In the Mountains Shadow

[Leiana LaCroix]

And while you are sitting indoors
waiting for the storm to pass
I will be outside dancing in the rain

❧

In the afternoon hours there was no peace to be found, not for Leiana. Her heart was beating so fast, her breath coming in shallow pants, as she stared at the doors into that mountain of death. Fingers clutched hard at the door of the rover as she tried to calm herself, to steady herself when her legs threatened to give out. There was a vice squeezing her heart, constricting her lungs, making it harder and harder to breath. Why had she agreed to come back here? She had never wanted to see this place again, not after...

Memories assaulted her. The humming of the drill played in her ears, pain seized her body, radiating out from the scars left behind from the torture, screams echoed all around her; her own, Raven's, Abby's. She could still hear Marcus begging Cage to stop, insisting that they could donate their bone marrow. Her stomach was in knots, threatening to bring its contents up and dump it right there by the rover.

Why had she agreed to come back here?

There were tears on her waterline, blurring her vision more. "Gena..." her voice was soft, weak, full of fear as the memories of their time in Mount Weather continue the assault. She reached out blindly for the other woman's hand, needing something to ground her. She wanted Clarke here, wanted Bellamy here but they weren't. There was only Gena and Leia needed to touch her, to know that she was there with her and that when her eyes opened she wasn't going to find herself back in the mountain. "I don't think I can do this..."

● Tag: Gena Martin ●

MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0

[Gena Martin]

Leiana LaCroix

Gena hated that place. It was a place filled with death, not only the death of the inhabitants, but also the death of countless grounders and of some of their people. The mountain only held trauma for so many people. Gena was one of the fortunate ones who had stayed back at Camp Jaha, being needed there more than here. She was lucky. Which in turn made her one of the people with less history with the mountain, one of the people they sent there to scavange. Some of their peoples belongings was still in there as well. They had to get that. And history itself was in these walls. For some reason they had preserved so much art, so much of what humanity had created before it all went to hell. 

So many people had history with this place, so Gena actually had a certain amount of willingnes she brought when going there. As much as she hated that place, she hated people to suffer and so she offered. And here she was, watching Leiana carefully as she saw the telltale signs of PTSD on her face. The girl was one of those who had suffered on the mountain. They needed her there. They needed every helping hand, that is why they asked her. But she knew it pained her. She could not blame her in the slightest. Gena helf her hand close to her, in case she needed to hold onto something. She waved at the others to start going in, they would be right behind them. And so she stood there, waiting for Leiana to react. She did grab her hand so Gena gave her a soft smile.

"You don't have to." She said soothingly. She did not have to. But Gena knew she could do this. She could, if she wanted to. But only if she wanted. to. "But I know you can. You are strong. You survived what happened in there. You are strong. You can get up, go in and survive this, too. And you're not alone. But if you don't want to, I understand. That place sucks."

[Leiana LaCroix]

And while you are sitting indoors
waiting for the storm to pass
I will be outside dancing in the rain

❧

Her breathing was erratic and wild, impossible to catch. Inside her lungs were burning, desperate for air as she hyperventilated. Leia was doubled-over, clinging to Gena's hand as thought it was the only thing that grounded her when trauma threatened to consume. "I can't... Gena, I can't..." There were tears streaking down her cheeks as the memories continued their assault. Leiana remembered how peaceful the mountain had seemed, how perfect it was, a paradise found in a world trying to destroy them.

She had loved being in Mount Weather. All that history. Real food. A real bed. Books! There had been so many books. It was home... until Clarke pointed out their flaws. And than the bubble had burst. The secrecy of their posts came to the light; the superficial charm of Cage Wallace peeling away like the snakes skin. She remembered wanting to escape with Clarke, how hopeless she had felt while trapped inside and separated from her dearest friend. But words of all was that she still felt the restraints around her ankles, how her flesh was torn open and bones drilled into.

Just the mechanical whir of a power tool back at Camp Jaha would send her into a panic. There wasn't even a concern that she was appearing weak in front of Gena and the others. There was just the fear that she might not escape the mountain this time. "Gena... please don't let me go. Don't leave me alone in there..."

● Tag: Gena Martin ●

MADE BY VEL OF WW + ADOX 2.0