DARK LOVE, Coriolanus Snow

X, Tears

My heart fluttered as I stood there in front of the huge screen that showed Jessup attacking Lucy Gray who was desperately climbing onto beams in an attempt to protect herself. A strange white liquid left the mouth of my tribute who continued to chase my best friend.

- He... He probably has rabies... I said quietly. It's the bat bite!

Coriolanus looks at me, and I see the fear in his eyes, he looks just as scared as I am.

- Two tributes from District 12 who are breaking their alliance!

- Send him some water, Snow suddenly said to me.

I frown and look at him with incomprehension.

- Do you remember the posters during the war? A symptom of rabies is being afraid of water, throw him some water!

I sigh, trying to weigh the pros and cons.

- Will it scare him? And that will protect Lucy Gray?

He nods and takes a step closer.

- Yes, Erato, please send him some water! He pauses and sighs. Jessup will die no matter what, but you are the only one who can protect Lucy Gray, your best friend...

I sigh and look on my tablet for water to send via the drones, my heart pounding and sadness filling me, my friend was going to die but I had to protect Lucy Gray... She was like my sister, and Jessup was already dead due to illness. I press the water and the drone sends out, coming at full speed and crashing into Jessup, breaking the bottle. My tribute panics because of the water and steps back, his body falling into the void and crashing a few meters lower, I close my eyes and turn my back to hide this horror, my friend... I had killed my friend... After my father fell from the window it was my friend who fell from a beam... I was a murderer...

- Thank you... Coriolanus whispered to me.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, facing the screen again even though I was supposed to leave the room after my tribute died, I refused to leave, I refused to not know what would happen to Lucy Gray.

The final tributes from the arena surround my best friend and my face contorts with fear as my heart pours out.

- No... I sigh, with a heavy heart. No...

- The pack does what it does best: they surround Lucy Gray! Comments Lucretius.

I sigh, shaking my head, fear and reluctance knotting my throat. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Snow leaning over his comunipad, I walk towards him to see what he is doing as he selects several bottles of water, and I realize that he wants to use the drones as a weapon to protect Lucy Gray.

- I hope it will work... I whisper to him.

He lifts his face towards me and smiles softly.

- I hope too...

Several drones rush into the arena, crashing and injuring several of the tributes who had surrounded my friend.

- These drones don't aim very well. Said the commentator.

- Hey, you don't have the right to attack the tributes! Exclaims one of the mentors behind us.

- I'll send him some water. Coriolanus said simply without turning around.

I laughed softly, the pressure that had been building inside me disappearing a little.

Lucy Gray retrieves a bottle of water and goes back to hide for a moment while the tributes attack Lamina still perched on top of a beam. Lucy comes back and discreetly places the bottle next to the others and empties the contents of all the other water bottles which makes me frown, perplexed by the situation.