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33. rescue mission
Other than the alliance stumbling into Otto, the boy from Six, not much more happens after the sun sets. He marks the fifth and final death of the first day.
Five tributes dead — Panlo, Hy, Sol, Marcus, and now Otto — June doesn’t know if she expected more or less. Usually, the Games would’ve been nearing the end, but it’s unusually slow this year. It might be because of the introduction of the sponsor gifts, but she has a feeling it’s because so many already passed away before the Games even started.
The screens displaying the tributes makes it more noticeable. She can’t help but wonder what things would be like if the tributes had been brought to the arena the day after they arrived instead. There wouldn’t have been any deaths on either side — no bombing, nothing.
But in that case, she would have also never gotten to know Treech. In some twisted sense, the Capitol and the existence of the Games brought them together. It’s a strange thing, really. She wouldn’t know it, but she’d be missing out on someone who would mean a lot to her.
But even with the Games being different this year, some of the other mentors still can’t help but grow restless. Lucky Flickerman himself is evidently underprepared, too, with the way he keeps on scrambling for new content when he’s not giving updates on the weather forecast.
Some time after the sun has disappeared completely and the moonlight is now the only source of light in the open area of the arena, the alliance finally emerges from the tunnels, with Coral leading the way. The sight of Treech out in the open brings June a sense of relief, though he seems to have abandoned his lucky hat in the tunnels. Maybe he feels like it’s getting in the way when he wields the ax for longer than usual. She doesn’t know.
Either way, as soon as they come out, Festus, Persephone, and Domitia send food and water to their tributes. June follows immediately after, and this time, the drones actually deliver the food without any incidents. The group leaves Lamina alone on the beam and rests near one of the tunnels, splitting the food and water among themselves.
Some of the other mentors also send food or water, except for Clemmie, who vehemently refuses to do so. Whatever the venom did to her, it seems to have lingering effects because this kind of apathy is alarming coming from her. Lyssie tries talking some sense into her, reminding her that Reaper needs food, but it’s like talking to a wall.
No one recognizes Clemmie anymore. June doesn’t know how to feel about the fact that the snake venom apparently also causes neurological damage. As if the physical symptoms aren’t already enough.
After that, Lucky dismisses the mentors for the night since no one expects anything to happen until the morning. Most of the tributes are trying to get some rest now, but not the alliance. After their shared meal, Coral takes the lead again and makes Tanner and Treech collect the bodies of the fallen tributes in the middle of the arena.
June waits it out for a little bit longer. While she draped the blanket over her lap a while ago, she can’t quite fall asleep yet. She’s just glad to see that Treech is doing well. If she could talk to him right now, she knows he’d probably tell her to go home and get some rest like everyone else is, but she just can’t rest yet.
Persephone and Lyssie are the last to leave, meaning that it’s now only Coriolanus and June left. The entire auditorium is empty except for the two of them, and while it feels a bit awkward, it’s not as bad as it seems at first glance. She’s not surprised he decided to stay either; Lucy Gray is a top contender sponsorship-wise, and if June were in his shoes, she’d also not want to miss anything. Her and Jessup are all alone after all, but it’s hard to tell when the alliance might try to come back to them.
Unlike her, Coriolanus is on the verge of falling asleep, and so she decides to let him be. Plus, she wants to avoid the topic of Clemmie as much as possible. He must know she knows about the snakes, she’s sure of it, and she doesn’t want to let more slip than necessary.
She’s less exhausted than she thought she would be after not getting enough sleep the previous night. But when she deems it safe once the cameras show most of the tribute’s locations, she gets up from her seat as well and heads towards the restroom.
She takes a while to freshen up since she didn’t leave her seat except for whenever they were given food by the Academy. She tries to think, but she honestly can’t remember the last time the Academy was this deserted. Seeing all of the empty corridors and halls makes the whole thing a bit eerie. At least the lights are still on everywhere, though, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less unsettling to hear her footsteps echoing in the hall.
She washes her face, fixes her hair so that she can tie it up completely now, and smooths out her uniform a bit. It’s not that she’s planning on going home, but perhaps she’ll give home a call in the morning to ask for an extra change of clothes. She has her toothbrush and toothpaste with her but decides she’ll only use them before she tries to get some rest.
As she opens the door and steps back into the corridor, she wonders if it’s not too late to give Sejanus a call. Things in the arena seem safe enough at the moment, and even though she still has a pit in her stomach, she feels a lot more calm knowing the other tributes are either trying to sleep or staying in their hiding spots.
However, her thoughts are cut short when she hears the clicking of heels approaching rapidly. At first, June thinks it might be her mother, but it’s much worse — it’s Dr. Gaul, and for once, that unsettling smile on her face is replaced by an expression that seems to mask her fury, though only barely. She looks eerily calm, but the moment her eyes land on the mentor, she stops in her tracks.
“Ah, Miss Beaumont!” She exclaims, and June feels a cold shiver go down her spine. For some reason, her being here brings a smile to the woman’s face. “Just who I was hoping to see!”
Unsure what to think, June shifts slightly. “Dr. Gaul?” She clears her throat and straightens up. “Is… Is everything alright?”
The woman purses her lips. It seems the girl is just as perceptive as her mother, which isn’t necessarily a bad trait. In fact, it might even make things a lot easier in this case.
“That depends on who you’re asking,” Dr. Gaul replies. “Is it just you here? Everyone else has already left?”
“It’s me and Coriolanus, actually,” June says. “I know we’re technically dismissed, but—”
“It’s not about that.” Dr. Gaul waves her off quickly. She seems to be thinking briefly, and June can’t help but ask herself what’s going on in that head of hers.
Dr. Gaul isn’t someone to be messed with. That woman let a girl get bitten by her snake mutts in the name of what? The Games? Science? No matter what, it’s inhumane.
In the short pause that follows, June wonders if her cover is blown. Does Dr. Gaul know? Did Cas accidentally let something slip? Did he make a mistake? Or worse, did the snakes get to him? Her blood runs cold at the thought.
Whether or not Dr. Gaul notices her uneasiness is hard to tell, but it’s not like it matters anyway. She eyes the mentor and says, “You’re close with that Plinth boy, aren’t you?”
“He’s my best friend,” June replies. “Is this about what happened this morning?”
She doesn’t think it’d be right to apologize on Sejanus’ behalf. It’s not like he did anything wrong. In her eyes, his reaction was completely normal given everything that happened in the last few days and considering the fact that Marcus was a friend of his. She thinks she’d react the same way.
“Oh, this is nothing in comparison to that,” Dr. Gaul answers. Undeterred by June’s confusion, she continues walking down the hall and towards the auditorium now. “Come with me.”
June can’t say she’s making an effort to keep up with her, but she’s trying not to fall behind either. Much like Lucy Gray, Dr. Gaul doesn’t seem to be bothered by her heels, and her speed is impressive.
But what about Sejanus? What did he do? The pit in her stomach continues to grow as she silently follows Dr. Gaul down the empty halls of the Academy. Now more than ever, she wishes more people were around. Coriolanus she can deal with, especially since he’s tired, but him and Dr. Gaul? She’d rather eat glass.
Dr. Gaul seems angry, furious even, and June is growing increasingly worried. Just what did Sejanus do to make her even more scary than usual? But when she steps back into the auditorium and walks down the stairs, she catches a glimpse of the screen, and her stomach drops.
It shows Sejanus. In the arena. How did he get in? No, that doesn’t matter. And she doesn’t need to ask herself why he’s in there either when she sees him kneeling in front of Marcus’ body. Even in the dark, with only the moonlight casting a faint silver glow over the arena, she’d recognize Sejanus anywhere.
She doesn’t even realize she stopped walking until she notices Dr. Gaul has already made her way over to Coriolanus, waking the poor boy up from his nap. June quickly hurries down the stairs with her heart pounding so loudly in her chest that she’s surprised it hasn’t fallen out yet.
Is he saying goodbye? It seems like it. From the looks of it, he’s sprinkling something over Marcus’ body, and June faintly recalls Sejanus telling her it’s a tradition of theirs in District Two. She frowns as she looks up at the screen.
The nearest person is Lamina, but she’s sleeping soundly. That aside, she doesn’t seem like she would attack him or anyone unless it was for self-defense. Sejanus is safe. But for how long? June feels unwell, but at that point, it doesn’t seem to be anything new. Ever since she came home last night, that vomit-inducing feeling inside of her hasn’t faded. She doesn’t think Treech would attack Sejanus, and he knows he’s her best friend, but she can’t say the same about the rest of the alliance.
At best, Lamina or Wovey bump into Sejanus or see him. At worst, it’s the alliance minus Treech.
“Unless you can put a leash on your deluded classmate, she might as well be dead as far as you’re concerned.” Dr. Gaul speaks in such an icy voice that it makes June turn around as well. The woman is leaning over Coriolanus’ seat, staring down at him.
There’s a split second in which she and Coriolanus exchange a confused and alarmed glance, but June has a feeling she knows where this is going. Dr. Gaul steps aside to give Coriolanus a clear view of the screen, and when he recognizes what, or rather, who he’s looking at, he sits up straight in his seat.
“Sejanus?” he asks in disbelief.
“Bread crumbs. I believe sustenance for a fallen comrade on his final journey,” Dr. Gaul explains, turning back to look at the screen herself. “A District Two superstition.”
June continues to listen as much as she can, but all she sees is her best friend in the arena. Sejanus is knowingly putting himself in danger just to say goodbye to his friend from home. Tears gather in her eyes, but she forces herself to hold them in and takes a deep, shaky breath. Sejanus isn’t stupid. He knows the risks and how dangerous it is. He knows some of the tributes in there have nothing but hatred left for the Capitol and that they’d kill him on sight.
But perhaps this is what he wants. June tries to shake off the thought, but it keeps coming back to her. Is this suicide? She doesn’t know. But she can’t say it would surprise her, given how deeply unhappy he is. Not that it worries her any less, though. Why aren’t they doing anything?
“I’ll work on finding the Peacekeeper he bribed to get him in and cut out their tongue. In the meantime, I need someone to get him out right now,” Dr. Gaul persists.
Coriolanus seems to understand but understandably doesn’t like the idea of it at all. Of course not. It’s practically suicide.
His eyes dart back and forth, and for a second, June even thinks he might suggest she go instead, but he forces himself to look back up at Dr. Gaul anyway. Somehow, seeing someone so usually composed, just as unnerved by Dr. Gaul, makes June feel a little bit better. She has had trouble taking him seriously ever since she saw him fighting with an umbrella during a storm, but with the mentorship and all, she gained some newfound respect for him.
And she’s glad he’s here, as strange as that sounds. Facing Dr. Gaul alone would be too much for her.
“You should send Peacekeepers in,” Coriolanus suggests weakly. It’s clear he doesn’t want to go, and she can’t blame him. But a part of her resents him for it anyway.
If no one does anything, something bad might happen to Sejanus. She approaches the pair carefully.
Dr. Gaul is having none of Coriolanus’ suggestions, though. “Only to have him bolt and hide like a rabbit?” As crazy as the woman is, even June has to admit that she’s right. “Felix Ravinstill and Gaius Breen are fighting for their lives in the hospital, Mr. Snow. I will not have these rebels make further mockery of my Games! If anyone sees us losing control of the arena, it might as well be sounding a horn to the districts to revolt!” Her voice remains steady, but at the end, it almost sounds like she’s hissing.
And even though June winces, she doesn’t falter. She almost thinks Coriolanus’ eyes might pop out of his head when she opens her mouth. “I’ll do it,” she says. Both heads snap in her direction, and she interlocks her hands in front of her. “I mean, you’re right. He would run away if Peacekeepers went after him, but he might not if someone he trusts tries to get him out.”
“What?” Coriolanus manages to breathe out. “You can’t be serious—”
She knows he’s not only speaking out of concern for her here but also out of shock. It’s not like June ever puts herself out there, not even in social situations. She’s not exactly known for her bravery, even though she knows that this is a terribly dangerous idea. But he can definitely see that she looks just as pale as him.
Dr. Gaul straightens up, but she doesn’t seem all that surprised. “Do you hear that, Mr. Snow?” she says. “You two choose to be friends with this radical. You want him to end the Games tonight?”
Of course, all she cares about is the Games, not that someone else might die because of them. She really needs to get a new job, but all things considered, it seems unlikely, as unfortunate as that is.
“It’ll look a lot worse if the tributes kill three of us,” Coriolanus retorts. He’s very obviously against going.
Truth be told, June didn’t even consider the possibility of herself getting killed in the process, either. All she can think of is Sejanus right now, and they need to get him out of there as soon as possible.
“Then don’t let them,” Dr. Gaul says. “And who knows? If you get him out unscathed, I’ll whisper your name in his father’s ear. You still want that prize, don’t you?”
June resists the urge to scoff and roll her eyes. Is that really how Dr. Gaul wants to get to Coriolanus? She’s not exactly shocked that it’s working, but she finds it horrifying that he’s only considering it now that it makes him more likely to get the Plinth Prize. Does he want to get Sejanus out because he cares about him and wants him to live, or because he wants the money associated with his name? Her stomach drops again.
It seems their priorities are very, very different here. But despite that, she finds some reassurance knowing she won’t be going there alone. What if the alliance sees them? There’s no way Treech would let them attack her little group — or at least not her. As much as she wants to see him again, she also doesn’t want him to put himself at risk. The longer the alliance lasts, the better.
“I’ll freeze the screen for an hour. I estimate that’s all we have until the people notice.”
Dr. Gaul’s words send another cold shiver down June’s spine. An hour doesn’t seem impossible, though, unless Sejanus does something extremely stupid. The worst-case scenario would be the three of them getting killed for sure, but it would also be terrible if they were still in there once the hour had passed.
But again, who’s watching this late at night? Not even the mentors, except for her and Coriolanus; everyone else is in bed.
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The ride to the arena is more tense than awkward. June is nervous, and Coriolanus is as well, so aside from the occasional “We’re gonna be okay," they don’t talk much. She finds some comfort in his presence, at least. It’s not that she would’ve been more scared going in alone; she’s just glad to know someone else is here who understands how she feels.
She didn’t even think about it. Not twice. Sejanus would do the same for her any day. She doesn’t care about the Games being interrupted; she just wants her best friend out of that arena. If she can’t have Treech with her right now, she’d like to at least know Sejanus is safe.
At night, the arena becomes even more intimidating up close. Even if she didn’t know what’s currently happening inside, she’d find the sight of it too much to bear. When she and Coriolanus step out of the back of the Peacekeeper van and stop outside the gates, June needs to take multiple deep breaths before she’s ready. She’s not surprised to see that there are no tributes here; however, she knows that even when they're asleep, they’re on high alert.
If they make too much noise, it’ll be over for them. And June, admittedly, never wanted to return here after the bombing. How long ago was it? Nine days ago? Now ten, perhaps? Is it even past midnight? She doesn’t know. All she knows is that she wants to leave as soon as she can.
The Peacekeepers that are guarding the arena’s gates open them. Coriolanus slips inside first, and June follows immediately, only to flinch when the gates shut behind her with a loud bang.
She exchanges a look with Coriolanus, and it’s more than obvious that they’re both scared. Both of their eyes are wide open and darting around for anyone that might come jumping at them any second now, the sound of their heavy breaths filling the eerie silence that spreads again. After they both nod, they approach the turnstiles together. Now in the dark, the blood-red light in the cramped area only makes her more uncomfortable.
She’d jump over the turnstiles, but knowing her luck, she wouldn’t make it. Her legs might get caught up in them, or worse.
June stops in front of the turnstiles, waiting until Coriolanus makes it through, and flinches again when the voice announces, “Enjoy the show!”
He’s trembling from head to toe. June winces when the voice announces her entering the arena too, and as she goes to stand next to him, the silence is heavy. When she offers him a hand, he hesitates. But in the end, it seems his fear outweighs even his pride, and he takes it.
His palm is sweaty, but she’s sure hers must be as well. Her eyes dart around the arena, and she finds it so much more terrifying at night. She sees Lamina curled up on the beam and, on the floor, the dead bodies of the tributes that the alliance lined up there. Where’s Treech? Where are they? Wherever they are, she hopes they’re too deep in the tunnels to have heard them coming in.
She reassures herself, telling herself that this will be a story to tell Treech after he wins, and when she carefully takes a step forward, Coriolanus follows after. It’s ironic, though. Out of all the people in the world, she wouldn't have expected that it’d be him she’d have by her side right now. They never talked much, but since the other is all they have at the moment, they’re clinging onto each other like their lives depend on it.
Her sanity does, for sure. Her heart is beating so loudly in her chest that she fears she might faint. But she can’t do that. Not to herself, not to Coriolanus, and especially not to Sejanus. They need to get him out of here.
Thankfully, he hasn’t moved much in the time it took them to get to the arena. He’s still kneeling next to Marcus’ body, silently mourning and apologizing to him. She knew Sejanus felt guilty and responsible for Marcus, but she wouldn't have expected he’d go this far. It’s both touching and worries her deeply.
She knew the arena wasn’t cleaned after the bombing, but the way some of the ceiling’s remains are scattered everywhere is deeply unsettling. Every step they take feels louder than it is in the silence of the night, but it seems they’re truly alone — except for the dead bodies, Sejanus and Lamina, asleep on her beam. She has to look away when they pass Panlo’s body, though, and forces herself to stare straight ahead at Sejanus.
When they get close enough, he hears them and immediately flinches. It looks like he might actually get up or try to fend them off until he recognizes the familiar faces in the dark and stares at them in shock for a moment.
Then he drops his hands on his lap. “I thought they’d send my ma,” he mumbles weakly.
If it weren’t for the situation they’re in, she might have laughed.
“Yeah, I think we both wish they had,” Coriolanus replies, shooting June a look out of the corners of his eyes.
What’s that for? He’s only here because Dr. Gaul is blackmailing him. But she swallows down her anger anyway, and her eyes soften at the defeated look on Sejanus’ face.
“You two need to go,” he says, standing up.
“We’re only going if you’re coming with us,” June whispers, searching his gaze. “We said we’d get you out.”
“We promised we’d get you out,” Coriolanus subtly corrects her. She finds herself nodding anyway because, while it’s not entirely true, it’s definitely a more suitable phrasing.
Sejanus looks at his friends. His expression is hard to read; she doesn’t think she has ever seen him look like this before. Not even whenever he tells her how much he misses his home, his family, and his friends. Apparently they cut the Plinths off entirely; they saw them joining the Capitol as betrayal. But even here in the Capitol, she knows Sejanus never had a sense of belonging. It’s different than in her case, too. She can’t entirely understand, but seeing him like this tugs on her heartstrings.
“Why?” he finally manages to rasp out.
“Because you’re our — you’re June’s best friend, and you’re my friend, too,” Coriolanus says.
“I have to do this. I had to... I had to go where the cameras are,” Sejanus tries to explain himself. He sounds like he’s about to cry. “I thought it was the only way to make a statement.”
June is close to bursting into tears, too, and carefully takes her hand out of Coriolanus’ to get closer to Sejanus. “They froze the screen,” she says softly. Is that someone hiding in the shadows? She can’t tell. Her heart races, but she forces herself to meet Sejanus’ gaze again. “No one can see this.”
Coriolanus steps closer, too. “Gaul cut the feed,” he adds. “If the tributes kill you in here, they’ll just say you died of the flu.”
Is that a hint at Clemmie? June doesn’t know. All she sees is that Lamina is now awake on the beam, peering down at the three mentors. The moonlight illuminates her features, and unlike back at the zoo, she doesn’t look scared anymore. It looks like she might reach for her ax, but then she squints. Her eyes dart back and forth between the boys, then the girl.
Treech’s mentor.
Lamina stops herself. Of course she knows her. After all, Treech gave her half of the food his mentor brought him, and before the zoo was locked down for visitors, she would always talk to the both of them. June, was it? Even after the bombing, after she persuaded Treech to join the alliance because she knows she has fewer chances of herself making it back home, she knows — she saw — how much she cares. Not just about him, but about all of them.
But what are they doing here? It doesn’t matter. If his mentor is here, they can’t be a threat.
June chokes back a sob.
“You have to decide right now,” Coriolanus says. He took note of Lamina atop the beam as well, and while he doesn’t have time to wonder why she stopped, he knows they’re running out of time here. “Do you want to fight the tributes, or do you want to fight for them?”
“Sejanus,” June whispers. “You can’t make a change or make things right if you die here. Come with us, please.”
Sejanus doesn’t know who to look at. His conflict is written all over his face, and June can’t help but wonder if he was truly that prepared to die in here on camera that he doesn’t even want to leave anymore.
“How can I make a change?” He shoots back. “What can I do out there?”
“You’re rich, smart, and you care,” Coriolanus says. “You’re the only one that has been standing up to Dr. Gaul during class, right?”
Before Sejanus can answer, a loud metallic screech can be heard from deep within the tunnels. Is that a warning? June squints and tenses up, but she can’t tell. She can’t see a damn thing in the dark.
“We need to get out of here right now,” she says and grabs Sejanus’ arm. “Please, come with us.”
“We’re dead if we don’t leave right now,” Coriolanus whispers as well. She’s honestly amazed that he’s able to keep his voice steady. “Spend your father’s money, do some real good, or just be another dead body in Dr. Gaul’s war.”
Seeing the hesitation in Sejanus’ eyes, June lets out a shaky breath. He really came here with the intention of dying. She tears up again. It’s like she can’t stop, like everything that has been going on around her these last few days is just making her emotions run high.
“Please,” she chokes out. “Please, come with us.”
Sejanus closes his eyes for a moment. He’s clearly considering his options, but when he opens his eyes again, she can tell he has made a decision. “You’re right,” he finally answers. “But I won’t leave Marcus—”
Unfortunately, he’s not given any other choice. Before June or Coriolanus can reply, a yell can be heard from the tunnels. It takes a good moment or two until she recognizes who it is that’s coming running at them with a blade in his hand.
Bobbin from District Eight. Now that she thinks of it, she hasn’t seen him at all since the bloodbath. In fact, it seemed like he disappeared somewhere without any cameras in sight. But she also remembers that he talked about multiple ways to kill someone with a needle.
And while she doesn’t know what it looks like when someone comes at you with the intent to kill, she knows he’s not here for a tea party.
“Go! Come on, let’s go!”
With the adrenaline pumping through her entire body, June has a surprisingly easy time keeping up with Sejanus and Coriolanus. They’re still a tad faster than her, but Bobbin’s speed isn’t to be underestimated. He’s a lot faster than expected and determined to get them. Which one of them, or if all, she doesn’t know. And she doesn’t have time to think about it either, because running for her life is much more important right now.
If she dies here, then what was the point of it all? Even if Treech manages to win, he'll surely ask about her and then hear she died “of the flu." He’d never find out the truth. That, and she can’t do this. Not to Cas, not to Max, and not to her parents. They’ve all lost enough.
She’s right behind Coriolanus when he jumps over the turnstiles and follows immediately after, only to hear a pained cry coming from Sejanus. His leg gets stuck on the turnstile, and he tumbles forward, landing on the floor behind the turnstile. He managed to cross it, but he’s not getting up, and Bobbin is right on their tail.
While she rushes over to Sejanus and pulls him up with as much strength as she has, supporting his body weight to help him limp towards the exit as fast as possible. She’s about to turn and ask for help from Coriolanus when Bobbin swings at him with his blade.
“Stop!” He cries out. “I don’t wanna hurt you!”
To no avail. The second time Bobbin swings at him, he cuts him right across the shoulder. Coriolanus cries out in pain and barely manages to get ahold of something — a block of concrete — that he uses to defend himself. Or so it looks at first.
He manages to get a hit on Bobbin, sending him tumbling backwards and onto the ground behind the turnstiles. Then he strikes again.
“Coriolanus, that’s enough!” June finally finds her voice, although it’s hoarse, and tries to reach for him with her free hand. Her eyes are wide open, much like Sejanus’, but she knows she needs to stop him. “He’s already down; stop!” She cries out again, hoping to get him to back off. “Come on!”
But Coriolanus, seemingly drunk on the power, only pants as he stares down at the boy’s dead body. His grip on the block of concrete tightens, and he bashes down on Bobbin’s head again, ignoring the shouts from the girl behind him.
June flinches, and something wet hits her cheeks. Is she crying? She doesn’t have the time or energy to focus on it; she just knows her body is trembling from head to toe. She feels like she’s about to pass out.
Bobbin is dead. She knows it was self-defense at first on Coriolanus’ end, but what followed after scares her to her core. That’s not normal. It’s like he’s drunk on the power he had over Bobbin at the end. It’s terrifying.
As if realizing what he just did, Coriolanus snaps himself out of his trance. In the distance, he sees the pack heading towards them, and he drops his makeshift weapon immediately. This time, he jumps over the turnstiles and helps June support Sejanus as much as possible.
“Go, we gotta go!” Coriolanus yells.
At first, she doesn’t understand where the sudden urgency comes from — she thought Bobbin was the only person they needed to worry about since Lamina made no move to attack them — but then she sees them. The alliance.
Treech. Has he seen her yet? From the looks of it, with the way he’s running with the other three, it doesn’t seem like he has.
Somehow, June doesn’t know how, but they make it through the gate just in time. Coriolanus lets go of Sejanus, clutching his shoulder, and she can only cling onto her best friend for dear life. The gate falls shut behind them, and Coral slams her pitchfork against the bars.
Sejanus still hasn’t said a word. His throat feels dry, his leg is throbbing, and the only reason he hasn’t fallen backwards yet is because of the girl clinging to his vest.
“Watch the screens, gorgeous,” Coral’s voice pierces through the silence. “‘Cause I may have missed you tonight, but your songbird is next on my list.”
So it wasn’t personal until now? Even in her slightly disoriented state, she remembers how the redhead went after Lucy Gray almost the entire time during the bloodbath. In fact, the only time she didn’t was whenever she was protecting Mizzen.
But it’s not like she can think about that right now. Sejanus has a firm grip on her, but she manages to turn her head to take a peek at the tributes on the other side of the gates.
“June?” Treech breathes out in disbelief.
And here he hoped the next time they’d see each other would be without bars separating them.
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wherever you are,
i am thinking of you and missing you.
ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ
i think it was predictable that june would have to go get sejanus out lol but!!! it gave me something else to work with other than the games at least. i'll take it 💪
treech and june next chapter i promise!! <3
have a nice week!!<3
memes!!