He meant everything to her. Three years later and she'd still do anything to keep him safe, sacrifice everything to protect him- even if that meant keeping him at an arm's length.
She was the one person who truly knew him. The one person he'd choos...
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— — —
Cardinal hues flashed overhead, casting a foreboding aura in the dimly lit chamber. The room was illuminated by color for only a moment before the signaling device faded out. Silence consumed them, the only sound audible being their labored breathing.
The alarm flickered to life, once again dousing the room in light. Their eyes had long since adjusted to the dimness, though, considering no natural light was accessible to them where they were at.
Cass swallowed hard, forcing liquid down her throat. She hadn't had fresh water in hours, only an arid, dehydration accompanying her. She'd been sent down a purifier days ago, but there'd been little to no rain. There was also no way to get food, except for what she'd gathered from the Cornucopia and been sent by sponsors in the Capitol.
That meant that, not only was she dehydrated, but also malnourished.
A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead, the air surrounding them far too warm and suffocating. They'd holed up seven floors down from the main deck of the rig, hiding in one of the many rooms. There were only five tributes left, those being Asher, Nia, Hawk, herself, and Everett.
No one else that was left standing had an alliance besides them, meaning that they were at an advantage. What significantly decreased their chances, though, was the earthquake that had struck just under forty-eight hours ago. Since then, any level below 8 had flooded. The rig they had been placed on was slowly sinking and they were expected to not drown or let the ferocious tiger sharks get to them. She knew they were controlled and created by the Capitol, but she'd watched one rip another tribute apart after getting shoved off the main deck. The last thing she wanted was to be anywhere near them.
Cass glanced down, her eyes narrowing at the small puddle of water pooling at her combat boots. She turned her head towards the stairs, gaze darting to the closed door. Water was seeping from the tiny slit separating it and the steel floors.
"Ev, we've gotta move. The water's rising." She voiced, turning to him.
Everett glanced at her, eyes flickering with apprehension. His machete hung at his sides, his knuckles turning white at how tightly he was gripping it. He took the remaining steps to her, his voice strikingly loud in the reticence. "Okay, we need a game plan. Besides us, it's just Nia, Hawk, and Asher. And they could be anywhere." He paused, torn between what to do. "I say we—"
Before he could finish, the sound of a cannon echoed loudly through their eardrums. That meant someone was dead. And he had a sinking suspicion he knew who it was.
"We gotta move. Come on." He urged, swiftly making his way to the other door.
The framework of the rig suddenly trembled, causing Cass to stumble to the side. Her palms smacked into a large pipeline, catching her fall. "Shit." She breathed out.
