"if i'm a ghost
then so are you"
Emerald Colter hasn't known peace at any time in her life; and with her reaping comes a chance for her to finally make her mother proud of her. Only, when she returns home, everything remains the same and...
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Her skin feels as if it's on fire, each small brush of fog against her skin blistering it. It's a torturous spread, the pain ebbing away at her limbs and seemingly paying close attention to where she'd been cut on her leg earlier. It's excruciating, in some ways much more painful than the gash Enobaria had given her.
The small group are all running as fast as they possibly can, every single one struggling to manoeuvre around the trees in their pained state. Poor Peeta seems to be having the hardest time, his body seemingly giving up on him as he tries his best to keep up. Finnick has Mags on his back, moving rather quickly beside Emerald who is feeling more lethargic with each passing second.
It's almost as if her legs are about to give way, allow her to collapse in the middle of nowhere and let the mysterious fog take over. It would kill her, she knows that, and yet there's a small thought in her mind of 'perhaps it would be quick and painless'. Emerald has been so adamant that she would die, she still is, perhaps this is the best way to go.
It would be rather selfish of her really, she knows that, and yet the thought resonates with her. Sure, Phoenix would probably miss her but that would be about it. Her mother would be throwing parties back in District Eight, that much she is aware.
"We have to keep running!" Katniss manages to get out, the fog obviously having its effect on her too. It sounds as if she's choking on her own words, struggling tremendously.
At this rate, there is no telling whether or not they can actually outrun it. It's moving so rapidly, that every few seconds it'll graze Emerald's skin tauntingly. It's a pain that is so unlike any she's felt before, so gradual yet so cruel.
She's slowing down more and more by the second, limbs shaking astronomically as she wills herself forward as well as she can. Emerald knows how this likely ends, the weakest of the group will fall and only those strong enough to keep going will survive. Herself and Peeta will be lucky to make it out of this, both already fatigued from injury and literally coming back to life.
Peeta falls to the ground and Katniss stops in her run, leaning down to help him up. She pleads for help, but Emerald will only hinder their movements. The brunette can hardly walk on her own, let alone help a boy who is bigger than her. Finnick, however, does stop and tries to help Peeta whilst keeping a hold on Mags who eventually pushes herself free from his grasp.
Emerald's vision begins to blur together, so much so that there are now multiple versions of everybody in front of her. What's most alarming, is that every version of the older woman has turned their back and is heading towards the thickening fog. The shouts of Finnick are painful, desperate, as he tries to call her back but it's futile — the canon sounds and she's already gone.
"Finnick, we have to go," Katniss struggles to form the words, but they seem to register with the District Four Victor who, with the help of Silas, helps haul the almost unconscious blonde boy up.
