-Six-

2K 79 14
                                    

"How did this happen?" Marcus asked sadly.

"I wish I knew 7, I wish I did." Jasmine told him.

Both of them looking at the boy of 12, only having seen him gone for a moment and now, he laid there, foaming from the mouth, a bright pink liquid, eyes rolled back into his skull and shaking.

"Probably these." Paige said, holding white berries in her palm, squeezing one between her fingers and pink liquid dripped out. "Dammit."

"It could have been any of us 7." Jasmine said, they had all been picking these berries from a bush growing in the forest, having left the town and going back to the forest instead since Kai was not battle trained and Jasmine was the only one in her element in the town if it were to fight, the forest offers much more options to 2/4th of their pack and would benefit them.... Well 2/3 now. "It was accidental but his sacrifice bought us another day or we would have all eaten these berries too." She added, having already taken the two last cans of food from his bag and put them in her own.

"I know you are correct but still." Paige sighed, twirling the hatchet and bringing it down, ending the painful misery.

Boom.

Only eleven of them no--Boom--Only ten of them now.

Marcus sadly draped his Jacket of the boy after Paige pulled the bloody weapon from his skull, a quick death, that is, if he felt anything anyway.

"We'll need to go to the Cornucopia." Jasmine said Paige's thoughts. "We are running out of food and I doubt many of these plants will be edible."

"True." She stood full height again, seeing her brother give 12's three finger salute to the fallen tribute, she soothingly rubbed his head. "We need to move."


--------------------------------------------------------


Johanna watched, almost constantly stuck to the TV.

Heymitch had left the moment his tribute ate those berries, 'to get shitfaced' he said and Johanna would have gone too if it was not for the fact she had the tributes to look after.

Finnick stayed with them but was more silent, having lost a nephew but proud of him for how he went out.

"Looks like only we are left." Enobaria said to Johanna, watching how Paige wordlessly heaved Jasmine on her back when this last one seemed to yet again be getting choked out by overworking her poor lungs.

"Seems so." She said, not taking her eyes off the screen as the cameras zoomed in on Marcus, looking worried-determined and holding an axe, ready for a fight if anything came his way and endangered the group.

"I wish they got to meet outside of the arena, as victors of each their own games, they would have been good friends." 2's mentor added, watching Paige tease the career she was carrying.

Johanna found herself agreeing in silence, they would all have been great friends to lean on in this life after the games but it would never happen, two if not three of the group would die in the next following days.

Johanna just hoped Paige would have the strength to do what she needed too.


------------------------------------------------------------


Paige had been right, these days were flying past faster then any previous ones as this was only the sixth night.

Paige watched the sky, Nelson's face was up there yesterday and now she saw Kai's and Dylan Tofy's, from district 10.

She counted on her fingers.

Two of district 1, two of district 2, one of 4, one of 5, her brother and her of 7, one from 8 and one from 10.... Those were all those that were left, ten, and nine would die so that her brother could go home.

"I miss dad." Marcus said, leaning against his sister.

"I know Sapling, I know." She looped her arm around him, the three of them having climbed trees and tied themselves on with the rope and bandages Marcus had so they wouldn't fall. "I do too but you'll see him soon too."

"Then I'll miss you instead of him."

"Don't forget I'll always be here in your heart."

"Mhm."


--------------------------------------------------------------


The morning came sooner then any would have liked it.

They had moved up before Paige separated, telling them to hide as she went to fill the flask, they would scout out the Cornucopia tomorrow, spy on the other careers for the day.

Paige was drinking at the river before she saw a shadow.

She lunged into a roll to the side district 8 male stumbled from the failed swing with his dagger in hand as district 5 female was shaking, holding a knife. Looked like they teamed up too.

"You made a grave mistake." She said, pulled her hatchets in her hands as 8 charged with a terrified scream, wildly aiming for a stab.

Paige ducked, swinging a hatchet up and digging it deep into his elbow, using that to pull him closer and headbutt him, the boy falling, in pain, to the ground.

She swung down with her other weapon, watching the skull piece go flying with a chunk of  his brain but not enough, the poor boy howled in pain before a second strike through the face silenced him forever.

Boom. 

5's tribute had literally pissed herself, finally able to move when 7's career looked at her, blood of her unfortunate ally splattered on Paige's face.

"AAAAAAAH!!!" She screamed, dropping the weapon and running.

Paige whipped out her arm, throwing the hatchet straight and precise, the body crumbling in a heap as the weapon hit through the back of her skull.

Boom.

Paige sighed, gritting her teeth, everything for her brother to win, they were eight now, four careers, someone else, Jasmine, her and Marcus, seven that still needed to die.

She walked over and pulled the weapon out, hearing hurried run over to her.

She looked up to see it was an out of breath Marcus.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a hurry as he was out of breath and panting like he ran for his life, something which was plausible.

Boom.

He tried to get a word out through the pants as a scream pierced the air.

"7!!! 7!!!!"

"2!!!" Paige yelled back, sprinting past her brother, towards the voice.

"7!!! HELP!! 7!!" She held the hatchets tight as Jasmine's screams neared. "PAAAAIGE!!"

"JASMINE!!!" She called back, bursting out of the bushes at the tree line and right into the line of sight of the other career pack.

The two from 1 and the girl from 4 were laughing until they saw her, Josh holding Jasmine in a headlock as the smaller girl was scratching at his arms as she was lifted off the ground, kicking her legs out terrified.

"PAIG--" Crack--Boom.

He snapped her neck, dropping the body.


Now they were six.

.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).Where stories live. Discover now