Persphyni: I am Determined

65

"Sandstorm." Clarke whispered as we made our way to the front of the crowd.

"It's blocking our way back." Bellamy added as I began to scan the surrounding area. Tents. Tents. And more tents.

"Can we outrun it?" I shook my head at Indra's question.

"As long as it moves laterally, from east to west, we shouldn't have to." Clarke started her voice pitching.

"But as soon as the wind shifts, we are in for hell." I voiced, finishing Clarke's train of thought.

"The wind hasn't met Wonkru." I rose my eyebrows at Octavia. What the fuck? "Now there's no choice. We keep moving."

"Keep moving? Thanks to you, we're stuck between razor-blade winds and burrowing, parasitic worms." Bellamy stepped in front of her.

"Thanks to you, we're at war, Bellamy." She seethed.

"Only if you insist on fighting it." He answered back. His tone level as he remained calm.

"Fight or die. That's all there is. You can thank your girlfriend for teaching me that lesson." I plastered an emotionless mask as she shot her gaze towards me. "You don't understand. I get it. Because you're not one of us." Her words ran through me as she directed them to the both of us. The outsiders.

"Is Obika one of you?" I decided to jump in before things could get out of hand. "Because you're about to end his life like he means nothing. I understand that." I watch Cooper latch onto Bellamy aggressively.

"Cooper, no." But Cooper didn't listen to Octavia.

"Show some respect." I growled in frustration. Stepping up through the tight crowd and knocking aside the male who Bellamy was staring down and yanking Cooper off Bellamy.

The adult turned to draw her weapon by I already had mine drawn and to her neck before she could blink.

"You so much as breath the wrong way, I'll kill you." I hissed digging the point of the blade in to drive my own point. "Now heel and be a good dog." I pulled my dagger from her throat and slid it back into its sheath before turning to face the siblings.

"Both of you. That's enough. You can have your sibling quarrel later. Now make peace and let's move. I don't want to be responsible for anymore deaths today." I pinned my glare on Octavia as she returned it with as much emotion. "You need to wake up. You aren't in that bunker anymore, you should assume you know absolutely nothing about everything at this point. Because everything has changed."

I turned and walked back to the tent where Obika was left. Images of the broken girl beneath the stone in her eyes. I steeled my face so I wouldn't show the pain. I had a break from everyone and everything for six years. And she had to bear it all.

She took the world and she bent under the weight. Now I have to pick it up and pull it from her before she gets destroyed.

After all. It is my responsibility.

_______•*•*•*•_______

The screams started when I was a few feet away from the tent flap. My feet flying to the entrance and through the tent as I saw Obika in pain.

"Shit!" I hissed as I ran over to him and held onto his shoulders. "Obika. Obika!" I shouted over his screams.

"Obika, listen to me. I'm going to get this out of you. Just hold on. Please." I spoke calmly as I felt him twitch in my hold.

Clarke burst through the tent flap. Bellamy, Octavia, and Cooper behind her.

"Hold him down." Clarke ordered as she came in. I shook my head to argue but they were already upon him.

I traded with Bellamy so he could hold down Obika's shoulders while Octavia and Cooper grabbed his legs.

I grabbed a throwing knife for each hand and twirled them around as I stared at the parasite beneath his skin. The force of the worm powerful as it finally showed its head and fought through the skin.

"When this thing comes out, I need all of you to back up as far as possible. If it latches on to you, you'll die." I warned as I took a step forward. My eyes shifting slightly to Obika as he grunted in pain.

The bulge in his stomach grew and grew until it popped. The noise startling all of us as I regretted not lighting a fire.

The squealing was loud. Louder than from the desert. And when I went to slice through the air. I got five out of the hundred smaller ones inside. The parasite had laid eggs in the unwilling host.

"Get out!" Bellamy roared as he saw the worry on my face as I did my best to back up and slice through the ones that were headed my way.

I kicked people out of the tent flaps making sure everyone was out and stepped on as many of the worms on the way, crushing them with my boot heel. My gut churning as I remembered the battle between these and the brown spiders.

"Indra!" I roared as I pushed Octavia out. Her body falling and rolling onto the sand as I managed to get everyone else out. Grabbing my backpack that I left by the tent flaps, far away from where the worms squealed and moved around. "Burn it! Everything!"

Indra did as I asked, my hands grabbing another stick to light the tent on fire faster.

I watched the flames lick up the tent in a patch of yellow and orange. My rage burning inside as I stared at the beautiful inferno.

"I warned you." I seethed as I stood in front of the tent. My eyes lit up in flames. "I told you what was out here. I warned you of the dangers. And you still chose to ignore me." I spun to stare down at the girl who shook in pain. Fire rising higher behind me as my anger burned.

"Pers." I sent my scathing glare towards Clarke. My fist clenching as I turned back to Octavia.

"We have to cut the blood flow. If that parasite gets to her heart it will devour her. We are cutting it out." I left no room for error as I ripped part of Octavia's cloak. I quickly wrapped the cloth around her bicep acting as if it were a tourniquet and tightened it to her skin.

We had to get to the worm before it got to her.