Septiplier One Shots

The Hunger Games {Part 3 Final}

Previously...

"I wasn't actually uh... supposed to be here. My little brother was chosen at the Reaping, and I didn't want him to... you know." Jack nodded, seemingly intrigued in what I had to say. "So, I volunteered, now I'm here."

"I was just chosen. No big volunteering session, I was just forced here. I was one of the last remaining people left in my District that was actually old enough to be eligible to enter the Games, actually." Jack patted his legs, nervous.

"We'll make a great team." I said, lowering my voice.

"Who said we were a team?"

"You. You said I'm not leaving you, so I won't."

Jack stared down at the soggy bottom of the tree trunk. He seemed to be thinking. Suddenly, his expression turned dark.

"Someone's listening." He whispered. I began to reply, but he leaned forward and pressed his hand over my mouth. I furrowed my brows but decided not to attract his attention. I dared not breathe.

"You guys heard that, didn't you?" A voice spoke from outside the log. Agreements came from about three other tributes I didn't know the identity of.

Jack and I sat there in silence for about ten agonizing minutes with his hand over my mouth. I was surprised when he pulled his hand back at how much condensation had collected on his thumb from me breathing through my nose. He wiped it on my sleeve and awkwardly sat back down on the opposite side of the trunk.

"That was nice." I mumbled. That was the first time I saw him smile. He nodded.

"Quite. I love it when people spit on me." I gave a quiet laugh.

"Me too." A cannon blasted outside the trunk. No good.

Jack and I crawled out of the trunk to observe the dome around us. Tributes were scrolled through in the sky as the cannons boomed. A female tribute from eight first crossed the sky. I heard rustling of leaves near Jack as he pulled his knees up to his chest.

I turned to see a tribute cloaked in a dark green hood with the same paint on his face. Though he blended in with the trees and his outfit screamed bloody murder, his bright blue eyes told me otherwise. He quickly pulled a knife out of his belt and held it to my neck, scraping the skin of my Adam's apple.

"Neither of you speak one word." Jack turned around, clearly stricken by this unseen newcomer. Our weapons were in the log, so we were unarmed.

"Get me your bow." He told me, taking the knife away from my neck and directing me to the tree. I nodded hesitantly and climbed into the trunk while Jack gave me a look that meant only trouble and terror.

I felt around the soggy stump for Jack's javelin and gripped it tight in my hands. I didn't know if I was ready to kill someone. It'd come down to it eventually, but I didn't really think on it too much. I didn't want to kill anyone, let alone help someone kill another. It wasn't in my nature. The captor banged his fist against the trunk.

"Get out here!" He whisper-shouted at me. Jack whimpered.

"O-uh... Okay..." I gripped the weapon tighter in my hand. He couldn't see me in the dark of this damp tree, so I held it above my head and lunged forward, closing my eyes.

To be honest, I was afraid of what I'd done. I was afraid I had killed Jack, then I was afraid I killed our captor. I felt tears settle on my waterline as I fell on my hands and knees retching. If I hadn't died by now, I wouldn't, that was all I knew.

"Then what happened?!" Aednat ushered on, grabbing at the field grass beneath her skirt. I chuckled and settled my hands on her knees. Jack pulled her away from me and up into the tire swing he was sitting in before.

"Then we won. We were the only two left. Even though we had to... you know... they did it of their own consent. We didn't want to, but they knew their families and everyone in their District would be killed by the mean people in the government." Aednat nodded, satisfied with the answer she'd received.

"So that's how you guys met?" We nodded.

"When did you get married?" Jack's bit his lip while I scratched the nape of my neck.

"Well, baby girl, we never really got married. The government doesn't allow it. We found you-" Jack covered Aednat's ears. She giggled.

"She's too young Mark. We can't tell her for a couple more years." I rolled my eyes and gave a fake exasperated breath. Jack laughed and let Aednat take his hands from her ears.

"Tell me!" She begged. I shook my head.

"Not yet. Maybe in a couple years." I stood up and dusted the dirt from my pants and straightened my shirt.

"Fine. Can you push me Papa?" She turned to Jack and tugged at the neck of his tank top. He chuckled and agreed, getting up and letting her take his spot.

"Push me real high! I wanna touch the clouds!" She laughed.

"Alright honey. Grab the ropes and don't let go, okay?" Jack pulled her back.

"Uh huh! Push me! Real high!" Jack let her go and she went soaring.

Three feet off the ground.

But, it seemed like three stories for such a little girl. I stood beside Jack and wrapped my arm around his waist.

"I don't believe I've thanked you for not killing me out there." I said quietly, running my hands through his hair. He shook his head.

"Don't thank me. I went with my gut, I've told you that. Something in here," He poked my chest where my heart was. "It told me to help you." I smiled.

"I seemed weak back then, didn't I?"

"Mhm."

"But have you seen my muscles lately?" I flexed my free arm. Jack rolled his eyes and continued pushing Aednat.

"Mhm."