Fearless (Bellamy Blake - Book 1)

Chapter 18.

Since receiving my axe from Bellamy, I've been practicing throwing it every chance I get, trying to get used to the rough feel of the handle and the right balance for the throw. 

Not to brag, but I'm actually not half bad.

But that's rather easy to say when your target is a large tree standing ten feet ahead of you, rather than a fast, moving person or animal.

Murphy throws his knife and it hits the tree, but not hard enough to stick in the bark. 

"Well that was shit." I tell him, not bothering to hide a small laugh.

"It's that damn kid, all right, he's messing with my head." He gestures to the drop ship with annoyance, where Jasper's groans of pain can and have been heard for the past three days.

He's not getting any better.

"Watch it." I hiss. "Or this axe will be the thing messing with your head." 

I throw it towards the tree with as much force and anger as I can. 

For the past three days all everyone has been doing is complaining about Jasper and it isn't fair on him, he's like that because he went out in search for food for everyone. And this is the thanks he gets, everyone telling him he needs to shut up or hurry up and just die.

The axe lodges itself into the bark successfully, and I put my hands on my hips in a victorious manner.

"He's not gonna last much longer." Bellamy says casually. "Think of a new excuse." He throws his axe--he made himself another after giving me his first one--and of course, it lands next to mine. "That's how it's done."

"We searched a half-mile all directions." Atom says as he and a few other guys approach us. "No sign of Trina or Pascal."

Bellamy and I quickly share a look. 

A couple days ago two kids decided to go off on their own or something, because they haven't been seen since. Of course, we wouldn't worry if it weren't for the attacking grounders and beasts that are out there, but because of that, a couple other kids started asking about them which meant Bellamy and I had to step in and do something to find them.

"Visit your special tree when you were out there?" Murphy taunts as he retrieves his knife from the ground.

"Atom took his punishment, let it go." Bellamy tells him firmly.

"It could be grounders." Atom says, ignoring Murphy.

"It could also be something worse than grounders," I say, "but we don't know for certain."

"Yeah...or they could be in pound town." I roll my eyes at Murphy as he stands beside me again and I fold my arms across my chest. "A lot of that going around recently."

I grimace in the silence as Jasper's moans of pain continue, and Bellamy shakes his head at Murphy and gets his axe out of the tree, along with mine. 

"Look, guys," Atom turns to face Bellamy but looks back at me also, "people are scared, and that dying kid," Atom hisses, pointing to the drop ship, "he's not helping the morale around here."

"Morale will go up when we find them more food." Bellamy answers.

"And what do we say when they ask about Trina and Pascal?" Joe asks.

"Nothing." I answer. "We don't need to worry people when there might be nothing wrong."

"She's right." Bellamy nods, "Don't say anything. It's possible they're just lost. We'll keep an eye for them when we go hunting later."

They nod and disperse, and Bellamy walks over and hands me my axe back.

"Let's go kill something." Murphy turns and glares over at the drop ship. 

"You're not going." Bellamy puts a hand out to stop him and lowers his voice so no one over hears. "If the grounders are circling we can't leave this place unprotected." 

"Yeah and besides," I smirk at Murphy as I start to walk away, "you're a lousy shot."