You took the sun
With you when
You left
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Her heart beats rapidly within her chest. She walks side by side with Clarke after exiting the elevator on one of the lower levels of the mountain. Her breath comes quicker as her feet move quickly beneath her, and the anxiety of what lies ahead. Clarke doesn't have a plan. She didn't say that, but it's clear to Valour as she glances at Clarke, who's eyes dart around with uncertainty.
"Alert. code 5". An automated voice sounds above sounding off an alarm, and lights that blare yellow around them.
Her and Clarke barley share a glance before their feet pick up underneath them, and they run down a hall littered with pipes of various sizes that protrude out of the cement walls.
"No a prisoner, huh"? Clarke mutters, though it seems to be more to herself, then Valour.
They slow as they come to the end of the hall, their eyes darting in search of any possible way out. But instead they find from both sides that men dressed in the mountains guards uniform welding guns, come at them.
They go straight, down another hall, that leads to a large space that goes off into different doors and halls. They dart past the beams spread around the area, the footsteps of their captors behind them. As they reach the end, a door with a red sign reading
'Restricted area'
comes into view, just like many of the others doors to the mountain, it holds a scanner. Valour opens her mouth to question how the hell they're going to get past it, when Clarke holds her hand to the scanner, in between her fingers is a card. It takes a few seconds, but it buzzes green, and click opens. The large metal door is opened by Clarke, and closes behind Valour as the dimness consumes them.
There's one narrow hall, if you could call it that. The walls are made of thick cement, with thin pipes that run along it, with very few lights to illuminate the area. To the right it continues on, and to the left, are stairs that lead upwards.
"Which way"? Valour asks as she tries to catch her breath momentarily.
Clarke's Eyes move left and right as she contemplates their next move.
"Up". She answers turning to the door, and the cords that are strung to it, pulling at them hard enough that the wire breaks, and sparks fly. Dismantling the electricity that allows the door to be opened.
And with that they run as fast as they can up the stairs . Valour's surprised with the endurance shes clearly built over the last few weeks, as she doesn't tire until they nearly reach the top. Something she knew she wouldn't have been able to do months prior.
The stairs lead to a short hall, which they jog down, coming to the end where a large vault like door sits to their left. They don't have to exchange words as they both runs towards it. Valour reaches the door first, gripping at the lever beside it. But it barley budges as she pulls down at it. Clarke gives it a try too, her brows furrowed in frustration as she to fails.
"Look"! Valour points out the large wheel that sits in the middle of the circular door which they had surprisingly not noticed.
Her hands grip it, and with much more efficiency then the lever, it begins to turn, squeaking with the effort. After a few turns it clicks, and Clarke's hand grips the lever once again.
"Clarke no"! A voice behind them rings out.
Both girls turn to find Jasper, and the girl he was speaking with earlier turning the corner.
"If you pull that lever, these people will die". He says breathlessly.
As if the metal against her hand suddenly heats up, Valour pushes herself away from it, remembering her talk earlier with Gus. They've never been exposed to the radiation outside. They'd die of radiation exposure within minutes.
"He's right". Valour nods, closing her eyes momentarily as she subconsciously lectures herself. They could've really just killed all these people.
The click of a gun causes her eyes to snap open, to find the brown haired girl holding a large gun in her hand, aimed at Clarke.
"Don't make me shoot you". She moves past Jasper, closer to Clarke.
"Clarke". Valour ignores the girl, as Jasper moves in-front of her. "We'll find another way. But it isn't worth killing all these people for. You know that".
"Please don't do this". Jasper joins Valour.
"I don't believe them". Clarke shakes her head, tears collecting in her eyes.
"Why would they lie"? Jasper questions, eyes moving from Clarke to Valour. "Listen to me. We are safe here. Because of you. We're safe".
He believes they are. All of them do. That this place is some haven, away from the monsters outside. But she can't help but question their intentions.
But they had been told there was no other survivors, just the few dozen of them that now occupied the mountain. But she remembers what she saw as they ran through the Forrest, the men who seemed closer to beasts then men who chased after them. The spark of light as it zoomed over them. There has to be more.
"Not all of us". Clarke replies.
Raven. Bellamy. Finn. Just the thought of their friends makes her eyes hot with tears.
"I'm the one that fired the rockets". His eyes too are now pooling with tears. "Should I not have done that? Clarke... when you pulled that lever, you saved lives. Don't throw that away by pulling this one".
She closes her eyes, letting go of the lever, tears now gathered on her cheeks, just as footsteps echo around them.
"There they are! Hold it right there"!
Men round the corner, guns aimed at both Clarke, and Valour. Without a warning the men rush at them, and she loses sight of Clarke as she's forced to the ground, her hands roughly pulled to her back. With her cheek to the floor, she gets a glimpse of Clarke's faces between the boots and legs of the guards, in the same predicament shes in.
↠
They're lead down numerous halls, Clarke a safe distance away from Valour. Both girls are bound with cuffs in front of them, two guards gripping their arms.
Valour had never been in trouble. On the Ark any laws broken meant death. Regardless of the severity of the crime. How different could the mountain people be?
They near a set of double glass doors guarded by two guards, who open the doors to allow them inside. Beyond the doors
is an office, one decorated with paintings, and furniture, lacking in light. President Wallace stands with his back to them, to his left a cart of painting supplies, and in front of him a canvas.
"Lose the handcuffs". He says, still facing the canvas.
By now there are only two of the four guards in the room, both who move to do as the Wallace says. It's a small relief for the metal to be removed, and she rubs at the slightly reddened skin.
"There's a blank canvas if you'd like". He still hasn't looked at them.
Clarke shakes her head beside her, despite the fact that he can't see her.
"I used to paint the ground, too". Clarke is the first to speak.
She'd seen her drawings before. It was no secret that Clarke was talented. Items on the ark were rationed, so getting ahold of unnecessary supplies always cost something. But even with that, Clarke would still use what little she had to make others smile. Just days after loosing her mom, a paper was slipped under the door to Valours living quarters, from Clarke. Carefully drawn on the paper was an image of Lyanna Kane, alongside Valour and Markus. Clarke had definitely improved in drawing since then, but it was clear who the women above Valour on the paper was.
"It's not just the ground. It's a memory". He replies.
Valour's brows furrow at his words. Gus has never been outside. And according to him, neither had the other inhabitants of the mountain.
"How is that possible"? Valour speaks up.
"56 years ago, for 5 minutes". He retorts. "I was 7 when the first of what we call the outsiders appeared. Before that, we thought we were all there was. Imagine our surprise".
"I don't have to imagine." Clarke adds.
"My father, this was his office at the time, believed it meant that the Earth was survivable again, and so, he opened the doors. Within a week, 54 people were dead from the exposure. My mother and sister were among them". With that, he finally turns around. "Loss...Pain., regret. Time eases these things. But the only time it's ever truly gone is when I'm painting". He says, making eye contact with both girls.
Bellamy made things easier. He made adapting to being on the ground, being hunted, and the losses, bearable. He was a realist, but believed her when she said they'd be fine. Even if she only half believed the words herself. But a short few minute conversation with him eased her stresses, and worries, even if just for a short time. So she can't believe that he's actually gone. That he wouldn't have found away out.
"You didn't bring us here to talk about painting. Did you"? Clarke pulls Valour from her thoughts.
"I'm afraid I have bad news".
Valour pinches at her wrists at the mention of more
'bad news'. It seems like the last few weeks has been nothing bad news. Wells death. The culling. The grounders. The murders. The sickness. The betrayal. And death. She is inhales deeply, wondering what else they could possibly lose.
"Our patrols have swept the area, and found no evidence of survivors, either at your camp, or from the Ark".
That's what it had to be. The flying spark of light they had seen that night. Flying through the sky, it gave her hope that maybe they weren't going to be in that fight alone.
"How can they be sure"? Clarke questions.
"How is that possible"? Valour crosses her arms over her chest. How couldn't they have even found the remains of the ark?
"They can't. I've ordered them to keep searching".
"I need to see for myself." Clarke insists.
"I'm sorry I can't allow that". He's quick to shoot down. I'm doing this for your own good. It's not safe out there".
"Radiation had no effects on us". Clarke pushes.
"It's not hot radiation I'm concerned about".
"We've survived our there for weeks. As you've sat in the safety of your mountain. I think we'll survive". Valour responds.
Instead of replying, he gestures over the guards that had escorted them. "You both need time to grieve. These men will show you to your room".
"And if we try to leave"? Clarke threatens.
"Please don't test me Clarke". His voice is calm, but his dull blue eyes say otherwise.
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A little peek into Valour and Clarke's friendship:)