The Ruling - Bellamy Blake

6. Justice

Wells is dead. A grounder must've gotten him. None of us are going out alone anymore it's not safe.

I'm helping Charlotte tie the rope on the wood. One of the guys falls while carrying a piece of wood.
"You okay?" I ask turning to him quickly.
"Hey!" Murphy yells stepping over to him, before he can answer me. "You think the grounders are just gonna sit around and wait for us to finish the wall? Maybe we should let the little girl do the lifting for you, huh?" I look over at Bellamy knowing he's the only one that can control Murphy.
"I just need some water, okay? Then I'll be fine." Connor says.
"Murphy, get this guy some water. Hey, you got this?" Bellamy asks Charlotte clearly joking. She goes to pick it up. "I'm just kidding." He says. I laugh softly. He picks it up and carries it away while Charlotte and I go back to tying.

I hear a yell and look back over. Murphy is peeing on the guy. I feel my stomach clench.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Connor yells pushing him. The other guys get in the way to defend Murphy.
"You wanted a water break." Murphy laughs mockingly.

"You're disgusting, Murphy." I say.
"What was that, princess?" He asks stepping towards me. I make sure to move myself in front of Charlotte.
"I said you're disgusting." I repeat.
"And what makes you think you can talk to me like that?" He asks stepping closer. Too close for comfort.
"Back up." I say through gritted teeth.
"And what if I don't? You gonna stop me?" He asks pushing me. I stumble back hitting my back on the wood. I push myself off it and step into his face.
"Don't touch me." I spit back.

"Leave her alone, Murphy." Bellamy says sternly, grabbing his arm pulling him away from me. He scoffs throwing me a glare and turns around.
"What was that about?" Bellamy asks looking at me carefully.
"Murphy's a dick." I mutter. "He decided to piss on Connor." Bellamy sighs and turns to him.
"I'll go get you water." He says. Connor nods to the both of us, before Bellamy steps away.

Octavia and Jasper come running over to me telling me to follow them. We go and get Bellamy and Clarke.

We go into one of the tents and they show us Wells fingers and a knife they found outside.
"This knife was made of metal found in the dropship." Clarke says holding it.
"Who else knows about this?" Bellamy asks with arms crossed.
"No one. We brought it straight here." Octavia says.
"Clarke."
"The grounders didn't kill Wells. It was one of us."
"So there's a murder in the camp?"
"There's more than one murder in the camp. This isn't news we need to keep it quiet."
"Yeah, but there's an active murder in the camp." I say while looking at the knife. There's initials in it. My heart drops as I reread them to make sure.

Clarke tries to walk out but Bellamy gets in her way.
"Get out of my way Bellamy."
"Look we need to be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved. The wall, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the grounders killed Wells is good for us." He says.
"Oh, good for you, you mean. What? Keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"
"Yeah, that's it. But it's good for all of us. Fear of the grounders is building that wall. And besides what are you gonna do just walk out there and ask the killer to step forward? You don't even know whose knife that is." He says. As right as he sounds we do know who's it is.
"There's initials Bellamy. J.M." I say handing him the knife.

"J.M. John Murphy. The people have the right to know." Clarke says grabbing the knife from him.
"No, Clarke." I try saying but she storms out. Going out there and accusing him will only get people stirred up. "Shit."

We follow after her. She runs up to him and pushes him.
"Son of a bitch!" She yells.
"What's your problem?"
"Recognize this?" She asks showing him the knife.
"It's my knife. Where'd you find it?" He asks. I feel my stomach turn watching him act like nothing happened.
"Where you dropped it after you killed Wells."
"Where I what? The grounders killed Wells not me."
"I know what you did, and you're gonna pay for it."
"Really? Bellamy, you really believe this crap?" He asks looking at us.

"You threatened to kill him. We all heard you. You hated Wells." Clarke continues not waiting for Bellamy to reply.
"Plenty of people hated Wells. His father was the chancellor that locked us up."
"So just because he was hated, he deserved to be killed?" I ask. He turns to me and steps forward.
"I didn't kill him!" He yells starting to move close enough for me to hit him if I swung my fist at him.
"You're the only one who got in a knife fight with him!" Clarke adds.
"Yeah, I didn't kill him then, either." He says stepping out of arms reach.

"Tried to kill Jasper, too." Octavia says.
"Come on this is ridiculous. I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to anyone!"
"Come again?" Bellamy asks. Murphy starts walking back towards us.
"Bellamy, look, I'm telling you, man. I didn't do this."
"We found his fingers on the ground with your knife."
"Is this the kind of society that we want? You say there should be no rules. Does that mean we can kill eachother without punishment?"
"I already told you. I didn't kill anyone." He says moving towards Clarke.

"I say we float him." A guy yells. Many agree. It takes a second for it to process in my head.
"That's not what I'm saying." Clarke says.
"Why not? He deserves to float."
"We can't punish death with more death." I say.
"It's justice!"
"Revenge isn't justice!" Clarke responds.
"It's justice." They start chanting 'float him.'

I share a look with Bellamy. This isn't what we wanted. We came down here for a new way to live, we can't just keep floating people for doing bad things.

Murphy goes to attack the guy but gets tripped. They all start kicking him.
"No! Get off of him!" Clarke starts yelling. I try to step forward in an attempt to stop them but Bellamy grabs my arm pushing me back.
"Get off of him!"

They drag him and roll him down a hill. I can see that someone has a rope with them. I feel like I'm
going to be sick as I run after them.

"Stop! Don't kill him!" I yell. As much as I hate him, killing him would be wrong.
"You can't do this!" Clarke yells.

I move forward trying to get the noose off his head.
"Stop!" I yell. Connor wraps his arm around my own holding me back. "Get off of me!" I yell starting to thrash my arms. Bellamy grabs my arm pulling me back from him.

They lift him onto a block as Murphy screams and begs.
"Bellamy! Stop this!" I yell looking at him. He's looking between me and him. Clarke runs over pushing his chest.
"You can stop this! They'll listen to you!"
"Please." I say. He looks at me carefully.

"Bellamy! You should do it!" Miller yells. He starts chanting his name, and the crowd joins in.
"You're not a killer." Clarke says.
"Bellamy, please." I say grabbing his arm.
"I can't." He says to me quietly.

He runs over to him as I feel my heart sink.
"No! Bellamy!" Clarke yells. Bellamy kicks the box and Murphy begins to hang. I scream turning around unable to watch him die.

I see Finn start running down the hill.
"What the hell are you doing? Cut him down!" He yells. The man pulls out a knife. I see Charlotte standing by us and grab her arm. I can't believe I didn't notice and get her out of here earlier.
"Charlotte, go!" I yell.

"Stop! Okay? Murphy didn't kill Wells!" Charlotte yells and everyone turns to look at her. "I did!" I drop her arm and take a step back.