CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

"What the- you're not nice anymore!" 

***

 We had only been walking in the dark for a few minutes, when the creepy music started.

It was sudden and unexpected, making me jump and swear loudly. Phia gave me a judgmental look, as Bellamy shone his light around in the direction the music was coming from. It sounded like... a Christmas carols... the kind they used to play a long time ago in the winter. 

 "It's just music, Nathaniel, it won't harm you," Phia furrowed her eyebrows together, making Octavia quickly try to disguise her laugh as a cough. Bellamy, the only one with his priorities sorted, gestured for us to follow him, and we began walking toward the music. 

 It was obviously the guards who tipped it off, but walking toward scary music really doesn't seem to be the smartest choice. I began to wish I had a gun, although I knew I was a terrible shot, because if there was something in here, I really didn't want to get close enough to it to use the knife. 

 As if the creepy music wasn't enough, a loud scream pierced through the air, making my heart seem to stop beating in my chest, and Octavia jump. Bellamy's flashlight shone around rapidly, illuminating his wide eyes. Even Phia seemed concerned, her grip tight on her knife.  

 Another scream. 

 There was no doubt that it was Scott and his guard-buddy. 

 I felt like I was in one of those old horror movies that they made on Earth. I remember that in one of my classes when I was thirteen, one of our teachers showed us it, and Clarke refused to sleep in her own room for a solid week. 

 "Scott?" Bellamy called into the silence, his voice quiet, "are you there?" 

 I heard a rustling from somewhere close by, and we all crouched behind a car, weapons drawn and hearts pounding in rhythm to the music. I peeked my head out, squinting into the darkness. What I saw was much more terrifying than the music. 

 There were two large men hunched over a body, with ripped clothing and a sword hung at their sides. I wasn't focusing on that though, I was mainly focusing on the fact that the guards bodies were ripped open, blood pouring from a slash in their stomach... still not the bad part.

 The bad part was that the men seemed to be... eating the corpse. 

 "What the actual fuck?" I demanded, my eyes wide and my tone so low Bellamy had to lean forward to hear it. I could practically feel all of the blood drain from my face, and I groped my hand around until I could find Bellamy's knee, squeezing tightly to alleviate some pressure building in my chest. 

 Octavia leaned up to peer over the car, and the light from her flashlight seemed to have divided their focus, as they jumped up and began advancing on us with surprising speed. 

 Before anyone could focus on what was happening, three loud gunshots rang through the air, followed by a dull thump as Phia flung her knife into the chest of one. I'll have to admit that relief sprung to my chest when they dropped to the ground. 

 "Ripa's," Phia muttered, disgust lacing her tone as she walked right up to the bodies and pulled her knife from it. I didn't need to learn her language-Trigedasleng- to know what she was saying. They were Reapers. 

 "Octavia," Bellamy whispered, he held out his gun, "take this." 

 Octavia sheathed her sword, begrudgingly accepting. I winced as we began moving again, the image of the Reaper's eating the dead body permanently engraved in my mind. Bellamy's hand brushed mine, and when I looked up he gave me a stiff nod. 

 It didn't take us long to find Scott, and he wasn't in any better shape than his buddy. 

 Bellamy raised his gun and aimed it at the back of the Reaper currently indulging. I felt sick. Before he could shoot, Octavia held up her hand. "Wait-" 

 The Reaper's head slowly raised to look at us, blood dripping down his chin and coating the majority of the ragged clothing he was donning. As stupid as it was, I knew that face. I remembered it from the bridge. 

 It was Lincoln. 

 Except it... wasn't. 

 He had white paint smeared across his face, and his figure seemed a lot bulkier than it did previously. His eyes were wide and crazed, and his lips dripped blood. My lips parted slightly, and Bellamy's eyes widened to the point that it must be hurting him. 

 "Lincoln," Octavia muttered, her face drooping down in shock, "Lincoln, it's me... Octavia." 

 He growled once, like he was a goddamn bear or something, and began stalking toward us. His walking turned to running in a split second, and before Bellamy could raise his gun, Octavia shouted a "don't hurt him!" before immediately being tossed to the side like a ragdoll, landing on the hood of a nearby car. 

 "Octavia!" I yelled, having to veer to the side when Lincoln-the-Reaper made a wild grab at me. I cursed, "what the-you're not nice anymore!" I yelled, as he grabbed my arm and managed to slam my body to the hard cement, wrestler style.   

 I groaned, rolling over onto my side just in time to see Bellamy yell, and smash the butt of his rifle into Lincoln's head, making him crumple to the ground. 

I didn't stand up for a solid minute, trying to process what just happened. Phia had helped Octavia off of the hood of the car, and they exchanged blank looks, which I was sure was Grounder custom for saying that you were okay.

 How the hell were they okay? Did they just miss that entire exchange? 

 "Come on," Bellamy helped me up, and I shook my head lightly, "we need to find somewhere safe."  

 ***

 I was kind of glad I wasn't born in the years of cars. 

 They were uncomfortable as hell. 

 I had claimed the drivers seat, and was having an awful good time tapping my fingers against the wheel, while Bellamy occasionally chimed in from the spot beside me. The girls were in the backseat, each of them laying on the seats, feet by the others head, as they bioth tried to process what just happened. 

 They obviously had better methods than Bell and I. 

 "Can you guys shut up?" Phia demanded as Bellamy and I constructed another beautiful drum-duo. She cracked her knuckles once, rolling her eyes. "This is horrible as is, why must you make it worse?" 

 "Yeah, can we leave now?" Octavia asked, her voice shaking slightly. Bellamy squinted through the dusty window. Suddenly, a bloody hand print was slapped onto the windshield, making Bellamy and I jump. Lincoln was stalking around outside, although he wasn't looking at us. He had just continued on his stumble. 

 We waited another minute, before slowly pushing the car doors open, wincing at every creak they made. All of us had our weapons drawn, and with a mixture of knives, guns, and shock-batons, we looked like the worlds most deadly boy band. 

 "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Bellamy asked, and his sister gave him a gentle nod in response. "Okay, you and Phia draw him in, Nate and I will do the rest." 

Phia jutted her chin out in the air, and Bellamy and I couched back into the space in between cars, the darkness wrapping over us. Slowly, Phia began to whistle. 

 It was scary as hell at first, but then I realized it was kind of beautiful. 

 In a scary as hell way. 

 There was a loud thunking sound, and I watched as  Lincoln's feet dragged by us. He was walking like he was drugged. Octavia called out tentatively over the whistling. "Lincoln." 

 He growled, and I darted out from our hiding place, the cool air making the air on the back of my next stand up. I smashed my leg into the back of his knees before he could look back at us, and Bellamy surged forward, jamming the electric baton into his neck, until his body convulsed with electricity, and collapsed onto the ground. 

Octavia screwed her eyes shut for a few seconds, re-gaining her composure, as Phia stared at the unconscious body like it was the most disgusting thing she has ever seen. "Now what?" 

 I traded a look with Bellamy, clearing my throat and turning to look back at Octavia. 

 "Now we take him home."