The MCYT Hunger Games

Chapter 20

PoV: Grian

I know Scar's not asleep.

Even if I didn't see him tossing and turning, heard his grumbles, I'd know that.

I mean... how could he be? Both with his injuries, the bandages running all the way up his arms and legs, and Cub's death... watching him lying there, eyes closed, shifting around, empathy fills me. And with it, guilt at how I reacted before. My plans to let him die... I know I made the right choice.

But at the same time I can't help but think he's going to get both of us killed. 

I stay alert for any sounds. There are no creatures in this world. So everything would be another person. Someone trying to kill us. Joel or Etho... though I think I scared them off. Maybe False or Doc though. Still after my trident. 

Good. I think to myself. Let them come and let me avenge Mumbo's dead.

As he 'sleeps', I look through Scar's stuff. He's got a decent amount... a couple bags of stuff, enough food and water. His bow and arrows, the matches he snuck in... And of course the medical supplies. I've got my trident to fight with. We're set for a few more nights, a couple of attacks even. 

I climb into the tree for the last hour or so of the night, looking out for if anyone's there from even higher. I run through who must be left in my mind... Scar, me, Joel and Etho, Tango and Impulse, Pearl and Gem, False and Doc, Martyn... and maybe someone else I...

'HELP!'

An unfamiliar yell. I nearly slip, grabbing onto the tree in time. The sound of Scar scrambling awake, terrified, reaches me. I slip out the tree, landing rough, to see Fwhip, who I must've forgotten.

He's hurt. Very, very badly hurt. Worse than Scar... maybe worse than Zedaph, falling to his knees in front of me. I step back, eyes narrowed.

'HELP- please- False and Doc- they- they got me- again- I tried to take some of their stuff and it didn't go well-'

He's unarmed. Completely unarmed. There's nothing on him except his ragged clothes and too much blood. Scar sits up, eyes filling with pity. I snatch up the bag with the medical stuff before he makes a rash decision.

'Why?' 

'...Grian?' Scar frowns. 'Why wouldn't you help him?'

'Zedaph.' I reply. 'Impulse...' 

'What? What happened? Whatever it is, I'm not going to do it. I promise.' Fwhip insists.

'Stole the one thing that stopped me from helping Mumbo afterwards.' My trident is sitting next to the tree still. It would be too easy right now to just kill Fwhip with it. 'So how do we know if we give you our precious bandages and healing stuff, you won't a: die and make it worthless or b: run away with the rest? And still die. Like Zedaph did.'

'Grian... he's dying!'

'I know! And want him to die elsewhere.'

Scar narrows his eyes, crouching down next to Fwhip. I still have all the healing stuff; there's nothing he can do to help except provide him some moral support in his dying.

'It'll be ok... Grian's been through a lot. Just... stay here and I'll convince him.'

'No.' I repeat. 'I'm not going to give around stuff to everyone who asks. Not any more.'

'Grian... can't you show him any mercy?'

'Right now I think it'd be more merciful just to kill him. Besides, he's going to die no matter what if you want to win... Unless you too want to just die for no reason like Cub did?'

It's the worst thing I could've said. Scar shrinks away, something in him changing, something in his eyes grows dull with the pain I know only too well cuts deeper than a knife. But even worse, because Cub and Scar were so much closer than me and Mumbo, or BigB, or... 

'How could you say something like that?' He chokes out, blinking. Tears fill his eyes. 'How- why...' Scar backs away, letting out a choked sob. I sigh, turning back to where Fwhip is still looking at us, still hurt, still bleeding.

I can't help him, I finally decide. I can't. Not after Zedaph. But at the same time... no. No. I can't do it. I just can't do it. There's no way of knowing what he'll do. There's no way of knowing if it's a waste, or if it'll save his life, and he'd join me and Scar... Both options are right. But both are wrong too.

'See if you can find Gem and Pearl. Or maybe Martyn will help you.' I offer as a middle ground. 'They're all friendly enough...' Regret fills my voice as I hold out a hand Fwhip takes, letting out a pained noise as he stands.

'Thanks... I guess.' He stumbles away. I watch as he goes, trying to force down my growing guilt, then turn back to where Scar was. 

He isn't there. I blink. Where... Where would he go? I snatch up my trident, panic growing, not daring to call his name... but why would he run away?!

A cannon, and a yell.

Scar. Terror fills me, but I reason that he's not the one dead. But still... I break into a run in the direction it came from. A capitol ship already flies overhead, the sound of shouting. I hide, seeing Scar there, arguing as he backs away from a pair of peacekeepers. Another carries Fwhip's body into the ship.

Guilt, worse than ever. My head swims with it and I hold onto the tree next to me to stop myself collapsing. I just caused another death. Vomit rises in my throat...

'STAY BACK!' Comes the distorted voice of a peacekeeper. My head snaps up, back to attention to see a gun aimed at Scar.

'I didn't even do anything!' He insists. 'I... I was just next to him!'

'That's not what happened last time...'

I creep around, closer to Scar. He's still arguing. Another peacekeeper calls all-clear. But the one watching Scar doesn't move. I tighten my grip on the trident and step into view.

'Scar, what are you- OW!' Clearly surprised, the peacekeeper shoots towards me. I hold my bleeding shoulder, stepping back. 'Scar, we're going. Now.' I grab Scar's wrist with my free hand, ignoring his protests as I drag him away to safety.