One of you guys promised not to hate me. One. Not nice, guys. Not nice at all :(
)o(
I wake up after sleeping for what feels like forever but can't have been more than five hours because otherwise Terra, who's set to go sleep once I return to the mentor room, would have come and woken me up. I went to bed right after Katniss and her allies decided what to do with the Careers and I have a feeling it is related to the plan to break them out of the arena. I mean, we sent them twenty-four rolls from Three and they decided to hit the other alliance at midnight on the third day shortly after?
Of course, I couldn't ask because of the bugs I know must be everywhere, but I'm pretty confident. In less than twenty-four hours, I'll have my sister back.
I even smile as I get out of bed and step into the hallway. I take only a few steps before I hear urgent whispering and freeze. There's footsteps and low voices coming closer and I've spent enough time around the two of them by now to recognise Effie and Haymitch immediately. I move back into the room I just left, leaving the door slightly ajar. They won't tell me what's going on, so maybe I can manage to hear something now. They stop just outside the door and then there's silence. I look through the gap between the wall and the door, careful not to be noticed. Haymitch is fiddling with Effie's necklace, which I only now notice has the same stone as the hairpin Wiress gave me. Like mine, it changes colours when it's shifted right. Only then does Haymitch start talking again.
That's when I finally understand the significance of the piece of jewelery. It must block bugs.
"They think we might've been compromised,"Haymitch says and my heart skips a beat,"But it's too late to change the plan now."
Effie bites her lip nervously but still raises an eyebrow in challenge."Why do I have a feeling you're not supposed to tell me this?"
My mentor sighs."Because I'm not even supposed to know. Plutarch gave me a heads-up, make sure I get the kid out."
"Which is exactly what you will do,"Effie says."Primrose remains our priority, no matter what happens. Even with whatever plans they have for her. Her wellbeing is our priority. Promise me that."
"Don't talk like you won't be around to nag me about that later,"Haymitch hisses, but he sounds almost desperate. Effie just grabs his arm."Promise, Haymitch."
He nods, defeated, and then they both freeze at a sound further down the corridor. Effie quickly deactivates her necklace and just like that, they're gone.
My head is spinning with all the information I just gathered within mere minutes. Plutarch Heavensbee is definitely on our side. There is a possible leak. Someone – the rebels? - has plans for me Effie doesn't like. We're getting out, somehow, and she's not sure she'll make it out, too. No matter what, I can trust her and Haymitch to have my back. I'm not sure if that is reassuring or just even more terrifying. Darius had my back, and look what that got him.
I make my way back to the mentor room, because I don't see much of another choice. I have to act like nothing's wrong.
"Terra, bedtime,"I say lightly as I push open the door. She gives me a wry smile."Not now, Prim. Bad time to get away from the screen."
My eyes lock onto the TV as soon as those words leave her mouth. Templesmith and Caesar are chattering on infront of a map of the arena, two flashing crosses moving closer to eachother. Katniss's alliance and the Careers.
My hands are shaking and my heart feels like it might burst through my ribs by the time they stumble upon eachother. Neither alliance had been hunting for the other, by the looks of it, but after a few seconds of innitial shock, the fighting breaks out.
They're all moving so fast I barely register more than flashes of what is happening. Katniss taking out Marina from Four with an arrow to the throat. Madge struggling against Diana from Two and Amphitrite pulling the girl off of her. Avalon staggering backwards, a knife impaled in her chest, a look akin to surprise on her face. Diana overpowering Amphitrite and Olive impaling her axe in the older girl's skull. Katniss hitting Jonsa in the back of the leg as the Career alliance retreats into the jungle.
Curie is screaming wordlessly, crouching next to Avalon, who somehow manages to smile at her through blood and tears."Shush, Curie, it's okay. Shush." The younger girl actually falls silent and Avalon presses the coil of wire into her hand."You gotta finish that for me, you hear me? You have to, okay? I love you, Curie. You have to make it out."
Curie nods, tears streaming down her face. Demeter kneels next to her, tentitavely wrapping an arm around her. Wiress is sobbing next to me and I reach for her hand. From what I've gathered, Avalon as good as lived with her and Curie. The cannon is loud and painfully final.
My sister stands halfway between Avalon's body and Olive, who has Amphitrite gathered into her lap."Don't you die on me. Don't you dare to die on me, you stupid bitch. I can fix this. Don't you dare."
A sound makes it out of Amphitrite's throat, half laugh and half sob. Madge takes a step towards them hesitantly."Olive, I don't think there's anything we can do."
The girl's head snaps up and there's fire in her eyes and tears on her cheeks. She knows Madge is right. She knows but she doesn't accept it yet. Rue's face flashes through my mind and I have to look down to make sure my hands aren't covered in her blood again.
"Go away,"she hisses but Madge doesn't move. Olive bares her teeth like a cornered animal."Fuck off or take an axe to the chest. Your choice."
Now Madge moves, pity in her eyes rather than fear. She grabs Katniss by the arm and stops her from moving closer with a shake of her head.
"I'm done for,"Amphitrite says oddly matter-of-factly."Olive, I'm done for. I have a few minutes, if that. I'm dying."
Olvie shakes her head, still pressing against the wound in the other girl's abdomen as if it might change something. Amphitrite pulls her hand away and laces their finger together."Don't let me go like this. Not like a badly butchered pig, waiting for it to be over. Olive, please."
I don't understand what she's asking until Olive nods and fumbles for a knife from her belt. I close my eyes and don't open them again until Amphitrite's cannon sounds.
Olive clutches her friend's body to her chest, rocking back and forth, wailing like an injured animal, a sound no human should ever make tearing from her throat. I have to avert my eyes and my gaze lands on Finnick. Stony-faced, silent Finnick, the only indictation of what he has just witnessed the fact that he's clutching the armrest of the sofa so hard his knuckles have turned white. Wiress is still sobbing. Terra looks like she's about to throw up. No one speaks.
The national boradcast jumps to the other alliance, likely not wanting to show tributes grieving for their falling allies. Not just any tributes, but one from Two, a killer born and bred.
My eyes remained glued to Olive's personal screen until my sister final manages to shake of her stupor and coaxes the younger girl away from Amphitrites body, with whispered words so low the camera can't pick them up.
What is left of the alliance waits, side by side in a row by the sea, for the hovercrafts to come and pick up the bodies. And then, in perfect unison, they lift the three middle fingers of their left hands to their lips and then raise them to the sky as Katniss sings out Rue's four note tune.
)o(
I love Amphitrite and I am very sad :( also Ava but mainly Amphitrite tbh I am very attached to her and she is my precious and *muffled sobbing*