So Many Miles Between Us

13. Back to the Mountain (Octavia)

     I slowly opened my eyes, letting them scan the dark surroundings. I peered over at Raven and Lincoln, who were both still asleep. I yawned, streched, and reached out for my sword to make sure that it was still there. My fingers met grass, leaves, and dirt instead of the cold, metal handle of the not so familiar sword that replaced my old one, which now belonged to the Mountain Grounders. I pushed myself into a sitting position, blinking my eyes in confusion. Where could it have gone? I wondered to myself.

     I stood up carefully, making sure not to trip over something and fall on either Lincoln or Raven, who was still upset and angry with me. I made a mental note to apologize to her later. Distant shouting and slamming filled my ears. I quickly whipped my head around to where the noise was coming from. I still couldn't see much, except for a few shadows barreling into each other here and there. I searched the makeshift camp when I realized Bell was missing. I cupped my hands around my mouth, ready to call out to him, but then realized I probably shouldn't, considering there was defiantly something out there. Or someone, I thought to myself with a shudder. 

      I decided to leave Raven and Lincoln here, since they were sleeping and I didn't want to put their lives in danger, too. I quietly began walking towards the noise, and it only increased with louder crashes and angrier shouts, as I got closer. I eventually got close enough to see my brother and another man locked in a fist fight. My brother toppled down a small hill with the man jumping on top of him. Bellamy kicked the man in his stomach, letting him roll off. Bellamy stood up and gripped the man by his throat, strangling him to death, with one hand. That's when I realized a sword in Bell's other hand. He raised it, preparing to send it flying right through the man's chest. I instantly rushed forward, shouting, "No! Bellamy, stop!"

     Bell blinked in confusion but lowered the sword down to his side, turning his attention towards me. I eventually caught up to him. I stared at the man and then back at my brother, asking him, "What the hell are you doing?"

     Bellamy's face held fury, as he pointed towards the man, demanding, "Do you remember him?"

     It took me a few seconds to recognize the man, but I eventually managed to figure out that it was Carl Emerson, the man that captured, imprisoned, and tortured my people. "What the hell is he doing here?" I demanded back.

     "I caught him spying on us from the bushes," explained Bell, pointing towards a cluster of bushes about twenty feet away. "But that ends now," he added, raising the sword again. 

      I gripped his arm and commanded him, "Stop! We're not killing him! Okay? Just... Just give me back my damn sword, Bell." 

     Bellamy reluctantly handed over my sword, and then turned back to Emerson, giving him a small, hard kick on his shoulder. "And what do we do with him? Let him go? After what he did to our people, we should just let him go?" Bell asked, with uncontrollable anger in his voice.

      I shook my head. "Absolutely not. That's hardly an option," I explained. I paused, thinking about how to handle the situation. Eventually, I spoke up, pointing out, "We're almost home, but we lost our weapons. We could use a few more guns."

      Bellamy raised an eyebrow, clearly interested, asking, "And this idiot's supposed to... What? Do a magic trick and make some appear?"

      I rolled my eyes, correcting him, "No. He will take us back to Mount Weather and we'll take whatever leftover weapons that will be useful. Then, we let him go." I shifted my gaze towards Emerson. "Fair deal?" I asked him. 

      He just simply shrugged and said, "Guess so."

      Bellamy nodded, for once, agreeing with me. However, he still looked somewhat unsure. "Something wrong?" I asked him, sounding sarcastic.