean water" I informed Clarke before standing up and walking over to the latter, climbing down. I needed some air, some fresh air. I get outside and take a deep breath, touching the locket out my neck with he letting A on it. "No! no!" I hear a little scream. "No! NO!" she screams louder as I walked over to the sound. I see the little girl curled up in the ball, kneeling down next to her. "Hey...Wake up" I whispered. She jerked awakes, sucking in much-needed air. "It's okay, hey it's okay" I whispered. "It was just a dream..." I added. "What's your name?" I asked her. "Ch-Charlotte" She stuttered out. I give her a kind smile "I'm Shadow, but you can call me Doe." She didn't answer me this time. "It's alright to be scared, Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, resting my back against the tree. She looked to be struggling with whatever she was holding onto. "It's...my parents" tears rolled down her cheeks. "They were floated and they..." She paused, sniffling and breaking my heart all at the same time. "I see it in my dreams and I just..." She stopped. "I understand, my whole family was floated" I confessed. She looked up at me, almost awed. "So, how'd you end up here?" I asked her. "Well...we were taking my parent's things to the redistribution center and I kind of lost it" She confessed. "They said I assaulted a guard" She added. I wanted to laugh, knowing how many times I've put down guards and how many times I've hurt them. "I can't say I blame you for that" I smiled at her. She wiped her nose with her sleeve and I try to think of a way to calm her down. I looked up at the sky "You see that bright star up there?" I asked her, pointing to the night sky. She looks, squinting a little to see it more. "That's the Ark orbiting above us" I explained. I leaned forward, pulling my knees closer to myself. "I think whatever happened up there, you know the pain..." I knit my brows together. "Maybe we can move on from the past. That now, maybe being on the ground is our second chance" I informed her. "Do you believe that?" She wondered. She's a smart girl, reminding me so much of Isabella. I smiled, trying to find the right words "I'm trying to" I truthfully tell her, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Come here..." I offered, opening up my arms. She leaned into me, resting her head onto my shoulder as I hugged her tightly. I felt bad, knowing I was almost her age when I had lost everything.

Clarke carefully removed the cloth from Jasper's wound. "The Grounders cauterized the wound, saved his life" Clarke explained. "Saved his life so they could string him up for live bait" Finn stated, walking over to us after climbing up the latter and leaning against the wall. "This is infected Clarke" I informed her, knitting my brows together as I see the green infected skin around the wound. She nodded "He could be septic," She says. "Any progress on using the wristbands to contact the Ark?" Clarke asked Monty. "That would be a firm no" Monty responded. "My mother would know what to do..." She sighed. "How's he doing?" Wells asked, kneeling down to Clarke between us. "How does it look like he's doing Wells?" She snapped a little at him. "Hey, I'm just trying to help" Wells sighed. Clarke thought for a moment "You want to help? Hold him down...Shadow and Monty keep his arms down, Wells and Finn keep his legs down" She instructed. She leaned over, putting the knife into the little fire she had going. "I'm going to like this, am I?" Monty asked. Clarke pressed the knife into Jasper's infected skin. "AHHHH!" Jasper screams loudly, moving as he tried kicking and getting away. "Hold him still! I need to cut away the infected flesh" She explained to us. Jasper's head went to the side as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I placed my fingers on his neck to feel a pulse "Stop! You're killing him!" Octavia screamed, climbing up the latter. "She's trying to save him" Finn informed her. "She can't," Bellamy's voice says, coming into the room now. Anger already built in my chest. I stand to my feet and Octavia takes my spot where I was holding Jasper down. "Back off Bellamy" I warned, glaring at him. "We didn't drag him through miles of woods just to let him die" I pointed out. "Kid's a goner. If none of you can see that, you're deluded" He says. "He's making me crazy" Bellamy added. "Sorry if Jasper's an inconvenience to you but this isn't the Ark. Down here, every life matters!" I hissed at him, getting closer as I glared harder. "Take a look at him!" Bellamy shouted back at me, pointing to Jasper. "He's a lost cause" He simply tells us. "Octavia, I've spent my whole life watching my mother heal people. If I say there's hope, there's hope" Clarke whispered. "This isn't about hope, it's about guts. You don't have the guts to make the hard choices. I do" Bellamy says. "He's been this way for three days now. If he's not better by tomorrow I'll kill him myself" Bellamy threatened us, causing my heart to sink. Bellamy glanced at me before turning and beginning to climb back down the latter from the first floor. "Octavia, let's go" Bellamy ordered her. She dipped a cloth into the hot water as I joined them once again "No, I'm staying here" She informed him, shocking me a little bit. "Power-hungry, self-serving jackass" I hissed out. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself" Monty added. I looked at Octavia "Sorry..." I sighed. "No offense" I added. She shrugged, not really caring. "Yeah. Bellamy is all that. But he also happens to be right" Finn pointed out. I knit my brows together.

I walked out of the dropship, seeing Charlotte sharpening a stick. I swung my bow over my shoulder. "Hey, I was thinking about target practice," I tell her. "Wanna learn how to shoot a bow?" I asked her. Her face lit up "Really? You'll teach me?" She asked, shooting up from the ground. I smiled "Come on, we'll start with the basics then we'll go to moving targets" I smiled, letting her walk out of camp with me. We begin to start walking out of camp when I pulled Charlotte back as I see Bellamy and his friends hunting. "Now here's a good example of what not to do...watch" I nodded to the guys as we watched them slowly begin walking closer to the pig. "She's mine..." Bellamy whispered. Charlotte took a step forward, branches cracking underneath her feet. Suddenly Bellamy whipped around and I ducked, pushing Charlotte down. "You missed!" I giggled a little, mocking him. He glared at me "God damn it, Shadow, I almost killed you" he glared, walking over to the tree and grabbing the ax out. I rolled my eyes, scoffing at his comment "Like you could" I stated. "Why aren't you back at camp?" He asked me. I snorted out a laugh "Because, I don't follow your orders" I smirked, getting on his nerves even more as Atom approached. "Shadow was gonna show me how to use a bow" Charlotte chimed in. "You're joking, right? There are grounders out here, too dangerous for a little girl" Atom glared at me. "I'm not little" Charlotte hissed at him. I smirked, winking to Charlotte "Oh damn, she told you Atom" I said, causing Bellamy to almost smile. "Okay then...But you can't hunt without a weapon" Bellamy reached into his pocket and handed her a knife. "Ever kill something before?" He asked her. "Of course she hasn't Bellamy, not all of us think of that first thing" I pointed out. He huffed "Who knows, maybe you're good at it," he said, ignoring my statement. We begin hunting, I reached behind me and grabbed an arrow "You were talking about Jasper, weren't you?" Bellamy asked, coming to my side. I put my arrow into place on my bow and pulled back, resting the arrow against my cheek. I took a deep breath as Bellamy watched me closely. The second I see a bird in the sky I jerk my bow up and let my arrow fly. The bird crashed down into the tree and I turned to Bellamy who's mouth is half fallen open as he stared at me. "Why does it matter? You simply won't see it any other way" I pointed out. Suddenly we all hear a loud horn blaring through the air. "What the hell was that?" Bellamy asked. Just then we see this green and yellow fog coming our way. "Run!" I shouted. All of us begin running back towards camp. "We're not going to make it!" I shouted as the fog gets closer. "Charlotte!" I looked over my shoulder, grabbing her hand. "Come on! There are caves this way!" Bellamy shouted, then grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him. We run up a hill and turn a corner, Bellamy shoving Charlotte and me into a damp cave. "Bellamy!" I hear Atom shout. Bellamy comes back into the cave, coughing and gagging. "We'll probably be stuck here all night, might as well get comfortable" Bellamy stated. I sighed when it began to get dark. I curled up into a ball, regretting now that I didn't bring my jacket. I begin to doze off when I suddenly felt warmth around me. "No! No!" I heard Charlotte scream, causing me to shoot up. I noticed that Bellamy's jacket is over me. "Charlotte wake up" Bellamy whispered to her. "I'm sorry..." She says to him. I stay quiet, watching them. "Does it happen often?" He asked her. She sighed, probably not wanting to explain everything over again. "What are you scared of?" he asked her. She doesn't answer them. "You know what? it doesn't matter" He shrugged. "The only thing that matters is what you do about it" He added. "But, I'm asleep" She informed him. "Fears are fears. Slay your demons when you're awake, they won't be there to get you when you sleep" He says to her. "Yeah...but how?" she asked him. "You can't afford to be weak. Down here weakness is death. Fear is death" he explained. I closed my eyes, shaking my head a little. "Let me see that knife I gave you," Bellamy says, holding out his hand. Charlotte placed the knife into his hand. "Now, when you feel afraid you hold tight to this knife and say. " Screw you, I'm not afraid" He advised her. He handed the knife back to her and she held onto it. "Screw you. I'm not afraid" Charlotte repeated in a weak tone. She huffed before speaking again. "Screw you, I'm not afraid" She repeated in a stronger tone. Bellamy patted her on the knee "Slay your demons, kid. Then you'll be able to sleep" He informed her. I was taken back by this side of Bellamy, completely taken back. As Charlotte falls back asleep I got up and sat next to Bellamy. "Wow...and here I thought there was the only ruthless leader side to you" I teased a little, causing him to glare a little at me. "Oh, you can give me that stern glare now cause I no longer believe it" I smile, causing him to actually chuckle. There's a moment of silence before I glance over my shoulder at Charlotte. "She reminds me so much of Elizabeth" I whispered. Bellamy knit his brows together. "Who's Elizabeth?" He asked me. I bite the inside of my cheek before sighing "Elizabeth was my twin sister..." I confessed. His mouth falls open "Twin?" He asked me. "Yeah...she was born minutes after me" I informed him. "What happened to her?" Bellamy asked me. "The Chancellor floated her, along with my older sister, my mother, and father," I tell him. He knit his brows together "I heard yours and Octavia's story and I wish I had lived it...." I sighed, fidgeting with my hands. "That the Chancellor spared at least Elizabeth...." I confessed. "So I wouldn't be so alone...So..." I sighed again, my bottom lip quivering. "You think one year of being away from Octavia was hard? Try four? Try forever Bellamy" I say. "You and Octavia didn't have it easy but there are worst ways than what you two were handed" I informed him. He knit his brows together "That doesn't make sense then, If the Chancellor floated your entire family why are you helping him?" He asked me. "Why are you being nice to him?" He asked me. "Because...unlike most of you, I don't blame Wells for what his father has done. He has no control over who his father is, just as we have no control over who our family was" I explained. Bellamy tilted his head to the side "I wish I could see things as you do" He shakes his head now. "What do you mean?" I asked him. "You have this open book towards every one...I just wish I could see things that way" he smiled. I knit my brows together this time "Trust me...I have walls I've built" I pulled my knees to my chest. "Just because I see things differently doesn't mean I trust people" I pointed out. "If it came down to trusting someone, I think I'd rather die" I sighed, shrugging a little. There's another long moment of silence. "You ever think things could be different?" Bellamy finally asked in a low whisper. I giggled, turning my head to him. "Who are you and what have you done with Bellamy?" I asked, joking with him. He chuckled "You should get some rest" he suggested. I nodded laying down and pulling Bellamy's jacket over my body to keep warm.

The giggles throughout the room were loud. "Wait up sissy!" Elizabeth called out from behind me. I stopped, throwing my head back and laughing at her. "Okay, okay" I breathed heavily out of breath. "How are you so fast?" She asked me. I shrugged a little "Because I'm older" I teased her. "Only by two minutes, besides mom and dad said you are not allowed to use that excuse anymore" She stuck her tongue out. "Stop! Will you two just shut up!" Our older sister hissed at us. My heart sank in my chest "Monica? What's wrong?" I asked, walking up to her. "You two!" She hissed. She then sighed "I just...I'm missing important classes to watch the two of you, I'm falling behind and--" She stopped herself. "It's nothing...don't worry about it" She picked up her books, standing to her feet. "Dad will be home soon, you two need to get into your room and wait there" She explained. "I have to get to class and take my finale," She says. "Okay," I smiled. Elizabeth and I walked into the room, Monica closing us inside. "Wanna play with Monica's old dolls?" I asked Elizabeth. She gasped "Yes! As long as I get to have the blonde" She smiled. "I get to have the dark-haired," I say, walking over to the doll and house and beginning to play with my sister. We laughed, giggling and had the best time of our lives. "Hey, Izzy?" I whispered after our father laid us into Monica's large bed. "Yes, Doe?" She whispered back. "I'm glad we're twins" I whispered. "Really? why?" she asked. "Because...I know I'll never be alone" I smiled, rolling over and hugging her. "As long as we have each other, we're never alone" I whispered to her. "I love you, Doe," She tells me. "I love you more Izzy" I whispered, giggling a little bit.

"Wake up, Shadow?" I hear a familiar voice whisper as I'm lightly being shaken. "Izzy?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes to see Bellamy. His brows are furrowed "What?" he asked. "Nothing..." I sit the rest of the way up. I looked around "The sun up?" I yawned. "Yeah...The acid fog is gone, we should head back to camp" He pointed out. I nodded, standing to my feet. I realized I was still wearing Bellamy's jacket but I didn't want to take it off. It's warm and smells good. I shake my head, no Shadow I can't think like that. We walked out of the cave and it looks like the sun had just come up. "Is anyone out there?!" Bellamy shouted as Charlotte joined next to us. 'Jones!" Bellamy shouted. "Over here!" Someone shouted back. We walked over to where Jones and two others are coming closer. "Lost you in the stew. Where'd you go?" He asked Jones. "Made it to a cave down there" Jones pointed where they just came from. "What the hell was that?" Jones asked. "I don't know" He answered. "Acid fog..." I informed them. Jones knit his brows together, looking at me for a moment. Then I realized he was staring at Bellamy's jacket on my body. "Where's Atom?" Bellamy asked. Jones shrugged "We thought he was with you three" Jones stated. "Split up, let's look" Bellamy ordered. Charlotte and I begin walking one way. "So...Do you like Bellamy?" Charlotte asked. I scoffed "Please, Bellamy is a jerk" I answered her, avoiding eye contact. "That didn't answer my question" She pointed out. "Bellamy isn't my type..." I sighed. "What's your type then?" She asked me. I giggled "I'm not telling you, you're like 10" I teased her. "I'm 13 actually" She corrected me. "Yeah so not having this conversation with you" I laughed. She suddenly stopped, eyes widening and terror on her face. "Charlotte, Sorry I can't--" She screamed, cutting me off. I turned around to see Atom, covered in cysts and huge bumps. Bellamy rushed over to us as I felt like I was going to puke. "Son of a bitch. Atom" He whispered. I walked over to Atom, following Bellamy. I then kneeled by his head. His eyes are pure white and I looked over his skin to see how awful it looked. He was breathing heavily, threading. "Kill...me. Kill me" he begged Bellamy. He kept gasping for air, Charlotte walked over as the others came running. I lightly touched Atom's face "It's alright Atom.." I whispered to him. Charlotte reached over and handed Bellamy a knife and I knit my brows together. "Don't be afraid" Charlotte tells him. "Go back to camp" Bellamy ordered everyone. My heart sank ""Charlotte, you too" Bellamy added, causing her to walk away. Bellamy kneeled back down and held out the knife. I quickly grabbed his hand "You cannot be serious" I hissed. "Kill me" Atom begged. I lifted my head to see Clarke coming over and kneeling down next to Atom's other side. "I heard screams" Clarke stated. "Charlotte and I found him, Bellamy sent her back to camp" I explained. Clarke looked over Atom before looking at Bellamy and me, shaking her head. "No.. there has to be something we can do" I stated. "Shadow..." Clarke said. "No!" I shouted. "You're all about having hope for Jasper, save Jasper but you can't even have a little hope for someone else" I hissed. "Shadow! If we keep him a live, bring him back to camp we'll put him through more suffering just to end up with the same fate" Clarke explained. A tear slipped down my cheek as I closed my eyes, trying so hard not to sob. I looked down at Atom "Okay...You keep looking at me, alright?" I asked him. "We're gonna help you" I whispered, beginning to run my fingers through his damp hair. I begin humming the song I hummed for years in my cell. The song I remember my mother singing to me every night. I hum it in a beautiful tone and it echoes through the woods, bouncing off the trees. Bellamy passes the knife to Clarke. I keep humming the tune. "So...so beautiful" Atom gasped out, causing a tear to slip down my cheek as I softly touched his cheek. Clarke roughly pressed the knife into Atom's main vein in his neck before pulling it out. I continue humming to him as bright red blood pours out of his neck, quickly seeping into the ground. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I keep humming until he's passed, his head slowly going limp.

It's dark when we returned to camp. "We've gotta get to Jasper," Clarke tells me. "I'll need boiling water to make the medicine" She then tells Finn. "Give Clarke whatever she needs" Bellamy ordered someone. Wells walked over to us "I better go get this grave dug" he says. "It's about time!" Octavia said, rushing out of the dropship. She went to walk over to us. "Octavia, just stay there. Please, stay back" Bellamy warned her. She fought him "Stop!" She yelled. She then kneeled down, pulling the jacket off Atom's face. "Atom..." She gasped, tears rolling down her face. "There's nothing I could do" Bellamy tried to say. Don't!" She screamed at him before covering his face back up. She pushed him away as she passed us. Murphy then walked over to us "Lose anyone here?" Bellamy asked. "No..." he answered. "Jasper?" Bellamy asked. "Still breathing. Barley" Murphy said. "I tried to take him out, but your psycho sister--" Suddenly Bellamy grabbed a hold of Murphy. "No! Bellamy!" I shouted. "My what? My what?!" Bellamy shouted at him, shoving him back. "Bellamy stop!" I shouted, getting between him and Murphy. I grabbed Bellamy by the shirt. "Stop...don't listen to him. Okay?" I looked him in his dark brown eyes, I let him go as he nodded and he turned to Jones "Get him out of here" He pointed to Atom before walking away. I walked closer to Murphy "What the matter? Sucking up to Bellamy no longer working in your plan?" I smirked. "Careful bitch...I will not hesitate to take you out" He threatened me. I giggled, smirking "You think I'm scared of you?" I asked him. "You should be" He hissed. I threw my head back, laughing at Murphy's lame threat "Right, I'd be scared of a mouse before I'm scared of you" I informed him before walking into the dropship and helping Clarke. Octavia comes in, helping as well. I looked over at her, the guilt hitting me harder. "I'm really sorry about Atom," I say, my voice breaking a little. She looked like she was gonna break down at any moment. "I guess we're gonna have to get used to people dying down here, aren't we?" Octavia asked me. "But not you. You hear me?" Octavia whispered to Jasper. "You're not allowed to die," She tells him. I start helping Clarke again. After we're done I feel a bit of relief, knowing Jasper was going to survive.