sunset|| j.murphy

3||my big brother

"don't be chicken"

We kept walking through the woods with the occasional chatter between the five of us. Clarke didn't talk much. 

"You know what I wanna know? Why send us down today, after ninety-seven years? What changed?" Finn asked.

"Who cares? I'm just glad they did." I chuckled.

"Yeah, I woke up rotting in a cell." Octavia added and swung herself around a thin tree with one arm. "Now I'm spinning in a forest."

"Maybe they found something on a satellite. You know? Like an old weather satellite or-" Monty started but was cut off by Clarke.

"There wasn't a satellite. The Ark is dying." She stated, causing us all to stop in our tracks at the information. She walked in front of us as she continued. "With the current population, there's three months left of life support. Maybe four now that we're gone."

"So that was the secret they locked you up to keep? Why they kept you in solitary? Floated your old man?" Finn asked.

"My father was the engineer who discovered the flaw. He thought the people had a right to know. The council disagreed, my mother disagreed." She said 'mother' with distaste. "They were afraid it would cause a panic. We were gonna go public anyway when Wells..." She trailed off.

"What? Turned in your dad?" Monty finished for her.

"Man, that's fucked up. He basically killed the man." I said, disgusted. I was definitely not a Wells Jaha fan.

"Anyway, the Guard showed up before we could." Clarke finished. "That's why today. That's why it was worth the risk. Even if we all die, at least they bought themselves some more time."

"They're gonna kill more people, aren't they?" Monty anticipated. There was a moment of silence before I spoke up.

"Good. After what they did to us, I say float 'em all." I smirked and skipped ahead of the group, Octavia close behind me.

"You don't mean that!" Jasper called from behind us.

Not far ahead of us was a lake. Octavia and I gave each other a knowing smirk before we started undressing. I took off my black jeans and burgundy puffer jacket, leaving me in only my underwear and tank top.

"Ophelia, Octavia, what the hell are you guys doing?" Clarke shouted from below us. I turned around and winked at the group before jumping in the water with a splash, Octavia straight after me.

The water felt so cool and refreshing, it was way better than the prison showers back on the Ark. The water down here even smelled better, it was crisp and fresh, I loved it.

"Lee! We can't swim." Monty called out from the rocks above us.

"No shit, Sherlock." I said in a 'duh' tone.

"But we can stand." Octavia stood up with a smirk.

"Wait, there's not supposed to be a river here." Clarke said, confused. 

"Well there is, so take off your damn clothes." Finn chuckled.

I turned to Octavia and splashed her, giving her a playfully challenging look. She splashed me back and we both laughed. Our joy was interrupted by my annoying brother who looked like he just saw a ghost.

"Octavia, get out of the water." He said, his words drenched in fear.

"Yeah, it's not like your sister's here either." I rolled my eyes.