Day Eleven: First Aid Kit
"Stay still, Pin, for Capitol's sake. Don't want this getting infected." I stick my tongue out, and for an instant I think he's going to grab it, with fingers or lips. It's a disappointment he doesn't, from my point of view
The gash on my leg hurts. Both thanks to the actual weeping wound itself, red and angry, and thanks to the needlework gently tugging shredded skin and torn muscle together. "Good thing you grabbed that kit, eh?" He doesn't respond, too busy sewing and working on my fuck up to pay me mind until he's done and I receive a nod. "It is good. Not sure we would have been able to do this otherwise.
It's just us, now. A week ago it would have been six. Pretty Iris, Espada and Atlas from Two with their swords. My District Partner, Chary. Charybdis. Lovely girl, but when she'd said it was time to go it was time to go. She hadn't raised the alarm, I'm grateful to her for that, at least. Even if she did put the cursory slash to my leg to make it look like she'd tried.
They're still out there, Iris and the Twos. Chary's face was in the sky last night, we'd assumed she'd been put down. No more use, not when the Squad was shrunk down now and Iris had already stated she wanted Espada all to herself. I hope it was quick, but from the sounds of last night I doubt it was. At least without the precious box under Plutus' knee she would have bled out, small mercy that it was.
Now, we're perched on the edge of a ravine, sheltered by the boulders all around. Sandstone, I think, like back home, and it's soft enough to the touch but big enough you wouldn't. Still, it's hard enough that my leg can be propped up, and Plutus can chastise me. "We shouldn't have run, Pin. Now you've screwed up your leg, and look at this. Good thing I handled that, eh? You're going to be right as rain in no time, and then we can finish this. Hopefully Iris stays back, and it can be two on the Twos." A laugh is drawn from me at this, and he pats my shoulder, sending a fire through it that isn't painful.
We share a quick kiss, just enough to keep the Sponsors interested, and then it's back to work. Bandages are wrapped tightly around my leg, to the point I wince, and by then the food cooking in bubbling water is ready for us to dig in. It's not the most enjoyable, soggy and thick, but it's food. That's all we need. Shuffling a little closer together, I prop my injured leg up on his knees, and he spoons a first scoop into my mouth. We're having a moment
That means we're not prepared when the war party emerges. A noise from around us, Plutus reaches for his sword, before his hand is transfixed by a dart, and withdrawn. Iris emerges from behind a rock, followed by Espada. The latter has a little shine to her cheeks, a slick gleam, but one I can't quite place until I see Iris' lips tickled by the same gleam. No more time to focus on that, and I feel a boot in my back, driving me away and making me tumble forwards. Atlas.
The big man steps forward, eighteen and hefting a mighty broadsword with both hands, grasping the handle. "Plutus. Pinisi. Such a shame you decided to run away, we could have been great friends. Instead, well. We'll make this quick." A raised sword, and there's a touch on his shoulder from Iris. A smile from the One girl, as she eyes the first aid kit lying at her feet and places one boot on it to prevent me from having anything.
"You're so boring, Atty. Lets play keep away. Plutus, if you can get the box, we'll let you do the bandages. If not..." She trails off, and the box has been kicked to Espada, to Atlas, to Espada, to Iris, to Atlas. to me. I try to kick it to Plutus, but with my leg as it is, it spasms a little, sending it towards Espada. She takes a second, enough for the boy trying to help me to move faster than anyone expected.
Espada giggles, kicking the box away as Plutus lunges for it. It's seconds from the edge, seconds from falling. Seconds from killing me faster, when he manages to grab it, and looks up at me with a smile. A wide, genuine smile even in spite of the mess we're in. A smile because maybe, just maybe he's given me a chance.
The white gleam of teeth is soon replaced by a foam, pale at first but getting redder and redder as Espada tugs her rapier out of Plutus' back and kicks the body over the edge of the ravine. He didn't even have time to scream. I do, and when the rapier in Espada's hand slits across my leg I take ample advantage of that time.
Cut, cut, cut. I can hear laughing, hear excited little giggles, hear my voice hoarse. Eventually, it has to end. Atlas is the first to say it. "Iris. Espada. It's over. Give him a little dignity. Lets finish this." Pout audible in a voice, I hear a response, and then a boot nudging me towards the crevasse. I can open my eyes, just in time to tumble into the gash in the earth.
The last thing I see is that damned red box, shattered next to a shattered body. Soon to be next to two shattered bodies.
I squeeze my eyes shut. It's better this way, everything hurts for a second before it ends.