earth kills; ❛ GODDESS ❜ ⤞ the one hundred
❝I'm sorry we can't be team double A anymore❞

Sep. 17 2149

Athena sat outside with Bellamy and Murphy as they practiced their knife-throwing skills. The midday sun glinted off their blades, casting fleeting flashes of light across the clearing. Athena, clad only in her tank top, revealing her arms and stomach, felt the warmth of the sun seeping into her skin—a rare moment of comfort in their harsh new world. She couldn't help but wonder how long these fleeting moments of normalcy would last.

Murphy threw his knife, but once again, it failed to stick in the target and fell to the ground with a dull thud. He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair.

"That damn kid, always messing with my head," he muttered, his jaw tight with annoyance.

"Or maybe you just suck, John," Athena teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked up at him from her spot against the tree.

Murphy sent her a playful glare, but the corners of his mouth twitched in a reluctant smile. "You wish, A."

Bellamy paused from his own practice, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. His eyes flickered over Athena, lingering for a moment. "Aren't you cold without a jacket?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Athena shrugged nonchalantly, though she felt a slight shiver. "Meh."

Bellamy returned his focus to the conversation. "He's not gonna last much longer. Better think of a new excuse." He then threw his axe, which struck the tree perfectly. "That's how it's done," he said, a hint of pride in his voice.

"Like hell he's not!" Athena retorted defiantly, her eyes narrowing in challenge.

Bellamy opened his mouth to argue back, but Atom approached, wrapping an arm around Athena's shoulders as he joined them. She stiffened slightly at the unexpected contact but relaxed when she saw it was Atom. "We searched a half-mile in all directions. No sign of Trina or Pascal," he reported, concern etched on his face.

"Visit your special tree when you were out there?" Murphy taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Athena furrowed her brows in confusion, glancing between the boys. She always felt a step behind when it came to their inside jokes and history.

"Atom took his punishment. Let it go," Bellamy said sternly, his tone brooking no argument.

"Could be Grounders," Atom suggested, a shadow of worry crossing his face as he scanned the surrounding woods.

"Yeah, or they could be in pound town. A lot of that going around recently," Murphy continued to tease, earning an eye roll from Athena.

"Ew."

"Look, Bellamy, people are scared, and that dying kid isn't helping morale around here," Atom said, his tone weary and resigned.

"He's not dying," Athena corrected pointedly, her eyes flashing with determination as Jasper moaned again in the background.

"Morale will go up when I find them more food," Bellamy stated confidently, crossing his arms over his chest.

"And what do we say when they ask about Trina and Pascal?" Atom pressed, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Now? Nothing. It's possible they're just lost. We'll keep an eye out for them when we go hunting later," Bellamy replied, his tone firm.

"Let's go kill something," Atom said with a grim determination, his eyes hard.

"You don't have to say it like that," Athena scolded, crossing her arms and giving him a disapproving look.

"Well, that's exactly what we're going to do, A," Bellamy responded, his tone softening only slightly.

"It just sounds so—"

"You're not going," Bellamy interrupted their bickering. "I need you to stay here. If the Grounders are circling, we can't leave this place unprotected."

Athena's mouth opened to protest, but she closed it with a huff, knowing he was right. "Fine. Somebody better tell goggle boy to keep it shut," she muttered under her breath, glancing towards the dropship where Jasper lay.

"John, I swear if you even touch Jasper—" Athena began, her voice a low warning, eyes locking with Murphy's.

"Yes ma'am," Murphy replied, raising his hands in surrender, a smirk playing on his lips.

---

Athena, Murphy, and Bellamy were inside Bellamy's tent, discussing the latest challenges their group faced. Athena, however, found her mind drifting, her gaze wandering to the canvas ceiling as their voices faded into the background. She felt a growing sense of unease—being on Earth was still so new, so alien. The uncertainty gnawed at her.

Suddenly, Octavia barged in, her eyes blazing with fury. "What did you do to Atom?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Bellamy motioned for Murphy to leave, which he did. Athena went to follow, but Octavia grabbed her hand, making her stay. The unexpected contact sent a jolt through her, and she turned to face Octavia with a mixture of surprise and concern.

Bellamy shrugged nonchalantly, though Athena noticed a flicker of unease in his eyes. "Atom's fine."

"Then why did he blow me off?" Octavia pressed, her voice tinged with hurt, arms crossed defensively.

"Maybe he's just not interested," Bellamy suggested, his tone indifferent, though Athena sensed the underlying tension.

"You can't keep everyone away from me," Octavia shot back, her frustration evident. Athena felt a pang of sympathy for her—she knew what it was like to feel isolated.

"Atom had to learn. You disobey me, you pay the price. He paid the price. Now we're good," Bellamy explained, his voice hardening.

"Now I'm paying the price. So, next time you decide to go on a power trip, leave me out of it," Octavia retorted, her voice thick with emotion.

Athena felt out of place, a silent observer to the sibling conflict. She shifted uncomfortably, glancing between them.

Jasper let out a loud scream, startling both Athena and Octavia. They quickly rushed to the dropship, Bellamy close behind, his face set in grim determination.

Athena immediately went to Jasper's side, holding his hand tightly. "Stop it! You're killing him," Octavia called out, her voice shaking.

"She's trying to save his life," Finn corrected her, his tone gentle but firm.

"She can't," Bellamy announced as he arrived, his voice heavy with finality.

Wells quickly got agitated and walked over to him. "Back off," he demanded, his eyes flashing with anger.

"We didn't drag him through miles of woods just to let him die," Clarke said, her focus unwavering, hands steady despite the tension.

"Kid's a goner. If you can't see that, you're deluded. He's making people crazy," Bellamy argued, his eyes hardening.

"Sorry if Jasper's an inconvenience to you, but this isn't the Ark. Down here, every life matters," Clarke shot back, her voice fierce.

"Take a look at him. He's a lost cause," Bellamy insisted, his tone unyielding.

"Octavia, I've spent my whole life watching my mother heal people. If I say there's hope, there's hope," Clarke asserted, her voice strong with conviction, eyes locking with Bellamy's in a silent challenge.

"This isn't about hope, it's about guts. You don't have the guts to make the hard choices. I do. He's been like this for three days. If he's not better by tomorrow, I'll kill him myself," Bellamy declared coldly, his jaw clenched.

Athena had enough. "You won't lay a goddamn hand on Jasper," she said, her voice firm as she looked up at Bellamy, her eyes burning with defiance. "Got it?"

Bellamy didn't respond immediately. He looked down, clicking his jaw in frustration before nodding slightly. "Octavia, let's go," he finally said, his voice softer.

But Octavia didn't even look at him. "I'm staying here," she stated, her voice resolute, her grip on Jasper's hand tightening.

Athena caught Octavia's eyes and smiled, offering silent support. Octavia smiled back, a bond of mutual understanding forming between them.

"Power-hungry, self-serving jackass. He doesn't care about anyone but himself," Callum muttered under his breath before turning to Octavia. "No offense."

Athena let out a breathy laugh. "I'm gonna go get some water, I'll be back."

She left the dropship and headed toward the water station when she saw Charlotte sneaking out of camp. She quickly forgot about the water and followed Charlotte, not bothering to grab a jacket. The air was crisp and cool, sending a shiver down her spine.

She kept her distance, curious to see what the young girl would do. They walked for about twenty minutes when Charlotte stepped on a twig, causing an axe to land dangerously close to her head.

Athena gasped and quickly ran up to her, seeing Bellamy and Atom standing in front of her. "What the hell, Blake?" she demanded, her heart pounding.

"Who the hell are you?" Bellamy asked, ignoring Athena's question, his eyes narrowing at the young girl.

"Relax," Charlotte replied, her voice steady despite the near-miss.

"Charlotte," she said, her voice steady but her hands trembling slightly.

"I almost killed you. Why aren't you two back at camp?" Bellamy asked, his concern evident, eyes flicking to Athena briefly.

"Well, what with that guy who was dying, I just... I couldn't listen anymore," Charlotte explained, her voice small but firm.

Bellamy turned  to Athena, waiting for her answer. She hesitated, then spoke. "I was just following her," she said, raising her hands in surrender, feeling a bit childish.

"There's Grounders out here. It's too dangerous for a little girl, and well, you, Athena," Atom smirked, though his eyes held genuine concern.

Athena gave him a sarcastic smile. "I'm not little," Charlotte insisted, her chin lifting defiantly.

"Okay, then..." Bellamy handed her a knife.

Athena nearly had a heart attack. He was not giving this child a knife. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "But you can't hunt without a weapon. Ever killed something before?"

"Bellamy, she is thirteen!" Athena protested, her voice rising with incredulity.

He shrugged at her before turning his attention back to Charlotte. "Who knows? Maybe you're good at it."

As they walked, a horn bellowed through the air. "What was that?" Athena questioned, her heart pounding, her eyes scanning the trees.

The group saw a yellow fog coming toward them and instantly broke into a sprint. Panic surged through Athena, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

"Come on! There are caves this way," Bellamy shouted, urgency lacing his voice.

Athena and Bellamy grabbed Charlotte's arms, pulling her along with them. Atom tripped and fell behind them. "Atom, no!" Athena screamed, trying to get back to him, but Bellamy pulled her into a cave before she could.

"No!" she shouted, struggling against his grip. "Let me go!"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Bellamy asked, his voice urgent, his grip tightening on her arm.

"Atom is out there!" she cried, her voice breaking with desperation.

His voice softened. "Atom will be okay. We all will."

She nodded, tears streaming down her face as she sat against the wall. Charlotte fell asleep on the other side of the cave while Bellamy came to sit next to Athena, his presence a small comfort in the darkness. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling the cold seep into her bones.

At that moment, Athena really regretted not bringing a jacket. Bellamy seemed to read her thoughts. "Bet you wish you brought a jacket now, huh?" he said, a hint of a smile in his voice.

She playfully glared at him, and he let out a small chuckle. He took off his jacket and motioned for her to come closer. She did, and he gently wrapped the jacket around her, pulling her into his warmth. She was instantly lulled to sleep by the sound of his heartbeat, her head resting against his chest.

Athena woke up still in Bellamy's arms. She let out a small yawn and sat up, the events of the previous night not yet catching up to her. She looked over to see Charlotte awake and smiled.

"Morning," she whispered to avoid waking Bellamy.

"Hi. Okay, two things," Charlotte said, her voice filled with curiosity. "One, you're really cute when you sleep, and two, are you two dating?"

Athena laughed softly, shaking her head. "Thanks, and no, we're not dating. Just friends."

She tried to get out of Bellamy's grasp, but he groaned and held her tighter. She sighed and started playing with the machete in his holster. Just as she was about to take it out, his hand grabbed hers.

"Princess," he warned in a low tone, not fully awake yet.

She ignored him and continued toying with the machete, a mischievous grin on her face. Suddenly, Bellamy flipped them over so he was hovering above her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Stop," he said, humor evident in his tone.

"Or what?" she taunted, her eyes sparkling with challenge.

When he didn't answer, she took the opportunity to flip them over again so she was on top, straddling him, their faces inches apart. Bellamy's smirk widened. "Hmm, I quite like this position," he said, a playful glint in his eyes.

She laughed, pushing his head back gently. While he was distracted, she took his machete and stood up, leaving him momentarily stunned on the floor.

Bellamy quickly composed himself, getting to his feet and walking over to the cave exit. He looked out, ensuring everything was clear before motioning for Athena and Charlotte to follow.

"Anybody out here? Jones?" he called out, his voice echoing slightly in the early morning quiet.

"We're here!" a voice responded from nearby.

They jogged towards the sound, relief flooding Athena's system when she saw their group safe and sound.

"Lost you in the stew. Where'd you go?" one of the group members asked, concern lacing his voice.

Athena furrowed her brow at the term "stew," filing it away to ask about later. She was about to speak when she realized Charlotte wasn't with them.

"Bell," she said, grabbing his attention, her voice tinged with panic. "Where's Charlotte?"

As if on cue, a scream rang out. Athena's heart leaped into her throat, and she instantly ran towards the source of the sound. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that met her eyes.

Atom lay on the ground, his body covered in blisters and burns, his eyes foggy with pain. Athena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle a scream of despair. She dropped to her knees next to him, her body trembling.

Bellamy and Clarke arrived moments later, gasping at the sight. "Son of a bitch. Atom," Bellamy muttered, his voice thick with emotion.

Athena could barely breathe, tears streaming down her face as she held Atom's hand. "Atom," she breathed out, her voice trembling.

Atom managed to look at Athena, his breaths shallow and labored. "I'm sorry we can't be team double A anymore," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I love you."

Her heart shattered. With shaky hands, Atom tore the "A" necklace from his neck and placed it in her hand. She shook her head, muffled protests escaping her lips as Bellamy stood up, pulling Athena with him.

Finn, Wells, and the rest of the hunting party arrived, their faces grim as they took in the scene. Wells reached for his sister, guiding her away gently. "Go back to camp," Bellamy ordered everyone, his voice hard but laced with sorrow.

Wells carefully led Athena back to camp, her sobs muffled against his shoulder. His eyes filled with tears at the sound of his sister's grief.

Bellamy and Clarke arrived at camp minutes later. When Murphy caught sight of Athena, he instantly came up to hug her. "I am so sorry, A," he said, his voice filled with sorrow. Atom had been his friend, too.

Murphy went to the front of the crowd, leaving Athena in the back. Callum came up to hug her tightly. "Get some rest, okay?" he said softly, his voice a comforting balm to her frayed nerves.

Athena nodded, her body and mind numb. She said goodnight, heading to her tent with slow, weary steps. The weight of the day pressed heavily on her shoulders.

What would I do without you, Callum? she thought, her heart aching with loss.

Oh, if only she knew.

---

Athena lay in her tent, staring at the fabric ceiling, unable to sleep. Atom's final words echoed in her mind, a haunting reminder of the day's horrors. She clutched the "A" necklace tightly, feeling the cold metal press into her palm. She couldn't shake the image of his broken body from her mind, the pain and sorrow etched into every blister and burn.

The camp was eerily quiet, the usual hum of activity subdued by the day's events. Athena felt a deep sense of isolation, even with the camp bustling around her. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Bellamy standing at the entrance of her tent until he cleared his throat softly.

"Hey," he said, his voice gentle.

Athena looked up, surprised to see him. "Hey," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

He stepped inside, sitting down next to her. "I just wanted to check on you," he said, his eyes filled with concern.

She nodded, her throat tightening with emotion. "I'm... managing," she said, though it was clear she was struggling.

Bellamy reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "You'll get through this, Athena. Promise."

His words, though simple, offered a glimmer of hope. Athena nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Bellamy stayed with her, his presence a silent comfort. They sat in silence, the weight of their losses hanging heavily between them. But in that quiet, shared grief, Athena found a small measure of solace.

Eventually, exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted into a restless sleep, her hand still clasped in Bellamy's. And for the first time since they had landed on Earth, she felt a tiny spark of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could survive this new world together.

¨. ༢ ͎۪۫ 𝑨/𝑵 ; 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘚𝘖𝘉𝘉𝘐𝘕𝘎
𝘉𝘜𝘛 𝘈𝘉𝘚𝘖𝘓𝘜𝘛𝘓𝘌𝘠 𝘓𝘖𝘝𝘌 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘚 𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘏𝘖𝘓𝘠 𝘚𝘏𝘐𝘛

^^ me writing this shit