Jaded ||| Johanna Mason

twenty

Word travelled fast the next day. At a gathering with the Victors in 2, to talk about what Johanna had done at her banquet, the phone rang. Domitia answered and received the news with a stone-cold expression.

Jade tried studying her face, craning her head to try and listen to what the person on the phone said. She desperately hoped that Snow had made a rare show of mercy. He already had Jade to act as an example.

When Domitia put the phone down, she sighed deeply. She turned to face the others.

"Johanna Mason's entire family was killed. In an accident." Domitia emphasized the last part. She could not say it out loud, the bugs would catch it. But everyone knew it had not been an accident.

Johanna Mason's family was murdered for her slip up at the banquet.

Jade's face fell when she heard it. She wanted to say something, scream something into the intruding bugs hidden all around. But as much as Jade loathed some of her fellow victors, they did not deserve to have their families killed because of her. She wasn't that big of a monster.

It was a reality check for many of the victors there. They didn't know what Jade did to get her family killed, Domitia wouldn't disclose that. But they did know what Johanna did. She refused to become a prostitute. The same would happen to them if they refused.

Their status as the victors from the favourite district wouldn't change that, as exampled by Jade. No matter how obedient, how good, they were, Snow wouldn't hesitate to kill those they cared about if they slipped up.

The get-together ended quickly after, all of their questions had been answered about what would come of the situation.

When Jade was back in her house, she knew she had to do something for Johanna. She'd been in the same situation and regardless of the situation, she was a part of the club.

Jade wasn't the best at giving gifts and she could be a bit insensitive sometimes. But she figured Johanna wasn't one that wanted pity from those around her. If anything, this would make Johanna angrier.

Putting all of her brain power into it, Jade decided on a bottle of alcohol special from 2, and a necklace with a jade gemstone carved into the sun.

To Johanna Mason. (Sunshine)

Welcome to the club.

Regards, Jade.

P.S. I'm sorry this happened if that's actually what you want to hear. I doubt it.

Jade packaged her things and sent them off to 7. The only upside, the only reason Johanna could have to see some positive, was that she hadn't been forced to do anything. Her family, her leverage, had been killed before anyone could ruin her.

Not many victors escaped before then. Like Jade, the damage had already been done.

She wondered if she would be seeing Johanna in the Capitol the following year.

***

If there was one thing Jade knew about the 71st hunger games, it was that the weak tributes would be taken out first. She heard Domitia and Odius talking about it on the train. No one was willing to risk another Johanna.