The Selection in the Hunger Games

The End - Chapter 27

Animals poured onto the stage, muscular beasts determined for blood. It was in their starving, red-rimmed eyes. I charged Elise. No one should kill their alliance member so callously. Aspen and Maxon battled the beasts behind us, Elise and I taking up the upper left part of the stage.

"You seem admirable, America. But I must complete this," Elise declared, a stern expression on her face.

In a way, so did I. I had to keep Maxon alive. I placed the four knives in my knuckles, two in each hand. Throwing at this distance was safe but if I missed, I was one tool down. I had to be smart. I had to be careful. I had to save Maxon.

Her mace swung at my thighs and I barely escaped its path, inching backwards at the last millisecond. She transferred hands behind her head and brought the weapon down, attempting to crack my skull. I scuttled onto the floor then quickly got back up to be hit by her mace in the ribs. Something was definitely broken.

I ignored the pain, energy pumping through my body. Elise went in for another torso shot. I blocked it narrowly with the knives on my right hand, the sound of metal on metal vibrating in our ears. It was time for me to go on the offense. I jumped into Elise, my knives pointed at her head.

"America!" she gasped in surprise, dodging me and throwing my body in midair to the side of the stage, leaving me helplessly grabbing the ledge. I clinged to it, my feet dangling hundreds of meters above the ground. I struggled to pull myself up but Elise got to me first. Her mace came crashing into my left hand, tearing the skin and shattering some tendons. I dropped two of Celeste's knives, them clattering soundlessly to the ground, my left hand falling uselessly to my side. I was going to die.

She aimed another swing at my right hand. I briefly released the ledge, throwing myself further down it, away from Elise. I fell for a few seconds, my mouth falling open but no air getting through. I grasped the overhang of the stage, my heart hammering through my chest.

"America!" Maxon exclaimed. He threw a huge beast off of him, a purple skinned lion and bear mutt. He ran towards me. His face was covered with grime. He lifted my right hand. My left hand had begun to bleed profusely, its skin torn and hanging limply.

"Who did this?" he asked, commanding. He gripped my shoulder, looking at the injury with unhidden sadness.

"Not important," I replied. I was so happy to be speaking to him. To be seeing him. To be being with him. "Let's help Aspen beat up the beasts and thwart Elise the best we can." We shared a smile and a nod, drawing us back to the devastating scene around us. It was like that with us. If we got too close, it was as if we were the only ones in the world.

Aspen was holding Elise at bay with the blowtorch, putting fear in her and the animals.

"Please forgive me," Maxon muttered. He then chucked his spear across the stage, it seering through the center of Elise's head. He looked down, eyes closed. "I'm so sorry to whoever's life I just affected."

I reached for him with my left hand but stopped due to the searing pain. "We're almost done. We can do this," I said, substituting words for touch "Let's go." I handed him one of my now two knives and with the help of Aspen, we killed all of the beasts.

Then it was just the three of us, each far from each other, panting for breath. Aspen, his black hair filled with blood. Maxon, his pained eyes anxiously meeting mine.

"We might not have thought this through," I joked. They both chuckled. Aspen stood taller.

"America, I love you and always will," Aspen lamented. "But if that's what you want, I'll do it." He brimmed with passion, his loyalty shining through. I was so happy he was taking this so well. I was so grateful for him.

I nodded, walking to Maxon. There was a hint of fear in his eyes that I immediately wanted to dispel. I pulled him close, pressing my lips to his. Thankfully, he kissed me back. It was the embodiment of all we could have been.

I imagined children, maybe four. I imagined trials and errors, surrounded by a feeling one could only describe as true. Peanut butter fingerprints, a little girl we could call princess. Two tears fell unto my cheeks and blended unto his.

"We haven't known each other for long," I mumbled, pulling away so that our foreheads were touching. "But I know that I love you."

"I've loved you since the day we first met. With your fiery hair and stark blue eyes." He caressed my face, his fingers ever so gentle. "Give me the blowtorch. I'll make this somewhat easier for you. I love you, America Singer. More than you can possibly know." He kissed me again, warming me to my core.

"Goodbye, Maxon." I turned from him, too scared of what I would do if I looked back. I met eyes with Aspen, who gave me a confident wink, then we ran. Straight off the edge of the stage. I tried my best to ignore Maxon's cries of anguish, closing my eyes.

There is only one thing you think of when you are collapsing to your death. The One.

And I had had the chance to love him.

**The End. Thank you for making writing this such a joy. You guys are awesome. I hope you enjoyed the ending, please vote and comment, check out my other stories, and always question, never settle.**

**Love you guys. And thoughts on another Selection fanfic?**