𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 | the 100

07 | Chase Through the Forest

"Should we run or not?"

‧ ✩ ｡ ✭ ° ☆ ･ _______ ･ ☆ ° ✭ ｡ ✩ ‧

A strange mix of relief and uneasiness flares up in Amber at the sight of Murphy, his cold eyes darkened by the trees' shadows bring a shiver down her spine. She doesn't release her grip on the spear, but lets out a quiet sigh. He's not a Grounder and probably won't kill them, but he'll definitely cause trouble.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"How terrifying," he sneers as he saunters up to them with a snide smile, blatantly ignoring her question. "A child and a girl with a stick."

Before she can warn him to stay back, he stands right in front of them, eyeing them closely. She plants her feet firmly into the ground, refusing him the satisfaction of taking a step back, and angles the spear at him until its tip points just beneath his collarbone.

"A sharp stick," she rebukes.

"Like you're so scary," Cooper adds.

Murphy casts a lazy glance at the boy, his eyelids heavy as if the effort to even acknowledge him is barely worth it. He is scary, but Amber doesn't voice her thoughts as her grip on the spear tightens when his eyes shift back to her, seemingly amused by her silent threat.

"What are you gonna do, prick me?" he taunts, his smirk infuriatingly confident that she won't. He's right of course, but she doesn't like him knowing that. He already knows her too well.

"I might," she lies, tightening her jaw in an attempt to steady her voice. The spear's point presses lightly against his chest as she steps closer. "Why are you following us?"

"What do you think? I obviously missed our friendly interactions," he sighs and glances pointedly at the weapon in her hands before his eyes return to hers. "Admit it, this is your way of telling me that you're happy to see me."

"Happy?" She scoffs. "About what? About you apparently stalking us through the woods ever since we left camp? No, I'm not happy."

His grin only widens at her hostility. "Alright, don't break my heart, Damsel."

"I'm sorry." She smiles, fingers tickling with a strange thrill as words that would usually clog in her throat fly from her mouth. "Didn't know you had one."

"So why don't you find out? I'm right here," he dares, and leans forward until the tip of the spear digs through his clothes. Her pulse quickens as panic threatens to catch up to her, terrified of drawing blood, but he just smiles. "What's wrong? Don't have the guts?"

Her eyes flicker, struggling to hold his gaze. Maybe she should stand her ground, but the thought of driving the sharp point through skin is nauseating. Clenching her teeth, her fingers tighten around the spear before she finally lifts it away from him. He leans back with a sharp snort. Psycho. Psycho asshole.

"I'm not interested in your heart." She glances at Cooper at her side who grips the straps of his backpack tightly. They should just have left the second they saw Murphy. "I just want you to leave us alone," she tells him, and before he can stop them with a snide response, she turns her back to him, grabs Cooper's arm and pulls him along as she marches away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Murphy calls after them.

"What does he want?" Cooper hisses as they leave him behind.

"Nothing good," she mutters while hurriedly swatting branches out of their way. Her thoughts race. If he was after their wristbands then he could have taken them as soon as they left camp, but he waited. For what?