Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 30

Ethan keeps his eyes on Bellamy's back so he doesn't have to see the bodies littering the ground, over logs, limbs twisted. They haven't even made it past the gates yet. No, these are their own people, from the fighting. For some horrible reason, the sight is beginning to get normal for the kids once sent to die.

"It's too quiet."

Ethan moves closer. "Maybe they moved on." He stands when Bellamy stands but is stopped short by a hand against his shoulder. He frowns at it, eyes darting through his hair to glare at Councilman Kane.

"We'll take it from here." 

Ethan scoffs.

"Banks, Scanlan, you stay with them. We'll signal you once it's safe."

And waits until they're gone to grit out the words he'd kept down. "This is ridiculous. We're not dogs." 

Bellamy looks like he agrees, standing up to pace back and forth. He doesn't like waiting for information he could have already gotten himself. Information about his friends. For weeks upon weeks, they were stuck on the ground getting to know each other. They weren't just criminals anymore, they were a society.

Only now able to stop and talk, Ethan claps a hand against Finn's arm, "Glad you're okay. We lost you when the fire started, things weren't looking so good." He drags a tongue across dry lips, craving some water

Finn sighs and looks away, "I took off, but the grounders weren't willing to give up. It felt like I was running for miles."

"Stretcher!"

Collectively, they think the worst, climbing the hill to pique their curiosity. The guards on watch don't let them past, hands reaching out to create a border despite their innocent reasoning. The stern looks they get given makes them feel like children.

Ethan looks at Bellamy, Bellamy looks at Finn, Finn looks at Ethan.

Bellamy gives the nod. And they take off, back into the grounder-infested forest they were running away from. Ethan takes a swift left, leading them towards one of his passages, ducking in one by one to the other side.

The other side isn't pleasant.

"Where is everybody?"

Ethan's heart jumps, eyes skipping from body to dead body, covered in a fine layer of soot. His gaze settles on a piece of metal beneath his feet, crouching to pull it from the dirt and flip it in his fingers. He recognizes the blade immediately, scoffing to himself at its stubborn survival. He slips it into his belt. 

Kane walks out of the dropship with Murphy in his hands.

What a coincidence. 

He wasn't even here during the fight. Ethan's eyes narrow. Why come back?

Murphy looks up. "Ethan?"

Ethan sees his eyes widen a fraction, his voice light and surprised.

Then Murphy sees Bellamy towering over Ethan's shoulder and blanches. His body sags with disappointment, "Bellamy, you're, uh. . ." His tone drops, "You're alive."

Ethan rolls his eyes, missing the moment Bellamy leaves his side. He does see, though, when he punches Murphy back onto the dirt, wrapping his hands around a slim neck and tightening with everything he had left.

"You murdering son of a bitch!"

The pain in Bellamy's voice causes a lump to rise in Ethan's throat.

So, Ethan stands back, letting Bellamy seize the opportunity of carrying his pain into anger before finally listening to the mantra of stop this pushing to the forefront of his mind. He clasps a hand around his elbow, pulled back for another vicious swing and isn't surprised when Bellamy simply yanks his arm back and delivers the blow.