The Reaper | F. Odair

Two

-—-
Aaron
-—-

"What the hell was that?" Dad bellows, his face inches from a peacekeeper's masked face. They're silent, only just pushing him aside and exiting the current cart of the train for another.

It's silent, and the tension is so thick you could cut it with a butterknife. "Bullshit..." I murmur, "this is bullshit..."

The main door slams shut, the two of us look over to see Sage standing there all awkwardly -- pure confusion striking her features. Sage opens her mouth, raising her hand with her finger pointed to say something, but it doesn't come out. "I-- ... I don't know what happened..."

"Want to know what happened? They ripped us away from my mother and proceeded to hit her!" I spit, dad's head snaps towards me.

"WHAT?"

I look at him and practically growl, "oh shut up, you could care less if she got into a car crash! All you do is drink -- HELL LIKE YOU ARE NOW!" I scream, pointing at the flask he's already reached for out of his pocket.

He scoffs, "It helps me think!"

"Think? Getting drunk helps you think?"

"Aaron--"

I cut Sage off, "You only gave a shit about life today because you learned you're finally going to hell!"

"You're going to hell too, dammit!" he shouts back.

I raise my arms and scoff, "at least I won't have to see you when you die!"

"So we're both going to agree that we're dying? I'm fine with that." he scoffs, dramatically turning on his heel and plopping his ass onto a cushioned chair, "as long as I have my thinking juice, I'm happy."

"Oh, fuck you, Alex!" I spit, "I shouldn't even be surprised. This is just going to be a repeat of five years ago, but this time neither of us are coming home!"

"Maybe if you didn't come out of that arena five years ago we wouldn't be here."

...what? Did he just?

We're both silent, his eyes are wide and I think I'm in a state of shock. This is my fault?
Sage looks horrified while dad has this look I can't describe. There's tears in my eyes and I can't move.

Sage gasps, "ALEX!--"

"Maybe I'll make this easier and kill myself so you can go home back to your perfect little drunken life!" I seethe, stomping out of the room immediately. Sage's voice is behind me, she's screaming and shouting at dad, scolding him even as the door behind me shuts.

How is this my fault? I can feel tears prickling at my eyes, dad and I haven't fought like this before ever. I don't think we have at least. But, my fault? How the hell is this my fault for wanting to live? Anyone else could've won from 10 if I died or not, right? I'm not the only girl who won the games either, right? Yeah, no, Johanna is the only female victor in 7 -- holy shit, Johanna got picked.

I freeze before the next door ahead of me and I can feel my legs start to shake. I have to kill my friend -- my best friend -- what am I going to do? There's bile rising in my throat, my hip hits the wall and I smack my hand over my mouth immediately. Who else am I going to have to fight? That crazy bitch from the 69th? The psycho from the 73rd?
I flinch at the door ahead of me opening immediately, my eyes snap up and lock onto Nero's. I'm really going to be sick-

My legs go numb.

"Aaron!" he gasps, lunging down and grabbing me, heaving me to my limp feet. "Aaron, are you alright?" he asks, struggling to keep me up.