Accepting a False Fate • Finnick Odair

The End

13 July 70PD

Luna and Jonah make their way through the weeds and plants that are about 5ft away from the trodden down trail. The pair are making their way away from the cave. The only source of protection they had found in the arena, they had already stayed there toolong, and so they know they'll be safer being further away. As a result of their trip to the Cornucopia the previous day, they had enough water and food on them to last them a couple days if they were smart about it.

The girl was, rather ironically, looking around and taking in the beauty of the arena. Despite all the blood and death this arena holds, the nature of it truly is beautiful. The greenery and flowers are perfectly grown. The tunes the birds sing creates an almost peaceful ambiance throughout the arena. The animals that run free seem to have little to no fear of the humans in here, even when they're being hunted, they just seem so relaxed and calm.

"Tell me about your family?" Jonah speaks up, breaking the peaceful silence the two often walked in.

"My family? Well... I'm an only child so it's only really me and my parents. My parents work on the market selling fish. People like Finnick catch them and bring them to my parents to sell. My parents buy them, then prepare them to be sold on."

"Finnick? As in our mentor?" Jonah raises an eyebrow. It is common knowledge in 4 that Finnick is a skilled fisherman, but Jonah still finds it hard to imagine the cocky, handsome man out on a boat fishing.

"Yep, the one and only." Luna giggles softly, "I have spent my entire life until now in school and working with my parents. I'm really going to miss them when I'm gone." Jonah pauses for a moment to look at the girl, and he can see from the expression on her face that she genuinely believes she won't make it out of this arena. He feels bad for the girl. Despite being classified as a career, she has no real skill with a weapon, making her time in this disgusting arena even harder. If we make it and are the last two, I'm letting her win. The boy thinks, fully willing to sacrifice himself for the sweet, kind hearted girl he only met 3 weeks ago.

If we are the last two, he has to win. I'll start considering painless ways to die ready for it. I'm not leaving here alive. Luna thinks. She has grown really fond of the boy in the time they've been tributes. She's learnt more about him than she knows about some people she's known her entire life. He is an incredibly selfless boy, and would do anything for anyone. In this environment, that's a dangerous trait, he'll sacrifice himself without a second thought.

"What about you? What's your family like?" Luna smiles at the boy.

"Well... I have a younger sister, she's 9. Her name is Reef. I would do anything to protect her. I just wish I could be there to prepare her when she turns 12." Jonah frowns. Nothing else in Panem could compare to family for Jonah. His family is the centre of his universe. "My mom's name is Isla, she works in the fishing store; she makes nets for the fisherman to use."

Luna opens her mouth to respond, but they hear some rustling to their left. "Stay quiet and hide in that bush. Now." Jonah directs the girl in a hushed tone. Luna tries to protest, but Jonah simply points to the bush, so she complies. She climbs through the nettled laced branches of the bush, trying not to cut her skin, and lays down on her front to t stay as hidden as possible. She cannot see too much from her angle, but she can see that Jonah is holding his knife in the air and scanning his surroundings to attempt to locate the source of the rustling they had heard. Then, Luna's worst fear is confirmed, the boy from 1 is making his way towards Jonah, sword in hand. Luna can see the sunlight reflecting off the blade, so bright it may as well have just been cleaned and polished. "Where's your little friend, 4?" The career taunts Jonah as he walks towards him slowly, like a lion hunting its prey. "I would have loved for her to see me kill you. I could have tied her up and made her watch, then killed her too." He smirks.