Chapter 19:
Eos Talene, District Five, Age 17
Victor of the 94th Hunger Games
Eos has done a lot of dumbass things over the course of their life and numerous people have told them that. They always brushed them off and told them it was fine, they had it under control. But apparently, all it took for them to finally realize maybe they had fucked up was to be chased through absolutely foul smelling sewers, up to their waist in stuff they really didn't want to think twice about, and getting chased by some awful mutts they want to think about even less.
Why the fuck did they think it was ever a good idea to volunteer in the place of their boyfriend?! No dick was worth this hell. Maybe they truly are a dumbass for falling for Carson's sweet words and pleas for help. They bet he's back home in Five, safe and warm in the arms of some other lover. They had always denied the claims from their friends that Carson was cheating on them and manipulating them but…they're starting to think there might have been some truth to that now.
That bastard straight up manipulated Eos into volunteering into the Hunger Games for him. And the award for biggest dumbass goes to Eos Talene…
"I swear if I get out of here, I'm ripping off his dick," Eos grumbles to themself as they reach a ladder and pull themself out of the sewage water – so much easier to just block out the smell and think of it as just water – shuddering when a cool breeze hits them and a chill goes through them. Seriously, why the hell did they think this was a good idea?!
They're going to win these Games fueled on pure spite towards Carson. And when they get back to Five, they're gonna flip him off as they walk into their fancy new house. They'll live out their life happily away from him and they can talk shit about their ex with Cas. Surely Five's only victor will enjoy that.
Eos leans against the wall, cringing at the layer of grime on it but just embracing the fact that they aren't going to be clean until they are out of this arena. Why did the Head Gamemaker think a sewer would be a good arena?! Surely it's not entertaining watching the tributes wade through literal shit water. Yet they still found themself desperately wiping their hands off on their clothes, trying to feel clean. God, they hate this hell. "Uggghhh what does a person need to do for a damn shower?"
They stop their complaining and shut up immediately when they hear scuffling echoing off the walls of the tunnel, impossible to tell just how close it is – or if it's coming from a tribute or a mutt. They squint up and down the tunnel, trying to catch sight of what's coming their way. They tremble in fear, knowing they had lost the one knife they had gotten from the bloodbath from that bitch District partner of theirs who ran off in the night with their supplies – well, who knows if it was actually night, hard to tell in perpetual darkness. They have nothing to defend themself and for all their talk…they know what odds they really have.
Somehow, they don't think they'll win on pure spite alone and need to figure out some sort of weapon.
Before Eos has much time to think about it, someone tackles him to the ground. "Fuck!" they shout as they start scuffling with some girl and a knife starts to cut their neck. They push her away before she can make the cut deep enough to do real damage and shove her towards the wall, hearing a loud crack from her head slamming into the wall. She groans in pain as she gets back up, stumbling to her feet, and Eos acts before giving her time to reach for the knife she dropped.
Eos grabs the girl and shoves her to the ground, kneeling on her back to pin her down before dunking her head over the ledge and into the filthy sewer water. She fights back against them, scratching at their arms and they put their full weight on her as she struggles to get her head above water for air. "Die already!" Eos screams at her as their arms sting from the scratches and her efforts get more frantic before starting to slow. They don't let up on holding her head below water until they finally hear the cannon sound and even then, they move their fingers to her neck and feel for any pulse. Only once they know for sure she's dead do they sit back and look at just what they did.
Damn, that's…a real shitty way to die. They snort at their accidental pun and shake their head as laughter builds up in them, thinking they're starting to lose it from being down in here for too long. They just killed a girl by drowning her in literal shit water and they're laughing about it!
They pull the bag off her shoulders as their arms and neck sting even more from the scratches and they hope she had some first aid in her bag. If they don't get themself cleaned, they won't make it out of this arena before they get infected. They take the knife from the ground before kicking her body into the water, watching it slowly float down away from them. They wait for some sort of guilt or something to set in, but they don't feel any of that. They just feel…annoyed by this situation.
Is something wrong with them? Maybe. But do they care when they now have a way to get home even faster? Hell no.
Carson, you better watch out for me when I get back to Five.
Another week, another victor! We have Eos Talene, victor of the 94th Hunger Games! I love me a sassy spiteful victor that has made some dumb choices.
Not much else to say. We're getting further along with the updates I have stockpiled in this and have another six to go through. See you next week (maybe) with a very well known victor across my verse.