The Conclusion

That night I cursed myself for being so goddamn stupid.

When the quiet anthem sounded I early poked my head through the hole that Cinder had created. I watched with a greedy fervour as I watched one by one the faces of the dead appear in the sky.

Clio's face was the first to appear, and I couldn't help myself. I truly couldn't control the giddy grin that stretched my mouth into a cruel smile. Oscar appeared, and then his suicidal district partner Barbie. My chest felt so light, and with a happy thought I began feeling more and more like my true self.

I revelled in the death. I'm so much closer to becoming a victor.

9 more to go.

How exciting.

And then the slide show of the dead stopped. There was no India's face. She had survived so far.

Fury like I had not known since my sister's death gripped me. How dare she cling on to life, however briefly. As if she had the audacity.

I dropped down into the hole, and even in the dim light I know that Theo and Cinder can sense my emotions.

Neither of them are brave enough to ask.

Since the story of the feast, both of them have avoided speaking to me. I am not entirely sure why, perhaps it's the cruel glint in my eye, or the raw enjoyment that day caused me. Even though Theo is a District 2 tribute, I can sense that he is not having any-where near as much fun as I am.

I have decided that these two are not my friends. What is the point? Every time I try to care about them, doubt, fear and pain becomes associated with that. I don't like it. In addition, they're going to have to die, right? So might as well distance myself from that eventuality.

But I'm most definitely not going to do it. There's only so much self-inflicted pain I can handle. Force myself into the games, sure. Kill some people I care about despite myself, no thanks.

Numbers were winding down though. Games were going slowly until yesterday. There had been enough deaths to sate the audience for a while.

Soon I would have to leave this shaky alliance.

"How are your wounds healing up?" I direct my question at Theo as I reach for a chocolate bar. We had found a large stash of them in a 'young boys' room. They were absolutely delicious.

In the dim light of the Sun Beams I can still see the slight sheen of sweat on his skin. He shrugs, and although his wings are bound tight to his body, they hang useless in the dirt.

"Everything is cool except for these damn wings." His words sound casual, but the pain is evident in his voice.

I harden my heart before it pangs in compassion for my former friend. I nod slowly.

"Cool cool." I mutter.

Tension fills the air, although I don't know why. I glare at the two of them huddled towards the back of the cavern, as far away from me as possible. My eyes narrow with suspicion. What are they planning?

I lock gazes with Cinder, the weaker of the two. Her usually kind eyes meet mine with mistrust.

I decide against going for stealth.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" my voice fills with forced menace.

"Olivia…" Theo starts. I know this isn't good, using the full use of my name. "We know you have been through a lot, what with your torture – "

"– I wasn't tortured. I was captured." I retort, fire slowly filling my veins. What was going on?

"Uhm yeah, and I know that that was all for me and Cinds, but we both just think that it might be the right time to split up, you know? Before it comes down to just us…" Theo says almost tentatively, his one good eye shining with nervousness.

Are they fucking kidding me?

"Okay." I say, pretending to mull my words over in thought. "Seems reasonable." The two of them share a similar sigh of relief. Sly bastards. Had they spoken about this while I got medical supplies… for them? "I just wonder," I muse, "If me and Cinder both leave you, how on earth are you going to survive?" I ask Theo innocently.

Cinder gulps nervously, her hands twisting her blonde hair in her dirty hands. "Actually, she's going to stay with me." Theo replies, with more confidence than I have heard in a while.

"So, basically you guys are kicking me out?" I ignore the hurt I feel. It was the same conclusion I had come to, they just beat me to it.

The anger I feel though, over my district partner choosing a lowly District 12 tribute over me?

I send all of my hurt confused feelings to Theo in one look. I thought we were really really good friends. He droops his head down, ashamed.

I smile with a ferociousness I didn't know I had. That was when I made my decision. I would drown them both.

I could feel this as one of my mood swings as a condition of my powers. I was as changeable as the sea, I recognised that now. There would be times where I would be calm enough to let them live, sail on calm waters. Times like this? I would crush them.

"Interestingly," I begin, as I pack up my weapons into a canvas bag, "the earth is full of water. Tiny little droplets that keep it moist and fertile. You know that don't you Cinder? You can feel it. It's not too damp here, though I can always draw it to me."

Cinder's eyes widen and Theo's eyes narrow as I extract a small ball of water towards me. I have it hover in front of me as I watch the expressions dance on their faces.

Cinder jumps up, sensing the danger. I laugh in glee, and my hair responds in turn, flying wildly above me in anticipation.

Theo's hard gaze stops me from letting the dam of water I had building inside of me break. No, don't think I had any feelings of remorse. I truly want them both dead. But as I was saying earlier, do I really want to be the cause? I had enjoyed their company. Theo was more of a friend before the games; I had grown to care about. Cinder irritated me, but she was okay to spend countless hours with as I had done. I felt their betrayal more ruthlessly than I had ever imagined, but the soothing water eased the pain.

I stopped killing them, because I realised something. I could easily kill them. Theo was in no shape to fight me, which was why he tried to let me down easy. And Cinder would be no match against me. It wouldn't be fun.

I grinned that horrible grin again. It would be fun hunting them.

"Run." I whisper, laughing silently, and I show every feeling of malice and hatred I can muster into one glare especially for Theo.

And the water breaks lose.

It fills up the cave quickly, soaking everything but me. Within minutes it is up to our knees. Cinder runs around frantically trying to gather up supplies and save Theo's medicine. He just watches me, a slight expression on his face I am unfamiliar with.

Theo haggardly makes his way over to me, and smiles. The scar twists his face manically, making him look like a cruel puppet.

"I had been wanting to tell you this at the very end, Liv." He says, looking at me deeply in the eyes. "I wanted it to be when I ran you through with my sword. It has all been a lie!" And his face nearly splits in two, his grin is so wide. I listen intently, ignoring the pain these words cause. "We were never friends you foolish bitch! I never went through the trials, why do you think Brutus never recognised me. I had disposed of every single boy who had permission. I rigged the reaping. I tricked you into letting your guard down, and holy fuck you truly did. That other night after the snake?" he says, watching my face closely. I look into his eyes, and I see the truth reflected there. "You are a laughing stock. Now you healed me up nicely, like I knew you would, I am going to win. All because we are such good friends." He says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

My mind is reeling, thinking back to all the memories. Did I sense any deceit? Not at all. I trusted him. The night with the shattered mirror. I desperately searched his face, for any hint of this to be not true. It couldn't be. What he went through for me. Torture. And yet I keep my face bemused.

"I knew the second I saw your victory in the Trials you would be the one to beat. And I have destroyed you." He says with a smile of victory.

"And, Theo, how do you know that I wasn't doing the exact same thing to you?" I ask sweetly, forcing myself with every fibre of my being to believe the lie. My words puzzle him as I place my hand onto his chest, a slight pushing movement.

He pulls away, but not before I lean in and whisper, loud enough for the microphones to pick up, "Run".

Despair. I feel despair. I risked my life for this urchin.

He turns before I can see his expression.

Anger causes the water to fill up more rapidly. I stare at him numbly as he helps Cinder out of the hole, and struggles up himself.

I lithely jump through before Cinder can seal me in.

I follow closely behind them, stalking my prey. They ignore me as they try to move as fast as they can, Cinder helping a still limping Theo.

I barely notice that I am still in my feast clothes. They still remain heartbreakingly gorgeous despite the hem being in tatters. I still have the gloves that hook to my middle finger, although I switched out the boots for proper running boots.

I cannot help but feel like an avenging goddess as I stalk them.

Tears threaten to slip.

No.

Ignore them.

I think of all the fun that we had in the capitol.

Stop it.

Theo.

Theo.

Theo.

I remove a knife from my bag and dangerously twirl it between my fingers.

I want to throw the knife and kill them both.

But I stop.

I stop in the middle of the road.

I stop following them.

I grin as maliciously as I can.

"Don't worry," I almost croon, knowing the cameras are on me, "I'll come back for them."

Impulsively, I throw the knife, and it hits its mark. Cinder goes down with a cry from the knife wound in her back. Superficial. Slow them down, won't kill her. Make them easy to track later on.

I wave tauntingly as I walk away, Theo glaring at me.

What had I gotten myself into?