Chapter 47
I don't know how far we run or for how long until our muscles start burning and lungs giving in. We have to lose them, and fast, but as much as we cut left and right, the Reapers aren't letting up. That's good, in a way, because by now we've drawn them all the way the hell away from our people. Things sren't looking up for the two of us though, if we don't think of something fast.
''We should split up!'' Dwyght manages to growl as we run still, the Reaper cries echoing behind us.
''We're not splitting up!'' I manage - we are stronger together and I don't want Dwyght wandering the woods without me anyway, ''I know what to do! We just need to gain more on them!''
Neither of us know how we pull more out of ourselves, but somehow we manage to put in more speed. Running and hopping and twisting ahead, we finally put more ground between us and our pursuers. My brain works like a computer, focused on not tripping on anything while at the same time trying to visualize the exact path to the Drop-Ship.
This has to work.
''Listen to me,'' I wheeze now that the Reapers are some way behind us, ''I need you to do exactly as I say.''
Dwyght gives me a brief concerned look as we sprint ahead, followed by a short nod.
''They're gonna follow me into the Drop-Ship,'' I continue, ''The door mechanism still works. There's a lever on your right the moment you step in. You pull it and you run out before the door closes.''
''What- What are you-?!'' he stutters, ''You're crazy!''
''Just trust me.''
Running, running, running. Running until every tendon in my legs is threatening to rip itself apart. Running with lungs burning and sweat in my eyes and the cries of the Reapers in my ears. The cries are what pushes me forward even when I think I'll drop dead any moment. I can't anymore, I think, but then the cries ring louder in my ears. But I have to. I have to or I'm dead and it won't be an easy death either. I imagine Reapers eating me up alive and all of a sudden I'm running with a new surge of strength, bolting like thunder ahead.
Then there it is, right in sight. As we sprint toward the Drop-Ship, I give Dwyght a nod, the signal to turn a sharp left and hide behind the walls until the Reapers all follow me inside. Having no other options, he obeys, becoming shadow. My heels almost screech against the metal of the Drop-Ship door as I stop myself, trying to breathe, trying to make myself stand still and not run away like the terrified girl that I am. Because I am. This is insane. But still I have my feet planted, waiting for the Reapers. They have to see me to follow me in. It won't be much longer now, the cries are getting louder, closer.
And there they are, running like madmen through the woods ahead, a moment away from entering the camp. I wave my hands in the air.
''OVER HERE, MOTHERFUCKERS!''
They seem to almost stop a moment, a small pause, before they break into another sprint toward me and I know that this is it.
One more moment. One more moment...
Now.
I run into the Drop-Ship with all the speed I can muster clambering for the ladder to get onto the middle level like my life depends on it, because it does, quite literally. The next thing I know, they're already inside, and one of them so close he almost grabs my leg to pull me down and the scare of it almost makes me slip off the ladder. But still I manage, hands sweaty, tumbling over onto the middle floor before they can follow. I seal the hatch right behind me and drop on it like I have zero energy left in me, like I am sucked dry for the rest of my life and would never re-charge again.
''Dwyght, now!!!!''
He should have done it by now, but I scream as loud as I can anyway. I don't think it's very loud since my lungs aren't working very well. But even if it was, he still probably wouldn't able to hear me from the outside. I just feel better calling out.
When I hear the sound of the Drop-Ship door closing and the noise of the Reapers that follows, and their scratching at the metal, I can physically feel the tension and exhaustion leaving my body, leaving me weak and completely limp on the floor.
Breathe.
Giving myself one more lazy moment, I fumble back onto my feet and drag myself toward the opening in the wall, courtesy of Murphy. The irony of it almost makes me laugh. Thank you, Murphy.
''Dwyght!'' I call out, ''Dwyght, I'm here!''
In another moment he's running toward me, a terrified look on his face.
''You're insane,'' he breathes, throwing up his hands, ''You're absolutely insane-! Are you insane?!''
''They'll be safe here, if they don't turn on each other,'' I breathe, one hand against the part of the blown-off wall.
''They will be safe?! They?!''
''Yes. Dwyght, we can't just kill every Reaper we see. Self-defense is one thing.''
''How is this any better?!''
''We can throw them food and water,'' I say, ''The drug will be leaving their system and once it does we can help them.''
''Not with everything else on our hands!''
''We can spare a couple of people. Now let me focus so I don't break something.''
Murphy didn't break anything when he jumped, and I myself had jumped off a tree that reached much higher than this level. I add it all up. Leap off, twist, fall on side. Thigh and arm. Curl up and roll over. Okay, good.
What I realize is that - without some danger ushering you ahead - jumping and fighting isn't as easy. If I had the Reapers still behind me, I would have jumped off a million times by now without a thought. But now I have to stop and take a breath, make the decision consciously.
Then I jump.
I roll over like I planned, the pain of the fall still buzzing through my side but it's the good kind of pain - the kind that means a bruise or two, but nothing dislocated. Dwyght helps me back on my feet, before I try to dust myself off. I don't know why I bother.
''Now what?'' he asks.
''Now we see where our folks are.''
*
Without running, the trip back to where we left our people takes much, much longer. Neither of us has been aware of just how much ground we've covered running all the way here. It dawns on us as we drag ourselves back, exhausted. I don't know how good I am with keeping time by the sun and the moon, but my estimation is that it has to be 10 PM by the time we reach our destination. That means Monroe and the rest are a three hour walk ahead of us, and knowing Monroe, they won't be camping out tonight after everything that's happened. She'll push them onward. We walk those three hours anyway, but I'm not sure if pushing onward still is an option for us. I can follow their tracks, but we're beyond exhausted and what little energy the food and water provides isn't enough.
''We should probably rest a bit,'' I am the first to suggest, ''Monroe knows the way back from here, I don't worry about them. We, on the other hand, could get hurt at this point.''
Dwyght looks reluctant to agree, but he agrees nonetheless.
''I'm on first watch,'' he nods, as we settle among the trees, finding a secluded spot that would keep us away from even the eyes of the animals. I snuggle up in the grass, my head on my pack, and mumble a ''Wake me up in two hours,'' before sleep takes me, easier than ever.
Dwyght wakes me up in three. I know because even though it's still night when I rub the sleep out of my eyelids, the sky simply doesn't seem as black. The color of ink, maybe. We silently switch places, and sleep seems to take him before I can even sit upright against a tree.
The hours are slow to pass, mostly because I am fighting against myself to keep awake. In two hours, dawn starts to crack, and I have to wake the big bear of a man to continue our journey. We'll sleep when we're home, but first we have to get there.
We never catch up with Monroe and the crew. It's another long, full day until we reach Camp Jaha, but we're relieved to find that everyone's gotten back safely before us. Even the Tondc escort.
When I get to the gate, we're greeted with looks of worry, making me wonder about the state we're in and just how awful we must look. It's Bellamy that runs up first, wrapping his arms around me, and I think I can melt right into him, less out of a romantic reason and more out of the fact that I can barely stand and desperately need more sleep.
''I was worried,'' he mumbls into my hair before pulling back with his hands firmly planted on my arms, ''What were you thinking?!''
''Bell, can we not, I'm tired and I need to check with Abby-''
''Abby's pissed,'' he says, ''Well, she was anyway. Are you okay?'' he runs a hand down my hair.
''Yeah,'' I nod, ''Just tired.''
He nods back, pursing his lips in worry, before pressing them on mine, first gently, then with hunger. It takes all I have in me to pull away from him, but I have to talk to Abby first.
Dad should have been here to greet me, I realize. He would have met me at the gate. That's out of place.
''Where's my dad?'' I ask.
Bellamy's face turns grim, a small frown creasing his face the way it always does when he has to talk about something he doesn't particularly like. And in that moment I know something's wrong.
''Handcuffed,'' he finally says before I could reiterate the question, ''For the night.''
My hands on his sleeves grip tighter.
''What happened?''
His jaw clenches, his eyes flash with something else. His hand moves up to cup my jaw, his thumb brushing a line over my cheek.
''I had no idea who he was until it was all over,'' he says, almost apologetically, ''Your father, he almost beat him to a pulp-''
It doesn't exactly surprise me, even though Rick Parish is literally the most peaceful person I've ever known, not just in my life, but to ever exist. When it comes to me, though, a different person wakes inside of him, and takes over completely.
''God,'' I breathe, resting my forehead against Bellamy's chest. One of his arms snakes around my shoulders, the other one lets its hand settle into my hair, holding the base of my skull like I'm a baby. He kisses the top of my head, and it's the most comforting thing in the world.
''I almost killed him myself,'' I say, tired, ''I would have. He doesn't deserve to be here.''
''Trust me,'' Bellamy says, his words muffled by the way his lips still linger in my hair, ''He won't hurt anyone again.''
''You have so much to tell me,'' I pull back to meet his eyes, ''And I have stuff to share too. But I need to see Abby first. And my dad.''
''Abby's in the Council room,'' he only says, before my hands slip out of his.
*
''Abby-''
''I do not believe you,'' she turns around to face me, ''If it's not Raven, it's you-''
''Abby-''
''I appreciate your initiative, Tasha, but you know things can't go that way anymore!'' her eyebrows raise, ''I will not allow any one of you kids to do anything even remotely resembling this without my permission anymore, do you understand?!''
''Yes,'' I mutter, unhappily, ''I brought them back, didn't I?''
''And almost gotten eaten in the process. What were you thinking?!''
''I did what I had to do. The Reapers are in the Drop-Ship. We closed them off.''
''What-?''
''That way they're only a threat to each other until we can help them. There's seven of them in there.''
She closes her eyes for a second, takes a deep breath and pinches the bridge of her nose. Her other hand rests on her hip. Exasperated.
''Alright,'' she says, eyes still resting, ''Jackson should handle that.''
''As for my father-''
''Rules are rules, Tasha,'' she meets my eyes now, looking sorry, ''I can't bend them for anyone now that we need order more than anything. It's only one night.''
''I understand,'' I nod, ''If we hadn't gotten held up, I would have stopped it.''
''As for Nichols,'' she takes another step toward me, placing a hand on my arm, ''You can be sure he won't try anything ever again,'' her eyes bore into mine, ''If he does, the next part's easy.''
''I know,'' I give her a tired smile, ''That's why I brought him back so easily. I trust you.''
She smiles back. ''Go see your dad. He's been worried sick.''
''Hey, Abby,'' I call back from the door, ''Tondc. What's our plan?''
She pauses a moment, as though deciding. Then she exhales, before a simple: ''Tomorrow.''
I don't press it. Too tired to argue, I nod and walk away in search of my dad.
My visit to him is short and consists of a hug and a few explanations. When he realizes just how tired I am, he sends me off to sleep, telling me we'll talk in the morning anyway. ''It's only one night,'' he repeats Abby's words. I leave him with a kiss on the cheek. I can't wait to drop on a cot.
I decide to find it in me to hold it off just a bit longer and go wash myself before sleep. And as I do, water dripping over every bruise and scratch on my body, I try to make a mental note of everyone I need to talk to tomorrow. Bellamy - I need to know everything that happened in Tondc in detail. Maybe I can get that story tonight before I drop unconscious. Then dad, probably. Raven - I have to settle things between us and see how she's doing. Monroe and Sean - I kind of left them with Reapers on my tail, running like a mad woman into the woods. And of course, Abby and Clarke - I need to know the plan in detail, finally. Maybe Bellamy knows enough he could share with me tonight too.
When I come to Bellamy's tent, I realize there won't be much talking tonight. His lips are on me in a moment, and they wouldn't leave me until we're peacefully and blissfully asleep. All I know is the feel of his skin against mine and his lips grazing all over, and the overwhelming familiar scent of him. Nothing else exists. No Grounders, no Reapers, no Mount Weather. Just a boy and a girl, naked and tangled together in between sheets.