| THE LOVE HE HATES | HUNGER GAMES | COMPLETED

10 | THE VICTOR

     ATHENA NODDED AS Jason helped her to her feet. She picked up her weapon and took in a deep breath, it did hurt and her hand gently brushed against her neck. However, she winced in pain and knew that it would be bruised. Now she was worried she would be unable to speak for the rest of the games.

The pair started walking, as they usually did, until they heard familiar growling. Jason quickly grabbed Athena's wrist and the pair ran away from the sound, the growling seemed to be following them until they reached the centre of the arena. Back where the Cornucopia was and the growling suddenly stopped.

Athena looked around, slightly out of breath, alongside Jason. Once their breathing had slowed, they could hear distant fighting. The two looked at each other before crouching and following the noise.

Not too far away from them, the last two tributes other than themselves, were fighting one on one. It seemed that Jann was doing very well in the fight, but her cockiness seemed to be her downfall.

Jann stood over Stella, her weapon at the girls neck. "Wow, looks like I'll be the one killing the highest scores. It's been fun, Stella. Really, really-"

The girl suddenly gasped in pain, she looked down to see that Stella had grabbed her spear and shoved it through her stomach. Stella pulled it back out and watched as Jann fell to the sand, her hands attempting to stop the bleeding. 

Stella got to her feet, pressing her food against Jann's wound. "Just shut up."

She then slashed the girl's throat and a cannon went off.

Athena looked at Jason. "Go, you have to go."

The boy shook his head. "What about you?"

"Just go."

It took a moment for the boy to finally start running, but he was quick on his feet. Athena turned to where Stella was but she was suddenly gone. She stood, looking around for the girl but she seemed to have vanished. So has Jason.

All three tributes were now alone, waiting to see who would be the next to die.

Athena took a deep breath, holding tighter onto her short sword as she walked around the pit, looking for Stella. Her eye caught a glimmer of something down at the Cornucopia, Stella's spear.

The girl silently slid down the side of the pit, wanting to take out the District One tribute before she had a chance to kill her or Jason.

She pressed her back against the Cornucopia, taking another deep breath and glancing over the side.

Stella was sat on a box, cleaning her weapon. 

Athena silently walked out and raised her sword, but it seemed like Stella was one step ahead. She spun around, shoving the spear towards Athena. The brunette only just managed to avoid the spear, backing away and lowering her sword to protect the area Stella had aimed at.

The two quickly began to fight, their weapons clashing alongside a couple of physical hits. Athena sustained multiple small cuts from the spear, a bruise from a kick and a bloody nose. Stella also had a few cuts, a large gash on her cheek and a black eye forming.

Stella shoved the girl away, breathing heavily. But Athena didn't attack back straight away, her breathing copying Stella's. The pair glared at each other.

"I'll have to kill little Jason after I finish you off." Stella smirked, wanting Athena to attack her with little thought of protecting herself.

The girl continued her glare. "He will be the one to win this, you're not laying a hand on him."

Stella glanced away for a single moment, her smirk growing wider. Suddenly, she launched her spear away from from her, behind Athena. This confused the brunette, who wanted to turn to see why she had done so but also didn't want to look away in case Stella attacked.

"Oops." She spoke.

This caused Athena to turn, she saw that the spear was sticking out of Jason at the top of the pit. His body then fell.

Athena's eyes widened, she didn't notice that the cannon hadn't sounded. She turned to Stella, flying into a rage. She shoved the girl against the Cornucopia, then pinned the girl to the building by imbedding the knife through the tribute's stomach and through the wall of the Cornucopia.

Athena also didn't notice that the cannon didn't go off for Stella, her mind raced, shouting at her to get to Jason.

She climbed the pit walls, struggling against the sand, but once at the top her eyes landed on the boy.

She raced over to his side, skimming her knees as she did so. Jason had removed the spear from his chest and had one hand over the wound.

"Hey, hey."

He smiled weakly as his teammate. "Athena."

She gently lifted his head to rest on her knees. "You're okay. You're okay."

A light beeping caught Athena's attention, another sponsor gift. It landed beside her and she hurried to open it, inside was a note and a cream.

'Hope it's not too late'

Athena quicky opened the cream and went to put it on Jason's wound but the boy shook his head and stopped her hand.

"It's too late." His voice was barely loud enough. "I'm sorry, Athena, please win."

Athena's eyes welled with tears as she lowered her hand, Jason's eyes stared up as the light drained from them.

A scream left Athena's throat, almost fully breaking after her bruised neck. 

A cannon sounded.

Athena sat with Jason's body for a few moments, sobbing silently into her hands.

Then another cannon sounded.

"And the winner of the 68th Hunger Games is Athena Rake."

Everything seemed to suddenly stop.

The birds stopped making noises.

The trees were no longer being blown by the subtle wind.

There was only a small hum from the arena itself.

And the breathing of Athena that had gone from sobs into pure anger.

But she didn't know who the anger was aimed at.

The Capitol. The Games. Snow.

Guards stepped towards Athena and one reached out his hand, he grabbed Athena's upper arm and slowly pulled her to her feet. Athena let his happen, she walked with them as they took her out of the arena.

Where she left behind the old Athena, kneeling next to Jason's body.