Of the Night: A Story From the 100

{10} Choosing the Latter

"Where is he?" Bellamy angrily demanded. Octavia had brought Murphy and I into the dropship after finding us where Connor and some guy named Derek had forced us to stay put until Bellamy returned from somewhere. "Everyone but Connor and Derek out... Now!"

Everyone hustled out quickly, not wanting to be a victim of Bellamy's rage. Only Clarke and Finn remained, ignoring Bellamy's orders. I stood up from where I was sitting next to Murphy and stepped towards Bellamy.

His eyes softened and the frown left his face. "Layla." He pulled me into a hug, which surprised me but I hugged him lightly back. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?"

"No I'm fine," I replied as we pulled away.

Derek spoke up, "She claims they both were with the Grounders."

Connor added, "To me, it looked like we had caught him trying to sneak back into camp and he had tackled Layla."

"What?" I squeaked in disbelief. "That's not true."

Murphy scoffed, "I wasn't sneaking or tackling anyone. We were running from the Grounders."

Bellamy looked around. "Anyone see Grounders?" he questioned. Connor and Derek shook their heads and Bellamy shrugged. "Well, in that case-" He pulled the gun from the waistband of his pants and aimed at Murphy.

I quickly stepped in front of him and Bellamy immediately lowered his gun. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry Layla, we were clear what would happen if he came back," Bellamy told me.

"No Bellamy!" I shouted. "He is telling the truth. I am telling the truth! Why won't you listen to me?"

"He's your friend," Bellamy pointed out. "You could be lying to protect him."

"You saw the Grounders take me away, Bell!" I reminded him. "If I returned back here with him then it only makes sense that we both escaped from there."

"I'm sorry Layla," Bellamy told me. "I can't trust him."

"No," Finn interrupted our argument. He lightly pushed me out of range and took my place in front of Murphy. "If he was with the Grounders like she says, then he knows things that can help us."

Bellamy laughed in disbelief. "Help us? We hanged him. We banished him, and now we're gonna kill him." He raised the gun back up. "Get the hell out of my way." I flinched. I knew Bellamy wouldn't shoot me, but I didn't know if he would shoot Finn."

Clarke also stepped in and I felt better. "No. Finn is right."

Bellamy gaped. "Like hell he is. Clarke, think about Charlotte."

Clarke nodded. "I am thinking about her, but what happened to Charlotte was as much our fault as his." She gestured to Murphy. "They are not lying. His fingernails were torn off. The Grounders tortured him."

Finn muttered, "You and the Grounders should compare notes." My eyes widened at the comment but I would ask about it later.

Bellamy glared at Murphy for a few moments before asking, "The Grounders know we're at war. What did you tell them about us?"

"Everything," Murphy admitted and then looked at me. "And then some." I frowned.

"Once he's better, we find out what he knows, and then he's out of here, okay?" Clarke told Bellamy. I sighed in relief as Bellamy eventually lowered the gun.

"What if he refuses to leave? What do we do with him then?"

Clarke sighed. "Then we kill him." She looked to me and I didn't argue. Murphy would have to just take what he could get for now. I gave her a nod of gratitude.