Silent Moments: Book One (The 100)

Chapter 31

"That bad, huh?" Raven managed a faint, wry laugh, attempting to maintain composure despite the agony coursing through her.

Clarke gently but firmly grabbed Raven's shoulder and eased her back against a nearby crate. "Raven, the bullet's lodged in your spine. You're bleeding internally," Clarke revealed, her voice heavy with concern. A somber silence settled over us, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Raven's life hung in the balance, and we were her only hope.

"What if we could slow the bleeding, would that help?" Finn's desperation drove him to seek a solution, anything that could save our friend.

"Well, of course it would help, but can you tell me how to do that?" Clarke questioned him, her voice filled with a mix of hope and skepticism.

"The Grounders have this stuff, a coagulant. You mentioned Lincoln had some, too," Finn said, grasping at any possible lifeline.

Clarke's mind raced with possibilities. "Yeah, in the box of antidotes."

"I'm betting there's more of it in Lincoln's cave. If I can get there—" Finn began, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Raven's voice broke through, filled with concern for Finn's safety. "Wait a second, no."

Finn's determination remained unwavering. "I can make it."

"Kegan, tell him he's being an idiot," Raven pleaded, her eyes locking onto mine, searching for support.

"Raven," he sighed, torn between his determination to save her and her plea.

"What? I'm not going to let you die to save me," Raven declared, her determination matching Finn's.

Finn interjected with a stark reality check. "Fine. If you won't let me save you, at least let me save everyone. You're the only one who can fire those rockets. If you die, we all die."

Raven's shoulders slumped in reluctant agreement, knowing that Finn's plan, however risky, was their only chance. Resigned, Finn got up and walked away, determination in every step.

"Finn, wait!" Clarke called, her voice filled with worry and determination, as she chased after him into the unknown, their fates intertwined in the pursuit of a life-saving solution.

Amidst the mounting tension, the distance between Clarke and Raven seemed to vanish, and their proximity spoke volumes about their shared concern for the mission and for each other. With Finn's departure weighing heavily on our minds, I reentered the dimly lit crawl space beneath the rocket, determined to contribute in any way possible. Inside, a labyrinth of wires, components, and shadows surrounded me as I crawled, determined to find the wires that would lead us to the elusive ignition system.

"I don't see anyone. They're too fast!" Monroe's voice crackled through the radio, reflecting the frantic search on the surface.

"I hit... I hit them. I think I hit them," Miller's voice followed, uncertainty and desperation lacing his words as he reported on the firefight.

"Do you see it or don't you?" Raven's voice, edged with urgency, cut through the static, her impatience a reflection of the pressing need to get the rocket operational.

"No. It's a mess down here!" I called out, frustration seeping into my voice as I meticulously combed through the tangled wires.

"It'll be orange. Look harder! You have to find the wire that connects the manual override to the electromagnet. It's not rocket science," Raven urged, her determination unwavering.

"It is rocket science, actually," I grunted, my voice strained as I continued my quest for the orange wire amidst the chaos.

Raven's frustration momentarily gave way to introspection. "Guess we finally found something that you're not good at. I used to be picked first for everything. Earth skills, Zero-G Mech courses, first every time. So how in the hell did I end up here?" Her words carried a mix of frustration and self-reflection.