• Athena Spring has spent her entire life carefully curating the perfect image. Perfect grades, a proud family, and the Plinth Prize nearly within her grasp, Athena has it all. However, when her plans are derailed by an unexpected twist of events, s...
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Athena floats through the dimly lit corridors of the Capitol's infirmary, her steps light, her heart aflutter. The visit to Treech at the zoo had left her feeling unexpectedly buoyant, the weight of the Hunger Games momentarily lifted by their shared laughter and tentative hopes. She knows she's not supposed to let her feelings get in the way of her task, but she can't help it. Every time she thinks of him, it sets her heart on fire.
As she approaches the infirmary, however, a sobbing voice pierces the silence. It's a sound that tugs at her heartstrings—a lonely, desperate cry for help.
A nurse's voice accompanies the sound, gentle yet firm, trying to be heard over the wails, "I'm sorry, dear, no one has called for you".
Athena watches as the nurse exits the cubicle, disturbed to see that the nurse seems wholly unaffected by the agonising pleas of her patient.
Driven by a mix of curiosity and concern, Athena approaches the source of the distress. She rips back the curtains with a hesitant hand to reveal Clemensia, only she thinks it is. The sight that greets her is jarring—Clemensia's eyes are a sickly yellow, bloodshot and wide with fear, while an unnatural pattern of rainbow scales has begun to claim her skin, creeping up her arms, her neck, her face... Athena feels a wave of nausea wash over her at the horrific sight.
"Clemensia?" Athena's voice is barely above a whisper, disbelief colouring her tone.
"Athena? Are you visiting? Are my parents here yet?" Clemensia's voice is desperate, clinging to a thread of hope.
"I... I was just going back to my bed," Athena stammers, "There was a bombing".
She falters, realizing how hollow her own troubles sound in comparison to Clemensia's plight. Staring down at Clemensia, she notices how she twitches, jerks and convulses involuntarily like a trapped snake desperately looking for a way out.
"They said my parents won't visit, nobody's visiting, what's going on?" Clemensia rasps, a manic edge creeping into her voice as panic grips her.
Athena steps back slightly, afraid of Clemensia's hysterics. What possible explanation could there be for someone, anyone, to turn into... this?
"Clemensia... what happened?" Athena manages to choke out, doing everything in her power not to run from the scene.
With another agonised wail, she responds, her voice cracking in desperation, "I don't know, I don't know, Coriolanus and I went to turn in that assignment and Dr. Gaul had snakes, and-"
"Snakes?" Athena perks up, quickly sitting beside the twitching girl in the chair next to her bed.
Athena had heard rumours of Dr. Gaul experimenting on animals and even humans, turning them into monstrous creations. She never thought she'd see one with her own eyes.
