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II. Goodbye's
❝The worst way
you can leave someone
is in silence.❞
― J.B [Silence was your goodbye]
― ⛓♆†⚔️༄🌊...
"YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES,"
The peacekeeper drawls through their mask, opening the door to the room that Thalia had been locked in ― and shutting it closed ― soon after two, similar looking figures come tumbling through it. Indi reaches her first ― wrapping her little sister up in her arms, without a moments hesitation (it is ― perhaps ― the tightest hug that Indi has ever given anyone, since the incident, Thalia thinks...) Their mother joins them soon afterwards, taking a couple moments to brace herself. Thalia can hardly hear anything over the profuse, warped apologies spurring out of Indi's mouth (―"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry― I shouldn't have jinxed it― I― I should've done something― this is all my fault!"―"); the sound of the sea from outside of the crooked window; the sound of her own voice, even, and the sound of her mothers strangled sobs. It's all so surreal. Most of their last moments together ― if not all of them ― are spent amongst hysterical fits of tears; bone shuddering wails and heart-breaking sobs, and nothing other than that. It's all over, soon enough ― after their time is up ― and taken from them. Ara leaves on the arm of a peacekeeper, that helps her stand on her own two feet ― appearing to be quite numb in the face, but going with him willingly ― in comparison to Indi, that is. It takes three peacekeepers to hold her back ― as she fights against them, before being dragged out of the room ― screaming through a choked back sob, with one last futile apology.
As if she would've been able to change anything.
Thalia waits afterwards, for a couple of moments ― staring out of the window, towards the sea ― watching as everyone leaves the court; some sorrowful; some proud; some disappointed. That's the way it always is, after the reaping ― the divide between them all thickening even more ― with no one getting what they wanted, in the end. Thalia isn't sure how long it's been until the door swings open again, this time, for the last time ― revealing the rather distraught sight of Caspian, standing within it. The door slams shut behind him as he makes a break towards her, flinging his arms around her and stumbling ― almost losing his balance as he clutches onto her ― much like how her mother and sister had done so, a couple of moments ago (moments that she's already starting to miss, and feels as though she hadn't made the most of out...) Although, his hold is with something much more desperate than theirs was ― an ultimatum; the final straw; the last chance. Thalia throws her arms around his waist, having anticipated his approach, as she buries her face into his shoulder ― letting the tears that she'd been stifling from her sister and her mother's visits (― while trying to put up a strong front, for their sake―) out then, and fall onto the ragged fabrics: breaking down as she glances up at him, "I can't do it, Cass. I couldn't tell them, but I can't― I can't do it, I― I won't―"
