if there's one thing about writing a the 100 fanfiction that's different from any other story i've written, is that the characters get hurt. a lot.
many of my readers point out that my OC, fallon, is always getting injured, but it's actually not that much more than bellamy, jasper, octavia, or anyone else on the show. it's just all about perspective.
on the ground, the delinquents are fighting constantly. especially in season one, whether it's with grounders or each other, they're usually engaging in some time of battle every episode. they don't have very much medical supplies until the rest of the ark comes down. that means that their most serious wounds probably never healed properly and left scars.
keep track of your injuries. this is especially important in post-apocalyptic stories like these because a major injury, like a broken rib, will slow your character down and take a while to heal. don't give your OC a concussion and forget about it two chapters later.
for example, fallon has scars on her wrists, stomach, and calf that i still mention two seasons later. usually, your character's most traumatic injuries will have a lasting effect on them. it's important not to forget and realize four chapters later that your OC's hand was supposed to be broken the entire time.
A LESSON ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF INJURIES
i. surface wounds (cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc)
depending on the severity and location, these can last for a few days or weeks. bandaging up your character will help protect the wound from becoming infected from their surroundings.
facial lacerations typically don't need to be patched up unless they're extremely serious and need stitches or small bandages to hold the skin together. this is why, most of the time, we don't see the characters getting treated for them
ii. burns
(shoutout to my OC, caleb, who has to deal with burn scars on his jaw & chest for the rest of his life oops)
burns cause skin cells to die. as it heals, it produces a discolored scar that may either fade with time or stick with the person forever.
these are some of the different types of burn scars:
•hypertrophic scars are red or purple, and raised. they may feel warm to the touch and itchy.
•contracture scars tighten the skin, muscles, and tendons, and make it harder for you to move.
•keloid scars form shiny, hairless bumps.
remember that there are first, second, and third-degree burns. the healing process will vary for all three of these.
•first-degree burns damage the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause redness and pain. they usually heal within 6 days without scarring the skin.
•second-degree burns affect both the epidermis and the layer under the skin (the dermis). as well as pain and redness, people with second-degree burns may experience blisters. these burns may take 2 to 3 weeks to heal and are more likely to scar.
•third-degree burns are the most severe. they damage the top two layers of skin but may also damage the bones and tendons and can affect nerve endings. people with third-degree burns may also notice their skin turn white or black. these types of burns can take a long time (months or even years) to heal and are likely to produce a scar.
iii. concussions
remember when murphy literally whacked bellamy in the head with a log and he was fine a few minutes later??? yeah well that probably won't happen in real life.
it isn't stated how long he was out, but being unconscious for five or more minutes increases your chances for trauma to the brain or internal bleeding.
some symptoms include:
•sensitivity to light or sound
•ringing in the ears
•slurred speech
•clumsy movements (poor balance)
•headache
•amnesia, confusion, or disorientation
•fatigue
•nausea/vomiting
•irritability
•mild depression
these usually last for a few days depending on the severity
iv. broken bones
has anyone ever broken a bone on the show??? i honestly don't think so and i'm shocked
breaking a bone is not a walk in the park. i can tell you that and the only one i've broken was my little toe after falling down the stairs and slamming it into a post on the railing.
even with modern technology, bones take a long while to heal. chances are, your character is going to have to rely on a splint or crutches and hope it sets in the right way.
•broken arm: a month or two
•broken leg: varies from 6-8 weeks to up to 6 months
•broken rib: at least 6 weeks
maybe this is why nobody has ever broken a bone on the 100. they take a long time to heal and the writers don't have time for THE clarke griffin to be out of action for a month due to a broken arm.