Chapter 2 - Welcome to Earth

The first that I noticed when I woke up was the kids, that seemed to have the same fate as me. There were even a few whoops and cheers, groans spattered between the kids waking up the same as I was. I could only let out a long breath, and attempted to look at my surroundings, but felt a little resistance all around my body, more than the other kids that were in the drop ship.

I quickly looked down at my body to see how many red belts were restraining me, and unsurprisingly more than five belts were keeping me from moving, at least not without me forcing my way out of those makeshift restraints. I also noticed that I was wearing completely different clothes compared to the rest of the kids, the material was rougher as if they were trying to keep a mad man from doing something dangerous. Soon after I realized that the whole council was scared of what I may do to the rest of my fellow dispensable kids, I could only smile. I wondered who changed me, quickly coming to the conclusion that it must've been a guard, the poor guy must have been scared for his life-changing one of the most volatile prisoners on the whole Ark as Jaha called me when he sentenced me.

"Leon is that you? You alright? They really strapped you good." (?)

Hearing the familiar voice of the only guy on the whole Ark that had the guts to befriend made me rethink my next actions. Probably Spacewalker was the only guy who didn't fear me for what I did and that deserves respect, at least for me that means something. Finn was also the first neighbor I had when they put me in a normal cell and that's when we got to know each other.

"You know that they won't float me that easily, at least not until I'm eighteen years old."(L)

"Where have you been? You just disappeared suddenly one day."(F)

"Doing my tour in the solidary, after all, I'm a dangerous guy for the guards."(L)

Before Finn could say anything, we both heard someone from the top saying something about the atmosphere, and accepted that as an explanation for the jolt, as the screen in front of us lit up with our lord and savior: Chancellor Jaha's face. Lovely, even here I can't get away from him and his stupid rules. The only man worse than him was Kane.

"Prisoners of the Ark, hear me now. You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, I could only hope that you see this not as just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable. Some more than others."(J)

"That's one way to return to Earth, I guess."(L)

"Who would have thought? "(F)

"Your dad's a dick, Wells!" someone yelled, and I couldn't agree more with that statement. I already knew that I was expendable to the council, they made that clear years ago when they almost used lethal force to lock me up. But not everyone on this ship was supposed to be floated. Not everyone had committed the crimes that I had, not even close. Not everybody on that ship deserved to die.

|Don't think like that anymore, Leon. You're not a naive kid anymore, and neither are they. Now, you have to survive. Do what you have to do and never regret your choices.|

I may have gone crazy after all, but then again who wouldn't have gone insane after being locked in a room for almost two years?

"Your crimes will be forgiven, your records wiped clean, your only mission is to survive and let us know if mankind can finally return home" Jaha continued, and I scoffed, Jaha was an idiot thinking that a bunch of kids would listen to him and his fellow executioners.

Finn looked at me with concern, after all, he knew how much that means to me. Yet I knew that deep down they would never forgive me, and that was a fact. I would have to live as a murderer for the rest of my life if I ever survive.

"The drop site has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base built within a mountain. It was to be stocked with enough non-perishables to sustain 300 people for up to 2 years." (J)

I heard commotion above me, in one of the upper levels. It sounded like a woman was irritated, yelling, and shortly after, I heard plenty of laughter and cheering as well. As I was saying, we, as kids, won't do what we are told, unless we are forced.

"Didn't they just lock us up and threaten to float us? They expect us to forgive them?"

One of the prisoners that sit in front of us yelled, and I could only agree with his words. Our so-called Chancellor just called us all expendable and said they didn't care if we all die, but we should live, for them? Fuck that, if the Earth is livable, I'll make sure that these kids will live the best life I can provide to them.

Suddenly the ship become unstable again and I watched as several people were slammed against the side of the ship, having unbuckled themselves. My adventurous friend was one of them, so before he could hit the metal ground, I caught him, ripping on the belts as a result. The lights began flickering.

"Looks like they're gonna float us after all."

A panicked woman yelled as the rest of the teenagers muttered agreements to her words.

Then, the lights came back on, along with a thud that violently throw me around the chair, thank whoever strapped that tight, otherwise, I may just have flown out of my seat. Once the ship settled, everyone seemed frozen, before they began frantically unbuckling themselves. I just stood there waiting for a Good Samaritan to help me since I couldn't just rip the belts out. Who knows if we could use them for something?

I looked at where all of the kids were gathering and saw a guard. Why the hell was there a guard on the ship? I could've sworn that it was only supposed to be only prisoners, but then again Jaha could have sent this guard to keep the kids safe from whatever was down here.

Suddenly, the crowd dispersed in all directions, as they almost wanted to burst through the game out on the ground again.

Before anyone could do or say something, some pointed at a girl.

"That's Octavia Blake, the girl they found hidden on the floor!" a guy near the girl yelled, catching the attention of all of us and as soon as I moved my head to look at the girl, I saw the brunette now standing next to the guard ready to fight the whole crowd for whatever reason. The guard held her back, clearly protective, but not of the crowd. Hidden on the floor? Interesting, I didn't know that there was a woman brave enough to risk her and her family's life for a second child.

"Octavia, Octavia no. Let's give them something else to remember you by, you aren't that girl anymore." (G)the guard was attempting to calm her down. I've decided to remember the girl, after all, it takes quite a lot to survive under the floor for many years, the girl was a born survivor.

"Yeah? Like what?" Octavia looked doubtful, and the guard smirked at her, grasping the lever next to him.

"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years."

Well, that's just beautiful, I thought to myself.

The guard pulled the lever, flooding the inside with sunlight, and Octavia stepped out cautiously, before she yelled, a wide grin on her face. "We're back, bitches!"

There was almost a stampede as people flooded out of the ship. I saw Finn following suit once the group was out, meanwhile, I stood inside waiting as I always do, and no matter how much it sucks, I have to admit that I was mesmerized by everything my eyes could see and my body could feel. The air was nothing like I'd ever smelled before, it wasn't the same artificial air that the Ark had and the sunlight, had never felt this good on my face. Colors were never so vibrant.

Looking outside the drop ship, I smiled for the first time in years, and for once in my life, I felt free.

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