1 - Uncharted Waters [Hunger Games]

25 - On the Brink of the Abyss

Chapter 25

 "Bury a Friend" by Billie Eilish

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Night had fallen, and Mira found herself standing alone at the edge of the Cornucopia. There was no one in sight—only the eerie stillness of the arena, the towering metal structure casting long shadows. Her mind raced, wondering if the Games had finally come to an end.

"Far from it."

Mira whipped her head around, startled. Suave was sitting casually on a crate, grinning, his back to her. When their eyes met, the grin faded from his face. "It was your fault, you know."

Her heart skipped a beat. "W-what?"

Suave stood slowly, his eyes fixed on her as he approached. "I was so infatuated with you, I'd rather die than see you hurt." He reached out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. But Mira was too dazed, confused by the intensity of his words and the unexpected tenderness in his touch.

"What do you mean?" she asked again, her voice trembling. Her mind was foggy, overwhelmed by the chaos of the past days.

Suave's expression darkened. "Wake up and find out."

Suddenly, Mira jolted awake, the light of dawn filtering through the canopy above. She blinked, disoriented, her body aching as she sat up. The weight of her dream lingered, but reality quickly replaced it.

"Great, fish bait's awake. Lucky her to be alive and well."

Mira winced at Grace's biting words, but before she could respond, Destan stepped in. "Don't start, Grace."

Grace scowled, shooting a glare at Mira before turning away, sword in hand, stomping off in frustration. Mira rubbed her eyes, still groggy.

"Sponsors sent some ointment for the stings," Destan said, as if reading her thoughts. He handed her a canteen filled with water. "You were out for a day. How're you feeling?"

Mira took a long drink, grateful for the cold water. "Thirsty."

"As expected," Destan smiled. "It's all right. You're safe now."

Mira handed the canteen back, feeling slightly embarrassed at how quickly she had drained it. "We got everything back," Destan continued, his tone reassuring. "The sponsors came through. We've got enough for a week."

Mira nodded, but something still felt off. She glanced around, looking for answers. "Where's Suave? Stone? What happened, Destan?" Her head throbbed, the remnants of the confusion from her dream still clouding her thoughts.

"Stone's missing," Destan replied, his voice low. "Suave... we found him, but not in a good way." His words hung heavy in the air. "He had an axe in his head. You almost made it to the sky, too, if we hadn't arrived when we did."

Mira blinked, trying to process what he was saying. Her chest tightened as he handed her the anklet she'd been missing.

"Stone is gone. Suave's dead." The words didn't fully register until the realization hit her all at once, making her breath catch in her throat. "I... I almost—" Her voice faltered, but the horror of what could have happened to her gripped her.

Destan seemed to sense her turmoil. He gently pulled her into a hug as tears started to fall, the weight of everything she had been through crashing down on her. "I'm so tired of this, Destan," she sobbed.

"I know Jelly," he whispered, holding her tightly. "I know."

That afternoon, the four of them were inspecting the traps by the lake when they heard someone approaching from the forest. Twyla, the girl from District 8, stumbled into view, an arrow lodged painfully in her shoulder. At first, she didn't see the Careers, but as her eyes scanned the area, her face twisted into panic. She tried to flee, but it was too late.