"So you're going to kill me." I conclude, my eyes not leaving the knife gripped tightly in his right hand.
"Unfortunately, yes," He returns promptly, but as he does he swallows, and the uncertainty he's trying to hide from me is made perfectly clear. He doesn't want to do this.
"You don't want to do this." The casual tone of my voice seems to make him even more perplexed. Even though I'm down on my knees, weaponless, I'm not pleading or begging. If anyone is begging, it's him. Begging me silently to just accept that he's won. That I'm going to die not because he wants me to, but because it's just part of the Game.
"Maybe," He admits after a moment, his voice growing softer, "But I have to."
"Says who? We can work together, you and me. Make it even further than the final eight."
"And then what?" He stammers.
Hm.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. My mum always tells me that." I let out a short sigh and finally look up to meet his eyes. "Do you have a mother, Theo? It is Theo, isn't it?"
Theo doesn't reply, but he certaintly doesn't need to. I slowly get to my feet, holding my hands ought as a precaution as I take a step closer to the scared boy. He appeals startled and jabs out with his right hand, pointing the knife at me as if it's instead a silver sword and I'm the dragon he's about to slay. I remain still, completely calm.
A few seconds of silence pass until Theo clears his throat. "My mom died when I was a baby. I never knew her, and you know, maybe it was better that way."
"I don't believe that." I say, "You've clearly never done anything wrong."
"How would you know?" He snaps abruptly, unsure if my intentions are actually genuine or not.
I drop my hands down so they fall at my sides. "I don't. But she wouldn't want you to start now."
Theo's breaths are quick and uneven now. I take two steps closer and my hand reaches out to take Theo's right as I slowly pull the knife out of his grasp and slip it into my pocket. He releases it completely, and I can see the tiny pools of tears that have formed in his eyes. "Thank you," His voice quivers as I step back and smile at him. "Thank you." He repeats and smiles back.
We talk about our life back home and about the other tributes left. We eat some rather dry bread Theo had gotten from the Cornicopia. He falls asleep first, with his back turned to me. I lean down next to him, listening to his even breathing. I reach into my pocket and noiselessly bring the blade to his chest. One clean stab is all it takes.