The MCYT Hunger Games

Chapter 29

:))

I have to kill Scar.

It's all I think as I lie falling asleep in his lap.

As he tells me I'm his best friend.

As we play tag in the middle of the arena.

As I raise my trident to strike after distracting him.

I have to kill Scar before he realises Ren isn't alive.

I barely see him turn, my vision blurred with tears. But blinking them away makes it only ten times worse as I see the expression in his wide eyes.

It's worse than sadness.

It's even worse than fear.

It's a look of someone betrayal by someone they thought would never betray them. Someone who's heart and trust have just been torn apart. 

'I'm sorry.' It's all I can say and doesn't cover a quarter of it. Scar just keeps staring at me. 

'...Why?' He whispers back. My reply barely comes, stuck in my throat.

'Ren's not alive. I lied.'

Silence.

'W...what?' I wish Scar was shouting. Anything would be better than this. My vision blurs again... I can't look at him any longer. I can't look at his pitiful expression a moment longer.

'So you wouldn't kill me.'

'How long?'

Then it's my turn to be confused.

'What?'

'How long have you been lying to me?'

'Scar it's... it's just this. I had no choice. I...'

'How- how do I know this wasn't your plan from the start?' A deep, unquenchable paranoia fills his voice and movement. 'Wait until Cub's out the way... pretend to be my new friend... kill of everyone and then... and then kill me...' He's just backing away.

Backing towards the stuff. 

One hand itching to pick up a sword.

'Scar you can't fight me and win.'

'TELL ME IF I'M RIGHT!' 

Scar grabs a sword, pointing it at me. 

'NO! YOU'RE NOT RIGHT!' I stab back with my trident as some form of deterrent that doesn't work.

'PROVE IT!'

'FINE!' I scream. 'FINE! IF- if...' I calm myself down with a couple shaky breaths. 'If I wasn't on your side, Scar, then why did I invite you to sleep after Martyn was dead and not just kill you. Why did I help fix your shoulder? Why- why did I distract Pearl and get myself hurt? Why did I tell Martyn he could kill me instead?'

'THEN WHY DID YOU DO THIS? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN THINK-'

'BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP YOU FROM TRYING TO KILL ME!' He doesn't understand. He'll never understand. He'll always be too kind, too playful, too optimistic to understand.

'I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS GRIAN.' Scar yells, then falls silent, standing there, still threatening to cry. 'I... I thought we were friends.'

He takes another step forwards. I raise my trident. 

'One more step.' I don't want to. I can't. Not any more. I can't kill him in cold blood like I killed Impulse. He doesn't move. But I can see in his eyes he wants to.

'Why not?'

'One more step and that's game over. I kill you. This ends.'

'You wouldn't dare.'

'I would.'

'Do it then.' He's close to crying. 'Do it and prove you're the monster you pretend you're not.'

'No.'

'I thought you said you'd do it.' Scar steps closer. I grip the trident tighter. 'I thought you said you'd kill me if I got too close.'

'Well... well I was pretending I would to... to scare you into staying back and stopping me from doing something I'll regret.' 

'And what would that be?'

'Killing you.'

Neither of us speak for a moment. Both of us are one word away from tears. 

'Fine.' Scar stares at the ground. 'Fine then. If you're not going to kill me that way, we do it fairly. No weapons. None of our supplies. 1v1 here and now, fist fight to the death.'

'No.'

'Then we each take half the supplies and run off in different directions. At dawn, we start hunting each other down to kill each other.'

'Scar, I can't. You can't. I'd kill you instantly. With your shoulder...' I can't look at it without remembering I caused it.

'Then we kill each other at the same time. And claim joint defeat.'

I consider for a moment but sigh.

'Let's put on one last show for the capitol. We do your second option. Run off to opposite sides of the arena. And then... find each other and... end this.'

Scar nods back, giving a sad smile.

'May the odds...'

'...ever be in your favour.' I finish with him, not sure whether to smile or cry and settling with both. We take it in turns to choose what bags and weapons we want, give each other one last smile and head off into the depths of the arena.

The moonlight guides me as I navigate the forests... I can only imagine where Scar's gone. He would've either returned to his base, his memorial for Cub, or he's currently lost. Dawn doesn't come quickly, but I'm still nowhere near far enough away when the streaks of gold cross the sky.

It's time to find Scar.

It's time for my last show.

I immediately start off the way I came from... Scar's nowhere nearby. I know he isn't so I break into a run, trident in hand... just running and-

I hit the ground. Scar pins me down, I feel a sword against the back of my neck and roll out the way, stabbing with my trident. He falls back. I stand. 

'Hey Scar. Long time no see.' I drop my bags to the ground. Scar does the same.

'Yeah. Yeah, long time no see, Grian.' 

He swipes at me again. I duck, dodging out of reach. I grin. 

'Come on, you can do better than that...' He attacks again. I block, ever darting out of range. 'Come on Scar...'

Another attack. I turn and scale the nearest tree. I don't dare throw my trident. I can't give him my best weapon... Scar tries climbing after me. I back away across the branch, out of range for when he realises he can't get me...

A hard something hits me and I stumble. The world disappears beneath my feet, stomach lurching in the moment of air before I crash to the ground, landing painfully on my back. Scar approaches again. I see in his eyes he doesn't want to do this. As he steps forwards, unwilling. He could've killed me already.

So I guess I'm going to have to end this.

I rise to my feet slowly, holding onto the tree for support with my bad hand, the trident still in the other... it takes a moment to gain balance without help, taking a step towards Scar. 

'Goodbye Scar.'

I aim my trident.

Scar's eyes widen.

There's no time for hesitation.

I stab myself in the chest.