Chapter 41:

Elsean Walker, District Four, Age 18

Victor of the 116th Hunger Games

Elsean taps his fingers against his thigh, listening to the crackling of the fire in front of him, the only sound breaking the dark night. With the numbers continuing to drop, he's running out of time to act and make his move. The move to make sure District Two doesn't get a third victor in a row.

His eyes drift over to where Annel sleeps, the monstrous girl who makes Elsean look pathetic in comparison. If what she said in her interview is true…she's the only one who ever beat Darach in a sparring match. He saw the 114th Games, he knows just what that means. Darach took out both of Four's tributes while barely working up a sweat. If Annel was really able to beat him in a fight…

Well, there's simply no way that Elsean will ever beat her in direct confrontation.

It feels…wrong to even be thinking about killing her in her sleep. But when has a tribute from Four won by actually being honorable? Certainly not Muir or Okeanas. If Two is known for their brute strength, then safe to saw Four is known for their betrayals. Would it really be that wrong if by killing her now, it ensures his victory?

"What are you thinking about?" Vera asks him quietly, bringing his attention over to the girl from One.

"Yeah, your face is so scrunched up, you're going to get wrinkles before these Games are done," Apolena adds on, letting out a soft chuckle.

Elsean puts his finger up to his lips, quieting his District partner. He stands up slowly, watching Annel as he does to make sure she stays quiet, before motioning for the two girls to follow him a few feet away from the fire. They exchange a look before following after him. "So," he starts, feeling nervous about even bringing this up. What if they decide they want to side with Annel and kill him for even bringing it up? But, if he's going to kill Annel, better to have them on his side. "Elephant in the arena is her," he says, pointing over at Annel and they follow his gesture. "What are we doing to make sure Two doesn't win again?"

"Seems obvious to me," Apolena whispers with a shrug, crossing her arms as she stares over at Annel. "She has to go."

"I agree," Vera says tentatively and Elsean turns his attention over to her. "But how do I know you won't just turn on me after she's gone?"

Elsean gives a shrug as he takes in her appearance. "I won't because I know I can take you in a direct fight," he responds honestly, watching her eyes narrow at his bluntness. "Trust me, I don't like the idea of this, but do you really think you could fight her head on?"

From both of their silence, he's know they are thinking the same way as him. Apolena finally speaks up, "So how are we doing this?"

"We have to make sure she can't fight us back," Vera tells them and Elsean nods in agreement. "Who's actually doing it?"

"I will," Elsean says, holding back a wince. "It was my idea, I'll take responsibility."

"So if it goes to shit, we're free to run and leave you to blame?" Apolena jokes, but Elsean knows there's some truth there.

He shrugs at his District partner, hating that she'd abandon him so easily, but also, he's not exactly the picture of morality right now. "Seems fair to me," he tells them. "So…you two pin her shoulders down and I'll get her."

"Now or never then," Vera says with a shrug, but they all hesitate for a moment, clearly none of them quite comfortable with this.

Elsean takes a deep breath and starts towards Annel, and hears the girls fall into step behind him. He pulls out a knife and stares down at the blade, silently praying for a moment that this choice won't result in his death. The girls move to Annel's sides, waiting for Elsean to give them the signal.

He nods his head and they move instantly, pinning her shoulders down, but Annel wakes up immediately at their touch. She starts flailing in their grip, kicking her legs frantically as she tries to get free. "No! Get the fuck off of me!" Elsean can see the girls struggling to hold her down and slams his heel into her thigh, making her cry out in pain. "You bastards!"

Elsean throws himself down to pin her chest with his knees, wincing as her knee hits him in the back, but he doesn't let her throw him off. Annel stares up at him with large fear filled eyes, making Elsean hesitate for a moment at the small hint of her being more than just a killing machine from Two. But he can't let her go now, she'll kill him in retaliation.

Sorry about this.

He takes his knife, squeezing it so tightly that his hand hurts, and braces himself to take her life already.

"I'm sorry, Dar-"

Her final words are cut off when Elsean swipes the knife across her neck, spraying him with blood that comes pouring out. The cannon fires immediately and Elsean hesitates there for a moment, wanting to know for sure she is dead, before he slowly steps away from her. Those last words echo in his head, her apology to the man mentoring her that she failed.

His stomach twists at what he's done, questioning if he should have done it, but knowing it's too late to change it. He didn't think he would see a more…human side to her in her final moments…and he doesn't know how to reconcile that with the killing machine that was a threat to his victory.

"Well…now what?" Apolena asks and Elsean slowly brings his gaze over to her. A few feet away, Vera stands away from them, just in case they don't honor their word.

Elsean doesn't exactly know what to do now. Until now, Annel was leading the pack. But seems like the girls are looking to his guidance – debatable if they really should listen to him. He gives a shrug at them, his eyes flickering over to Annel's bloody corpse for a moment. "We make sure one of us is the victor now."

Oof we love some emo related to other victors with this! But yeaaahhh there was no way they were going to let Annel win, knowing she was Darach's best friend. If you want some real emo, the Ashes epilogue is Darach's reaction to this and it makes me Emo.

So yeah, there's Elsean! A much better Walker than John Walker in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, am I right lol? Someone who made a tough decision that worked out for him. Also, I realized while uploading this that we've passed the halfway point with this story so that's exciting!

Okay, who's up next? *checks spreadsheet* Oh this will be a big shocker, it's a career lol. But this is a valid one who makes a big statement before the Games. See you next week!