VENUS《 FINNICK ODAIR

Chapter 11. THE BLOODBATH.

T/W: Slight gore/violence.

WHEN EDITH WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, SHE FOUND HERSELF IN A HEAP OF BLANKETS AND PILLOWS ON HER FLOOR. Her first action was to check the underside of her blankets for any scuff marks; any sign of the night they shared. Her heart was shattered to find none; but a single piece of parchment on her desk said otherwise.

Her note.

Well, if her meeting with Finnick wasn't real, she knew she had at least tried to make her way to the roof. But why would I dream about him of all people? And what he said about his time in the Capitol... I definitely didn't dream that.

Then she remembered his words. Who he asked secrets from. His transactions and misguided flirtings.

"...only to the ones who don't count..."

She shivered.

Was all that talk pity? Did he just use her as someone to rant to?

Either way, she didn't mind it. If it was real.

"Edith dear? You have fifteen minutes love," Candy murmured through the door, Edith replied with a hoarse, "Okay".

Right. That's why she felt like hell walking. She was destined die today.

Edith surprised herself at the numb sensation, no shakes, no tears. Only a gnawing guilt crawling its way up her asophagus, completely highlighting the next wave to hit her: a jolt of hunger.

How the hell was she going to survive without food for days on end, let alone hide away from 23 others trying to kill her?

She couldn't fathom the question, her body was ceasing up at each crooked movement. Control decimated, her heart on overdrive. Edith's brain was about to start leaking out the side of her skull she was that petrified. The rhythm of a heartbeat pounded like a snare drum.

Edith slipped on something from the cupboard, not really paying attention to the scraps knowing they would be swapped for gear not 2 hours later. She needed food, now. As much as she could fit in her tiny stomach without throwing it back up on her plate.

Cecelia, Woof and Cade were at the table, quickly talking strategy, Edith was contemplating other things, one being how quickly her pointer finger could massacre the skin either side of her thumb's nail.

The mentor held her hand, "Darl don't do that, you dont want to get an infection, here read this instead and eat up. You need iron. You look like a ghost."

Edith whispered a hoarse thank you and opened the leather bound book to the page bookmarked by a braided piece of coarse leather with a little 'L' charm at the end.

Lucy.

That's who I'm doing this for. And Delilah, Lottie, Jaida, Jorja, Vienna and Jak. All of them.

And the one person in her life that she could remember always being there for her. Mali. Tomali Paylor. She was as good as a mother she'd ever get. And she was more than she could ever deserve.

She didn't know much about her parents other then that they stole contraband, and though she could never blame them for the world they brought her up in, she didn't remember any of it.

It left her with guilt, of course it did. But Edith made new memories, she found a new family...

And she was prepared to burn just to get back to them.

Her throat felt dry, all the moisture moved to create room for the tears welling up. Edith pushed them away, she needed to read as much as possible.

She couldn't focus on Cade's solemn expression, or who she had left behind. Edith needed to prioritise coming home to those she loved.