To Save a Victor

Chapter 22

TW: Suicide mentioned very briefly but I figured I'd better let y'all know. 

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"Finnick Odair."

I held Annie up on stage when he stepped up to stand next to Mags. I failed. This was my one job and I failed them. 

I failed Mags.

 Failed Finnick. 

Shit.

 Annie was sobbing into my shoulder and I smoothed her hair down.

"Real or not real?" She said through her tears.

It took me a moment to find my voice, "Real. This is all real."

...

The train was silent as it sped down the tracks, cutting through the mountains and across the lakes. Turning away from the window I looked back at my untouched plate. Ash was across from me, Mags next to her, and Finnick across from her. No one looked up. Mentors and the tributes. So wrong. This was all so damn wrong.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I slammed my hands down on the table hard enough to rattle the water glasses.

"This is not happening!" I hissed, "I refuse to let this happen!" Nothing. Just silence. "No! You are not going to go in there and sacrifice yourselves for the greater good! No!"

Finnick pushed a pile of creamed potatoes from one end of his plate to the other, "Sage."

"Look. I don't want to hear it. We are not going to sit here and wallow in our own misery." I looked around, noting each of their faces, the defeat painted there. "We are going to get up and we are going to do something about it."

Ash poked at the small pile of carrots and peas that took up residence on the far side of her plate, "There's nothing we can do, it's over."

I threw up my hands, scanning the dining table for something that might make them change their minds. My eyes fell on the carving knife that was stuck in the ham next to me.

"Tell the Capitol that there has been a mistake and that I will go as District Four's female tribute." I turned a pleading look to Mags. "You deserve better than this Mags. After everything you've done you deserve better."

Finnick shook his head again, "It's too late Sage."

Huffing, I gripped the handle of the knife, contemplating jerking it free from its resting place amd sending it spinning into the wall next to the silent Avox's head.

Finnick's hand fell on my arm. "It doesn't matter Sage. It's over."

I gripped the handle harder, my knuckles turning white and the knife shaking in my grip, "There had to be something we can do."

Hands slammed down onto the table, sending the glasses of water and wine rocking yet again. Somewhere along the table a glass of red wine spilled. The red stain crept across the once pristine white tablecloth, spreading like fresh blood on the salt flats.

Screams echoed through my mind. Ear piercing, world rocking screams. Blood. Death. A head rolled across the salt, leaving that red stain in its wake.

Mags gave me a concerned look, like she was going to say something comforting. She didn't. 

Not as that blood crept towards the pig impaled on my blade. Another wave of terror rocked me. When? When did I kill it?

Then there was shouting. I turned towards it, that bellowing voice.