Blinding Shadows. The 78th Games.
II. Reality Check.
Now the air's getting colder
And the news keeps us scared
They'll have to wrestle this summer
From the bones of our tired and blistered hands
'Cause tonight we got drinks
And just a couple of friends
And the girl that my brother likes is finally talking to him
And his chest is all swelled like he's proud and happy
Like he's got a great idea
Like he's making a memory
Amor Montussy. 20.
Victor of The 76th Games.
✦✦✦
Amor Montussy is appalled when he realizes his younger sister doesn't recognize him. Empira's passed out on the ground of her apartment's bathroom, knife in her hand and crimson coating her skin, yet she doesn't recognize her own brother in his aspirations to help her.
"I should've known better," Amor repeats for the upteenth time that morning, yet his dear Empira refuses to open her eyes and address him.
He notices her eyes twitch so he asks once more, "Who am I?"
Five minutes pass before Empira speaks,"I don't know."
She sighs and closes her eyes again, but this time as if he were not present.
His sister has lost so much weight that she looks like a skeleton now. The clothes she was wearing were worn, tattered even, with dirt smudged and tears on the hem. Her hair looked worse than it had ever been before, too, tangled and messy, with pieces hanging haphazardly over her face, obscuring them both from each other. She hadn't eaten since they'd met three days ago, and no doubt that was intentional; Amor knew she was starving.
She had been acting different lately, and not just in her personality. Empira was distant, unresponsive, and always looked like a ghost, even in daylight, which meant she spent most of her time indoors. It worried Amor that someone could do that to Empira, but that didn't stop the fact that it did. His poor sister needed to get some fresh air, or just do something besides mope around in her misery.
But instead, Empira Montussy has been a husk of herself for nearly a week, and now she doesn't even know who Amor is.
He knows the Games were cruel to her. Amor remembers watching in horror as the boy from Two tried to disembowel her for the whole country to see, and really it's a miracle Empira came out triumphant. Then of course, his sister's always been quite the fighter.
"I'm your brother," Amor whispers, his breath shaky. "You've known me since we were children."
There's still no response whatsoever from Empira's direction, so he continues to speak, "It's my duty to keep you safe, my dearest sister." His voice quivers despite his best efforts and he hates himself. He should have stopped the her from going to the Games, after they ruined his mind for eight months. He should have begged her not to risk her life for the glory of a country that's never actually wanted to protect them.
"I love you Empira," Amor breathes, hoping she can hear him.
The only indication his sister hears him at all comes as a gentle hum as her chest rises and falls, which means he has her attention now.
Amor gives a tentative smile as he stands up to grab a cloth to clean off the dried blood on her face.
"Come sit down Empira. We need to get you cleaned up."
When he turns towards her, however, he finds Empira sitting in front of the bathtub and staring straight ahead. There's water pooling on her lap and he thinks it might be blood.
"Empira?" Amor calls out, stepping closer to her.
She doesn't respond.
"Empira, are you alright?"
Still nothing.
"Empira, please talk to me."
Nothing.
"Please Empira, I need you to wake up."
Nothing.
He kneels down next to her so he can gently turn her head away from the tub's edge so that he may wash the dirt off her face.
Her eyes open slightly, though she does not look at Amor right away. Instead, she stares straight ahead, expressionless.
"Are you okay Empira?" Amor whispers and places his hands on either side of her cheeks, turning his sister's head towards him.
Empira looks back at him without blinking once.
"What's wrong?" Amor questions and brushes Empira's bangs back so he can see her eyes, but she pulls away.
"No, stay away." Empira says, her lips moving almost imperceptibly as she mutters a small, weak plea for him to go away.
Amor takes a step back with an exhale.
Empira sits up straighter and wipes her hands across the front of her dress. A slight shiver runs through his body as she leans forward.
Amor swallows.
"Empira…" Amor murmurs quietly, taking a deep breath. "We need to get you cleaned up. You're covered in blood and dirt and…" he stops suddenly and blinks in shock, realizing what Empira' is saying.
She stares blankly at him.
"Is this about the Games?" Amor inquires quietly. He pauses for another moment to make sure she's okay, but then he nods his head slowly. "Of course it's about the Games. They've hurt you Empira."
Empira keeps staring at him.
For a few seconds, neither one says anything.
Finally Empira opens her mouth, "...It hurts," she utters, sounding unsure.
She frowns, shaking her head. "It hurts…" Empira repeats quietly and Amor reaches over to place his hand on her shoulder.
"I know Empira," he replies softly and his throat tightens with guilt as he watches his little sister start to shake. He tries to reach up to hold her in his arms but Empira pulls away.
"Don't touch me, Amor," Empira says softly, her words muffled by her hands as they cover her face. She starts to weep.
Amor's heart aches, knowing Empira's upset, and seemingly upset at him nevertheless.
Just a year ago, Amor was the exact same. He came out of the Games with hardly a mind to think with and spent thirty days without saying a thing in a Capitol infirmary. It wasn't until he was brought back to One that he was able to speak, and his very first words were, "Empira, you can't go in there."
He wishes she'd listened to him. He wishes he'd tried harder to convince her that the Games were no place for anybody, especially her.
Amor carefully lays his sister on the ground and sighs, "I'm sorry." There's tears in his eyes too now, the acrid taste landing on his tongue whenever he opens his mouth to speak, and he reckons he'll continue to cry if Empira doesn't straighten up. Part of him wonders if Empira cried the same way when he was in this sort of a trance.
Empira shakes her head, still crying, "You shouldn't…you shouldn't have come after me." She hiccups, looking up at him through tearful eyes, "I should've died. He should've ripped out my guts and I should've died."
Amor winces as tears spill from her eyes and roll down his cheek, "No no, Empira, no…" he begs, but his voice breaks as he adds, "Don't say that! Please." Empira curls in on herself further, her shoulders hunching over in pain and grief.
"Please!"
Empira's body shakes and trembles as she continues to sob, and finally manages to choke out, "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why didn't he kill me?" she gasps, "Why didn't any of the other tributes survive? Why was it me?"
Empira asks desperately, as if she needs some sort of explanation as to why her torturer spared her. Why he wouldn't have left her for dead. Why she survived. Why he didn't kill her.
Amor shakes his head rapidly, unable to answer any of those questions.
He knows the truth, that the Gamemakers were panicking and knew they couldn't have somebody as cruel as the Two boy vacate the arena in one piece, which left room for his sweet sister's survival. Still, he can't tell her that. Amor reckons it'll just make her feel worse.
"You should leave." She whispers, her tone flat as she averts her gaze from his, her lips curling downwards in a bitter smirk, "You should let me be alone."
Amor inhales sharply. His heart stings painfully. He feels like he' lost everything. The thought makes him want to cry, to shout, to rage, because it isn't fair. None of it is fair.
It isn't fair.
He wants to scream at the top of his lungs and pound his fists against the walls, wishing and wishing until he can make them cave in on themselves, until they break into a thousand pieces and crumble into nothing more than rubble, until it all comes tumbling down and drowns him alive in his despair.
But he doesn't. He holds back his tears, he doesn't shout, he doesn't punch or kick, he just closes his eyes tightly, biting his lip to keep his cries in, keeping his tears at bay because he won' cry in front of her again, 'til he's strong enough. Until he can make the world better for her. Until she's healed and safe...but not forgotten. Not forgotten for long. Because she will always remain his number one priority.
That's how important she is to him. That's how important she will always be to him. And he cannot bear the thought that something else, even something as small as a scratch could change that. Even the memory of a cut could scar a wound and rip it open anew, because if a wound has already been opened and bleeding, how much more devastating would the memories of the injury be? How much greater the impact would be if someone had taken advantage of his sister's vulnerability while he's not around to save her and put their filthy hands upon her?
Amor swallows as he opens his eyes, meeting his sisters' hazel ones before looking away, blinking away any moisture in his eye. When he speaks his voice comes out soft and quiet; as gentle as he possibly can.
"Empiria, I will never leave you."
Empiria's eyes widen for a moment, her lips part to utter a response.
But instead, she bites down on her lip.
Her breathing slows to a stop, her eyes closing. She falls limp and lifeless onto the bathtub floor, her head lulling forwards towards the water. Her chest rises and falls evenly.
She seems almost peaceful. Almost like she's sleeping. Almost like she hasn' just lost everything.
Amor lets out a shaky breath and closes the distance between the two, leaning over his sister's body as he brings his fingertips to her wrist, pressing them lightly against her pulse point just in case she wakes up. As soon as he touches her skin though, he recoils his hand as he pulls it away again. He turns away, resting his forehead against her shoulder for a moment before pulling away, looking down at her, at the empty, glassy look in her eyes.
His heart clenches painfully inside his chest again as he watches Empira.
He can feel the tears starting to fall again, the lump forming in his throat as he watches the little girl who once used to smile up at him, the girl who would climb trees and chase the rabbits around the farm, who would play hopscotch in the dirt beside his feet and laugh and grin at him like he hung the sun, and the stars, and the moon. Like she was meant to be there with him. She was meant to live and grow with him and be with him forever.
He misses her.
Amor wipes away his tears with the heel of his hand.
"Go," she whispers once more.
"I'll be okay." She sounds weak as she tries to sit up, but fails horribly, collapsing against the edge of the bathtub with a grunt as she falls back onto the floor.
Amor stares at her and bites his lower lip, trying to figure out what to do. If he really does leave, if it's time for him to leave now, he won't see Empira for a long time. A long time.
Not ever again, at least. Never again will he see her smiling eyes, nor hear her giggles echo in his ears as he picks her up and puts her in bed for her naps, watching her as she lies there, unmoving. He'll never have her hug him goodnight before he goes to sleep. He'll never see her sing or listen to her stories and prattle on about things that amuse her.
He'll never see her again. Ever.
"I promise," She whispers so quietly that Amor barely hears her. He's too busy looking at the knife still in her hands.
Amor looks at her and takes in the sight of her. Her hair spread out around her in tangled brown waves across the floor, her face flushed red and covered in sweat and dirt. . There are bruises littering both her face and her neck, and bruises littering her stomach and arms, and scrapes littered along her legs and arms. A lot of bruises.
And there's blood. Lots and lots and lots of blood. So much of it that the whole bathroom smells metallic. It fills his nostrils and clogs his throat. It fills his mind and his thoughts as he thinks, Oh God, oh god, oh God.
And then his eyes land on her hands.
They're stained with blood.
Blood.
So much blood. It covers her entire right forearm, her wrist, her elbow.
There's blood splattered over every inch of her pale arm, dripping down her arm and splattering against the water's surface like a red waterfall.
Blood.
His fingers twitch slightly as he tries to hold back the urge to shake her.
But then she moves.
He notices the way she' lying on her side, her head tilted slightly backwards.
Amor exhales shakily, and his voice quivers as he murmurs, "Oh, Empira." He breathes, reaching over to brush the hair away from her face, "What happened to you?"
"I know it hurts." He admits softly, staring down at Empira with wide eyes, "I know…you're hurting. You're suffering. You're so, so mad. I know you want revenge, and I understand why, but please Empira, don't be mad…"
"Just go." She mutters, not looking him in the eyes.
"Em-"
"Please. Just go. Leave me." She interrupts him, turning her head back towards the water, tears brimming in her eyes.
"No," Amor says firmly.
He looks down at her. He sees her shaking slightly. He sees the tears streaming down her cheeks. He sees the pain etched in her expression. He sees how broken she looks. He wonders if he should touch her, try and calm her down, try to comfort her, when a flash of silver appears in his peripheral vision. He doesn't turn his head, and he doesn't look at whatever it is. What he does notice is a glint of light reflecting off the metal surface of the knife that's held tightly in Empiras grasp.
It's a knife. A hunting knife. An old, rusted dagger that looks as if it has seen better days. Its blade has seen better days. It's dull, worn down, scratched and dented.
The dagger looks old. It has seen better days, and yet, Empiras grip tightens. Her knuckles turn white, her knuckles turn white as she holds the knife tighter and harder, and it's beginning to dig into her own palm.
Amor can't take it anymore. He reaches over, grabs the dagger away from Empiras grip before pushing her hand back down to rest atop her chest. He holds it tightly, twisting her hand around so that she can no longer hold onto it. Empiras brow furrows as she glares at him with angry eyes.
"Don't touch me!" She snaps, grabbing the handle of the dagger from his hand with an angered scowl, snatching the blade back up and holding it against Amor' throat, glaring up at him, daring him to try and get close to her.
Amor blinks in surprise, backing away slowly as Empira stares daggers into him, gripping the dagger as her hands shake violently, trembling as they curl into fists around it. Amor can't move. He doesn't dare make a single step closer than the width of the tub separating them, his fingers twitching where he grips his own sword hilt.
"Give me my dagger!" Empira cries out angrily, her voice breaking as she tries to grab the dagger back from him again.
Amor takes another step back. He shakes his head slowly, his expression hardening.
"No." He states simply.
Empira huffs angrily and throws herself up onto her feet, stepping forwards threateningly, her finger pointed accusingly in the direction of her brother's face, "Don't tell me what to do!"
Amor looks at her, frowns slightly, and glances away with a nod in agreement as he takes another careful step back again.
Empira steps forward, moving swiftly, her body going rigid and ready to attack. She moves her hand forwards, and points her weapon at Amor, taking another step forwards. Amor takes a few steps back until he's pressed against the wall behind him. The only thing separating them is the small gap between their bodies.
Empira lifts up the knife, her grip firm, as she inches closer to him, keeping the tip of the knife pointed at his chest.
"You're gonna regret that, Amor." She warns quietly, her breathing heavy as she takes one last step forward, pressing the tip of the knife against his chest.
Amor swallows and raises the knife he keeps stowed away in his pocket, keeping his eyes locked on hers. He doesn't blink. Not even once. His gaze remains steady.
Empira's eyes narrow and she leans in closer to him, and closer, until all he can see of her is the whites of her eyes.
He stays silent, keeps his eyes locked on hers, even after Empira lets out a frustrated growl and pulls back.
Her glare grows colder as she clenches her teeth together.
"Amor," She breathes harshly, lowering her head and staring at his bare, bloody feet instead of his face which she knows looks almost dead and lifeless as he looks at her, eyes dull and cold as he stares at her silently, "You're a monster. That's what you are."
Amor doesn't say anything. He just stares at her.
She turns her head away from him, her eyes closing as she sighs heavily, her shoulders slumping as she drops her head down, her forehead resting against the cool marble tiles beneath her.
"I'm sorry." She mumbles softly as Amor watches her carefully.
Amor stays quiet.
"For everything. For putting you through this. All the years we spent apart...all the hurt and anger…I'm sorry. Please forgive me."
Amor watches as her body slumps slightly, her chin touching her chest, and she curls in on herself, hugging her arms close to her chest, her head falling down on top of her arms. He waits a moment, then finally speaks.
"I forgive you."
Brothers - Brand New
Hello all, thank you for reading the second prologue to Blinding Shadows. Hopefully this'll be enough to prompt some more people to submit Tributes. I know it's only been a day, but at this point it's looking like Blinding Shadows will indeed be a partial SYOT (I'm thinking 12-14 characters), as that would best allow me to fully flesh out our characters. The next chapter will be an introduction chapter, as I should have enough Tributes for one.
I decided to release this chapter swiftly as I realize the first one was a bit confusing. To put it simple, I know most SYOT stories have quite predictable Gamemaker prologues, so I wanted to start Blinding Shadows with a bang of sorts. Empira is definitely going through a very rough time right now, but at least she has her brother Amor on her side. If you have any predictions on what'll happen with these siblings, I'd love to hear them.
Hopefully some more of you submit soon, and thank you for all of the reviews,
Harley.