The Angel (Finnick Odair x OC x Johanna Mason)

6

My quick reflexes saves me from dying as Blaze charges from his hiding place, a bloody sword in his hand. I sidestep and quickly jab with my elbow, buying myself a few seconds.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Annie and Ripley scrambling to their feet as Amethyst shoots arrow after arrow at them.

Knowing that it will be difficult to get out of this situation without casualties, especially with the remaining tributes all in one place, I yell at my allies to run as I launch a knife at Amethyst. Too preoccupied with her shooting, she only manages to avoid it at the last second, blood dripping down her cheek from where the blade skimmed her.

Blaze recovers from my jab and sneers at me just as I turn back to him. I kick up my spear from the ground, using it for defence against his sword as he thrusts and parries expertly. Not less than what I'd expect from district 1. But I'm better.

Within 10 seconds, I have Blaze disarmed, his sword a few feet away on the ground, and am about to finish the job with my spear tip at his throat when I suddenly hear a scream some distance away.

I recognise it as Annie's voice.

With Blaze temporarily forgotten, I sprint following the direction where Annie and Ripley have escaped to. Amethyst has already beaten me there, holding Annie in a chokehold while Ripley is trying to save his district partner from Amethyst's grasp.

Having my mind blinded by a wave of rage and fury as well as concern for my newfound friend, I use my remaining knife to slash at Amethyst, taking care to avoid hurting Annie in the process. With the advantage of the element of surprise, I successfully manage to make Amethyst let go of Annie as we begin to engage in a fierce battle.

"Harmony!" Annie yells out to me when Ripley starts to pull on her arm, urging her to flee quickly. I give her an encouraging smile, hoping that if I die here in this arena, she would be the one to leave alive.

Annie is a kind person. Panem could use more kind people like her.

"Just go!" I shout back, my eyes still focused on the fight as Amethyst and I trade deathly blows. If I manage to buy the Annie and Ripley enough time to escape, then I'd have a fairly good chance of winning against Amethyst. Already, I can tell she's getting tired. Her movements are getting more sluggish and her attacks have less force behind them.

However, there is one variable that I've forgotten: Blaze.

He rushes past us and chases after my allies. Still locked in battle with Amethyst, I'm not able to do more than give a warning shout to them before Amethyst's next attack regains my attention.

I just about manage to slice Amethyst's arm, making her cry out in pain and drop her weapon, before I hear the horrible sound of a sword cutting through air mercilessly and straight through flesh.

My eyes widen, and with newfound determination, I knock Amethyst to the side and race towards my allies, hoping to whichever God that still exists that they are safe and uninjured, even as I hear an agonising shriek.

I see that my hopes are unanswered when I reach the scene. Crimson blood flows continuously like a river from Ripley's headless neck as he lets out his last scream, his terrified expression forever etched on his lifeless face that's cruelly separated from the rest of his body.

Ripley's shout of anguish echoes all over the arena, and Annie's crazed scream soon joins the fray as Blaze, standing before them with his bloody sword gripped in his hands, chuckles like a madman only satisfied by his lust for blood.

"Annie, come on, we need to go," I run over to her and tug on her arm even as I watch Ripley's decapitated head roll to a stop with sorrow etched in my heart. With Amethyst temporarily down and Blaze still reeling with victorious ecstasy, this is our chance to flee.

Annie nods, even as her eyes seem far away and are staring into space. I take her hand and we both run with the wind at our heels, with Ripley's last scream still echoing in my mind.

***

"Deep breaths, calm down," I try to console Annie as she pants and hyperventilates.

We've travelled a good distance away and are now hiding in a hidden nook between two valleys. Annie seems really affected by Ripley's death. I don't blame her; they're from the same district and she saw him being decapitated right in front of her. I'm grieving too; Ripley was also my ally after all.

But this is the Hunger Games, and there's no time for grieving.

I sigh as I think back on our battle with district 1. It would've been considered cowardly to flee by my district, but we had no choice.

I know when to pick my battles, and that was one where we could not win.

Especially when district 1's spirit was renewed with the kill of our ally, and when Annie was in no condition to defend herself. If I were only thinking of myself, perhaps I would've stayed to battle Amethyst and Blaze. I had a very good chance of winning, even if it's two against one. However, I'm determined not to leave Annie behind, although I know there can only one victor and this is way too out of character for a tribute coming from a career district.

Annie's starting to mumble now, clearly still fazed by what she's seen. I know it's traumatising. I can still hear Ripley's last scream and Blaze's mad laughter when he killed him.

I begin to fuel my anger with my grief, my sadness transforming into rage that I can use at my disposal.

I underestimated district 1's ruthlessness. I won't make the same mistake again.

"Come on, Annie," I say when she still doesn't seem like herself. "We need to make a plan. Amethyst and Blaze will be coming for us next."

Reluctantly, Annie opens her eyes and removes her hands from her ears. She's still not completely fine, but we don't have time to waste right now.

For the rest of the morning, we prepare ourselves as best as we can for the final showdown. By noon, we realise that the careers aren't going to come after us. They're expecting us to go to them, almost in a taunting way.

And what better place to end it than where it all started?

The Cornucopia.