Not What It Seems | Octavia Blake [2]

Chapter 22

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  A new life was brought into Addison when she locked eyes with Bellamy. Take me home, Bellamy. "Please tell me you have a plan," she rasped, eyelids heavy.

  "I did—I do. You're not gonna die in here, you hear me?" Bellamy squeezed her hand that was through the square-paneling in his cage. "Stay awake."

  Her head was against the panels that separated their cages, her once-fiery brown eyes drooping shut. "Don't tell Octavia you've seen me naked," she jested, referring to the cloth-like-clothes that only covered her breasts and lower regions.

  An airy laugh escaped Bellamy's lips. "You can tell her yourself when I get you outta here. Just keep talking." She heard him shuffle. "Remember when you wanted to be the one to show Atom mercy after we discovered the acid fog? You begged me not to kill him. I used to think it was because you were off the rails like Murphy, or just trying to be a suck-up because of my sister. Tell me the truth."

  "You know the truth, Bellamy .  .  ."

  "Well, you're not off the rails like Murphy." Addison's eyes fluttered opened to see a little smile on Bellamy's lips. "Tell me, Addison."

  "I was kinda being a suck-up," she finally answered, with the faintest of smiles, but it was all she could muster.

  "And .  .  ." Bellamy drew, in a teasing manner.

  She pulled his hand through the paneling under her chin. "I really like your sister, Bel."

"And you have my blessing." Even if the deal between the two girls was sealed weeks ago, those words coming from the boy that had despised her as much as he did Murphy almost two months ago, made Addison's heart swell and the stinging sensation of happy tears to her eyes.

  She closed them, a warm tear slipping down her cheek onto Blake's knuckle. "It only took a war and me dying to have it," her words were almost inaudible that Bellamy had to strain to hear them.

  A moment of silence passed before the woman Addison had semi-befriended mumbled, "Yu gonplei ste odon."

  "What does that mean?"

  Addison had a hunch. She'd heard her mutter it when a few of the Grounders that were barely alive were taken out of their cages and strung up —but only certain ones. Otherwise, she'd just look away most times.

  "You're friendly with her," mumbled Bellamy to Addison. "What's she saying?"

  Addison's had days to come to terms with the situation —she will outlive her usefulness, whether it's losing her mind as a Reaper or a blood bag, but it all ends the same. Death.

  Instead of answering, she remained quiet, allowing her eyelids to close. "No, no. There's gotta be a way outta here," Bellamy stated, looking around. He took his hand back from Addison and began kicking his cage, ramming himself into it, pull on the lock, but nothing.

The door to the Harvest Chamber echoed as it opened, Dr. Campbell and Sergeant Lovejoy entering.

"They take the strongest. Stop," Addison demanded, and Bellamy did. Until they started to pass his cage.

"Hey, she needs help. Plea—" Lovejoy stunned him. Addison watched numbly, her heart aching as he screamed.

Her cage creaked! open. "Last time, kid," Sergeant Lovejoy gruffly stated.

Addison reached a hand out to Bellamy through the paneling as Lovejoy's hand wrapped around her left-bicep. The closest thing she'll have —and wants— to a final departure of life is to feel Bellamy one last time. Of course she won't die begging for her life. She'll welcome it with a smile, hoping Cage will see it, and she can depart this world with him knowing he didn't—couldn't— break her.