Hunter Skype,18, District 12 male
11 years ago
Me and my brother Wyatt are sitting a distance away from the rest of the kids who are in the park playing and we're taking a small break from our basketball game, eatinf our popsicles. The weather is nice, the sun is out and there's a nice breeze out here.
"So what's our scores now Hunter, 30-30 right?" Wyatt asks before licking his popsicle and I chuckle.
"Yeah, it's 30-30 so as usual it's a tie, we're just always going to overtime." I laugh.
"Ha right, we're like the ultimate rivals, me and you!" he looks up at the sun.
"Yeah true, but more importantly, we're brothers Wyatt!" I put my arm around him, Wyatt, he is my brother, both of our parents passed around the same time and we found each other in the streets and just learned to survive. We tried staying at an orphanage for a short time, but after being bullied constantly, we both decided to run away and survive in the streets by stealing the goods we needed and doing odd jobs with the few people we didn't burn the bridges with.
"Yeah we are, it may not be by blood, but that doesn't make us any less brothers. you know Hunter I've been thinking, when we get a little older, why don't we pursue a career in basketball, we'll probably be in the major leagues!" He grins but I let out a small sigh.
"We're not tall enough though…can you imagine how many giants are out there that'll completely cream us?" I remind him and that's when I see a very tall kid around our age enter the park with a devilish grin on his face, no…that's Borus, the biggest bully in the district and since no one is even near his size, we're completely helpless…
"Speaking of the devil, he's here…dammit. Look Hunter don't let that put you down, yeah we're short now, but imagine when we get older, I bet we'll be a lot taller, we'll be unstoppable at basketball!" Wyatt tries to cheer me up but I see Borus shove a small boy to the ground and the boy starts crying much to Borus' pleasure, its only a matter of time before he spots me and Wyatt and he especially loves bullying on us, I just wish I was bigger…stronger.
"Yeah, you're right, we will get taller, just wish it can hurry up and maybe then we'll stand a chance against Borus." I sigh.
"Oh no, he's looking at us too…" Wyatt comments and I look to see Borus grinning at us from a distance beginning to walk towards us.
"What now...should we run Wyatt?" I begin panicking but Wyatt quickly shakes his head.
"No we tried that last time remember? He caught us and beat us up even worse than he usually does." Wyatt reminds me.
"Yeah…what do we do though?" I tremble a bit as he gets even closer.
"He's probably just going to call us names and take our popsicles away, oh man it took forever saving up for these popsicles too but we'll get more someday. Let's just listen to whatever he says, give him what he wants and maybe he'll only hit us once before leaving us alone for now." Wyatt instructs me and i sigh while looking at my popsicle that I barley got to enjoy.
"Yeah…ok." I mumble and a large shadow stands over the both of us.
"Well atleast you two dimwits didn't try to run this time, you know how that ended for you!" Borus taunts us.
"H-hi Borus…" Wyatt hesitantly greets him but Borus suddenly smacks Wyatt across his face causing him to drop his popsicle in the dirt and I feel my fists clench.
"Did I give you permission to speak jackass?" Borus scolds Wyatt.
"I'm sorry…" he holds his head down but Borus looks over at me and notices my hands are clenched.
"There something you plan on doing with that tiny hand of yours!?" He gets in my face and my nose curls as I get a whiff of his rancid breath, as angry as I am though, I know that I'm powerless against him…
"No…" I mumble in defeat.
"Yeah I thought so, now I advise you loosen up that little hand before I do it for you!" he threatens me and I do as he says and unclench my fist but he suddenly snatches my popsicle from my other hand and begins licking it.
"Ha, seasalt and cream flavor, my favorite, say I want that other popsicle too! But there's some dirt on it!" he licks my popsicle again while pointing at the other popsicle that was knocked out of Wyatt's hand when he slapped him.
"W-Well uhmm there's a water fountain over there, I can go and clean it for you." Wyatt hesitantly offers him but Borus scoffs.
"I got a better idea, how about you pick up that Popsicle, lick all the dirt off of it then hand it to me!" he smacks Wyatt across the head again, and i feel my teeth grinding against each other, if only I was bigger, just a little bigger…
"Ok…ok." Wyatt hesitantly picks up the popsicle, there's dirt and small ants all over it and I can hear Wyatt gulp in fear as he slowly brings the popsicle closer to his mouth, I can't let this happen though! I quickly jump up to my feet to confront Borus but I probably look like a little shrimp compared to him.
"The hell you're standing up for!? Some ants crawled up your ass!?" he taunts me.
"L-leave us alone!" I yell at him but he shoves me and I fall back onto the bench.
"Oh yeah, and just what do you plan on doing if I don't?" he stands over me.
"Hunter…just leave it." Wyatt practically begs me but I've had enough of this bully and I jump back to my feet punching him across the face as hard I can, and he barley budges but he's still shocked that I even hit him in the first place. Before I can even process what happens, I feel a powerful blow against my head and i'm now on the ground, disoriented trying to cover myself up to the best of my ability as Borus repeatedly kicks me in the torso.
"Who you think you are, huh?" he kicks me again and It lands on my lip busting it open causing me to cry out in pain.
"Stop! Stop Borus! I'll lick the popsicle just please stop hurting my brother!" Wyatt tries to shield me as I'm on the ground groaning in pain.
"Ha, well then get to it!" Borus roars at Wyatt and Wyatt picks up the popsicle licking all of the dirt and ants off of it before handing it to Borus but Wyatt starts vomiting afterwards, and I helplessly watch this horrifying scene.
"Wasn't too hard right? Your little buddy here wants to grow balls a little too fast though, why don't you use this to treat your new booboos!" he laughs spitting on the popsicle and throwing it on my face before walking off.
"Dammit, Hunter you're hurt, we need to get you a doctor!" Wyatt helps me sit up as I spit blood from my mouth feeling pain radiating all around my ribs.
"Why would you even try something like that Hunter, you know we don't stand a chance against that giant." he scolds me.
"I'm just tired Wyatt, I'm just tired of us being tossed like we're some kind of punching bag, we, we have to make a stand!" I try to encourage him but Wyatt only shakes his head.
"No Hunter…we're too weak. Making a stand will get us hurt…or even killed. We just have to do whatever he says, as long as we do that, he won't hurt us as much!" Wyatt argues.
"That's no way to live, that's no damn way to live Wyatt!" I punch the dirt.
"Hunter…" Wyatt mumbles.
"Wyatt, I'm going to grow up, I'm going to grow even larger than him and I swear I'm going to make him pay, for everything's he's done!" I vow to Wyatt and Wyatt slowly nods in agreement.
"And when that time comes Hunter, I'll be there with you!" he does a slight smirk and we both embrace each other. This is why we'll always be brothers!
4 years ago…
Me and all my brothers are pretty beat after our long game of basketball, but damn did it feel good! Me and Wyatt really are fucking unstoppable as a team together!
"Man Hunter that three pointer you shot was epic, it saved us the game, you once again came through!" Wyatt pats my back that he can barley reach since I'm so damn tall now.
"Don't get cocky guys, me and James will be sure to beat you two tomorrow, isn't that right James!?" Jack playfully punches James on the shoulder.
"Hell yeah, but hey I'm starving, any of you got some food?" James grumbles.
"I managed to steal some corn muffins from that orphanage earlier, why don't we go over to the park and gobble them up?" Wyatt smirks motioning his head to the direction the park is.
"You're a fucking life saver, Wyatt!" I put my arm around him.
"That's why we're brothers man!" Wyatt laughs and we make our way to the park while chatting about idle things that most guys our age talks about. It doesn't take us long to reach the park but when we do, that's when I immediately notice a familiar face has some terrified small kid perched up against the wall and he hands the familiar face some money but he still doesn't look satisfied.
"Wait isn't that…" Wyatt begins as I glare Borus, who's bullying this kid, I haven't seen him in a while but I still heard the stories about him snooping around, still bullying people. I take one glance at him and I can see, I'm now much bigger and stronger than he is, it amazed me how much he towered over me as a child, but he never got any taller while me and all my boys here had a growth spurt, he'll no longer be an issue.
"I'll handle this." I grumble as I start walking towards Borus who still hasn't noticed any of us yet as he's still trying to get more money out of this kid.
"This is all I have, i…I… swear!" the kid cries.
"is that so? Well it looks like I'm going to have to smash your brains in then!"Borus threatens him and prepares to throw a punch at the kid but I quickly grab Borus' hand stopping him in his tracks.
"What the fuck!" Borus quickly spins around but a look of shock spreads across his face when he sees me.
"What…it's you, how…how did you!?" He can only utter in shock.
"So you do remember me, that's good to know…" I glare him but Borus takes several steps back as I see his eyes filling with fear.
"How did you…get so tall?" He trembles slightly.
"Its called growing up, something you havent done much of lately and I shove him not even using half of my strength but he crashes against the wall and falls to the ground.
"Ah, Hunter, look it was nothing personal ok, I swear. I was just playing, maybe I took it a little too far but I never meant you any harm, same goes for Wyatt!" he pleads raising both his arms in the air surrendering.
"All you've ever done was harm me and everyone else around me, someone finally caught up to you though and it's no longer fun anymore right? Being the hunted and not the hunter!" I slowly edge my way closer to him.
"Hunter…" he mumbles with a terrified look on his face and tries to kick me but I stomp on his leg as hard as I can and hear a crack followed by a blood curdling scream from him and it's all music to my ears.
"My leg, I think it's broken, help me, someone help me!!!" Borus cries out and theres kids here, but they seem almost relieved someone is now strong enough to stand up to him.
"All you ever did was torture each and every kid here, and you expect them to run to your aid when the tables are turned?" I sneer at him.
"Let me go…please…just let me go, I wont bother anyone else again, I promise!" he begs me as tears runs down his face.
"You're right, you won't because this is my yard now!" I hiss at him and stomp on his face knocking him out cold. I feel a power flowing through me afterwards, like I'm fucking unstoppable and I stomp on his face again as blood is now streaming down his nose and mouth and I prepare to stomp on his face again.
"Do it Hunter, teach him a lesson that no one fucks with us!" Wyatt edges me on.
"I gladly will!" I prepare to stomp his face again.
"Stop!" a little girl tries to shield Borus whose literally laying in a puddle of his blood right now.
"L-leave my brother alone! He's not always nice to everyone but he's still my brother, and right now you're just being worse than him!" she cries and that's when it begins to click. Borus, the guy I hated the most, he's the guy I've become, no I've become even worse, but you know what? I'll embrace that power!
I grab the little girl by her suspenders that are attached to her trousers and effortlessly lift her in the air and she's so terrified that she can't even say anything, only give me a horrified look as her eyes begin swelling.
"Oh yeah? Well when did i ever claim to be your fucking hero huh! Your brother's reign is long over and now me and my brothers are taking the mantle so prepare yourselves well, because we're not Borus, we're much fucking worse!" yell in her face and she bursts out crying before I let her fall on top of her unconscious brother and I turn around to face my brothers and all of them are smirking and grinning as all of the kids in the park begin fleeing.
The rush I feel when hurting others, the power that flows through me when these helpless morons are begging for their lives and just knowing they can't do a damn thing about it, I crave more of it!"
Present
I finish sharpening my sword against a piece of metal and that's when I begin devouring my meal that was sponsored to me, fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and damn is it fucking good! I'm still camping out in this bar and I've been treated like a king ever since I stepped foot in here, I've been getting full course meals sponsored to me like breakfasts dishes, T-bone steaks, burgers, you fucking name it. Of course this is because of the entertainment I've been providing for these viewers. Not that I really give a shit, I'm here to have myself a good time and bring the riches back to my brothers at home, especially Wyatt who I consider my blood brother.
I do wonder what he's up to and one of the last things he told me was to topple any fucking "giants" I ran into and I visualize Cortez, his face literally resembling raw hamburger meat after I was done with him and can't help but grin to myself, bet he's real proud of that, but the fun doesn't end here.
I tear the juicy fried meat off my drumstick and chew vigorously as I think of my kills thus far. Hayden, Nox, Cortez and Annabeth who will soon be dead but I don't feel like waiting and might just go finish her and her little girlfriend off after I finish my meal, I'm pretty sure they're both still around the same area I left them in. I however do like the idea of that little runt suffering before she kicks the bucket. I bet she did have her supporters out here, hoping that she'll somehow find a way to take me down like David slaying Goliath. The underdog finding some miraculous way to take down the big bad, so fucking cliché. Got news for these dumbasses though, this ain't some fucking hero's story, and here in my world, anything goes!
I let out long stretch after finishing up my meal and just maybe after take a little nap, I'll be paying those little runts another visit!
Genevieve Altruzara,16, District 8 female
Rain gently hits the window as I struggle to see, both through the fog and my tears. I was asleep when it happened, but Acer told me, he told me about Cortez's passing. Just what could've happened that quickly? Was his guilt behind this? I forgave him…I let him know that I wasn't upset with him, but he leaves and just dies almost immediately after, did he try to hurt himself, or did another tribute kill him? If someone else got to him though then who? All I have are questions, questions that I'll likely never get the answer to…
The rain continues hitting the window with more force and it makes it even more difficult to see through the fog, but even then, I can still see something in the far distance, a mountain of some sort. Cortez was easily one of the largest tributes here, there's only very few tributes I envision that could be able to bring him down. It was either one of the careers, or…it was Hunter, I picture his grinning face and remember that him and Cortez did get into an altercation in the cafeteria, what if it was him?
"Genevieve?" I hear Acer and I slowly turn around to face him where I'm leaning against the window.
"I know its still early, but the ceiling…we shouldn't stay here any longer." Acer explains looking up at the ceiling and that's when I see the entire ceiling is covered in some kind of tar like material, this was in the last room we were in and we relocated to this new room yesterday, but that's why it surprises me more that the ceiling is this way. The capitol clearly doesn't want us sitting around anymore.
"Yeah…let's go." I wince in pain a little as I stand on my feet but Acer shows some worry.
"Will you be ok?" He asks with some concern.
"Yeah, I can move, I'll be ok." I assure him picking up my needle sword that was sponsored to me and Acer has his own regular sword so we can atleast defend ourselves if we run into any trouble.
We make our way out of this room and the halls are so dark but I can still feel an eerie presence on this floor, it could be in my head, but I start reflexively walking towards the staircase.
"Well uh, seems like you have an idea on where you want to go." Acer comments.
"I just want to get off this floor, something doesn't feel right here." I explain to him as we turn a corner.
"Ok then…the staircase is further down this way, should we go upstairs or downstairs?" he asks, seeming a bit uneasy.
"Upstairs." I wince a little as I feel light pain in my torso area, Acer's treated me so well these last couple of days when I was completely helpless and Cortez played a large role in it too as he gave me medication, I'm still in pain, but I'm getting better.
"Hello? Anyone here?" I suddenly hear a familiar voice around the corner causing me and Acer to stop in our tracks, that voice… but how?
"Genevieve that's-" Acer tries to whisper to me but I signal for him to be quiet and he does just that.
"I ain't gonna hurt ya' I know someone is here, maybe we can help each other." The voice continues and I can hear heavy footsteps closing in on us and I grab Acer's wrist as we sneak and duck behind a poster board that displays all of the locations on this floor. This voice, make no mistake about it, it's Cortez's voice, but Cortez is…dead, how can this be him?
"I promise I won't hurt ya' but keep hidin' from me though and I can't promise ya' anything." His voice begins sounding more menacing and I can hear something heavy dragging across the floor, it must be his warhammer.
I can see Acer begin to tremble and I'm frozen in shock as i try to decide on my next move. Cortez, there's probably no realistic way the two of us can take him, but what other choice do we have?
"Ya' gonna end up gettin' me real mad…" I hear Cortez threaten us again and that's when Acer jumps up from behind the board with his hands up in the air, what the hell is he doing!?
"C-Cortez it's us! You remember us right? Me and Genevieve!?" Acer keeps his hands raised and I slowly stand up above the poster and there he is, he looks exactly the way he was when I last saw him…
"Acer…Genevieve." He gazes at us, this can't be the actual Cortez, but I can still see sadness in his eyes.
"Cortez…I'm better cause of you, you and Acer, you both saved me and I want to thank you for that…" I thank him but he only hangs his head down while tightening his grip on his warhammer.
"I thought ya' two were my friends…" he mumbles.
"W-we are Cortez!" Acer counters and that's when Cortez lifts his head back up.
"So where were ya' two while Hunter was bashing my skull in, huh!?" he yells and my eyes widen, so it was Hunter, it was Hunter who killed him!
"Cortez, we…we didn't know, we-" I begin but he raises up his hammer and starts closing in on us.
"I don't want hear anymore of ya' excuses, the two of ya' will join me in hell!" be suddenly rushes at us and his speed catches me off guard, I still can't move fast enough to outrun him!
He swings his large hammer and I freeze for a moment but Acer shields me and blocks the hammer strike but the impact still causes him to go flying into a wall grunting in pain.
"Acer!" I cry out but I narrowly dodge another one of Cortez's strikes and he tries hitting me again but I block it with my needle sword and his sheer strength causes me to stumble against a wall. He follows up with another heavy blow but I manage to stagger out of the way as he smashes the wall in and Acer quickly stabs Cortez causing him to grunt in pain and I quickly use this opportunity to pierce my needle sword through his chest and his eyes widens as blood begins spurting from his mouth, I would say sorry, but this isn't Cortez, just some fucking puppet the capitol created…
I pull my sword out of his chest and "Cortez" crumbles to the ground turning into black dust that disperses away, that's all it takes, just one good strike to the head or the chest, and that'll bring even the largest tributes down…
"Dammit…" I hear Acer curse as he makes his way back to his feet but I try helping him up and that's when I feel a sharp pain shoots through my body causing me groan and to drop to my knee, dammit, I'm not nearly at my best right now…
"Genevieve, you ok?" Acer worriedly asks.
"Yeah, it's just my wound, still hurts like hell…" I wince.
"Want me to take a look at it, hopefully your movement didn't loosen the stitches." He explains slowly helping me back up to my feet.
"Let's just get out of here Acer…" I take a deep breath but even that hurts.
"R-right, yeah let's go." He agrees with me but I hear sinister chuckling behind me and that's when I spin around and see black dust floating around beginning to take on some kind of humanoid form.
"Hmm hmm hmm, I must comend you Genevieve,you just refuse to accept death, just always finding some way to overcome the odds, it intrigues me to see what lengths you're willing to go, even when you know you don't stand a chance!" I hear that same voice I heard back in the room, it's that thing again, it brung back Cortez and Chris so far, it's safe to say whatever this thing is, it's able to "resurrect" the dead.
"What do you want? Can you just leave me the fuck alone already!?" I yell at this mutt but this only seems to amuse it even more as it's dust begins taking the form of six bodies, all of different heights.
"What the hell is that? Genevieve, I think we need to go…" Acer lightly tugs my arm but I'm frozen in fear as I see what the six bodies are manifesting into.
"Oh I just want to see you broken, I want to see your will, your determination, your desire all shattered right before your very eyes and now this will be the ultimate test for you, your reluctance isn't just going to affect you however, it's going to affect everyone around you, and make no mistake Genevieve, people are going to die and people are going to suffer…" the voice cackles and the bodies begin taking form along with the weapons they're wielding, no,don't tell me…
"Isn't that right, careers of the 81st hunger games?" the voice adds and I look into the eyes of all of the careers from last year armed with their signature weapons as they gaze at me with their cold eyes. Annabelle, Amos, Victoria, Vendetta, Barbel and even Vladimir, they're all here, and their eyes…they're so empty like they're vessels just being controlled. Barbel is the first who begins stepping towards me and the rest of them start following.
"Let's go!" Acer tugs my arm harder and as fast as I can, begin running away from this career pack as me and Acer race down the flight of stairs. They brung back the entire career pack from last year, all of them extremely dangerous but as that voice implied, it's not just me they're after, they're going to be targeting every tribute here, starting with me since I'm right next to them, and that's why I need to get out of here!
Paisley Stitchell, 16, District 6 female
I take a deep breath as I stare up the ceiling. It's still almost surreal, just a few days ago I was home, living my life like normal and everything's just turned upside down since. I met Hayden, who was one of the most amazing people I've met and it only took seconds for that monster, Hunter to crush his skull. I felt powerless at first, like I wouldn't stand a chance against him, but things are different now…
I'm camping out in the souvenir market right now and my knight is diligently standing near the entrance with his golden sword in an offensive stance, ready to strike anything that comes towards us. I have the means of killing Hunter now, and I know my knight will take him down with little trouble. He's only human, he's not some unkillable monster, no matter how large he is.
I look at my knight for several more seconds and I open up my book, staring at its blank page. I haven't "desired" anything today yet but yesterday I used my desire to try and help out two tributes, the girls from 9 and 12. The girl from 12 was severely beaten and wounded and the other girl seemed injured as well but it was almost haunting, seeing the condition the girl from 12 was in. There were shattered doors and a table and its easy to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that she was attacked by Hunter. He did this to her, no other tribute here has enough strength to shatter doors and tables so I know he was behind it. I tried to help her but she was so badly wounded that all this book can do was give her a gun so she can end her suffering quicker.
I wish there was more I can do, I even want to go back over there to see how they're doing, but I can't afford to care about other tributes, I have to care about myself and only myself, that's the only way I can survive this…
"Hi." I suddenly jot down in my book.
"Hello, is there something you desire?" the book responds.
"No, I'm just lonely." I jot down in the book.
"That is to be expected, do you crave companionship?" the book responds.
"Why? Just so they can die? It just feels like I'm a dark cloud, like everyone I come next to gets hurt or even die." I quickly scribble down in the book, and it's the truth, I really am a bad omen...
"Have you lost someone close to you recently?" the book asks and I feel my eyes swell as I think of Hayden.
"His name was Hayden, he was killed by a tribute named Hunter, I hate him so much!" I scribble down in my book and some of my tears begin falling onto the book.
"Do you desire to see him again?" the book suddenly asks and my eyes widen slightly. Can this book really bring Hayden back? No, that's impossible, you can't bring back the dead, it can probably create an almost perfect copy, but that still won't be Hayden…right?
"No." I quickly jot down.
"Are you sure? I can bring him back to you, the Hayden that you remember ever so dearly." The book responds and I squeeze my pen, hesitating for a moment, I miss him so much, if I can just get even 5 minutes with him,just 5 minutes...
"What if I do?" I quickly scribble down.
"Then keep in mind that this will be considered a very special desire, in order for me to resurrect the departed, I will need a human sacrifice." The book explains and this puzzles me for a moment, what does it mean?
"What do you mean by human sacrifice?" I hesitantly scribble down.
"You will need to claim the life of a living person, one that's the same gender and around the same height as Hayden, I can then use their body as a vessel to resurrect Hayden." The book explains.
Same gender and same height, that means I can't use Hunter as a vessel, but what other tribute here fits that description, or better yet, am I actually willing to take a life just to see him again? Something doesn't feel completely right, its almost like this book is influencing me somewhat, or maybe…I was just always capable of this?
I try thinking of the remaining tributes, trying to figure out what male here Is around the same height as Hayden and that's when it occurs to me, yeah, him, he is around the same height as Hayden!
"I have a desire." I scribble down.
"And what may that be?" the book responds.
"I want a map, showing me the locations of every tribute in this arena." I write down.
"That is beyond my power, I can only give you the location of one tribute per desire." The book responds and I sigh.
"Fine then, I want a map and location of a tribute." I wrote down.
"And who may that tribute be?" the book asks and I jot down the tribute's name.
"I see, your desire has been granted…" the book states and I look over to my right where I see a full map of the arena, displaying the location of the tribute I specified as a red dot on the map, and it looks like he's currently on the move as well cause the red dot is moving, I look over at my knight again who's still guarding the entrance and I can't help but feel a little nervous, about quite possibly taking my first life, but if it's not them, it's me and i'll be heading out soon. Hayden…the things I'm willing to do to see you again…
Harlan Ryeson,17, District 9 male
Annabeth, she's sweaty, her skin is clammy and she's shivering uncontrollably, Elsie who has a makeshift bandage wrapped around her broken hand is comforting her as much as she can and I only clutch my fists in anger as I look down at the floor. Elsie told me everything that happened, How Hunter showed up and attacked the both of them, Annabeth clearly got the worst of it and she likely has some heavy internal bleeding. Elsie lifted up her shirt earlier and theres a large bruise on her Torso that's a combination of pink,blue and purple. How can anyone do this to such an innocent little girl? This is unforgivable!
"You're going to be okay, you're going to be okay…" Elsie cries continuing to slowly rock her and I slowly stand up but begin coughing and cover my mouth, but once my coughing fit ends, that's when I notice some blood on my hand, shit…it's taking effect, I think of my encounter with Emmerane yesterday, she poisoned me and in the most obvious way possible, I literally fell right into her trap and she gave me approximately two days to live. It's clearly a fast acting poison and I feel It affecting me. I haven't told Elsie anything yet but she probably already knows something is wrong due to my frequent coughing fits.
Elsie, she may be all alone in a couple of days from now, and…there's nothing I can do about it,nothing! Cassidy i really am such a failure…
I wipe the blood off my hand under one of the tables and hesitantly walk over to the girls and take a seat next to Elsie but Elsie only gives me a conflicted look. She made it very clear that things could've gone a lot different had I been here and as a result partially blames me for this.
"Annabeth, can you hear me." I gently ask her and she slowly looks over at me as tears fall down her eyes.
"End it…please, e-nd it…" she eeks out and I look over at the revolver that Elsie has resting on the floor next to her, I just wish there was something we can do, we literally can't do anything to help her, unless we end her suffering…
"Annabeth-" I begin but start coughing again making sure to cover my mouth.
"Annabeth, he won't get away with this, he won't. I promise you that." I vow to her and she tries to cry but it only seems to put her in more pain.
"End it…just end it, P-please, hurts, it hurts so much..." She cries and me and Elsie look at each other for a moment and I glance at the revolver.
"Don't you even think about it…" Elsie grits her teeth.
"...Can we talk Elsie?" I ask.
"This could've been avoided all of it could have if only you've been here!" she cries and I gaze at the floor again, would things have been that much different though?
"I'm sorry Elsie, I am. I tried to get back to you two as quickly as possible, I wish I could've been there, I…I would give my life if it means the both of you would get to live.
"There has to be something we can do, There has to be something, think of something Harlan please!" tears stream down Elsie's eyes but all I can do is give Annabeth a helpless look. She needs a doctor, like immediate medical attention and even then it might be too late, there really is nothing that can be done, except…
"I'm sorry Elsie…" I helplessly mumble and Elsie only slowly shakes her head as she continues to hold Annabeth who's still groaning, and begging us to end her suffering.
"Just rest Annabeth, close your eyes, close your eyes and rest…" Elsie slowly rocks her and her eyes flutter for a moment but they eventually close and her pain ends, atleast for now…
I begin coughing again and this time I can't hide the blood when some of it comes out of my mouth and gets on the floor. I then hunch over feeling my breathing getting heavier.
"Harlan…" Elsie puts her hand on my back and I try to assure her I'm OK but I continue coughing and more blood comes out of my mouth getting onto the floor.
"Oh my God, Harlan, Harlan!?" Elsie begins panicking and I let out another cough looking at the small puddle of blood I left on the floor, there's no hiding it anymore…
"Harlan, Harlan are you ok? You're bleeding and you've been coughing this whole time... w-what's going on?" I hear her voice crack and I close my eyes for a moment and can also feel my eyes start to swell, Elsie, I know she's not expecting any good news...
"Elsie…I was poisoned." I admit to her.
"Poi-what? What do you mean?" she gives me a puzzled look and I see her eyes are pink from crying and her lips are quivering, there's no hiding anymore.
"Emmerane, when she took me away from you two, she poisoned me, I was able to get away but she left her mark…" I continue
"What…Harlan, so that means…I'm-I'm going to be all alone?" she realizes, but I put my hand on her shoulder feeling fatigue taking over me.
"Elsie, I don't know how much more time I have left, but I'm going to stay with you for as long as I can, I promise you that." I assure her.
"You promise…promise, that's all you ever do, that's all you do just make promises and break them!" She sinks her face into the palm of her hands sobbing uncontrollably and all I can do is helplessly watch her cry and I feel a tear come down my cheek but slowly wipe it away. She's right, all I've ever done was hurt her and Cassidy, all I've ever done was let them down and I only have myself to blame for it. I know there's nothing I can do to redeem myself and I know a monster like me is only getting what I deserve…I just wish they didn't have to be apart of it.
Here we go with day 5! Another slow update, I know, I know, but bare with me guys, this story is going to be finished and I plan on having the next chapter out very soon cause as you can see, this chapter is the calm before the storm! There's once again no deaths today but let's see how much longer that lasts for! hehehe, Till next time!