The Hanging Tree. *ON HOLD*

Chapter Eighteen ~ Atlas

Chapter Eighteen~ Atlas 

I watched as my knife lodged itself into Rylee’s chest, a steady flow of blood already beginning to stain his shirt. His eyes widened in shock and fear and even though I knew what a monster he was, and even though I knew what he was capable of I let out a whimper of sympathy. Because this so-called monster had a family, maybe even siblings or a girlfriend.

His body slumped to the ground and I clapped a hand to my mouth, horrified at my act of brutality. Laguna lay next to Rylee’s body whimpering in pain, his knife still jammed into her leg. I heard two little gasps next to me and assumed that Atlas and Willow had sprung up next to me.  

‘I… I didn’t…’ I started to say, taking a few steps forward trying to rationalise my thoughts. He would have killed you otherwise! I tried telling myself but another part of my brain was explaining the truth: He wouldn’t have known you were there if you had just kept quiet! The sound of the canon bought me back from my thoughts. I did a few quick calculations in my head and realised that there were now nine people left in the arena, excluding me. Please don’t let Finnick and Caden be dead. I prayed to no one.

‘Where do we go now, leader?’ Atlas sneered at me. I faced the two kids, and took in Willow’s frightened face and Atlas’ hardened one. I took a deep breath, regretting my decision to ever even consider allying with these two. I was now stuck babysitting, when my brother and my… my… friend were missing.

‘This way,’ I said, trying to hide my annoyance. I started to run, trying to ignore the white hot pain shooting from my ankle, towards the front of the house, thinking it was our safest bet to get away from the crime scene. I took a few steps before turning to see whether Willow and Atlas were keeping up, only to find that they hadn’t moved. Dear god, help me, I thought as I walked back to them, trying my best not to limp, against my better judgement I felt responsible for these kids. ‘What now?’ I asked, not caring about the annoyance in my voice.

‘What are we going to do with her?’ Willow’s small voice asked, pointing to where Laguna was lying.

‘I don’t know.’ I said, shaking my head, my eyebrows creasing together, ‘Leave her?’

‘We can’t just leave her!’ Willow exclaimed.

‘Yes we can! What else are we supposed to do?! Take her with us!? Can’t you see, she’s dying!?’ I cried. Willow shifted side to side, obviously uncomfortable, a curl of her dark hair falling in front of her eyes. I sighed and walked over to her, crouching so that I was her height, brushing the curl behind her ear. She looked up into my eyes, startled. ‘Sorry.’ I whispered. ‘But honey, she’ll slow us down, and we probably can’t trust her anyway.’ I felt Atlas’ curious gaze piercing my back. I heard him move closer, so that he could hear what I was telling Willow. I didn’t do anything to stop him. These two twelve year olds needed comfort and they needed to go home to their families.

‘But she’ll die.’ Willow breathed into my ear. ‘I don’t want her to die.’ I leaned back so that I sat on the grass just next to the bushes that we hid in, as crouching made my ankle hurt a million times worse.

‘I didn’t want anyone to die, but Willow, sweetheart, the games are about dying.’ I said, hating myself for having to tell a twelve year old, a cryptic message that she would eventually decipher. It was about dying, and so, she would die as well.

‘They’re not about dying!’ I heard Atlas’ annoyed voice behind me. Normally I would have sprung up and told him otherwise but I was feeling defeated so I just said,

‘Oh? And what are they about?’

‘They’re about fighting and entertainment.’ He hissed back. I narrowed my eyes, a sudden memory flashing back to me.