Three years. That's exactly how much time passed since I'm locked in the Sky Box. Only a year left until I will turn eighteen and I'm going to be floated for my crimes.

97 years have passed since a nuclear apocalypse killed everyone on Earth, leaving the planet simmering in radiation. Fortunately, there were survivors. 12 nations had operational space stations at the time of bombs. There is now only the Ark, one station forged from the many. We're told that the Earth needs another 100 years to become survivable again. Four more space-locked generations, and man can go home, back to the ground.

Unfortunately, the Ark didn't had so much time left. So, we need to go on Earth more early, not knowing exactly what awaits for us down there. My dad was one of the people who secretly knew about project Exodus, but he was killed for his crime.

On the Ark every crime is punished with the immediately death if you have over 18 years. If not, you're locked on the Sky Box until you have 18 years, and after they technically can forgive you, but actually, this never happened. No one ever was reviewed.
If you are lucky enough, you can stay with another person in your cell. I was lucky. I lived half of my time with Octavia Blake. But, because my bad habits, now I am living on isolation. I don't know how I didn't get crazy until now. Probably I will soon.

The door opened, and I raised to my feet looking confused at the two guards.

"Prisoner 314, face the wall." I looked at them with a question stare.

"Why?" I asked lowly. Something was strange. When they brought me the food they didn't talk with me, and for the visits, nobody came to me.

"Keep quiet!" ordered the other guard and I followed the order. I know that isn't good to mess up with the guards. Actually, this is the reason for being here.

"Hold out your arm," he added and I saw how he opened a box, full with silver wristbands. I followed the order, gulping. When the men put the thing on my arm, I felt a small pain, but I bit my lip trying not to show fear.

They grabbed my hand and dragged me violently outside. I could see the others prisoners being dragged outside out too. Something had to changed. Maybe the oxygen last less that my dad thought.

"I don't understand. The rules had changed?" I whispered not expecting any answer.

I hit one of the guard right in his eyes, and then I ran away pushing all the people on my way. I knew exactly where I was going. To see Thelonius. I was going to beg for my life.

I was almost there when I felt the pain on my back from the guards electrical stun baton. I fell on my knees trying to breathe correctly but my vision was already darker.

I woke up on a chair tied with some red seatbelt. My back was still hurting like hell and I was very dizzy.
"Are you alright?" asked a blonde girl next to me and I nodded smiling at her. I heard a crash and I looked at the blonde girl near me.

"What was that?" I asked in a very low voice.

"That was atmosphere." another voice answered.

I closed my eyes trying to remember everything my dad said to me since I was born. The turbulences made my stomach weak and I really tried not to faint.

"Prisoners of the Ark, hear me now. You've been given a second chance," I followed the very well known voice and there, on a small monitor appeared the face of Jaha.

"and, as your chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've send others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable," the Jaha's voice added and I giggled sarcastically.

"those crimes will be forgiven, your records wiped clean," Yeah, like this is the only thing that matters right now I thought as I furrowed my eyebrows looking at Jaha.

"The drop site has been chosen carefully. Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base built within a mountain. It was stocked with enough non-perishable to sustain 300 people for up to two years. No one ever made it there. Because we spared you no food-" Amazing Jaha, sending teenagers delinquents on Earth without any food-this is the best idea in the whole world.

"Mount Weather is life. You must locate those supplies immediately. Your one responsibility is stay alive." added Jaha and then the screen went black. I frowned remembering him.

Jaha was like my second father, especially after my mom death. But when he accused my father and I ask clemency for him and Thelonius refused I kind of begin to hate him with all my heart. And my hate applied to his son, Wells too, accentuating the hate I already felt for the black guy.Exactly then I saw a brunette boy floating in the air.

"Your dad floated me, after all," he said and I looked up just to see Jaha's son's face.

"You should strap it before the parachutes deploy," Wells said looking straight at me. I threw him a ugly look.

"You are going to crash very hard if you are not tied up," I added trying to get the boy's attention but it was very hard for him to hear me when everybody was chattering his name.

"Hey, you two, stay put if you want to live," I tried to convince the other two guys who tried to unlock their seatbelt.

"Hey, you're are the traitor who's been in solitary for a year," the brunette said looking at the blonde girl next to Wells.

"You're the idiot who wasted a month of oxygen on a illegal spacewalk." she answered.

"But it was fun. I'm Finn."

"Stay in your seats!" I screamed looking at the two guys who already unlocked their seatbelt. I could feel the parachute deploying, small sparks appearing from everywhere. I hold tight my seatbelt trying to remain calm.

Everyone around me was screaming and I felt when we hit something, remaining without lights.

"Listen. No machine hum." said Monty, my silly asiatic friend.

"Whoa. That's a first," added the other friend of mine and the permanent partner in crime of Monty, Jasper.

Everyone unclipped their belts and Wells tried to help me but I move away his hand.

"I can handle it myself," I said through my clenched teeth.

The blonde girl that stayed next to Wells, Clarke Griffin, approached to the two guys who untied earlier asking Spacewalker if they were breathing but the brunette boy shake his head.

"The outer door is on the lower level." screamed a guy and everyone followed him with Clarke trying to convince them not to open the door because the air could have been toxic.

Near the door was a tall, brunette guard. I didn't actually understand why they send down here a guard. He definitely wasn't expendable, right?

"We can't just open the doors. The air could be toxic." exclaimed Clarke.

"If the air is toxic, we're dead, anyway." answered the guard with a deep but in the same time softly voice.

"Bellamy?" asked a delicate girl voice and everyone make place around her to can get next the guard.

She was Octavia Blake. And then the guard must be her older brother, Bellamy. But, from I could remember, when they found her, he became a janitor. On the Ark is illegal to have more than a child. Aurora Blake had the girl after her son's birth. They had hid her under the floorboard for almost 16 years, when they finally discovered her birth. Octavia ran to him and Bellamy took her in his big arms. I was very happy for her. Octavia missed him very much. As for him, I still want to take out his eyes for what happened a year ago on the Ark.

After my conviction and my dad's dead, I entered in depression and I tried to kill myself in countless times. Bellamy was sent to clean my cell after I tried to cut my veins. I would never forget his disapproval look. I tried to attack him, but Bellamy hit me and I get a ugly scar on my waist. Wasn't actually his fault, but I still want to punish him.

"My God, look how big you are," the brunette said holding his little sister close to his chest.

"What the hell are you wearing, a guard's uniform?" she asked.

"I borrowed it to get on the drop ship. Someone has got to keep an eye on you."

Clarke grabbed Octavia and pushed her away. "Where's your wristband?" Clarke snapped pointing at Bellamy's arm.

"Do you mind? She hadn't seen her brother in a year." I said looking at Clarke and I stared at Bellamy.

Definitely he was appealing. Even more that he was on the Ark. His hair was now flipped back, he had dark olive skin, chocolate brown eyes and his freckles make his even more sexier that he was already. He was tall, with a very good constitution and with strong arms. Definitely, he was one of the most beautiful guy I have ever seen. Okay, maybe I will not remove his beautiful eyes. Bellamy looked back at me and a dirty smirk appeared in the corner of his mouth. I tried to keep my posture, but was very difficult with his look at me.

"No one has a brother," screamed a guy from the crowd.

"That's Octavia Blake, the girl they found in the floor," added another one.

Octavia jumped out, ready to rip their heads, but her beautiful brother stopped her. "Octavia. Octavia, no! Let's give them something else to remember you by." Even his voice was appealing, deep but in the same softly like the most expensive kind of velvet.

"Yeah? Like what?" Octavia snapped looking at her brother.

"Like being the first person on the ground in 100 years." Bellamy answered opening the door.

The first thing I saw was the bright sunlight. I closed my eyes for a second and then I opened them again, trying to let them to adjust.

Everything around me was green. I could feel a sweet smell too, probably some flower.

I exhaled mesmerized by the view. The air was so soft and fresh.

Octavia exhaled and then she jumped off the drop ship, looking around.

Bellamy used his arms to not let anyone to ruin Octavia's historical moment.

"We're back, bitches!" My friend screamed throwing her fists on the air.

Everyone left the drop ship. I took small steps, trying to get used to feel the ground underneath my legs.

I started to spin laughing like a little girl. "I did it, daddy." I whispered looking at the sky.

I felt happy for the first time in a while. Everyone was cheering in excitement and jumping around and I smiled feeling the warm on my face.

I took the small flower from the ground looking curious at her. It was so fragile but so beautiful. I approached to my nose, to feel her delicate sweet smell. I put it behind my ear and start to look at the trees.

"We got problems," said Wells approaching to me. I looked at him confused.

"Why you are here?"

"Long story, Cass," he added looking in my black eyes. "You still hate me?"

I pursued my lips together. "Yes. I still want to rip your head off." Wells looked at me disappointed. "Why we have problems, Jaha?"

"The communications system is dead. I went to the roof, a dozen panels are missing. Heat fried the wires." Wells said approaching to Clarke with me behind me.

"No contacting the Ark, then? This is bad." Wells looked at me, nodding.

"All that matters right now is going to Mount Weather. See? This is us," Clarke said pointing something on a map.

"And there is where we need to get to if we need to survive," I added pointing Mount Weather on the map. "Damn it. They dropped us on the wrong place. It's a radiation-soaked forest between us and our next meal. Amazing." I kept saying looking at the map.

"Ah, cool a map," said Jasper approaching to us. I ran in his arms hugging him very tight. "Oh, hey there, Star. They got a bar in this town? I'll buy you a beer."

"You mind?" Wells asked grabbing him and walking him away from me. Wells' jaw clenched.

"Let him," I said looking at Wells with fury.

"Hey, hey, hey, hands off him. He's with us." said a juvenile delinquent approaching to us. I gulped looking at him. He looked dangerous.

"Relax. We're just trying to figure out where we are," said Wells using a calm voice.

"We're on the ground. That not good enough for you?" Bellamy asked approaching to us.

"Nope. It's not enough, if we want to live. I don't know about you, but I certainly I don't want to die undernourished." I said confronting him with my eyes.

"We need to find Mount Weather, you heard my father's message," Wells said walking next to me. "That has to be our first priority."

"Screw your father. What, you think you're in charge here?" asked Octavia looking at him. "You and your little princess?" she added. At first I thought she was talking about me but then I realized that she looked up to Clarke.

"Listen here, Bambi," I said and Octavia gave me a look at the mention of my nickname of her, "it doesn't matter who is in charge. We need to get to Mount Weather. Not because the chancellor said so, but because they thought is very good to send us here without food. The longer we wait, the hungrier we'll get and harder this'll be. How long do you think we can last without those supplies?" I asked looking at Blake siblings. "It's just a 20-mile trek, but we have to leave now." I finished.

"I got a better idea. You three go, find it for us. Let the privileged to do the hard work for a change." said Bellamy looking right at me and everyone agreed.

"Listen here, mister. We all have to go," I tried to convince him but I was cut off by someone pushing me on the hard ground.

"You should just keep your mouth shut, little council girl."

"Let," screamed Wells "her." he demanded looking at the guy who pushed me.

"Look at this everybody, chancellor of Earth protecting his council member." the guy said looking at Wells.

"Think that's funny?" Wells asked furious and he helped me to get up.

The guy pushed Wells, making him to fall to the ground too. I groaned at the guy, but he obviously didn't look at me.

Me and Clarke tried to get to Wells but the criminals who accompanied the other didn't let us to pass over them.
I looked at Bellamy but he was enjoying this too much and the others did it too.

Wells got up but he was limping. I was already prepared to fight back with them when Spacewalker jump off the drop ship roof.

"Kid's got one leg, why don't wait until it's a fair fight?" asked him looking at the guy.

When they start to disappear, I tried to reach to Wells but someone kicked me down again, making me to fall on the ground hurting my right hand.

"You ok?" asked Octavia as she helped me to raise from the ground.

"I had worse moments," I answered looking at the small trail of blood that appeared on my arm. I looked at her and she hugged me tight.

"I missed you, Star."

"I can see it. You don't let me to breathe."

The girl let me and we both laughed winning a strange look from her brother.

"Hey, Spacewalker. Rescue me next," Octavia said earnings a grin from him.

Clarke checked Wells leg, making him hiss in pain. Then she looked at my arm too, but it didn't hurt.

"So, Mount Weather, when do we leave?" asked Spacewalker, Finn Collins, walking over us.

"Right now." answered Clarke turning at us. "We'll be back tomorrow with food."

"Wait? You don't want me to come?" I asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"Your father taught you everything about Earth,"

"So?" I interrupted her.

"So, we still need fresh food and water. And Murphy. He obviously hates Wells." she added.

I crossed my arms boiling. "All right, Princess. Your order is command for me," I said looking right at her. "How are the two of us going to carry enough food for a hundred?" I asked disdainful looking at Finn and Clarke.

Finn rested his hand over Jasper and Monty's shoulder.

"Four of us. Can we leave now?" asked Finn looking at me with a smile.

"Sounds like a party, make it five," Octavia joined, clapping her hands.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Bellamy asked.

"Going for a walk. You don't come, Star?" Octavia asked looking at me.

"Nope. Princess gave me an order." I answered looking at the group.

"What the hell?" I asked grabbing Finn's wrist. "Were you trying to take this off?" I asked looking at his wristband that had dark marks over it.

"Yeah. So?"

"So? This wristband transmits your vital signs to the Ark. Take it off, and they'll think you're dead."

"Should I care?" he asked careless.

"Well, I don't know. Do you want the people you love to think you're dead? Do you want them to follow you down here? Because they won't if they think we're dying. Right now, is our only connection with the Ark." Finn looked down, nodding.

They left with Finn taking the lead. I sit on the ground, with my back leading against the cold metal of the drop ship.

"I thought you hated the nickname Star." Wells said looking at me and limping next to me.

"I do hate it. But it's better than my real name, y'know?"

"I love your name. It's different."

"That's why I hate it." I said raising from the ground and looking around.

"I couldn't leave you alone." Wells said approaching to me.

"Where, Wells? In my cell? Because I get there because of you," I spatted. Wells gripped my hand. "Let me." I said coldly.

"Cass, Clarke hates me. I don't want..."

"I hate you, Wells!" I screamed trying to get away from him but he just grabbed me tighter.

"I just wanted to help you."

"Oh, you did it. You helped me to get locked and you helped me to lose my father. Leave me alone, Wells, before I kill you." I tried to yank my arm but he still kept it very hard and it was already hurting.

"She asked you to let her alone." said Bellamy approaching to us and staring at Wells.

He let me go and I ran as faster I could away from him, trying to calm down the tears that were already threatening to fall over my pale checks.

"What's your name?" asked a male voice approaching to me. A deep soft voice that I was already recognize it everywhere.

"Star." I said simply.

"I don't think so. There is no council member daughter with this name. So, I ask you again. What's your name?" he added, now with a demanding voice.

"It's not your concern, Blake," I tried to leave but he grabbed my arm only that was a softer touch that Wells'. "Cassiopeia." I said looking right in his brown eyes. A smirk appeared on his mouth.

"Like the constellation?"

"Like the queen of Aethiopia, wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda."

"I remember you. You were the one who killed three guards?" asked him looking at me.

"Exactly. I don't like very much the guards," and I pointed at his uniform.

"But, sweetheart, I am not a guard," he said still keeping his smirk over his face but letting my arm free. "See you around, Cassiopeia." he added still looking at me.

I found a little piece of metal, sharp and with some wires I tied it with another piece, but not so sharp, building myself a small knife. It wasn't something big, but a first I had a weapon. The next thing on my list was to find water and some animals to hunt. Obviously this was the hard part.

A few hours have passed. I approached to Wells, being already to bored. I needed company. Wells pointed something on the wall of the drop ship.

First son.

First to dye.

I looked around, and I saw a very grinning Murphy looking at us.

"You find any water yet?" he asked looking at us.

"You spelled die wrong, geniuses," I said looking at Murphy and the other guy who was standing next to him. "And by the way, it's probably best not to announce it if you want to kill someone."

Murphy stared at me. "You know, my father, he begged for mercy in the airlock chamber when your mother floated him."

"Then maybe your father should not committed the crime."

Murphy showed me his own knife. I scoffed, taking mine too. I could already feel the tension.

"Back up, guys." said Bellamy approaching to Murphy's group. I stared at him.

"You're not really a member of the guard, are you?" asked Murphy looking at him.

"He is a janitor." I added sniffling.

"No. The real guards will be here soon unless we stop it," started Bellamy.

"You don't actually think they're gonna forgive our crimes. Even if they do, then what? Guys like us, we're gonna become model citizens now, get jobs, if we're lucky, maybe pick up their trash?" he finished looking right at me.

"You idiot!" I said shaking angrily my head. "We need them!"

"Why, Cassiopeia?" Bellamy asked disdainful.

"Because we need rules. We're just a gang of silly teenagers...

"We don't need them. Of course that the small privileged queen here wants them down. It will be easy for you." the fake guard continued.

"Screw you, Blake! You should have been floated when they found Octavia." I exclaimed angry and then I ran away, not wanting to keep listening him.

A few girls tried to built some tents and I helped them. Even if they were very reduced, only two or three, at least I managed to built something. Then I helped them to built some hammocks from the material we found on the drop ship, and another dozen of girls that joining us.

It was already night. After I changed the bandage from Wells leg I get outside from the drop ship.

A group was around a fire screaming.

"Take it them off."

I approached to the fire and I saw how Murphy was taking off the wristband to a girl.

"Who's next?" asked to know Bellamy.

"What the hell are you doing?

"We're liberating ourselves. What does it look like?" answered Bellamy smiling confident at me.

"It looks like you're trying to get us all killed. The communication system is dead. These wristbands are all we got. Take them off, and the Ark think we're dying, that it's not safe for them to follow." I said without even breathing looking at him.

"That's the point, Councillor. We can take care of ourselves, can't we?" asked Bellamy and the crowd screamed in approval.

"You think is a game? There are your parents and our friends up there. But are doctors, and engineers and the guards. We should not listen to him. We won't survive here on our own. And if we will, how could you not want the rest of our people to come down?" I said trying to keep calm but my blood was already boiling.

"My people are already down," said Bellamy looking at me.

"Those people," and he pointed with his finger, the sky. "Locked my people up. Those people killed my mother for the crime of having a second child. Your mother did that." and he fixed me with his eyes.

"My mother didn't write the laws." I groaned.

"No. She enforced them, but not anymore, not here. Here, there are no laws," and everybody agreed with him. "Here, we do whatever the hell we want."

"You are the biggest idiot in the world!"

"Now, you don't have to like it, Cassiopeia. You can try to stop it or change it, kill me."

I groaned looking up at him.

"You know why? Whatever the hell we want." Bellamy finished.

Murphy screamed his last sentence, and the others followed him, singing that sentence.

Then I felt it. The small drops of water on my warmed skin. I looked up at the sky, allowing myself to feel the rain on my face. The first rain in our lives.

"We need to collect this." I said looking at Bellamy.

"Whatever the hell you want." he answered nonchalantly.

Bellamy tried to leave but I grabbed fiercely his arm.

"Not so fast, Mister whatever the hell we want. If you care so much about your people, you want to collect the water, because you don't want them to die because dehydration. And by the way, on the Ark, are living kids and innocent people. I don't care about what you say and do. I'm gonna let them to know that we can survive here."

Bellamy stared at me angry. But he liberated himself from my grip, and he left, letting me alone in the hot rain.

"Are you ok?" asked Wells approaching to me.

"I swear to God that I'm gonna kill him." I promised looking at the sky studded with stars.