Queen of the Highway | Coriolanus Snow

The End Of Laughter And Soft Lies

When I awoke the arena had changed. Now bodies were covered by the Panem flag. My brows furrow as I peek out the gaps in the fan. There was no telling how long I'd slept, but I was glad that I had- even more so, safely.

The taunting of another tribute echoes through the vent.

Suddenly, a spear breaks through the fan, and I have to jerk back quickly to avoid being impaled.

"Don't be scared!" snarls the tribute. "Don't run away!"

"Sicko," I spit, crawling along the tunnel.

I fall quiet. Coral and the lumberjack boy are beneath me. Hunting me.

Through a vent in the floor I can see the lumberjack's face...

These vents are weak, if only-

Coral's trident plunges through the floor of the vent. I jump out the way with fright, moving quickly and unsheathing my knives.

As she rams the weapon once again, I shoot my hand out, grabbing the rod. She struggles against my grip as I battle through the tendrils of broken debris to drop down, still gripping one end of her trident while I turn my attention to the lumberjack boy.

He tries to swing his axe, but I propel Coral toward him using the momentum I can gather with my grasp on the trident. I toss the knife in my hand at him.

It misses.

My heart pangs at the failure, and as we battle along the tunnel I only have a moment to spare to retrieve a new dagger to throw. I flick it at the encroaching boy. It slices clean through his chest, and I watch as he crumbles to the ground in a pool of blood.

My eyes widen with horror as Coral screams, fighting harder against my grip.

I release it, sprinting away from her as fast as I can.

I have, what, two knives left? One for Coral, and one for her only remaining ally. It would be a close shave, but... I'd just have to find a way to get rid of the others.

The sound of an aircraft thundered overhead as we race into the main arena.

Into the arena, what looked to be a black cylinder is lowered.

We all stop, gazing at it with a mix of horror and confusion.

Wovey appears from the rubble, a hopeful look on her face. "Is it over? Can we go home now?"

"Wovey, Wovey!" 

A tern voice draw my attention to the pile of bodies... Reaper. Of course he's still alive.

My lips part as the glass cylinder explodes.

And out spills hundreds, possibly thousands of snakes.

"C'mon, this ain't fair!" I shout, worry bubbling in my chest. Not to mention the animal endangerment situation- are these snakes being treated accordingly with their needs? Shouldn't they be in their natural habitat instead of-

I bring myself back to the current moment. I can't go spiralling right now.

My face contorts into terror as the wave of snakes swallow Wovey. My heart pangs. The poor little girl...

We back away frantically as the snakes sliver toward us. I throw a glance over my shoulder, quickly followed by a knife as I see Mizzen downed by the snakes.

They don't need to suffer, they've already been through enough... 

It's not redemption, but it's all I can really do as I run frantically from the snakes and Coral.

The knife swings and slashes Mizzen's throat, delivering a quick death.

I keep running.

We scale the rubble, snakes hot on our heels. Coral drops her weapon.

"Viktoria! Viktoria," her voice is filled with fear, no longer the ruthless killer from before. "Please, Tori, I'm begging you!" her hand reaches for mine.

I cry out, unable to decide if I should help her. She was just like me. Just a girl, everything ahead of her. "Coral," I continue to edge away, voice breaking. "I'm so sorry. This isn't fair,"

"I killed them all... all for nothing!" she whimpers, falling backward as the snakes seize her, strangulating her. 

I let out a scream of anguish, an anger brewing in my stomach. "We're just children!" I shout, lip quivering as the snakes continue to advance. I shake my head frantically. "No, god, no, please! Please, don't..."

Tears roll down my cheeks. There's only so far I can back away. 

I search for the cameras, chest rising and falling quickly. The last thing I'd like to do, then, is carry a tune.

If this is it and I don't get peace, then...

"This is the end,  beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend, the end," I try raise my voice as the snakes curl around my limbs. "Of our elaborate plans, the end. Of everything that stands, the end. No safety or surprise, the end,"

My voice breaks, rasping roughly as the snakes wind up my body. "I'll never look into your eyes again," they cover my lower half.

"Can you picture what will be, so limitless and free?" I struggle to continue, voice shaking. "Desperately in need of some stranger's hand, in a desperate land..."

I just have to be ready for death. The kind embrace of an old friend. My father, perhaps, strong hands taking mine and leading me toward the light...

"It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die..."

I stare through the camera, tears running profusely from my eyes as my body is almost engulfed in the snakes. 

Any second now.

"This is the end..."

Any second now...

"This is the end."