Chapter 38:

Muir Barak, District Four, Age 18

Victor of the 113th Hunger Games

Muir thought she was ready for this moment. Thought all of her tears had finally dried. She was one tribute away from getting home to her father, one kill away from finally having a family. She was going to do this and get back home and make her parents proud of her. All that's left for her to do is kill one more tribute after already killing three tributes.

But the moment she sees Pyrite standing there, across the courtyard…she knows she's not at all prepared for this last fight. She knows what she has to do…but damn it, she doesn't want to kill her friend! But she also can't let herself be killed this close to victory… And looking at Pyrite's face, she knows her friend is feeling the same way.

Mother, please give me the strength to do this.

Muir takes a deep breath as she stands up from her spot on the steps, only picking up her spear and a few knives, knowing she won't be using any other supplies. One way or another, the Games are ending today. Across the way, Pyrite drops their bag to the ground and they stand there in silence for a moment, both armed and staring at each other as they try to will themselves to make one final kill.

When Pyrite doesn't move, Muir starts slowly down the steps, forcing her feet to move and bring her to her final opponent. She can do this…she's trained for years, she can kill one more tribute. If only Pyrite was just another tribute to her. She frowns as she reaches the ground and Pyrite starts slowly walking to meet her, hand on the hilt of their sword in a subtle threat but making no move to attack.

She waits until they're twenty feet apart before speaking up, pain filling her voice. "So this is it," she says, watching Pyrite slowly nod their head in agreement, their eyes mirroring Muir's pain. When Pyrite makes no move to unsheathe their sword, Muir keeps talking, trying to put off the inevitable for just a few minutes longer. "I spent all night preparing myself to fight you. I talked myself into thinking I could handle losing you. After all, I've lost my mother…" she pauses to take a deep breath to steady herself, but it doesn't do much to calm the twisting nerves in her. "How could anything possibly hurt more than losing the person that raised me?"

Muir winces at the pain on Pyrite's face at that comment, but she knows she has to keep reminding herself that she can survive this pain. She's known Pyrite for days, not years like her mother…

"I did the same thing," Pyrite says, shaking their head and letting out a sad laugh. "I have family back home, waiting for me. I…I have to get home to them. I can't let them see me die…"

"I know," Muir tells them sadly, knowing that's the part of this she will regret the most. She's not just taking the life of her friend…she's taking a person away from their family. "That is what has made this the hardest part… I know what it's like for a family to lose someone they love…" she trails off, thinking about if she can let her remaining family feel that loss once more… "How can I be responsible for that?"

Pyrite stares back at her in silence for a moment, tears beginning to form in their eyes. "You want to know what's the worst part for me?"

Muir doesn't want to know the answer, doesn't want to make this harder than it already is…but she has to know. If they keep talking, she can put this off for a few more minutes. "What?" she asks softly, staring at Pyrite as they struggle to keep themself composed.

"Losing my friend and living with the guilt of knowing it was all my fault."

Muir can only stare at them as she feels like she's been stabbed in the chest, guilt pouring through her that she spent all night planning out how she could kill this person in front of her. And here they are, telling her that she's their friend as she gears up to kill them. "No!" she says, shaking her head at them as tears start falling down her cheeks. Damn it, she can't do this with them saying these things! She should have just ran right in. "Don't you dare say that! Don't make this harder than it already is." Her voice is raising in volume and Pyrite takes a step back from her, making her pause and take a deep breath before continuing at a softer volume. "I don't want to lose you. It's not fair that the first friend I make in years has to be in the arena."

Muir stands in silence with tears flowing down her cheeks, reminding herself that she is in the arena. Only one of them is making it out of here…and damn it, she has to be the one. "I've already lost my mom and now I have to lose you? It's simply not fair."

"I know it's not," Pyrite answers as they start taking slow steps towards her, sword still sheathed. Muir watches cautiously, waiting for any sudden moves. "I don't want to lose you either," they say before stepping up to her and pulling her into a hug. Muir tenses up further for a second, before returning the hug, holding onto them tightly and letting herself have one final goodbye to their friend. "You're my friend…now and always," they take a deep breath and Muir can hear their voice shake from tears. "I am always going to treasure our friendship."

"So will I…" Muir answers honestly, knowing she won't regret getting close to Pyrite in this arena. She will just regret what she does next – what she knows she has to do next… She can't face Pyrite in a fight, she just can't… She can feel her resolve slipping away and if she doesn't act soon…she'll never do it.

"Thank you, Pyrite, for being my friend," she says, pulling back from the hug to smile at Pyrite through her tears. She keeps one hand on Pyrite's shoulder, the other hand gently touching one of the knives at her waist. She could end it so quickly, without the pain of a drawn out fight, without giving herself time to falter…

Please forgive me.

Their smiles fade away in an instant as Pyrite takes in a sharp breath and they both slowly look down at the knife buried in their chest. Muir's heart breaks as she watches the betrayal in their eyes as they start to collapse and she helps lower them to the ground. Pyrite clutches onto her, tears falling down their face as they gasp for air and Muir's vision starts to blur with her own tears. "How could you…" Pyrite gasps and cries out in pain, and Muir tenses up. She made her choice…she has to live with it now. "W-why?"

"I'm so sorry," Muir whispers, pleading for them to understand. "I knew I couldn't face you in a fight, not after you called me your friend…" She brings up a bloodstained hand to brush back some of the hair that's fallen in their face before holding her hand against their cheek, brushing away the tears flowing freely. "You truly were my friend…and I will never forget you…" She turns her face to the sky, trying to blink back her tears and be strong in their last moments, before turning back to them as they gasp for air. She feels a desperate need to explain herself, earn forgiveness from them despite betraying them. "But I can't let him lose one more person he loves."

Pyrite shakes their head at her, opening and closing their mouth for a few seconds. "Will you…" they cut off to cough up blood, splattering on Muir's face, but she doesn't give a damn about it. "B-be…ha…"

"Happy?" Muir asks, trying to fill in the words they're struggling to complete as their breaths get shallower, and they just barely nod their head. She tenses up, wondering how she can possibly be happy after this and wipes at her dripping nose before pulling Pyrite into a tight hug. She has to be happy for them… "I think so."

"Good…" Pyrite whispers to her. "That's all…I want…" they add before letting out a final sigh of air.

Muir freezes for a second, not wanting to believe they're really gone, but she knows they are. She leans back to look at their face one more time, and her heart breaks at the hint of a smile on their face. How could they die with a smile for her after what she did? They…they deserved to win more than her… "I'm sorry I betrayed you like this…but I had to win."

Boom.

Muir picks her head up at the cannon solidifying that it's over, yet it doesn't feel real yet. She gently lays Pyrite down, desperately clutching the front of their jacket with both hands as she leans down to press a kiss to their forehead. "Thank you…my friend…" she whispers before sitting back, wiping away tears that are quickly replaced, before slowly standing up. Her legs shake and she doesn't know how she can face people with this choice, but she has to at least pretend she's alright for her family.

Her family. She gets to have a family again. But she knows there will be one person missing from her life.

I'll never forget you, Pyrite.

Yeah this emo hurt me a lot to revisit and I was NOT ready for it. Like damn...who hurt me when I first wrote the Wayward finale and why did I make it that emo? XD But you know this had to be the scene for Muir since we originally got the finale from Lisia's perspective.

So yes, there we have Muir Barak, victor of the 113th Hunger Games! For those of you who read Wayward, I hoped you enjoyed this emo look at Muir's thoughts in the finale because I know it sure made me emo XD And if you haven't read Wayward, well maybe this will make you want to go read it!

Pretty sure next week is also a long update because I took it right from a different story lol. But next up...the man with the record for most kills in the arena and one of my favorite dumbasses!