On the Ground

Fog Of War

      The walk back to camp was long. We stopped once at night to rest. Murphy didn't want me anywhere near Finn. Octavia was beyond pissed at Finn. We all sat around the fire, Bellamy between Octavia and Clarke. Murphy sat with an arm around me, starting to fall asleep. Finn sat near Clarke, silent. "So how do we get into Mount Weather?" Finn asked. Murphy jumped, waking up and looking around. "I don't know yet. We just need to get back to camp first." Clarke said, poking at the fire. Octavia rolled over on her side. She looked up at me as I patted her arm. "Sleep Octavia." I told her. She sighed at me. I felt Murphy's head fall on my shoulder again, making me smile. Clarke sat still, staring at the ground. Bellamy grunted and moved to lay down. "I'll stay up." Clarke told him. He looked unsure for a minute but nodded. "Wake me soon." He ordered. I laid my head back on the log behind me, trying not to wake Murphy. I quickly fell asleep.

       Every sound woke me up. Clarke waking Bellamy, Finn getting up for a bathroom break, Murphy having a nightmare. Finally I was able to sleep again, sadly I was woken up two hours later. We packed up and continued our trek back to camp. We were welcomed back by an angry but glad Abby and a limping Monroe. Raven almost tackled Finn as he walked through the gate. Then came the awkward part, explaining what happened. Abby was horrified. Everyone was. 

    It was dark now. Murphy and Finn were in with Abby and other leaders. I hoped Murphy would be able to get out of this but I didn't know if they would ignore his past crimes. I looked up when I heard people starting to talk. Finn and Murphy came out of the Ark finally. Murphy didn't look worried so I took it as a good sign. Murphy grabbed a drink and sat with Clarke and Finn. I watched as Clarke shot glare after glare at Murphy until he finally got up. He found his way over to me and sat down in front of the fire. "How did the inquisition go?" I asked. "We got cleared. I still don't understand how." Murphy said. "I'm sorry about Sterling." Murphy said suddenly. I looked over at him. "I know you were friends with him." He explained, shrugging. I smiled at him. "Thanks John." I said, leaning against him. Across the fire, I saw Monroe sitting with Mel. They ate and chatted to each other happily. It was good to see us finally getting along with the other Arkers. "The Grounders won't forgive us for what Finn did." I told Murphy. He nodded as if already thinking the same thing. 

    We headed back to our tent after awhile. Murphy pulled me into his arms as I laid down next to him. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. "Everything will work out." I promised Murphy as we fell asleep. I woke in the morning, it was sunny and warm. Murphy was still soundly asleep next to me. I got up carefully, trying to not wake him. I pulled on my boots and headed outside. I heard the gate close, someone had just left. "Jackson? Who just left?" I asked, seeing him watching the group go. "Abby, Clarke, Raven Reyes, Finn Collins, Bellamy and Octavia Blake and some guards." He said. I was honestly a bit offended they left without me. But I was not wanting to go on any more hikes with Finn. 

   I'd be lying if I said I hadn't paced up and down the camp most of the day. I was worried, every time someone went out, something bad happened. Even through the night I woke up, wondering if everything was going okay. Murphy convinced me back to bed though. 

   The next day was just as slow. At one point I heard a loud sound in the distance. Murphy and I were both standing by the fence and in the distance we could see a large yellow cloud. Acid fog. "Shit." Murphy said, grabbing my arm. "Wait! No, its not near us!" I said, pulling him back to the fence. "Well its about to be!" He said, pulling me away from the fence. We ran to Byrne and Captain Miller. "You have to get everyone inside now!" I said. Byrne looked at me like I had grown a second head. Murphy rolled his eyes. "Do you see that large yellow cloud? Thats acid fog. It will kill you." Murphy said, pointing to it. I heard a horn sound in the distance. Even the grounders were running for cover. Byrne finally seemed to be alarmed. The called over guards and started yelling to everyone. Sinclair found me quickly. "Whats happening?" He asked. I grabbed his arm and Murphy's and pulled them inside the Ark with me. My parents. I turned and ran outside. Murphy yelled after me but Sinclair held him back. "Mom!" I yelled, seeing her. Both of them were arguing. The acid fog was halfway across the field outside out fence. "Mom! Dad! Get inside!" I screamed at them. They both stared at me in alarm. I shoved both of them towards the doors. "GO!" I yelled, making them run. The fog was at the fence. Everyone else had dropped what they were holding and went inside the Ark for cover. My parents reached the doors first. "Come on!" Murphy yelled to me. The air around me started to burn. My back started to burn like it was on fire. I saw Jackson just behind Murphy and Sinclair. I jumped in just as the doors closed. I coughed and looked up. Sinclair leaned down to me and pulled me up. "Oh god." He said. I turned around. "What?" I asked. Jackson pushed his way forward. "Your back, its burned." He said. Jackson reached out and touched my back. The acid had burned through the back of my shirt and had gotten my back. It stung. "Dear, are you okay?" My father said, stepping around Sinclair. He lightly hugged me. "I'm fine. Why were you just standing out there? You almost died!" I shouted at my parents. Most people had drifted off to different areas of the Ark. "Don't yell at me!" My mother shouted back. I saw Murphy's hands become fists. She was actually crazy. "We are not doing this now. Lets get you to medical." Sinclair told her, pulling me along after Jackson. 

    Medical was surprisingly empty. I think most people preferred using the tent outside. I sat down and Jackson grabbed some bandages and medicine. Murphy sat across from me while Sinclair stood awkwardly in the corner. "Lets try to get this off." Jackson said, as he pulled the back of my shirt away. "Ow!" I shouted as it moved away from my skin. I lifted my arms up and pulled it off. The back was riddled with small holes. Somehow I think the acid fog had gotten more deadly. "This will hurt." Jackson warned me. Murphy smirked at me and winked. Only he would be flirting cause of my bra at a time like this. Jackson pushed my hair out of the way and started to cover the two burns on my back. Murphy pulled off his jacket and pulled of his short sleeved shirt. Of course he still wore two shirts. He handed me one. "Is that a knife?" Jackson asked. I pulled it out of my waistband. Murphy saw it and started to laugh. "Aw my first knife. Actually it was your first knife." Murphy said, snatching it from my hands. Sinclair smiled and walked out of the room. "Who needs your parents? You've got Sinclair." Jackson pointed out, finishing the bandages. "Exactly." I agreed, pulling on Murphy's shirt. I took my knife back and tucked it away. I started to worry about the others as Jackson left the room. Murphy leaned forward and put his hand on my cheek. "I bet they're fine." He said as if he were reading my mind.
     It took an hour or so but the fog finally cleared. Murphy and I headed to our tent and pulled everything out of it, airing it out. "We had that great makeshift double bed back at the drop ship, now we share a single." Murphy said, shaking his head. I laughed at him, making him smile. Murphy had changed so much since our first day on the ground. Murphy came up behind me and picked me up, making me squeal. "Sit me down!" I said, laughing. He spun me around before sitting me down. I could see several people staring at us, including my mother. Murphy leaned over and kissed me. "Come on, lets put all this back." I told him, laughing at his stupid face. After we finished I decided now would be a better time to hear out my insane mother. By now I think she had pretty much disowned me. She was standing near the Ark, looking insanely unfriendly with a scowl on her face. "Mother." I said, getting her attention. She sighed when she saw me. "What?" She asked. "Why are you angry with me now? Is having a criminal for a child really that bad?" I asked her. A few people looked our way and she pulled me away to a more secluded spot. "I dont need your help. Or your friends help." She said sternly. She looked around as if to see if anyone saw us talking. "Is it a crime to talk to me now? You really have disowned me." I asked, crossing my arms. My mother looked right at me. "You did that to yourself the day you were arrested." She argued. I laughed at her. I knew she hated me since that day, she had only pretended to care for my fathers sake. "I guess you had been hoping to see me floated then? You clearly dont care for me. I guess we all deserved to die for what we did, what we've done." I said, raising my voice some. She shushed me. "Do you remember the little girl that lived next door to us? Trina? She was arrested, her and her boyfriend Pascal. They both died from that acid fog I saved you from... I am no longer your daughter apparently. Goodbye." I said, raising my voice again and walking away before she could respond. 

    I found Wyck in engineering. Naturally. "Any word?" I asked. "No, its been silent for hours now." Wyck shouted from the other side of the room. I sighed and walked back outside. I heard the sound of the gates opening. Abby, Raven, and guards. Clarke, Finn and Bellamy followed. I ran to meet them. "Wheres Octavia?" I asked Bellamy. He put his finger to his lips and pulled me off to the side. "Shes with Lincoln at the dropship." He said. "You found him?" I asked, suddenly happy for Octavia. Bellamy nodded. "Hes... changed. We think hes a reaper now. I dont know how though. We couldnt risk bringing him back here." Bellamy explained. There was shouting near the east side of the fence. "We've got movement!" Byrne shouted. Abby ran to the gate. "Wait!" She yelled. I saw her run out with other guards. Murphy found me and Bellamy. He squinted into the distance. "Who is that?" He asked. My mouth dropped open. "Thats Chancellor Jaha..." I answered, seeing him drop to his knees.