Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 64

With Murphy, Ethan and Emori now pulling the crate, there are few words moving between them. The thing is awkwardly hefty, the wheels driving hard into the sand and slowing them down. Ethan regrets ever volunteering, and thinks he might faint before he even gets over the next hill.

It's intense - the heat. Stifling, like they're walking into the sun.

Back home they had shade and grass, rain and lakes, and he had his friends. But if Ethan keeps thinking about that, he might just curl into a ball and never come back out.

They're forced to a stop. He looks up in a daze.

There's a man above the group, sitting atop the same sand dune he didn't think he'd make it over. He's on a horse.

Before he can even think about how rare it is to see an animal alive in this environment, the nameless man says something in Trigedasleng and -

"Is that a fucking rocket launcher?" Ethan finds himself asking, dropping the cart with a heavy thunk.

What happens next is too quick to intercept. Emori yanks Murphy in front of her, a knife at his neck, her face clear of any damsel-in-distress look she'd been giving them.

"Hey, hey, woah-" Murphy frantically grabs at the handle to keep it from coming any closer. Panic flashes in his eyes.

Ethan jolts forward, "Hey!"

But she tightens her hold, dragging Murphy to the front.

"Thank you for putting the supplies in the cart. You were very helpful, Ethan." Emori smirks, eyes sharp and suddenly focused.

Ethan clenches his jaw, "You could pay me back by letting him go." 

She tilts her head, narrows her eyes and gestures for him to lift his arms.

He follows the silent order at a snail's pace, hands empty. All he cares about right now is how close that blade is to Murphy's already marred neck.

If he loses Murphy - what then?

Ethan really regrets bringing the cart.

"Put your weapons in there too, and nobody will get hurt."

Jaha steps forward, a guard with a gun right behind him. "If we do that, we'll all die out here." He hisses.

Emori tilts her head, "If you don't, you'll die right here."

Ethan shuffles from foot to foot, eyes attached to Murphy, "Just let him go, okay? And you can have the damn guns."

She pulls the knife closer to his neck in a jerk. Murphy winces, eyes squeezed shut, hands closing into fists - he feels like he's choking on the rope again.

"Stop!" Ethan flinches forward.

Aborting the movement when she tightens her hold, he purses his lips and twists his head over his shoulder, "Do as she fucking says or I swear to god -"

"Do it. Now." Jaha caves, glancing at his men.

They take a second to process the order, but when Jaha repeats himself - harsher and more demanding - they rush to shrug the guns from their shoulders.

Emori looks at Ethan, "You too."

He shakes his head, eyes following every movement. His heart is slamming against his ribcage. "I don't have any guns. All I had was that bag."

Emori squints. She doesn't trust him, looking at Jaha to demand, "Search him."

Ethan sticks his tongue against his cheek, drawing an aborted breath when Jaha blocks his only view of Murphy and stands in his face. He strikes the offending hand away when it skims the back of his neck in an attempt to apologize.