The Weight Of Deafness In Love And Survival

Chapter 6-Who is Murphy?

On our way back to the dropship, both to make a plan and drop off the hurt Octavia, shouting and hollering came from its direction. We all look at each other before picking up our speed. Clarke and Finn rush forward to assess the commotion as Monty and I help Octavia, the gash on her thigh making it hard for her to walk now.

"Wells! Let him go!" Clarke shouts when we emerge from the trees causing everyone to look at us instead of Bellamy, Wells, and the boy from yesterday. Wells and the boy were yet again in a fight but this time both of them had makeshift knives. Wells' roughly pushes him to ground when Clarke and Finn get closer causing him to stumble but quickly pop back up. He goes to lunge at Wells again but Bellamy steps in front of him with a "Whoa. Hey! Enough, Murphy." The name Murphy seemed familiar but I couldn't place it and my attempt is interrupted by Bellamy exclaiming "Octavia!" He runs over forcing her away from us while asking her "Are you alright?" "Yeah." She breathes out with a forced smile causing Bellamy to look at me and demand "Where's the food?"

I don't know how to respond then as I stare at him in shock and fear, wondering why Bellamy was signaling me out, since even with my label as a "privileged" there was still Clarke, and knowing no matter how I responded I'd be outed as the deaf girl, if I wasn't already from the attention drawn to me now or the events of yesterday, and I'd be regularly attacked because of it. I was on the Ark and down here would be no different, especially surrounded by criminals. I'd like at least another day without the constant names, mocking, and even physical attacks I received on the Ark as I'm not going to be able to escape it when my processor dies, either at the end of today or tomorrow. Though Finn, Monty, Jasper, and even Octavia didn't seem to care and just accepted me like Clarke and Wells did.

Thankfully I'm quickly saved by Finn announcing "We didn't make it to Mount Weather." "What the hell happened out there?" Bellamy demands then directing his attention towards Finn allowing me to relax a little as Clarke quickly says "We were attacked." "Attacked? By what?" Wells asks looking at her and glancing at me causing Finn to answer "Not what. Who. It turns out that when the last man from the ground died on the Ark. He wasn't the last Grounder." "It's true. Everything we thought we knew about the ground is wrong. There are people here, survivors. The good news is, that means we can survive. Radiation won't kill us." Clarke says causing an eruption of whispers until Finn adds "Yeah, the bad news is the Grounders will." And that's when Wells finally noticed that Jasper wasn't with us and asked "Where's the kid with the goggles?"

"Jasper was hit. They took him." Clarke answers him before grabbing his wrist, sliding up his jacket, and asking "Where's your wristband?" I can't believe what's happening as he forces her hand off as he nods his head towards Bellamy with an "Ask him." Clarke looks at Bellamy and asks "How many?" while stepping forward. "Twenty four and counting." Murphy answers giving her a smile causing Clarke to shake her head breathing out "You idiots." She then glances at me, both of us knowing what would happen if they all took off their wristbands, before announcing "Life support on the Ark is failing. That's why they brought us down here. They need to know the ground is survivable again, and we need their help against whoever is out there. If you take off your wristbands, you're not just killing them. You're killing us!"

Bellamy steps away from Octavia then and looks up at the rest of the group saying "We're stronger than you think. Don't listen to her. She's one of the privileged. If they come down, she'll have it good. How many of you can say the same? That wristband on your arm? It make you a prisoner. We are not prisoners anymore! They say they'll forgive your crimes. I say you're not criminals! You're fighters, survivors! The grounders should worry about us!" The group yells out a "Yeah" as Bellamy turns towards the rest of us with a content face. Causing Clarke to shake her head and start walking in the opposite direction of everyone, towards the dropship, with Monty quickly catching up to her. But before I went to follow them, I glance at Murphy, trying to figure out why he was so familiar to me. He suddenly looks in my direction and gets a shocked look so I quickly look away and start to walk toward the dropship. I can't remember who he is but he sure seems to know who I was. Who was he to me?