𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣, 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 | 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐎𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫 [Hunger Games]

Threats & Crowns

↳ FOUR ↵

The cornucopia is revealed on the Capitol screen and it is just as I remember it.

The center of the old bunker we were trapped in filled with water tablets, basic food supplies, and only three types of weapons spears, some whips, and swords. The only weapon I would have considered using would have been a knife since it is more controlled and lightweight.

The platforms that year was very close to the cornucopia itself, so you could reach out and grab a weapon if you only took one step. The only escape being the shaky six-inch bars going into five different places. But the catch is, they won't lower until fifteen seconds after the games begin.

I watch as the girl from district twelve jumps toward the cornucopia early, not seeing any mines since the floor of the cornucopia was a see-through grate, and is immediately shot by a machine gun that appeared from the ceiling.

The camera changes to my spot once again revealing as I run straight across the cornucopia, the first to make it, quickly jumping on top of a huge box then hurl my body on the ceiling pipe that would later save my life and flip onto the beam which is still not fully lowered, balancing my feet on the thin piece of metal as I slide into the first door. I can hear the audience applauded as if my survival is some show.

I never truly made any allies during the games because Finnick told me not to. He said not to trust anyone in the games no matter what they promise. It was his only advice he ever gave me but I took it to heart, ironically still wanting to trust in the guy who used to laugh and play on the beach with me.

The camera then skips to my straddled position under what appeared to be a discarded couch. My body feels stiff at the memory of hiding under that couch for two days, praying the snakes that would sometimes slither around wouldn't notice the fear reeking off of me as I fought to remain still. 

The next scene doesn't include me, which is rare for the highlights, but I immediately understand when I see a dirty eighteen-year-old boy from District Three, playing with a locked door on what appears to be the lower floors. I can see the smile on his face as the door unlocks with a small click. I close my eyes knowing what is going to happen next, trying to stop my years as I listen to the strong waters pushing the boy back as it all tries to pour out of the door, at once.

When the camera finally cuts to me, I am fervently swimming on the completely submerged floor trying to get out before I run out of oxygen. I remember the burning feeling in my chest when I accidentally tried to breathe through my nose, through my awkward escape from under the couch as the water began to rise.

The small body count at the bottom changed from eleven to twenty, two deaths were from a career attack that occurred day after the flood.

The scene melts away to reveal me sleeping on a single bar that I found under the grate of another electrical room; I was perfectly balanced with a rope around my waist for safety.

Then it skips to when I ran into Velvet, completely ignoring my time with Wick, Johanna's tribute. The body count just adds one more. I assume it is because it would be seen as a sign of rebellion.

Despite myself, I begin to think back to the memory of Wick. 

I heard screaming coming from the floor above me when I woke up and went to investigate, selfishly hoping to steal any food they may have found before their body is taken away. When I made it there, however, I was too late, and Wick was already lying on the ground with a massive hole in his chest, most likely from the spear.

I remember hysterically crying as I tried to stop him from bleeding. His small hand had weakly pushed mine away, knowing it was too late, "Don't," his eyes begin to glaze over as I try to even my breaths, "You're the girl Johanna helped."

I nod with a small smile, trying to stop the blood from flowing, "Yeah. I'm Briar. Johanna talked about you a bit," I think back to our training together, always remembering how Johanna would rant about the puny kid she had this year and how he wouldn't make it. I knew the only reason she was saying that was because she didn't want to see him get hurt.

"she knew I wouldn't make it," he breaks my train of thought. I look at him with a frown.

Shaking my head, I try to smile at him, "No, Wick. She always said that you were too good for all this. That she knew you could do great things."

Wick grew a childish smile of pride before it curled into a wince.

"Shhh. Calm down. Don't move," I rushed as I began to distract him,"Tell me about home."

He wore a distant smile, his eyes cloudy and almost lucid before he whispered, "My mom would always sing to me before I went to sleep."

I tried to wipe my nose as my tears burned my eyes, nodding to his wish, for the sweet boy that I had never gotten the chance to speak to.

He began to wince as the pain was becoming too much. I let out a dry sob, unable to cry any more before moving his hair out of his eyes and singing,

'Let's go to sleep

There is a dream we can share

Just you and me

In a floating sea in the air

What's left below?

we'll never know'

I felt the life leave his body as I kissed his forehead closed his eyes, so he looked like he was sleeping. I stayed with him for a few more seconds before pulling out the rose that I had brought as a token from my garden and placing it in his hands.

I look back at the screen and notice that it had gone to when I was fighting Amino and was flipping on and off the walls to dodge Amino's attacks and allow Velvet to get a head start running away since she had lost half her foot in a fight within the career pack. I refused to hurt him because I knew he was just trying to return home and I also happened to be weaponless.

The screen changes to a different angle and reveals me running away from Amino, while he was distracted, to meet back with Velvet.

That was when the floor began shaking, and Velvet and I had to jump up and hang on the bars, so we didn't fall through into the black tar thing. It sped over Amino stopping before he fell into the broken portion and went to Amino's attempt to throw his last spear at me which lodged itself into my stomach causing me to falter.

Velvet throws a dagger she had in her pants at Amino and I watch as he falls to the ground dead. Leaving only the two of us to fight. 

Then she turns to me saying her last words, "You know I get why everyone loves you. To have courage and be kind, is hard, but that is something that will get you killed."

I close my eyes as I hear her lunge towards me, trying to kick me off the bar before the bar creaks, breaking in half, causing her to fall before I can stop it.

I look up stopping the tears that are threatening to fall, before smiling back at Ceasar who is beaming at the crowd, "There you have it, folks. The Darling of the Capitol. A real princess. The Pearl of the Sea. Miss Briar-Rose Flanagan. The legacy Victor of the Seventy-Third Hunger Games."

I stand, waving at the wild crowd that is hollering and clapping. I then watch as President Snow approaches the stage, holding a small crown that seems to be dipped in gold but unlike the ones I usually see, it has large thorns sticking out of it, almost threateningly.

The anthem plays again as President Snow places the crown on my head nearly cutting me with the thorn. He looks at me as he lightly strokes the cheek that the white rose was discreetly painted on, "So sweet."