CHARADE | Glimmer (THG)

Bonus: Finch

Finch's thoughts as I couldn't help myself! Hope this is alright thesparkwithin!

TW: Swearing, Grief

The ground has been transformed into a scorched barren wasteland. The Careers' supply pyramid that towered contemptuously into the sky has vanished - the only signs that it ever existed are the debris strewn all around. Finch picks her way carefully through the carnage, eyes scanning for anything salvageable. 

Nothing useful. Well, this explains the explosion she heard earlier. 

A laughs bursts from her throat as she stares around at the wreckage, high and uncontrollable. Halfway through, it twists into a sob.

Fuck. Fuck! How did things go wrong so quickly?

She already knows the answer. The moment she had let Glimmer walk away. 

As soon as she had turned her back, Finch had known it was a mistake. She should have grabbed her, made her see reason! The two of them could have done it, outwitted the tributes and shown those stupid Gamemakers that they weren't the only ones who could toy with others! They could have shown everyone back home! But Glimmer had been so adamant that her plan would work...

She slips back to her bush as the tears begin to fall. It had hurt when Glimmer's face had appeared in the sky. Like someone has punched her in the chest and she still can't remember how to breathe. 

What had Glimmer been to Finch? An ally? A friend? Finch has never had a friend before so she doesn't know and now she never will. What's certain though is that her world will never be as bright as it has been these past few days.

Strange. That her time in the Hunger Games brought her so much happiness. But Finch will miss this. She'll miss her. Their little moments by the tree. 

Shit. She's crying again. Who'd have known she could be such a sap? Certainly not her old self back in Five. She'd take one look at her now and laugh. She's so pissed though. They'd promised they'd make it to the final six together...

Glimmer should have won. Finch can't remember when she'd stopped trying to use her, and instead made it her aim to get Glimmer out of the Games alive. It had just sort of happened. She had glanced at Glimmer - Glimmer who was pretending not to shiver from the cold because she had just given Finch her fucking blanket - and had realised that this girl had meant more to her than her own life. 

It had been a scary thought at the time. Yet somehow also thrilling. To live for someone else. 

Well, it's done now. Glimmer's gone and Finch's struggle has lost its' meaning. Though, perhaps not quite. She'd promised Glimmer she'd live to meet her family. She sighs. Fuck it. Even now, Glimmer is keeping her alive. Typical. 

She raises her head to the sky. They've laid out the stars tonight. Some Gamemaker has played around with their controls to make those balls of light seem extra beautiful. It's ironic, really. They've murdered the only person in this arena who'd actually appreciate them.

Do the dead still look on? Finch considers this, as she gazes at the stars. She never really gave it much thought before. Sort of hard to when each day in the streets was a battle to survive, and she never really grew attached to anyone enough to miss them. But she has to admit, the idea sounds nice...

She's being sappy. Glimmer's gone to wherever it is the dead go, and Finch has been left in this world alone. Still, she raises the soup cannister Glimmer gifted to her and grips it tight. 

"Well, Princess," She murmurs, "Here's to winning this thing."

She tosses her head back and drains the dregs. Then she stands, wipes her eyes, and moves away from her bush, towards whatever future the Games will hold.