KING, the hundred

two: the ground

"i'm radioactive, radioactive"

radioactive by imagine dragons

"Prisoner 4-2-6 face the wall."

She heard the voice before she heard the click of the key card outside of the door. Her cell in the SkyBox was small, only about four feet by four feet of solid metal. Other than the classroom and cafeteria, it was all she'd seen for the last two years. It was a bit tiring, if she was being honest. 

Three armed guards rushed into Avery's cell and handcuffed her hands behind her back before she could even think about asking any questions. The one directly behind her had a particularly menacing grin on his face as he reached for Avery's shoulders. The other two guards pinned her arms behind her.

Avery had to restrain herself from snorting at the number of guards they used to transport her. What the hell did they think she was going to do?

"What's happening?" She questioned. As usual, silence was her only reply.

She looked over to Octavia's cell and saw the girl being held by her long, dark hair, handcuffs restraining her wrists. The friends made fleeting eye contact, assessing the guards treatment of each other. Both girls began to struggle more against the guards, thrashing their whole bodies against them. They desperately called out to know what was happening to them.

They feared the worst.

Avery was an idiot. But she didn't think she deserved to die for it. She knew Octavia didn't deserve to die for doing literally nothing. 

As she was moved out of her cell, Avery spotted Chancellor Marcus Kane standing a few feet away, a grim expression on his face. She let out a small scoff of disbelief. He was going to watch while she died just like he watched while her father did.

"Kane!" She yelled, and his eyes snapped in her direction. He walked in her directly swiftly and calmly, an almost somber expression on his face. "What's going on? Please tell me what's going on. I'm not eighteen yet, I'm not old enough! I still have a few more days." 

Avery continued to panic, but Marcus pulled her into a hug. Avery tried to keep her composure, but she couldn't help but relax against him. It had been so long since someone wrapped their arms around her shoulders like Marcus was. Against her instincts, she let out a sigh and a small smile spread across her face at the feeling.

When he pulled back, his hands moved to grip the sides of her face, shocking the girl into silence with the kind gesture.

"Earth, Avery. You're going to the ground. You and 99 other prisoners." He said. Avery could see the tears swimming in his eyes. She let out a breath of disbeleif. She certainly was not expecting him to say that. 

"What? But Earth's not survivable yet, we'll die!" She began to panic again, but Counselor Kane put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"You'll be okay, Avery. You'll be okay. It's time for you to go now. May we meet again." With tears in his eyes, he pulled her into one last hug and gently guided her back into the line of prisoners moving towards the dropship.

She gave the only link left to her family one last look before taking the steps up the ladder to what she assumed was going to be her coffin. That's what the dropship was. One, large, delinquent-filled coffin.

They were going to earth.

"Fuck." She whispered quietly to herself.

When all of the prisoners had entered the dropship and it finally began to leave the Ark, a message from Chancellor Jaha appeared on the TV screens placed around the walls of the ship. Most of the prisoners rolled their eyes and scoffed at the man.