VENUS《 FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 16. FRIEND OR FOE.

T/W: Mild description of violence.

ONLY FIVE DAYS IN, AND EDITH HAD SEEN ENOUGH DEATH TO LAST A LIFETIME. The antidote worked fast, but her body didn't. It took her twenty four hours to even climb down from the tree, for the anti-venom had seized up her right leg an hour after the dose.

    But she couldn't complain, for all she knew she was given a second chance, a chance to live anew.

   In reality it didn't matter, the arena still had it's fingers tightly coiled around her neck.

   Day 6 rolled around and with it so did a few tremors. Thankfully she had found some strength back and was able to hold on tight to the tree for safety. When the real earthquake would come she wouldn't be so lucky. She would be healed soon though. The vine like markings on her arms and leg lingered in a stained plum colour, but it was fading from black to red. And the freckles across the discoloured skin had regained their pigment.

   Edith wondered if these markings would ever truly go away, or if she would ever have the chance to see it disappear.

    The discolouration on her skin and arms had begun to crisp like a scar, but she drew in her breath and kept ignoring it. Scarred was better over dead.

    It was midday, she had eaten all her last rations and drank her last drop of water the night previous. All her materials were left with Annie and Meekah, either burned or god knows where. There wasn't any more death since the bomb that killed Markis, Meekah and Cassius. Thankfully.

   Edith dropped from the branch with a thud, and hobbled over to another tree a few minutes walk away. Then she climbed. I can hide forever right?

   She knew the answer was a no once she heard the scream.

   It came from below, a deep growl, curdled and horrific from below the earth, maybe the tunnels? Then the cannon boomed. It didn't matter whoever it was, they were long gone.

    Edith shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around her. She had been breathing heavy since the initial reaction began, and it had slowed, but her lungs still felt filled with molten magma. Burning and spewing ash with each breath.

    She slept for the rest of the day, keeping the gas mask on at all times, she was grateful to have packed it when she did. The radio crackled and woke her from her slumber a few times in the sunlit hazy glow, the yellow fog even passed beneath her branch a few times. Missing her everytime.

   Edith memerised the pattern, once at midday, once at noon. She was glad to be high enough to not be swept away in it's acid.

   The anthem woke her again, with the face of a girl called Calissa from 7 in the air. Her breathing hitched once more, but she once again drifted back into a senseless sleep, she needed rest. For tommorow she needed to hunt, she had run out of food and water. Edith was a goner if her body wouldn't gain some strength.

     .•○°●°☆

   "...No you wake her, you're the better climber."

    "But she got a 12! What if she pushes me down or worse-"

    "You'll be fine,"

    "Are we sure it's her, I mean you can't really tell with the gas mask-"

     "Yes of course, is there even any other girl left on her own? And the 8 is visible under the mud-"

   Edith stirred and immediately locked eyes with the two tributes on the ground. A girl and a boy. One waved, the girl slapped his hand.