𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 → 𝗁𝗎𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 ¹

𝑶𝟏𝟕. 𝗋𝗎𝗇

     i run.

     through the ferns, between the trees, i run without even thinking straight. because willow called for me ; as she did countless times back home, and every time i ran to her. this time is no exception.

     a short and brief moment, i thought maybe i hallucinated it, or maybe it was a trap, made by the gamemakers with some sick twist. the highest probability is however that willow really needs help, either because she's in danger or because someone's threatening her.

     both cases, she needs me. that's all that matter.

     she did not scream another time, but i don't care. she was near me, on the same island for sure, and i will find her no matter what. in fact, i find her sooner than excepted and it's because of the laughs.

     i hear laughs before i see her,

     and suddenly i can guess what's happening.

     i slow down before making the foolishness to arrive without thinking twice about what to do. as i stop running, i can hear better ; i can perceive many voices, but the laughs are definitely ares'. they are close, maybe three hundreds feet in front of me, so i climb in a tree to have a better view of the situation. i can see the three of them again ; ares, jewel and mason.

     and for the first time in a week, my eyes finally catch blonde hair and big blue eyes on a tiny girl.

     willow.

     she is sitting down on the ground, next to another blonde girl but older, from the nine if i believe the number written on her suit. and she yells at jewel who's playing with mom's necklace.

     stop it ! she tries to stand up to catch her necklace, but jewel slaps her hard in the face to get her back down.

     i swear i could go right now to give jewel a little payback when i see her leans to willow and says :

     what, little girl ? are you going to cry now ? are you going to call for your big brother ? come on, call him ! call him now, to save you !

     but willow stubbornly keeps her mouth closed, head high, her eyes glaring at the careers, defiant. jewel goes to ares and puts mom's necklace around his neck, the three careers laughing at willow.

     i won't let them laugh any longer.

     i go back to the ground, putting my bag properly on my shoulders before grabbing my spear. then, crouching in the bushes, i approach as silently as possible. a deep breath, before aiming and throwing–

     my spear goes directly into mason's chest.

     next thing i hear is the cannon, then the shouts of ares and jewel. i don't hesitate, and screaming, i get up and come running to them :

     run, willow, now ! run !

     i hope she obeys, but i can't make sure of it because i go right on ares. he's the one i need to put down first. i throw my fist to his face with all my momentum, and he can't possibly avoid that. he grunts at the punch, steps back a little ; enough for me to see jewel running after two little blond silhouettes between the trees.

     fuck.

     i don't let ares comes to his senses and i punch another time to send him to the ground, but it's not enough. he's big, and he's buff. so i hit again, and again. that's when he hits me back. one punch, right into the nose.

     i taste the blood almost immediately in my mouth.

     no time to feel the pain ; i avoid another punch meant for my throat, grab ares' wrist to pull him down and my knee meets his stomach violently, chasing all the air from his lungs. he falls on all fours, coughing and trying to breath ; i send my foot to his face and finally he's knock down on the ground, a trickle of blood flowing from his eyebrow.

     here, i made the worst mistake of my life.

     because too worry about willow chased by jewel, i don't take the time to finish him off. i let him there, still alive, lying on the ground, and i run after the girls, hoping i won't hear the cannon shot before i catch them up.

     must been lucky, today, because here is jewel right in front of me, starting to run out of breath. willow and the other girl are no longer in sight. i don't slow down, and with a grunt, i run straight at jewel and tackle her to the ground.

     she screams with pain under my weight, but she can't really move.

     it's me you wanted ? i'm right here ! i scream at her face and i slap her, twice as hard as she slapped willow earlier.

     her head goes violently backwards with the hit, and with one hand i try to take her potential weapons out. but it's like groping in the dark. i loosen my grip a bit to have more ease, but next thing i know is a sharp pain in my left biceps.

     her knife tainted with my blood in her hand, she aims for my face next and i avoid at the last moment by grabbing the blade with a full hand. the pain is now in my palm, but i resist until i take her knife from her.

     her weapon is now mine, and i won't let another career alive today. the blade slices her abdomen with so much ease it's almost like i didn't do anything. the thick hot blood spurt all over my hand, she screams with pain and because i'm not a sadist, i take the blade to her throat. one slice, and she will be done. one slice, and–

     tristan ?

     my head goes up almost automatically, my eyes searching around me to finally find willow. she's here, half hidden behind a tree, pale and looking exhausted, but alive.

     very much alive.

     willow.

     i drop the knife before standing up slowly. i must look like a savage, with blood on my hands and she must have seen what i just did. i don't want to scare her, so i take only a few steps to move away from jewel who is bleeding to death.

     i'm about to talk softly to reassure her when she finally runs towards me and almost falls into my arms, sobbing. i sigh, relieved, before kneeling to hug her tightly without staining her with the blood on my hands.

     everything's fine now, i whisper at her before kissing her head.

     and everything is really fine, now that we're finally together.

     everything's gonna be fine.