"What the hell happened to you, Lungs?" Bellamy spat.
Shock and worry gave way to anger. He shot up, spinning in the dirt of the cave to glare more harshly down at the girl he feared he'd never find, or worse, find dead.
Atlas licked her lips. "Why is Charlotte out of the camp?"
Her disregard for his sudden anger and concern for the still frightened girl was like ice water pouring over his entire being. He watched as Atlas shuffled further back into the cave, the torch she had a firm grip on lighting the way. He silently followed.
"Atlas!" Charlotte cried, lunging forward and wrapping her arms tightly around Atlas. "I can't believe it! You're alive! Nyah was right! She was right!"
"I have a few promises to keep." Atlas spoke gently, holding the torch out so Bellamy could take it as he passed them by.
She pulled Charlotte from her and began looking her over. Aside from dirt and sweat, she looked in perfect condition, if Atlas overlooked the dark circles that surrounded the poor girls eyes. Sleep had gotten far worse and that was no doubt why she left the camp.
"Bellamy said I could go hunting." Charlotte spoke, her previous worry of Atlas finding out, fading. "He said I'd be good at it but then we had to run because of the fog."
Atlas glanced to the mouth of the cave, where she'd been hiding since pulling herself out of the pond and trying to stay ahead of the deadly fog. Suppressing a sob and shiver, Atlas hugged Charlotte to her before guiding her to the makeshift bed she had made earlier.
Charlotte took that time to talk about how Benson, Nyah and Zane were taking over the medical tent. She told her how Jasper was still dying and Clarke had spoken to her one night about her nightmares but otherwise focused only on Jasper.
As she spoke, Atlas rummaged through her bag, pulling out a handful of clovers and peering at them with a dejected look.
For a brief moment, Atlas was standing in the meadow with Trina and Pascal, Train calling them insane as they ate the clovers. With a shake of her head she offered them to Charlotte and directed her to lie down after she refused to eat the clovers.
"They fill an empty spot." Bellamy's voice startled Atlas.
He had been silent the entire time, so much so she had forgotten he was stood just behind her. His arm reached around and took the clovers before throwing them in his mouth and chewing. Charlotte watched for a moment before nodding.
At the very least, she listened to Bellamy. Atlas silently split the rest of the clovers and returned to near the opening of the cave. She heard Bellamy tell Charlotte to lie down and get some sleep before the little girl complained.
So she might not always listen to Bellamy, Atlas couldn't help but smile at the blonde; she was fiercely stubborn. A good quality in some cases but overall Atlas wasn't certain if it would save her or kill her.
Her own stubbornness to keep her promise to Nyah was the reason she didn't give up. A sharp pain jolted her from her thoughts. She glanced to her poorly bandaged hands.
Blood seeped through them, staining the palms and strips that covered her fingers. She balled her hands in tight fists, hissing at the pain and squeezing her eyes shut.
'Trina! Pascal!' Atlas wheezed. She spat out water and pulled herself back up onto the bank. Forcing herself to stand, she saw no one.
'Trina! Pascal!' She cried, desperately climbing the embankment.
The water from her clothes mingled with dirt, causing mud to form and the climb to be more difficult. What she saw, when she reached the place she fell from, was not what she expected.
YOU ARE READING
Genesis ➳ Bellamy
Romance"We are tragically hopeful, we are Arkinson." In which the great grandchild of the creator of the Ark, is sent hurtling to where half of her family was left behind.
