Caged | The Hunger Games AU ✓

xxiii. wrenching

matthias is going to die.

just before the sharp edge comes in contact with his skin, a blur of green swoops between me and bliss. there's a sickening slicing noise and a metal clatter, and matthias looks like he just witnessed someone assassinate the president.

i screech to a halt and cover my mouth when i see that bliss's head has been sliced clean off, the inside of her neck visible for all to see. her body stays standing for an agonizingly long second before it slumps to the ground. her wide, blank eyes stare up at the sky.

matthias stumbles away. his face has paled significantly like he's going to be sick. once he's a fair distance from her body, he bends forward on his knees and pants heavily. i rush to him, sheathing my dagger along the way. my hands clasp onto his shoulders as his panicked eyes meet mine. 

"are you okay?" i ask frantically. we're both breathing unevenly, chests heaving. he nods and i move to examine the wound on his arm. for now, the bleeding has slowed. i don't hesitate in pressing my hand against it to stop the flow.

my heart picks up speed when i feel matthias's hand on my waist, fingers brushing lightly against my hip. it isn't a caring embrace. he wants me to turn around.

my body faces the opposite way, taking in a girl holding a long, bloody sword with an extremely sharp blade. her caramel-colored skin is sprinkled with dirt and blood. brown eyes watch us carefully as she moves her short, dark hair out of her face.

"don't worry," she says slowly. "i'm not one of them."

"who are you?" matthias demands sharply, voice laced with pain.

the girl takes a hesitant step forward like we're rabid dogs that might attack her. "emmanuelle. district nine. i can help you."

there's a lapse in which neither of us says anything. matthias and i are still trying to catch our breaths. i squint my eyes at her. "how?"

another step. i tense a bit, but she doesn't seem to want to hurt us. i think it's more of an immediate reaction now than a sign of distrust.

"i know what they are," she informs us, voice slightly hushed. she speaks slowly but in a clear voice. "i can give you all the information you need to survive them. but first, you two need help. i have supplies back at my camp."

emmanuelle starts walking away, then stops once she realizes we aren't following her. her thick eyebrows raise in some form of amusement. "look, if i wanted to kill you, i would've done if by now. if you want, this alliance can be broken as soon as i help you."

it's risky, but i have to admit that we need the treatment. matthias's blood is starting to dry against my hand, and we could use a good scrubbing.

"alright," i sigh. "we'll take up your offer."

emanuelle nods. matthias's grip tightens on my waist, and i turn to look at him with confusion in my eyes.

"what are you doing?" he asks in a hushed voice.

"i'm doing what i can to keep the both of us alive as long as possible," i respond.

matthias's teeth bite down on his lip. he thinks for a moment, eyes drifting from me to my hand that's still pressed against his cut. "fine."

"good." i gently unstick my hand from his arm, cringing at his winces of pain as i do so. once it's removed, i turn and start walking closer to emmanuelle.

matthias picks up his sword from the ground and slides it into his belt. he still looks skeptical about our haphazardly-formed alliance. i don't really care. we're in need of help, and she's providing it for us.