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SONGBIRD & SERPENT.
Lucy Gray couldn't tell how much time had passed with Celia in her arms. The girl was pale, rattling with coughs, and clammy all over. On the verge of unconsciousness, Celia grabbed Lucy Gray's sleeve.
"What's happening to me?"
Lucy Gray swallowed down a cry, "I don't - I don't know, Lia." Her voice wavered, accent still as present as ever.
"He hit me." She coughed, "Tanner. The chains." Celia grabbed her chest as she tried to catch her breath.
Lucy Gray looked away in thought, eyes flicking over Celia's shaking body. She only knew of the very basics when it came to nursing people back to health. She had never dealt with something so extraordinary.
"Here birdy, birdy, birdy.." Mizzen cooed from the other side of the vent opening. A spear pushed through the fan blades, narrowly missing Celia's head as Lucy Gray pulled them out of the way. "Don't be scared!"
Celia gained sudden and complete consciousness at that moment, sitting up despite the pain. Lucy Gray all but dragged the girl back. The two tributes delved deeper and deeper into the vent.
"It's okay, they can't get us in here." Celia reassured with a pained smile.
Another spear pierced through the thin layer beneath them. The girls scattered, avoiding each jab by inches. The same look as before crossed Lucy's face as she remembered the compact. The duo beneath them grew quiet, listening for any movement indicating their whereabouts.
Without a second thought, the girl opened the case and sprinkled some of the powder through the vent overlooking both Treech and Coral. "Coral," Treech snickered, pointing towards the vent directly above him.
Celia had no time to inquire about the strange substance as Mizzen's spear spurred the two in further and Coral was back attempting to skewer them.
The weight of the scurrying females was too much for the flimsy material, dropping both Celia and Lucy Gray to the ground outside of their vent.
Dust kicked up as the two landed harshly. Celia wheezed as she tried to roll over towards Lucy, who was immediately targeted by Coral.
"Treech! Get ten!" The redhead commanded. Celia flipped to her stomach, prepared to push herself up in case of an attack from the boy.
One never came.
Treech laid unmoving on the rocky ground. Celia struggled to take her eyes off of his dead body, feeling Lucy Gray yank her up by her shoulders. Coral hurried after the two girls as they sprinted - and limped - across the arena. Mizzen was quick to join the chase, gaining on them.
The deafening sound of helicopter blades had everybody halting. Confusion washed over the tributes' faces as a ginormous tank was gingerly placed on the ground.
Celia felt Lucy Gray's hand tighten in her own. Her vision grew blurry from the overextension, struggling to steady her breathing.
"- Is it over?" A small voice cracked. Celia snapped her head in the direction, spotting Wovey's tiny frame. "Can we go home now?"
Lucy Gray watched as Celia started to beckon the girl over, getting cut off by the much deeper voice of Reaper - who sat kneeled beside the lumpy tapestry. "Wovey," The young girl didn't listen, continuing to approach the unknown container. From her spot, Celia could make out the movement of countless slithering beings. "Wovey!"
Wovey cried, ignoring Reaper's pleas. The glass started to crack. Celia squeaked, watching on in fear as the snakes exploded from their chamber. "Wovey!" Her voice broke, feeling the tug of Lucy Gray pulling her to higher ground.
The snakes flooded the arena. Celia could hear the heartbreaking cries of Mizzen as he was overrun by the reptiles. She could only assume the same happened to Reaper as she refused to turn around. Lucy Gray all but dragged her up the rock pile, Coral hot on their heels.
The wave of dizziness overtook Celia once again, the arena spinning as she stumbled on her feet. The girl could feel a line of blood dripping from her lips as she forced back a cough.
"Please, I'm begging you." Coral sobbed, reaching for Lucy. "It's not fair. It's not. I can't have killed them all for nothing." The snakes slowly wrapped around her throat, cutting off her airway and now making their way to Celia and Lucy Gray.
Black spots danced in Celia's vision. Either from her chest injury, or the panic, she couldn't tell which. "Lucy."
"I know, I know. We'll be just fine." Lucy Gray's voice cracked, not taking her eyes off of the snakes wrapping around her boots. She turned over her shoulder, braving a look to Celia.
The girl swayed a bit in her spot before ultimately losing her balance and falling beside Lucy Gray. With her eyes rolled into the back of her head, Celia lost consciousness.
"No," Lucy Gray cried out. "No! Celia!" She crawled to the girl, struggling not to distress the snakes in the process. Wrapping her limp body in her arms, Lucy Gray shook with sobs. She thought back to the moment before their interviews, the way Celia was all but beaming at the thought of hearing Lucy sing.
The snakes continued to crawl up the pile towards the two girls. With a deep breath, Lucy sang.
Her voice shaky, but as beautiful as ever as she soothed the snakes. She shielded Celia's body with her own, belting the words full of hope. With furrowed brows she watched as the snakes wrapped around both her and Celia in content.
Lucy Gray continued, failing to notice Celia's shallowing breathing. Her arms grew even more limp if possible.
Coriolanus, from the other side of the screen took notice. "It's over," He sighed with a thankful smile. "She won. The girl is dead."
Celia's picture on the board grew gray as she was considered eliminated. Sejanus stared at the screen is disbelief, tears welling in his eyes.
"Let her out, Dr. Gaul." He pleaded, watching as Lucy Gray continued to sing. "She won."
Lucy Gray's voice broke at the realization that Celia was no longer breathing. She fought to continue the song, crying interrupting her melody.
As if controlled by a remote, the snakes started to retreat to their broken glass home after a handful of minutes. Lucy Gray didn't cease the singing until she was sure they would not attack once more. She watched as PeaceKeepers quickly entered the arena.
"Wait!" She begged, looking down at Celia's graying face. Shaking the girl, Lucy cried as Celia's head just rolled from side to side. Quickly interlocking her hands, Lucy Gray pushed down on the girl's chest. As she timed each thrust, she also connected her lips to Celia's, blowing air into her lungs. After minutes of PeaceKeepers attempting to pull the girl off of her dead counterpart, the slightest breath was heard.
••
NOTES I rlly just wanted to wrap the actual games up LOL ik this is so so short but I felt like this was a good stopping point for the chap lol 1.1k, unedited.
