Writer Games | Masquerade of Martyrs & Family Ties

Task Seven: Songs For A Better World /SF - Jamilla Argentaria

The last thing she  remembered was sitting in the crumbling corridor, clutching a pair of  socks and crying. No, not crying. Sobbing. Part of her had broken with  just a few words from her best friend. It had been her lowest point in  the Games, perhaps the lowest in her entire life, but it was over when  she opened her eyes again. At least, it felt like it was. She was  disoriented for a few moments but she decided that it was just the head  trauma.

Except she didn't feel  the dull headache that had been throbbing in her skull before. The  shooting pain was no longer traveling from her neck down to her toes.  Even the ache in her heart, the bitter kind that had left her weeping  instead of putting on a show like she was supposed to, was gone. It took  her a while to grasp that she was fine but she was glad when she did.  She didn't want to be the Jace that she had been a few moments before  but she wondered why she didn't hurt anymore.

For a second, she  thought that she was dead. But she felt too good for that. Death was  supposed to be painful but all she felt was bliss. It was like being in a  warm bath, there was the same feeling of comfort as she sat in the  peaceful silence and just breathed. It had been a while since she'd been  free to breathe without wondering what would happen if somebody caught  her off guard. She didn't have to worry about that anymore, it seemed.

"God, Jace, you look like hell."

She looked over when  Orion spoke. Part of her was surprised to see him there but the rest was  unperturbed. He'd always been the safest, most constant part of her  life. It just made sense that he'd be there with her. Wherever there  was. For as long as she could remember, the two of them had been as  close as two peas in a pod. Or at least that's what her father used to  say. Why should she be surprised that Orion, who was a bigger part of  her than even her own family, sat beside her then?

"I just got back." It  felt nice to smile. She tried to remember the last time that she'd  smiled but it was more difficult to recall that she would've liked to  admit. Still, his presence made it easier. It always had. Even when her  home life had been hell and he'd been going through some tough shit and  she's thought they wouldn't be able to make it through, he had been the  best thing she had.

He laughed at that  because they both knew it to be true. She couldn't quite remember what  hell had been but she did know that whatever was happening to her was  much better. Was it real? Perhaps not. She wasn't quite sure what was  fact or fiction anymore but at least her story had been given a pleasant  twist. One in the form of a boy with messy hair and an attitude that  rivaled even her own. Having her best friend there was definitely the  best curve that had been thrown at her.

"Yeah but that shit  doesn't matter right now. This is like a time out, you know what I'm  saying?" In truth, she didn't really know but it was only because she  had begun to block out what had happened before he had appeared next to  her. If it wasn't real, she didn't want to accept that yet. She just  needed to believe in the impossible for a little while.

"Well not much shit  matters to me anyways. You know that." Her grin was lopsided. There was  some strange satisfaction in seeing him roll his eyes after she spoke.  It was easy, talking to him. It always had been. Even when she thought  they hated each other, he'd still been the only person she truly cared  to speak to.

He had always gotten a  little wrinkle in his forehead when he furrowed his brow. She could  never help but laugh when it happened and usually that made him laugh  off whatever had bothered him into frowning. When she looked over, that  crease was there and she could see the gears in his head whirring as he  thought. It was as serious as she'd ever seen him and it reminded her of  the little boy he used to be. So serious yet so playful at the same  time.