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Delia barely had time to process anything that had happened. One moment she was on the stage, and the next she was on the train. She was throwing herself as hard as she could against the cold metal door, but it wouldn't budge. "Brock! Danielle!" Delia screamed.
A pair of familiar arms wrapped themselves around her waist, pulling a hysterical Delia away from the train doors. "Don't let them see you," Finnick's voice whispered in a hushed tone. Above them, through the windows, bright white flashes were going off. The Capitol paparazzi was hungry for information on the new tributes, especially one that was delusional enough to volunteer for another and far deadlier Games.
"My siblings- I saw it- they hit Brock," Delia heaved in between panicked breaths. She wasn't there to protect them anymore. Not just her siblings, but the civilians in District Four. This notion of rebellion, the symbol her and Finnick had become. All she had ever wanted was to keep her loved ones safe. That was the only reason she was even in the damned train to begin with; to keep Finnick alive during the games. She had already lost Aaron in that arena, she wouldn't lose him too.
Finnick slowly ran a hand through his hair, cupping her face gently and staring at her. "They won't hurt them. I promise you. I...I can't tell you how I'm sure of it, but I need you to trust me," Finnick told her. Delia frowned when he said that, confused. He was keeping secrets from her? Secrets that depended on her family's safety?
She felt the train slowly begin to move as Finnick held her. They sat on the ground, her chest rising and falling. She grabbed his arm, a waft of salty air drifting by. The last time she would ever smell home. Delia didn't even get to say goodbye to her family. She stood up, leaving Finnick on the floor. "When you come back, you have to promise me you'll take care of them. Not just my family, the whole district," Delia said.
"No. Stop saying that, you're not going to die," Finnick started.
Delia spun on her heel and snapped, "Yes I am! Finnick, do you really think I'd let you die before I do? Do you think I want to live in a world without you?"
"Do you think I could even live in a world without you?" Finnick shouted back. The pair of tributes stared at each other, their gazes matching in ferocity. There was the true, blunt and simple. One of them was going to die. They had both convinced themselves that it would be them. Delia turned around and stormed to her room. This wasn't her first time on this train, but she would make sure it would be her last.
🐚
"There's only two of us left," Delia murmured. She was walking behind another boy as they stepped over various pieces of rubble. For their games, they were in an abandoned quarry. The pair was navigating a dirt trail. The older boy was armed with a trident, while a younger Delia was holding onto her harpoon. The last bits of sun were cascading over the horizon. This would be their last night.
