My breathing came in rapid bursts as I clung tightly to the gun in my hands. My knees were pulled up to my chest as I pressed my back into the wall behind me, trying to clear my head that was becoming increasingly hazy.
After Murphy had free me from my restraints using the scalpel, the two of us had taken the guns and made a run for it. I wasn't entirely sure what our next move was at this point.
"You're okay." Murphy muttered from around the corner where he was sitting. I could tell by his tone that he was talking to himself. "They're all crazy. You're okay."
"John?" I questioned, my voice shaky and hesitant.
"What?" he demanded, his voice harsh which caused me to jump slightly.
I couldn't see him from where I sat, each of us taking separate sides of the storage container we were hiding behind.
"Are you going to kill me?" I wondered, my grip on the gun subconsciously tightening. "Is that why you took me out here?"
"No." he assured quickly. "We just need to stay away from Bellamy and Clarke."
"Because they're crazy." I concluded, my brain no longer working like it should have.
As if on cue, Bellamy's angry voice ripped through the courtyard. "MURPHY! YOU BRING HER BACK NOW!"
Murphy let out a quiet curse, scrambling around the corner so he was next to me. "We can't let them see us."
"Murphy! Avery! Please come back!" Clarke pleaded from down below.
I looked over at Murphy, my eyes wide as I pushed my lips together, terrified to make a sound. What were they going to do when they found us.?
Slowly, their footsteps faded away and Murphy and I both let out sighs of relief. We were safe...for now.
"Stop being so weak."
The voice caused me to jump. It sounded as if it were directly in my ear, rather directly in my mind.
"What did you just say?" I whispered as I stared at Murphy, looking for any sign that it was him who spoke.
He wore a look of confusion. "I didn't say anything."
"Yes." I maintained adamantly. "You did."
"No." he answered firmly, looking down at his gun. "I didn't. But it doesn't matter, we have a task to do."
"A task?" I repeated, unsure of what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"
Murphy ignored me as he pushed himself to his feet, pulling his gun up with him. "They need to be stopped." he muttered, looking through the scope.
My eyes widened as I scrambled to my feet, trying to push the gun out of his hands. "We're not killing them!" I almost shrieked.
"Relax." he muttered, shoving me off of him. "I'm not going to hit them. I just have to get them away from where Emori is."
"Why?"
He nodded down toward where Clarke and Bellamy were. Bellamy was currently banging on the door to where Echo and Emori were, demanding that he be let in.
"He's lost it." I whispered, fear creeping inside of me.
"So have you."
"What?" I demanded, spinning to Murphy with wild eyes.
He gave me an unsure look as he repositioned his gun. "Go sit down." he ordered, noting the distressed look on my face.
I was in no capacity to argue and immediately stumbled away from him, lowering myself down to the ground before bringing my hands up to cover my ears.
My head was spinning, and my thoughts were becoming so jumbled I couldn't think straight. Clamping my eyes shut, I did my best to tune out the sound of Murphy's gunfire.
Seconds after it started, the noise ceased, and soon my hands were being pulled away from my eyes. "Look at me." Murphy demanded, causing my eyes to spring open.
He was knelt down in front of my, his gun slung over his shoulder. "They both took off separately. I'm going to try and find Clarke, she seems better off than Bellamy. The three of us are going to stop him before he kills us all, okay?"
I stared back at him, eyes wide and no words coming to mind. I couldn't even form a response.
"Okay?" he asserted, this time more strongly.
My brain seemed to click into focus and I gave a quick nod. "O-okay." I whispered. "We just can't kill him."
"We're not going to kill him." Murphy promised, glancing out around our cover. "I'm going to leave you here, okay? But I'll be right back for you. Do not move, you hear me?"
This response came more quickly than the last. "I hear you." I answered, "But what if Bellamy finds me?"
Murphy pushed himself to his feet. "Scream. Loud."
He was then taking off toward the other buildings, leaving me basically shaking in fear. I pulled my knees closer to my chest, burying my head in them.
"You're okay." I told myself repeatedly. "You're okay. John's coming back for you. You're okay."
"You're not okay."
This time Murphy wasn't here for me to blame the voice on. In a panic, I pulled my head out of in between my knees and hurriedly looked around.
There was someone standing a few feet away from me. He was watching me with a small smile that made my heart drop.
"AVERY!" This voice came from behind me, pulling me away from the mysterious figure. It was Bellamy, and he was pissed. "I"M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU!" he yelled from wherever he was hidden. "JUST COME OUT, AND I WILL KEEP YOU SAFE!"
"No." I whispered, firmly shaking my head as I brought my hands back up to cover my ears. "No."
"He'll kill you."
The voice was back, and when I opened my eyes the figure was right in front of me. His eyes that mirrored my own were inches away from my face.
I let out a strangled gasp as I pushed myself harder into the metal wall of the storage container. This couldn't be real.
"Finn?" I whispered, dropping my hands away from my ears once again. "Finn, why are you here."
My brother wore a blank look as he glance past me for a moment. "You have to be stronger than this." he ordered. "Be strong or they'll kill you."
"No." I argued, my voice almost rising past an acceptable level in which Bellamy couldn't hear me.
"Collins!"
I jumped, tearing my attention away from Finn to look at Murphy and Clarke who were quickly approaching me.
"Who are you talking to?" Murphy demanded, he and Clarke ducking behind the cover with me.
"No one." I lied, not wanting to admit that my mind was betraying me.
Murphy either didn't have the time, nor worry, to press me any further. Instead, he set some things down in front of me. "Tear gas." he explained, pointing to the canister. "I'm going to draw Bellamy in, and then Clarke's going to administer this. It'll knock him out."
I looked to Clarke who looked like she had been crying. Quite frankly, she looked petrified.
"What happened to you?" I wondered, watching as she stared blankly at the walkie talkie that was gripped in her hand.
"Long story." Murphy muttered, picking up my discarded gun. "Avery, I want you to cover me. If anything goes wrong, shoot."
"Shoot?" I repeated, looking down at the gun. "I'm not killing Bellamy."
"I know." Murphy sighed in exasperation. "We've gone over that. Remember? But you have a good shot. Aim for the leg."
I gave him a unsure nod as my shaky hands took the gun from him. "Okay." I whispered, not liking the sounds of that.
"Good." Murphy breathed, shoving the tear gas into a backpack before passing it to Clarke. "Let's go."
Clarke still seemed in a daze as the two of them stood up, quickly sneaking back toward the other buildings.
"They think you're useless."
I startled once again, looking over to where Finn was seated next to me. An impassive look covered his face. "They left you here, because they don't need you."
"Shut up." I ordered, setting up the gun while doing my best to ignore him. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Your brother's right."
This voice was entirely different from Finn's and it sent chills running up and down my spine. Turning my head slowly, my eyes widened.
She watched me with a gentler expression than Finn had. Her dark hair was pulled away from her face in a similar style to the way I wore mine.
It had been so long since I had seen her face I realized I had almost forgotten what she looked like.
"Mom?" I whispered, my voice cracking under the emotions.
She gave me an almost menacing smile as she nodded. "You disappoint me, Avery."
My heart dropped as I looked over at Finn for a moment. He didn't stick up for me like he usually did, but just watched on.
"W-what?" I choked out, finally looking back to my mom. "But I've done so much, mom. You should be proud of me, o-of who I've become."
Before she could answer, voices from down below stole my attention. I peaked my head over the top of the storage container, seeing that Murphy had located Bellamy and they were currently in discussion.
Despite the million emotions I was feeling as a result of seeing my mom and brother, I focused on the interaction down below.
"Where is she?" Bellamy demanded as Murphy slowly lowered his gun and raised his hands as an act of peace. "Where's Avery?"
"She's safe." Murphy assured, pulling the clip from his gun and tossing it aside. "It's just you and me. Just a couple of guys, stuck on a moon, nobody else on it, filled with man-eating bugs and toxic plants that turn people who love each other into homicidal maniacs."
Murphy was only feet away from Bellamy at this point, and it felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. "That's what's happening to you, Bellamy."
"Oh, so you're looking out for me?" Bellamy taunted. "John Murphy, court jester."
Murphy shrugged. "Well, it beats useless."
"Not by much."
The next few moments were spent in a tension filled silence, before Murphy finally lunged forward. "NOW!" he screamed, he and Bellamy instantly entwined in a wrestling match. "CLARKE, NOW!"
I watched with wide eyes and a pounding heart as Clarke didn't appear with the tear gas. That meant something was going wrong, and that meant I was supposed to shoot.
"Do you want to know why your father and I chose your brother to live on the Ark, out in the open?" my mother wondered from next to me, momentarily pulling me away from the brawl down below.
I didn't answer her, because honestly, I didn't want to hear her answer. I knew it would only hurt me.
But she didn't seem to care, as she pressed on. "Because you're weak." she explained. "You always have been. You don't have what it takes to be strong, to make the right moves."
"Yes!" I snapped, looking at her with ferocity. "Yes, I do."
"You're weak, Avery." Finn taunted, his voice more menacing than I had ever heard it. "You're weak, and everyone will die if you don't do something."
"You're not real." I muttered, trying take my focus off of them and instead focus on the shot I knew I was going to have to make. "You're not here. Neither of you are!"
"You won't do it." he whispered. "You'll let Murphy die, because you don't have the guts to do anything."
Clarke still hadn't appeared with the teargas, and Bellamy and Murphy were in a vicious battle.
My hands were drenched in sweat as I squinted, looking through the scope. They were moving too much, but I believed I could make the shot, I just needed to pull the trigger.
My mom watched me with dark eyes."Do it, Avery. Prove to them that you're worthy.
"They don't value you." Finn added. "They never have. You were only ever seen as my twin...now you're only Bellamy's girlfriend."
"Shut up!" I snapped, my body beginning to shake as I gripped onto the gun tighter and tighter. "Just shut up, Finn!"
"You're worthless." my mother whispered, causing my heart to clench. "Worthless. They don't need you. None of them do."
"Yes," I whispered, tears of frustration welling in my eyes. "Yes, they do."
"Well then prove it." Finn ordered. "Save Murphy and prove you're worth it."
My arms were almost shaking out of control as an agitated scream flew from my lips. My finger closed around the trigger and with a final scream I fired.
My body instantly collapsed and Finn and my mom disappeared. I dropped the gun, my wild eyes scanning the area in front of me.
I had missed.
Bellamy was unharmed, but he was angry. He and Murphy had pulled apart for a moment, Bellamy distracted by my shot.
All I was trying to do was debilitate him for the time being. I wanted my shot to hit him in the arm. But now I had missed and he was on a warpath.
"AVERY!" he screamed, his angry eyes scanning the area in search of me.
"Shit." I whispered, instantly ducking behind the storage container. "You idiot." I muttered to myself. "You couldn't make one damn shot? Mom and Finn are right."
A sudden crash from out in the courtyard caused me to flinch. There was something happening out there.
Ever so slowly, I peaked my head around, my eyes landing on Bellamy and Murphy who were once again tangled up with each other, each of them trying to deliver hits to the other.
Bellamy was winning and it was obvious. He threw Murphy around, eventually dragging him toward the pond.
Even in my hazed state, I knew that wasn't good.
"One shot." I snapped at myself. "If you made that one shot all of this could have been avoided."
Deep down, I knew that I missed that shot on purpose. I couldn't bring myself to harm Bellamy, even if he was trying to kill one of my best friends. Maybe I was weak.
I couldn't shoot him, but that didn't mean I was just going to sit here and let Murphy die.
"Pull yourself together." I ordered, slapping myself across the cheek. "John needs you."
With one final vote of confidence, I bent down and scooped up my discarded gun. For the first time since Murphy and I had hid up here, I made my way out from behind the safety of the storage container.
I repeated words of affirmation as I rushed toward the centre of the courtyard, knowing I needed to get there as soon as possible. The sound of splashing water filled my ears as I got closer and closer...Bellamy was drowning Murphy.
My pace quickened, and soon enough I rounded the corner, right into a horrifying scene.
Bellamy was holding Murphy's head under the water, and by this point Murphy had stopped moving completely.
"NO!" I shrieked, my feet moving before I could even think. "GET OFF OF HIM!"
Just as Bellamy turned to face me, I reacted quickly, sending the butt of my gun into the side of his head.
The blow dazed him, and he stumbled off of Murphy and toward the shore, giving me a moment to act.
I waded into the water, adrenaline rushing through my veins as I gripped onto Murphy and pulled him to the shore. "Come on, John." I whispered, flipping him onto his side to try and free his airway.
"This again." Bellamy's cold voice barked. He had pushed himself to his feet, blood seeping from the wound on his head. "First you two did this on the Ring, and now it's happening again isn't it."
I pushed myself to my feet, positioning myself in front of Murphy. "You're wrong, Bellamy." I said in a shaky tone. "You're not thinking clearly."
"I'm not thinking clearly?" he boomed, taking a step closer to me. "You ran and hid with him. You did that!"
I went to reach for the gun that I had dropped, but Bellamy swiftly kicked it away. "You're mine." he whispered, his voice causing me to shudder.
"Bellamy-"
I was cut off as he grabbed a hold of me, flinging me toward the ground before fastening his hands around my neck. "He can't have you!"
The air was slowly being squeezed from my body as Bellamy tightened his grip. With wide eyes, I swatted at him, trying to get him to release his hold on me.
"Stop." I pleaded, my voice coming out as barely a squeak under the pressure of his hands. "Bell--"
"Hey, get off her!" Murphy spat, just seeming to have come to. He grabbed onto Bellamy, causing the pressure to release from around my neck.
I let out a choked gasp as I turned on my side, sputtering for air as Murphy and Bellamy engaged in another battle.
"You're going to kill her!" Murphy yelled, trying to hold Bellamy back.
"I'm saving her!" Bellamy yelled, not in his right mind in any form. "I'm saving her from you and Clarke! She needs to be saved."
Harsh coughs flew from my lips as I tried to crawl away from them, needing a moment before I could be of any help.
"Clarke!" I called, my voice increasingly weakened and hoarse. "Clarke, do it!"
Finally, Clarke rushed toward us, her eyes wide as she pulled the canister from her bag.
"Now!" Murphy ordered, holding onto Bellamy in a choke hold. "Do it!"
Without hesitation, Clarke pulled the clip, sending gas into the air and directly into our lungs.
Slowly, my eyes felt droopy and before I could even look to see if anyone else had passed out, my eyes were closing.
-an-
couples who try to murder each other, stay together...right?
hehehe hope you all enjoyed!
-maddy xoxo