Chapter Four
It's been a long day without you my friend
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I you again
When I see you again
See You Again - Wiz Khalifa
It's been a week since Wells was attacked by a grounder while he was keeping watch and left in critical condition. Bellamy found him and brought him straight to Clarke. She managed to stop the bleeding, but his wound got infected and he slipped into a coma. I haven't left the dropship since. I now know how Monty must have felt when Jasper was recovering, useless. I want to do something, anything. My hands itch to be put to work, but it's a waiting game. And I hate waiting.
Finn sits down by Clarke who's checking Wells' vitals. "I got you something." He moves his hands around dramatically before producing a pencil.
She snatches it from him, turning it over and over in her hands. "Where did you get this?"
"The arts supply store." He grins.
A shadow passes over her face and her smile dims, "You know when we were kids Wells was always giving me ink, charcoal. Just anything I could draw with." Her hands tighten around the pencil. "I found out later he was trading his own stuff to give it to me. He didn't want me to know that either." She scoffs, wiping away the tears staining her cheek. "He let me hate him so I wouldn't hate my mother."
"I know."
Clarke turns to me with bloodshot eyes, "You-"
"Yeah." I sigh, looking at my lap. "But, to be fair he didn't tell me I figured it."
"My mother killed my father." Her voice is strangled as she admits the painful truth and I know even if I had words of comfort they wouldn't do any good. What would I say, what could I say? The hollow, heavy feeling of uselessness returns, moving through me like oil. Thick and black seeping into my blood, settling deep within my bones and I shutter. "I just... I just wish there was something I could do." She sniffles, "To let her know that I know. To make her feel what I'm feeling."
"The only way you could do that is if you took off your wristband." Her green eyes widen and she jumps to her feet. I quickly intercept her before she makes it to the hatch. "Clarke, I was kidding. Don't do this."
"Get out of my way."
Squaring my shoulders I meet her glare with one of my own, "If you do this it will lessen the chances of the Ark coming down, do you really want to risk hundreds of lives just to spite your mom? Don't do something that will have permanent consequences on a temporary feeling."
Her face flushes and she locks her jaw, "I don't have to take orders from you."
She moves to the left and I grab her upper arm roughly, my nails digging into her skin. "If you do this." I warn looking up at her, "I will never forgive you." She either doesn't believe me or doesn't care because she yanks her arm back, giving me one last glare before climbing down the ladder to the lower level where Monty is working on the wristbands.
Finn stands and brushes the hair from his eyes, "I'll talk to her." He eases down the ladder gripping the handle bars.
"We both know once Clarke has made up her mind there's no changing it."
He pauses and shoots me a sly grin, "Remind you of anyone?"
"Cute." I reply closing the latch on him. Clasping my head in frustration, a yell bubbles up in my throat and I force it back down, but I can feel it simmering under my skin just waiting to come out. "Idjits!" I sink to the floor beside Wells, shaking my head. "You need to wake up. There's no way I'll survive this place without you."
My eyes spring open when I feel someone shake my shoulder, "Back off!" I shout holding my hands out karate style. The sound of chuckling brings me to my senses and I hold a hand over my pounding heart, glaring at the youngest Blake. "Glad I could be of amusement."
"You have to come with me."
I rub my eyes, "Where?"
"To Bellamy's tent."
"Why?"
"It's about Wells."
I'm instantly on my feet at the mention of his name. "You tell your brother that my promise to show him his guts still stands." She rolls her eyes, reaching for my wrist and I sidestep her. "Nah ah, only Wells is permitted to do that."
Octavia takes a deep breath, running a hand through her dark hair. "Lyra, just come with me please."
"Okay."
My eyes widen when we come out of the dropship; the camp has transformed dramatically since the last time I've seen it. Everyone is hard at work and I feel ashamed for not pulling my weight. Maybe I'll tag along on the next hunting party, help bring home some dinner. And then it hits me like a slap to the face, this is home now. I don't have time to dwell on it because Octavia is holding the flap open for me. I duck inside and the occupants stop talking on a dime. I look at her and she nods for me to go ahead. The farther I move into the tent the thicker the air feels. It thrums with tension, like one wrong move would set the place ablaze. "Bellamy, Jasper." I greet ignoring Clarke. "So," I drawl out the o and cross my arms. "What's the big emergency?" They gaze at me wearily than at each other, communicating silently. I tap my foot, impatiently. "Well?"
Octavia picks up a knife from the table and hands it to me. "We found this knife at the sight where Wells was attacked."
"It was made from metal from the dropship." Bellamy adds, watching me closely.
I nod placing the knife back down on the table, letting my elbows rest upon it as the pieces fit together. "It wasn't a grounder."
"You don't sound surprised."
"If a grounder attacked Wells he'd be dead. Right?" Bellamy's brow creases, mulling over my words.
Jasper's eyes widen darting between the two of us, "What do you mean?"
"Who else knows about this?"
Octavia shakes her head, "No one. We brought it straight here."
"So there's a murder in the camp?" Jasper asks.
"There's more than one murder in this camp. This isn't news." Bellamy dismisses and gestures to the knife. "We need to keep it quiet."
Clarke of course doesn't agree, snatching the knife she moves to leave but Bellamy holds up his hands blocking her path. "Get out of my way, Bellamy."
"Clarke," he speaks slowly, his voice steady. "Be smart about this. Look at all we achieved, the walls, the patrol. Like it or not thinking the grounders attacked Wells is good for us."
She scoffs, "Good for you, you mean. What keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"
"Yeah, that's it. It's good for all of us. Fear of the grounders is building that wall."
I can't believe I'm going to say this. I actually feel a little nauseous just thinking about it. "He's right." They both turn to me and I don't know who's surprised more, Bellamy or Clarke. "Until Wells wakes up we don't know who attacked him. It will only cause unrest and that's the last thing we need if we're going to be going up against the grounders."
"And besides what are you going to do walk out there and ask the killer to step forward? You don't even know you knife that is."
She smirks and I find it doesn't suit her. "Oh, really." She holds up the blade for Bellamy to see, "JM. John Murphy. The people have the right to know." She brushes past him, out of the tent.
I follow after, a knot rooting in my stomach. "Clarke, Clarke." I grab her wrist, "This is a bad idea, please just wait for Wells to wake up. We can handle it then."
"Wells isn't waking up, Lyra." She alleges, shoving me away from her forcefully. I trip over my feet, almost falling on my butt when Bellamy and Octavia grab my upper arms, steadying me.
"You son of a bitch." Clarkes' scream pulls our attention to the scene currently unfolding.
Murphy chuckles, "Woah, what's your problem?"
"Recognize this." She holds up the incriminating object.
"It's my knife, where did you find it?" His brows furrow and he moves to grab it, but she yanks it back.
"Where you dropped it after you attacked Wells." Her words cause everyone to stop what their doing and stare.
"Where I what?" His eyes flit around the forming crowd, accusation showing on the majority of their faces. "The grounders attacked Wells not me."
"I know what you did and your going to pay for it." Clarke threatens.
"Oh really? Bellamy, you really believe this crap?"
I too look to Bellamy but he doesn't respond. "Shut this down," I urge. "Now before it gets out of control." He spares me a glance, but doesn't heed my words.
"You threatened to kill him we all heard you. You hate Wells-"
"Plenty of people hate him. His father is the Chancellor that locked us up." He has a point, anyone of us could've attacked him. We all had motive.
"Yeah, but you were the only one who got into a knife fight with him." She counters.
"And I didn't kill him then."
I step forward, "Clarke enough. He didn't do it."
She looks at me with disbelief, "Out of everyone I'd expected you to be on my side."
"You tried to kill Jasper, too." Octavia speaks up and I shoot her a glare, she shrugs. My pulse rises and my skin feels hot, the scream tickling at my throat. Am I the only one with a functioning brain?
"What?" Jasper pales.
Murphy surveys the crowd, his eyes resting on me. "How do we know it wasn't spitfire?" He accuses trying to shift the blame and I raise an eyebrow. Really, you little fuck? I'm the only one defending you. "Getting all cozy with him so he would let his guard down. No one would expect it." The crowd looks between the two of us, now unsure.
"It wasn't her." Bellamy defends and everyone's eyes move back to Murphy, who wears a betrayed expression.
He approaches him, "Bellamy, look I'm telling you man I didn't do this."
"They found your knife where I found his body."
"Is this the kind of society we want?" Clarke asks the crowd, "You say there should be no rules, does that mean we can harm each other without punishment?"
"I told you I didn't do it."
"I say we float him." A boy calls out and others shout their agreement.
"Fuck no." I snap, "No ones floating anyone. We're not on the Ark, we don't need to float people to solve our problems, we can do things differently here."
"Why not? He deserves it. It's justice."
"Revenge is not justice."
"You're one to talk." I accuse Clarke. "Or did you forget what you did to your mom this morning?" She has the decency to look ashamed.
"It is justice. Float him." The boy yells, encouraging the others to join in. "Float him, float him float him!" Murphy tries to make a fun for it, but someone trips him. People surround him from every side, throwing punches and kicks, beating the living daylights out of him. Murphy is kicked down a hill where he is bound and gagged. Someone throws a rope around a tree branch, tying the other end around his neck and stringing him up, placing a crate under his feet.
"Get off of him." Clarke tries to move through the mob. Octavia moves to intervene also, but Bellamy grabs her wrist and shoves her towards me.
"You can stop this," Clarke begs him, "they'll listen to you."
"Bellamy you should do it." A delinquent cheers. "Bell-a-my, Bell-a-my."
"Bellamy, don't do this. Bellamy." He looks conflicted, but as the chanting continues he makes up his mind and kicks the crate out from under Murphy. The crowd goes wild at the horrible sight.
Bellamy turns away from the boy he just sentenced to die and Clarke shoves his chest. "What did you do?"
"This is on you, princess. You should of kept your mouth shut."
I roll my eyes, grabbing the knife that started all this chaos and maneuver through the crowd to the tree Murphy dangles from. I gaze up at it and suck in a deep breath, sticking the knife in my mouth I climb the tree. I make it to the branch where the string is and begin cutting through it. Finn appears, his eyes widen and he rushes to help but a boy unsheathes a knife blocking him.
"Just stop it, stop it. Murphy didn't attack Wells. I did." A little girl yells making everyone whip around in shock and I finally mange to cut the rope restricting Murphy, he falls to the ground.
"Bring out the girl, Bellamy." Murphy demands, his footsteps sound like thunder as he paces outside the tent.
Bellamy stands with his hands on his hips and a crestfallen expression, "Why Charlotte?"
"I was just trying to slay my demons like you told me."
"I think he was speaking metaphorically." I say the same time Clarke says, "What the hell is she talking about?"
"She misunderstood me." He defends, "Charlotte that's not what I meant."
"Bring the girl out now!"
"Please don't let them hurt me." Charlotte pleads her eyes welling with tears.
"If you guys have any bright ideas, speak up." Bellamy addresses us and when we offer no solution he scoffs. "Now you stay quiet."
"Those are your boys out there." Finn counters.
"This is not my fault, if she," he glares at Clarke, "listened to me those idiots would still be building the wall."
"Enough," I snap, the day's events taking it's toll on my nerves. "It doesn't matter who's to blame, we need to think of something and fast."
"You want to build a society princess?" Murphy taunts his voice growing louder. "Let's build a society, bring her out!"
"No, please Bellamy."
He bends down, squeezing her shoulders. "Look Charlotte, it's going to be okay. Stay with them." He looks to Clarke and Finn, "Lyra, come with me." I glance back at Charlotte giving what I hope is a reassuring smile and follow him out of the tent, Murphy is quick to approach us.
"Well, well, look who decided to join us." He sneers.
"Dial it down and back off."
"Or what? You'll hang me?"
"I was just giving the people what they wanted." Bellamy says, trying to play it off and I smack his arm.
"Yeah," Murphy purses his lips and nods, "that's a good idea."
"No, it's not. Murphy, please just calm down."
"I am calm."
"This is you calm?"
He rolls his eyes and addresses the audience, "Who here wants to see the real culprit hung up? All in favor?" Four people raise their hands and his expression darkens. "I see. So it's okay to string me up for nothing, but when this little bitch," he points to the tent, "confesses you want to let her walk? Cowards. All of you." With clenched fists he starts to pace.
"Hey, Murphy. Murphy." Bellamy yells, gaining his attention. "It's over."
He glares, but holds up his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say boss."
Bellamy turns to leave but Murphy grabs a log of wood and hits him over the head, knocking him to the ground.
"Bellamy." Octavia cries.
Murphy moves towards the tent and I intercept, "Please." I breathe out; a last ditch effort.
He grips me hard by the shoulders ,bringing his face close to mine and I wince. "Because you were the only one to defend me I won't wreck your pretty little face." He tosses me to the floor and I land painfully on my arm. Groaning, I roll over onto my back.
"Come on, let's get the girl." Murphy ducks inside the tent, "Charlotte, Charlotte. I know you can hear me and when I find you your going to pay." He calls and I smile knowing she escaped his clutches.
Bellamy charges out of his tent like a whirlwind, startled; I fall off the log I was sitting on. He pauses, his brown eyes landing on me, "What are you doing on the ground?"
"A little help would be nice." I huff and he reaches out his hand, easily pulling me to my feet. I quickly move out of his hold, the contact bringing back the memory of Atom. "Charlotte's with Clarke and Finn, Murphy went after them, but I think I know where they took her." I say in one breath and end up chocking on air.
"Show me."
"You got that?"
He claps his hands, "Lyra focus."
Nodding, "Yes, Charlotte. Okay. Follow me, this way." I sprint out the gate with him on my heels and I hope I can retrace the route to the car correctly. The sun is beginning to set so I don't have much time. Who knows maybe we're already too late. Stop it! Clarke and Finn are smart, they won't let anything happen to Charlotte. I'm so lost in my thoughts I don't see the tree root and up tripping over it, eating a face full of dirt.
"It seems you and gravity aren't on good terms."
"No shit." I gag and wipe at my face, when my vision clears I break into a smile. Jumping to my feet I feel around for the hatch to open the automobile, unlocking it I poke my head inside. It's empty. "They're not here."
"Let's keep looking." I slam the door with a little more force than necessary and follow after Bellamy. He keeps two steps ahead of me the entire time and doesn't turn back once to make sure I'm still there. His shoulders are tense and he walks with purpose. I gnaw my lip, debating if it would be wise or not to break the silence. On the Ark there was always something making noise and I've been having a hard time adjusting to the change.
"Why did you defend me earlier?"
"Atom." Is all he says and I don't open my mouth again until I see a tiny shadow. Touching his shoulder, "There." He silently moves forward grabbing her by the waist and she screams.
I flinch, "Girl, do you have a set of pipes."
"Charlotte, Charlotte." Bellamy covers her mouth muffling her cries. "Shhh." She continues to struggle in his hold.
"Charlotte, where are you?" Murphy's voice echoes through out the forest. "You can't hide forever. Come out, we won't hurt you."
I glare in the direction I think it came from, "I should've let the asshole hang."
"Yeah, you should of."
My head snaps towards Bellamy and I take a step forward, eyes narrowed. "You really want to play the blame game with me? You let them string him up even though you knew he was innocent."
"We don't have time for this." He knocks his shoulder against mine brushing past me, dragging Charlotte with him.
She squirms and digs her feet into the ground, "Let me go."
"I'm trying to help you." He whispers to her, but she shakes her head.
"I'm not your sister. Just stop helping me." She manages to escape his grip and runs in the opposite direction, "I'm over here." She yells and Bellamy yanks her back.
"Hey, are you trying to get us all killed?"
My hand grazes his shoulder, "Go. I'll distract them." They both turn and look at me like I'm crazy, "Look it will work. Just go."
"They'll kill you."
"Maybe."
He levels me with a piercing stare, "Lyra-"
"Bellamy, be smart about this. We're running out of time."
"No!" Charlotte cries, her blue eyes wide with tears. "I'm the one they want. I'm over here, I'm over here. Murphy." She shouts.
I roll my eyes, "Maybe we should just knock her out." He shoots me a glare, hoisting her over his shoulder and begins running. We try and put as much distance between us and Murphy, but soon we reach a cliff.
He places Charlotte down, "Damn it."
"Great job. You lead us to a dead end."
"Would you shut up?" He shouts.
The bushes rustle and Murphy and his pose step out, when his eyes land on us he smirks. "You can't fight all of us, just give her up."
"I disagree. Okay, I'll take those three," I point to the guys on the end. "And you take those two." I tell Bellamy, bracing myself. "On three."
"Stop, stop, stop." Clarke appears with Finn, "This has gone to far. Just calm down and we'll talk about this."
"He doesn't want to talk Clarke, he wants blood."
Murphy shoots me a wink and I grimace, "You know me so well. As for you," he grabs Clarke and places a blade against her neck. "I'm sick of listening to you talk." My blood runs cold at the sight, any confidence I had gone at the thought of having to watch someone else die.
Finn moves forward, "Let her go."
"Back up or I will slit her throat."
"Please don't hurt her." Charlotte pleads.
"Don't hurt her?" Murphy mocks, "Okay, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now and I will let her go."
Clarke shakes her head, "Don't do it, Charlotte." Charlotte moves forward but Bellamy blocks her.
"Murphy." I say, redirecting his attention to me. "We both know it's not her your angry with. And killing her won't make you feel better, trust me."
His eyes bore into me for a long time and I think I maybe getting through to him, "You're right." His gaze travels to Bellamy, "You for the girl."
"No!" She shouts, "I can't let any of you get hurt. Not because of me, not after what I did." Her lip quivers before she turns around and jumps off the edge.
"Charlotte." Clarke screams moving out of Murphy's hold, her and Bellamy hover over the edge of the cliff. "No." My feet give way and I collapse onto the floor, this isn't real. This, didn't just happen. We're just a bunch of stupid kids we can't handle this. Why did they send us here, why?
Bellamy turns to look at Murphy and his eyes go wide, backing up. "Bellamy." Bellamy charges at him and the force of the impact has them both rolling around on the ground. He lays punch after punch, blood staining his hands.
Finn pries him away, "Bellamy, stop you'll kill him."
"Get off me." He shoves him, "He deserves to die."
"No." Clarke says her voice cracking, "We don't decide who lives and dies. Not down here."
"So help me god if you say the people have a right to decide-"
"No, I was wrong before. Okay, you were right." She spares me a glance and I look away. "Sometimes it is dangerous to tell people the truth, but if we are going to survive down here we can't just live by whatever the hell we want. We need rules."
Bellamy scoffs and runs a hand through his hair. "And who makes the rules, huh. You?"
"For now we make the rules. Okay."
"So, what than? We just take him back and pretend like nothing happened?"
"No. We banish him."
"Yeah, that's not going to bite us in the ass." I say half heartedly.
Bellamy grabs Murphy by his collar and hauls him to his feet, "Get up." He growls and drags him to the end of the cliff.
"Bellamy. Stop." Clarke scolds taking a step forward, but I rise to my feet blocking her.
"He's reckless and impulsive, but he's not a killer. Trust me." She searches my face for a moment than nods, backing off.
"If I ever catch you near camp we'll be back here, understand?" Murphy nods weakly and he shoves him to the side carelessly. "As for the four of you," he addresses the others. "You can come back and follow me or go off with him to die. Your choice." Bellamy stalks off into the night the boys following close behind. I trail behind Clarke and Finn, but I pause remembering I still have Murphy's knife in my possession. Quickly I backtrack, finding him still holed up on the ground.
I step on some leaves and he tenses, "It's just me."
"Come to finish me off, spitfire?" He coughs.
I keep a good distance and toss the knife towards him. "I'm sorry that this happened to you. You're an ass, but.." I swallow, "but you didn't deserve any of it. Goodbye John."
When I return to camp, instead of going inside the dropship I decide to climb it. I don't think I can stand to look at Clarke right now. A part of me resents her for what happened, even though I know we all had a part to play. It's just easier, less painful to blame her. So I choose to lay atop of the pod gazing at the stars, letting the sound of camp lull me to sleep.
AN: So, I'm keeping Wells and I hope that doesn't deter anyone from reading. The story will follow the main plot, just a tad AU. Okay, some questions. Does Lyra come off Mary-Sue-ish or too perfect? Should I change anything? Also, do you like Bellamy and Lyra's relationship or do they clash too much or are they too similar? Do you want to see them together or should this just be a story about Lyra? Is they any characters you want to see Lyra have more scenes with? Any tips on how to be more descriptive, I know I need to get better in that area. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to do my absolute best for this story and for you guys to enjoy it. I really love writing and want to become a better writer so any feedback really helps.
And, as always don't forget to vote on the poll, should Lyra be captured or left behind?
