The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 3

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"Dove! Dove!" Her sister's voice approached her. She could hear her, but not see her. The tears still covered her eyes. The sudden feeling of someone grasping her shoulders made her flinch. She didn't respond. Probably everyone in the town square was watching the interaction. Let them watch, she thought. Let them know. Why would I care what they think?

Blinking away a few times to stop the tears, Dove looked at her older sister. "I'm fine," it was the only thing she could say at the moment. Her brain wasn't working entirely yet.

"Yeah. Yeah, you are," Angel said while cupping her sister's face with her hands, wiping away the tears with her thumbs. No sarcasm in her voice. More like a reassuring tone. Her hands left Dove's face. Gently, she took her sister's hand and guided her to the inside of the Justice Building.

Walking inside the room where her brother was waiting was like entering a more expensive version of her house. Decorations made of gold. Fabrics even Victors had a hard time getting. Everything seemed incredibly expensive. What for? It's not as if an expensive room will make you feel better about going to your death. Dove thought.

She locked eyes with her brother. Immediately, the youngest wrapped her arms around him into a tight embrace. Angel joining them seconds after. They had one hour, and they were going to use it. Their mother only watched her children from the sidelines. A few tears escaped her eyes.

Minutes went by when the siblings let go of the hug. Looking at his sisters, Melo smiled. "Hey. Hey, don't cry. I'll be back. I promise," he was the one going to his death, and yet there he was reassuring them. Dove blinked away a few tears while nodding.

"You're strong, you can use a trident and knives with ease. You'll make it back. I'm sure," Angel reassured, more to herself than to her brother.

"Take care of Dove and mum, will you?" Melo looked at his older sister. His begging tone was a tad over a whisper.

"I would do it even if you didn't ask me to," she said while hugging him again. Dove watched the scene by her mother's side. Regretting many things.

She regretted spending more time with her sister than with her brother. Not only that, but she regretted not having hugged him more, not having reassured him enough, and not having prepared herself for this moment. He was supposed to survive for one more year, she repeated in her head.

"Hey, songbird. Mind to sing for me? One last time," the youngest chuckled between tears. Songbird, it's been years since I heard that nickname, she thought.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. Is there one song in specific you want to hear?" Her brother shook his head. He just wanted to hear his little sister sing. One last time. Just one more time before leaving.

As Dove thought of what to sing, the rest of the family sat on the couch, staring at Dove. Her hair had already freed itself out of the braids some strands of hair stuck to her face, which was red from crying. Her face hardened after she had straightened her position. She was ready to sing.

"We are searchlights, we can see in the dark. . .

We are rockets, pointed up at the stars,

We are billions of beautiful hearts,

And you sold us down the river too far. . ." Dove sang through the tears. The more she sang, the harder it became.

"What about us?

What about all the times you said you had the answers?

What about us?