Our Love Could Be Lethal Act I Re-Write

Act I: Betrayal of the Fittest

"You know what? No. No, they didn't know the risk of going in there. I sure as hell didn't. I don't think you can understand the risk of something when you're brainwashed to think it's the best thing that's ever going to happen to you." I storm away from Brutus, not wanting to be around him any longer.

"You should be grateful for the time and money that was spent training you—"

"Don't hold your breath because I will never, ever be grateful for what you did to me. I wish everyone in that Academy was dead and we were too. Maybe we'd actually end up saving some kids that way. One day I'm going to tear that place to the ground, even if I have to do it brick by brick."

Brutus is utterly stunned at my words and their vulgarity, but I couldn't care less about it. He's the one who taught me to be violent, so he really shouldn't be that surprised by how extreme I'm willing to take my words. These are words he needs to hear. These are words I need to say. And he needs to hear them from me.

To put the cherry on top of pissing him off, I throw a classic District 2 insult back at him before he can say another word to me. "Go dive in an empty quarry, Brutus," I say to him over my shoulder, the implication being that one would break their neck diving in one of the quarries that hadn't been filled in with water.

I finally make it to the tiny bar where Haymitch sits alone and a few of the Morphlings from 6 sit in the back at a booth. I walk up to Haymitch who doesn't even shoot me an eyebrow of confusion or a look of question, but just pours me a glass of something and motions for me to sit down next to him in silence.

~~~

About a day passes and I've still refused to talk to anyone. Finnick joined Haymitch and I in the bar after his tributes got out, but he was soon whisked off to go and meet with his suitors. I've tried to avoid watching the Games at all costs as well, but from the snippets I've heard while walking through the halls, apparently one of the girls is on a kill streak—probably Magenta. Drowning in the sorrows of knowing I'm about to be stuck with that woman forever, I eventually find myself alone in Haymitch's favourite bar with a bottle of something that Haymitch had promised was "the good stuff".

That is until less than twelve hours after Percy's death Finnick comes running into the bar with an excited look on his face. "You're going to want to see this."

"I guarantee you I do not."

"Everyone is watching, even Haymitch."

My curiosity gets the better of me so I begin to follow Finnick through the hallways—that and the splitting headache can't handle Finnick's persistence right now. We walk into the Control Centre where all the mentors seem to have gathered; the room seems to be tense yet there's a small undercurrent of, dare I say, excitement. Augustus, Cashmere, and Brutus are huddled in one group near their stations at the back of the room while the rest of the mentors are all bunched up at the front of the room. Finnick leads me past the Career mentors and to the front of the room where Haymitch stands attentively drinking a bottle I know he must've 'borrowed' from somewhere.

I finally get a good view of the television just in time for an axe to lob off the head of the girl. The camera pans up to the girl from 7, clutching her axe with her two bloodied hands and a murderous look on her face. "And you brought me here to see this because..."

"Johanna Mason. Turns out she was faking the whole time, didn't even tell her mentors. Brilliant strategy though," Finnick says, crossing his arms staring intently at the screen. Johanna whips around to see Magenta coming out of the treeline and towards the Cornucopia.

I finally understand what the buzz is all about. For the first time in years, the outer districts actually have a very good chance of bringing someone home. I stare intently at the screen, finding myself joining the crowd of people here rooting for Johanna to win this showdown. Magenta throws a knife that goes too wide, and instead goes in for a stab with a dagger. She manages to nick Johanna in the side, but in retaliation, the girl from 7 swings wildly, which forces Magenta to take a few steps back for fear of losing her head like the girl from 1.