𝙄'𝙇𝙇 𝙎𝙀𝙇𝙇 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝘼 𝙎𝙊𝙉𝙂 - 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙃𝙐𝙉𝙂𝙀𝙍 𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀𝙎

𝟏𝟎

When dawn arrives, you're ready. You haven't slept at all, but if anything it's made you more attentive. You run until you reach the banquet, and whip your head around frantically, making sure you can take one down before they can attack. You are so lucky you have the only bow, not Remus.

Unfortunately, you're looking the wrong way and lose some valuable time. You go for Romana, but you stumble over something - a rock maybe - causing you to miss terribly. Remus has disappeared out of your sight. Desperate, you grasp behind your back for another arrow. Your heart sinks. You have no arrows.

This is it. You can't fight back, you can't do anything. You stare into her dark eyes, awaiting the ax blow. But it doesn't come. A blade strikes her ax, knocking it away. Romana, fuming, retrieves it before practically flying to the right.

What just happened? Someone else saved you, and that could only be Remus. Why would he stop his twin from getting one of them a guaranteed win? It makes no sense, except for the fact that he's now somehow on your side. What should you do?

You need an arrow. The arrow! Scrambling, you hurriedly grab the arrow, the only arrow left, and aim at the fighting pair nearby. For a minute or two, you're just waiting, waiting for a clear shot...then you let the arrow fly.

Romana falls to the ground, dead. You run over to Remus, now unarmed. How would you win now, without any means to kill him. But he saved you, so why hurry to kill him? Stupid thinking, in most situations. But then you notice the gaping wound in his torso, still darkening his black t-shirt.

When he collapses, you catch him. You kneel slowly, making sure he's comfortable. What you say is barely a whisper, but it's something. "Why did you do that? You could have won, made it out..." 

"I wanted you to go home, be happy. That's all I want." His voice trails off, eyes still twinkling.

 It all makes no sense to you. He should win, anyways. It's not like he killed any of his allies, just attacked them. That's fine, it's the Hunger Games. Now you're yelling, pleading to the sky. "Let him live! He deserves victory! Come on! Kill me! Save him! SAVE HIM!"

All of that is true, every word. But, he's getting paler, he's closing his eyes... Canon. He's gone. You didn't even know him, and he saved your life. Why? Then you go and wait too long, killing him. Lowering his body onto the rubble, you rise. You kiss the first three fingers on your left hand, raising them into the air. "He was brave. He was too good to play this game. He was too good to die."

Claudius Templesmith takes a while to come on the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Y/n McCarthy!"Then you await the hovercraft to collect you. It doesn't take long for the ladder to come down, which you obediently cling onto as you're shocked into place for the ascent. You're left alone, a pleasant surprise. Someone does ask you if you're thirsty, but you're not. After what must be half an hour at least, someone just jabs you with a needle. Okay, get straight to the point. The sweet relief of numbness flows through you before the darkness descends.