whatever the hell we want || j. jordan

~ chapter 2.8 ~

"I'm sorry, Cressida, but we have to divide you up. It's the safest way." Maya's father was trying very hard to convince me to follow his orders.
"I don't want to leave my friends."
Monty came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.
"We'll all be okay. This is the best option."
I frowned, but complied. It was easier than fighting the revolutionaries.
"Alright. Where do I go?"
A man stepped forward.
"You and him are coming with me," He pointed to Miller. I sighed in relief. I wasn't about to spend my possible last hours with some other delinquent that I wasn't close with. "Let's go."

The man, who'd introduced himself as Elijah, took us all the way across the level and onto Level 4.
"You'll be safe here with me and my wife. We'll feed you and give you shelter until your people come for you."
"You don't know how grateful we are," Miller shook his hand as we rushed into Elijah's apartment.

The first room was a lavishly decorated living room, better than anything that existed on the Ark.
"Come." He brought us through another room, and into a small closet.
"You will sleep in here. I apologize for the close quarters, but we can't risk you getting caught. You're welcome to roam about the apartment at any other time."
We nodded and I sat down on their couch.
"Miller, what are we going to do? We can't hide in here forever."
"And we won't have to. I'm sure Clarke and the Grounders will rescue us soon enough. And we'll be free to go home."
"But where is home? The dropship? The Ark? Miller, face it. We don't have a home. The only home we know is our friends."
He took my hand.
"Then we escape with our friends."

•••

When Elijah and Mindy, his wife, returned from lunch, I ran up to them.
"Not be a downer, but how do we know they aren't on their way to look for us?"
"Rest, Cressida. They've already checked here before we took you in. You're safe."
I nodded and retreated to the living room. Elijah and Mindy laid out the food they'd brought back from the mess hall, and Miller and I feasted. I thanked them again, for the 3rd time that day, and walked back to sit with Miller.
"They'll come back to look for us. I know it."
"Relax, Morgan. We'll be fine. They may look, but they won't find us."

Almost a day had passed, and Elijah was still bringing food back to us. We were all sitting in the living room when we heard a knock. I was instantly struck with fear.
Mindy ushered us out of the room immediately. She sent us into our closet and there we sat, squished next to each other, trying not to breathe.
I heard muffled voices, and then footsteps of people moving through the apartment. Miller and I moved as far back as we could into the closet, quiet as we could. We laid next to each other, covering ourselves in all the clothes we could find. He grabbed my hand and i tried to take deep breaths.

The door slammed open. I squeezed my eyes shut and shrank back against the wall. After a moment, the door shut again. The guard hadn't seen us. I exhaled, but spoke too soon. Another guard flung open the door and stepped in, moving clothes aside. First the ones in front of us. The shirt over my ankle. The pair of pants over my neck. Finally, I was completely uncovered, laying fully still. Miller was still behind me, almost fully concealed.

"Gotcha."

The guard turned and yelled something out at the others. They grabbed me and pulled me from the closet. I was too upset to even struggle. I wanted to call out for Miller, but I couldn't let them get him, too.
I knew that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get away.
Muffled yells.
Two gunshots.
Elijah and Mindy.

•••

I was standing, my arms cuffed above my head, watching my friends be drilled into by the Mount Weather doctors. With each dead kid, I was closer to becoming one of them. And after me, my best friends. Very few of us were lined up but soon enough, more and more people were trickling in.
"Get off!" A familiar voice shouted. I opened my eyes to see Miller. I let out a soft cry.
"No, no, no. Miller!" I called out to him.
He frantically shook his head, reminding me to keep quiet. If I drew too much attention, I'd be next. I took the hint and shrunk back, fighting against the tears that wrte bound to fall.