sunset|| j.murphy

17||return

It was getting late and the others still weren't back yet. Monty, Octavia and I were looking out the wall as we listened to my moron of a brother behind us brag to everyone about how he 'saved us from the Grounders'.

"Jasper, tell us again. How did you stay so calm? I would have been terrified." Harper gushed to my brother.

"Fear's only a problem if you let it stop you." Jasper said extremely humbly. Note my sarcasm. I had an overwhelming urge to go over there and knock some sense into my brother. 

"That's not even his line." Octavia said to Monty and I. "Finn said that."

"When I saw the Grounders in the trees, it was like nothing I ever felt before. You know, pure animal instinct took over." Jasper continued. "One pull of the trigger... two Grounders dead." 

"Very modest, dear brother." I said to Jasper, sarcasm lacing every word as he looked at me with a glare, telling me to shut up. "'Pure animal instinct?' I must have been imagining things then because what I saw was pure pants-wetting panic." 

"You don't really know what you're made of until a moment like that, when it's kill or be killed." My brother continued his extremely twisted tale, trying to keep his 'fans' interested. "There's just nothing between you and the tip of a spear." 

"Says the one who had a spear through his chest." I continued teasing him from my place beside Monty and Octavia.

"That's enough, Lee." Monty sighed. "Let us have this."

"Us?"

"Your bro's a folk hero." Monty replied. "They even gave us a bigger tent." 

 Before I could reply, we heard a snapping sound come from outside the wall. 

"Someone hit the trip wire!" Someone who was on watch shouted. 

"Is it a Grounder?" Someone else worried. 

I rushed to the gate, since I was supposed to be in charge. 

"I got nothing. Connor?" Derek, who was on watch, said as he looked out the gate. 

"Nothing." Connor, who I still hate with a passion, replied. 

"Something moved!" Someone exclaimed. 

"There! There!" Derek shouted, firing his gun at something. "I think I got it."

"Open the gate." I said. Someone opened it and Octavia, Connor, Derek and I went out. 

What if it was Lincoln? 

"Give me that." I said to Derek, who handed me his flame-lit torch. 

We carefully approached where the gunshots were aimed and I could faintly see a figure, curled up on the ground. I handed my torch to Octavia behind me, who held it up as I cautiously reached out to touch whatever it was.

Or should I say whoever.

As soon as my fingers made contact with the blood-stained cloth of their t-shirt, they scrambled back with a grunt of fear.