As I approach the drop ship area, I hear the sounds of laughter and cheering. I roll my eyes at the noise.
It's all fun and games until we're starving to death with no supplies.
As I get closer, I see the glow of a fire and feel a wave of relief that these rowdy teenagers managed to do at least one thing productive with their time. I had managed to find some edible plants along the way back and so I make my way towards the fire to find John.
Wells, the chancellor's son, arrives just before I do.
"What the hell are you doing?" he says, marching up to Bellamy.
I pause a few paces away, taking in the situation. There is a long line of people around the fire, Bellamy at the center of attention… as usual. I lean to my right to look around the fire and see what all the commotion is about, and the first thing I notice is John and Miller, holding down teenagers one at a time and using a piece of metal to pry off their wristbands. I can't help but sigh in annoyance at John's desire to stir up trouble around here.
"We're liberating ourselves. What does it look like?"
Bellamy's cocky response brings my focus back to their conversation. By this point, several of the other delinquents have begun to take notice of their disagreement.
"It looks like you're trying to get us all killed" Wells states matter-of-factly, turning to address the crowd instead, "The communication system is dead. These wristbands are all we've got. Take them off, and the Ark will think we're dying; that it's not safe to follow".
Bellamy takes a step closer, that cocky smile still prevalent on his face.
"That's the point, Chancellor" he drones before raising his voice to call out to the crowd while still staring down Wells, "We can take care of ourselves, can't we?"
All around us the kids shout out "Yeah!" cheering him on.
What a joke…
I look around at the people around me and I can't help but laugh at their blind obedience to this ex-guardsman. He definitely know how to work up a bunch of criminals.
"You think this is a game?" Wells shouts, clearly exasperated. "Those aren't just our friends and our parents up there. They're our farmers, our doctors, our engineers. I don't care what he tells you. We won't survive here on our own, and besides, if it really is safe, how could you not want the rest of our people to come down?"
I look from Wells to Bellamy. Wells has sound logic whereas Bellamy is relying on the oversized egos and pride of a bunch of kids to prove his point.
Yet somehow, Bellamy doesn't falter. He grits his teeth and addresses Wells more than anyone around him,
"My people, already are down. Those people, locked my people up. Those people killed my mother for the crime of having a second child. Your father did that."
Wells tries weakly to defend his father, but Bellamy won't have it.
"Here, there are no laws" he says, the delinquent kids all nodding in approval.
Yet again, Bellamy breaks into another speech,
"Here, we do whatever the hell we want whenever the hell we want. Now, you don't have to like it, Wells. You can even try to stop it or change it, kill me. You know why? Whatever the hell we want".
My eyes snap to John who breaks the tense silence.
"Whatever the hell we want!" he calls out.
Just like that, everyone begins to chant,
"Whatever the hell we want, whatever the hell we want!"
You've got to be kidding me.
Bellamy looks around, proud at his victory. Wells just seems exhausted from it all, heading off the way he came.
I take a few steps forward, coming to stop beside Bellamy.
"You really think this no rules thing is gonna work?" I say, looking into the fire, watching as John starts on another person's wristband.
Bellamy looks down at me, noticing my presence for the first time since I'd arrived.
"Maybe. We're on the ground now, we don't need the Chancellor or his shitty rules".
Again, I try to hold back laughter, earning me an annoyed look from Bellamy.
"What?" he snaps, moving to stand in front of me so all I see is his chest blocking my view.
Slowly, my eyes trail up to his, keeping a bored, nonchalant expression on my face.
"Oh it's nothing… I just didn't think you of all people were such an ignorant fool".
"You'd better watch yourself, Kaspen" he says, his voice low and threatening.
I smirk at him, "Whatever the hell we want"
I give him a condescending pat on the cheek and his hand whips up to grab me by the wrist.
He stares me down, an angry heat in his eyes.
He has a firm grip on my wrist, enough to lightly bruise it, and I feel my heart start racing at the confrontation. Or perhaps it is because of the proximity, without being able to let myself look away.
As if our little exchange wasn't intense enough, suddenly, water begins to cascade in drops from the sky, drenching everyone in the clearing.
Bellamy and I don't break eye contact and I can feel the water dripping off my hair and onto my face, drops of it clinging to my eyelashes and lips. Our breath appears in small puffs in the cool air, the rain making me shiver slightly.
After what feels like forever, he drops my arm, turning around to walk towards the fire like nothing ever happened.
The tension fades and I suck in a huge breath of air, letting all of the stress leave my body. I notice the cheers and celebration of everyone around me and allow myself to celebrate a little too at the thought that we could now collect some drinking water.
Looking up to the sky, I close my eyes, grinning at the sensation of the rain soaking my clothes and making my tank top cling to my body. I open my eyes again and see Bellamy a little ways away, watching me with an unreadable expression. Chuckling to myself, I ignore him, closing my eyes again and reaching my arms out to the sides, taking it all in.
"Ali"
I drop my arms, my breath catching as I expect to see Bellamy standing there again.
"You're going to catch a cold out here with no jacket or anything"
It was John.
"But it's so amazing!" I say, beaming up at him.
His lips turn up in a half smile, looking down at me.
"It sure is, now let's get inside and dried off before we get sick" he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me against his chest. I wrap my arms around his back and sigh against him, taking comfort in his familiar scent.
He pulls away, keeping his arm around me as he leads me towards the drop ship where people are starting to gather, preparing beds and such.
I glance over my shoulder and catch Bellamy's eyes again but he looks away right away and walks off to talk to Miller.
"Come on" John says, ushering me into the ship.
When we arrive, the lower area is already packed with teenagers. We pick our way through all the people and makeshift bedding, trying to get to the ladder to the next level.
The second level is better with a few spots open, however there is little room to actually lie down anywhere. We get to one of the back corners and I see John's coat on one of the seats. He grabs it and sits down on some cushions on the ground.
"A few of us were working on making some tents today, they should be up by tomorrow night so we can actually have a decent place to sleep" he says apologetically.
I plop myself down in front of him, sitting between his legs and leaning my back against his chest and the seat next to us, both of our clothes wet and cold.
"Don't worry, it's not so bad" I say, trying to be positive. But looking around I realise it won't be long before kids start getting sick unless we manage to get this place patched up and keep some dry clothes around.
Murphy reaches past me and wraps his dry jacket over us like a blanket, leaning back against the wall and tucking his arms under the coat, wrapping them around my waist. I curl up, turning sideways slightly so my legs drape over his right one and I can lie leaning against him more. I revel in the extra warmth and start to feel my eyelids drooping.
"Oh, John, before I forget" I say, slipping my hand into my pocket and pulling out the berries I found earlier. "These are edible. We probably won't have much else to eat for a while"
We divide and eat them, realising how hungry we are.
"And…" I start, reaching for my other pocket. I have to slide my hand underneath me and lift my hips a bit to get to the pocket that is lying up against his leg.
"Made you a present" I say, pulling out one of the small knives wrapped in leaves.
He takes it from me, pulling off the protective leaf coverings. He smiles at the "JM" carved into the handle.
"Thanks, Sunshine" he says, tucking it away next to him.
I smile at the nickname he used when we were kids. He started calling me Sunshine when I got too mad at him for calling me Blondie. That, and the bitter moods I'd get in whenever I thought about my father.
Letting my eyes close, I fall asleep to the sound of John's heart beating in rhythm with my own.
