.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-72nd-

No matter what, nothing seemed to get better.

Paige was not getting better, she was sinking in her own mind.

Feeling so many things at the same time: Anger, irritable, sadness, worthlessness or emptiness.

She barely had the strength to get out of bed in the morning even if it was to grab her new best friend, a bottle of discarded alcohol that still had a drop in it.

Waking up screaming, anxiety, agitation and restlessness at their peek, basically avoiding sleep for as long as she could.

She felt no need to eat, just so lost in her memories of that fateful day most of the time she could space out for hours, becoming a walking corpse.

If she wanted to feel anything it would end up with spilt blood or broken things, the only thing she deserved.

The only reason she left her home anymore was in a drunk stumble outside.
The last true reasons were each time the Capitol dragged her out for interviews and parties, both she just wished they'd stop but they never did, on one of these outing she had found a shop in the Capitol, body modifications, and now, the name of the 23 fallen tributes of the 71st hunger games were etched on her upper arm with their district number, to be sure she'd never forget them... She can't forget then, she won't let herself no matter how much she drank to forget.

Paige still couldn't forgive herself that she survived. Each night, sitting with the nightlock pill in her hands, each night a fight between her brain and heart and each time the heart lost to the brain, setting the pill back down and going to grab another bottle.

Each night it was one thought that made her put it down, each time the same thought, the same argument to her question.

She couldn't do that to Johanna.

The once thought to be bitchy and careless woman would check in on her a minimum of twice a week.

Making sure she ate and drank something else then alcohol, not leaving her until she did.

Checking for a mess and cleaning away the debris of it.

Wrapping her wounds for her.

Despite it all, buying her the liquor to be sure it was not some crappy shit with something else that could be dangerous mixed in it.

All of it without question or asking her for a payment.

The only reason Paige was still alive was that woman.

She woke up screaming from her nap on the couch, swinging wildly at her demons, trying to chase them and hitting one.

Despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins with terror, she still knew she should have never been able to touch them.

This being one of the many times Johanna took a punch and yet, like for the rest, she didn't complain.

At the time she had her family, they helped her bounce back before they were killed and then anger kept her in check but Paige had no one and nothing to keep her distracted.

She rubbed the blood on her sleeve, not caring for it, the punch caught her nose.

"I tried to wake you, I guess I fail this time." Johanna said.

"I.... Sorry." Paige grabbed her head, feeling hungover but it was normal, reaching around on the ground before the other handed her the discarded metal flask that she quickly opened and drank from it.

"It's fine. Get yourself in presentable shape... You know what day it's today."

Of course she knew it, how could she forget.... The reaping, it was back again.

"I know."

"Want me to wait outside?"

"Yeah, please."

"Alright."

Paige got ready, her least alcohol smelling jacket, a T-shirt, pants, boots, nothing much different from her usual clothes, just versions that were actually clean.

She walked out, heart aching more then it ever did, last time she did this journey it was accompanied with her father and brother, all of them talking with a smile, talking about who'd be the tributes.

But today, only Johanna waited for her as she stepped under the door frame, no brother, no father, just emptiness and Johanna.

She looked at the victor who was staring back at her, and she hated the squeeze she felt to her heart.... Did she really? She wouldn't be able to differentiate anything from pain so yes, she chose that she hated it.

She walked down to her.

"Ready for your first year as a mentor?"

"Unlike you, I'll play the game for my tribute."

"Do as you wish, you have your way, I have mine.... Your first year as a mentor is the hardest and it never gets easier." Johanna walked ahead as she talked.

"Mhm.... I got that by now." She said, following her towards the soon to be death of two other children.

-------------------------------------------------------

They all stood on a platform, the one her father and Johanna did for her own 

Manson called the tributes and Paige had a hard time concentrating, reliving the hell of the year before.

Seeing the spot right where she stood last time.

She cupped her hands behind her as the boy, Ren Div, walked up, he looked around her brothers age.

But the name of the female tribute, that destroyed her.

"Kiran Larosh."

The whole of district 7 literally saw Paige crumble to her knees because her legs let all strength in them go.

The same little girl she volunteered for.

It was her name that was called again.

And this time she couldn't save her.

All her senses screaming at the same time: Why did you even volunteer? You wouldn't have needed to kill your brother.

Paige just burst into silent tears as she let her head hang, fists against the ground, palm towards it, her sacrifice was for nothing, the girl would still go in the games.

And this time, no one volunteered for any of them.

Sealing their fate.