Wilted Roses ; The Hunger Games

XV. flipped switch

CONNOR AND ROSE had found a nice tree to perch onto for the night, successfully being able to rest for a couple hours until the sun lowered into the ocean once again. The water had risen to knee-level on land, at the beach it had almost completely submerged the cave that was truly their only scourge of survival. But in games like these you must learn not to get attached.

     Rose had tried to make conversation but it seemed like Connor simply didn't want to speak to her, though she couldn't grow the courage to ask why. It was funny, she could murder people in cold blood but confrontation was where she drew the line. She was always like that, for as long as she could remember.

"You could have saved her." Connor speaks up, his words strained after not using his voice for so long, though they were underlined with such a tremble that made Roses heart ache. She knew what he was talking about instantly, wishing more than anything she could forget.

"You could have saved her, but you saved me." He finishes, his voice cracking in every syllable as he rethinks the limited memories he had of Zelda.

"I had to. I had to choose or they would kill you both. If you decide to hold that against me, that's fine, I hold it against myself as well." Rose answered simply, trying to finish the conversation as quick as she could in order to stay strong on camera.

"I could never hold it against you. I'm sorry I haven't been normal lately, watching her body drop into that pit of snakes just flipped some switch inside of me. I feel like I could have saved her— maybe then she would be here with us." Connor explained, tears budding in Roses eyes as she stared into the starry sky, she knew the sky was fake, it must have been. But she couldn't help but imagine the people back home were watching the same moon, admiring the same stars, it made her feel more connected to home knowing she would never admire the same stars as Willow again. She would never splash in the same waves, she could never dance under the same sun, she could never prance across the same sand.

     "Im sorry i'm not strong enough." He said blankly, staring up into the dark sky.

She reached across the branches until her hand met his, she reassuringly squeezed it just like they did before the games started. She could tell it eased him— at least a little— because he simply seemed to relax at her touch until eventually he was able to sleep. A somber smile spread across her chapped lips as she knows she doesn't have much time left with him.

🐚🐚🐚

Things were peaceful up in the tree up until Rose felt a faint rumble shake the ground below her, she would have thought it was nothing if the rising water didn't crash in every which way upon the rumble. Rose had a deep set worry she had to get out of there, she had to get Connor out of there.

She lightly shook Connors shoulder to wake him up, he immediately jolted awake as he looked around erratically before locking eyes with Rose whose expression was filled with dread and concern. He immediately got the hint and stayed silent as he pulls a confused face at Rose.

     A deep hiss traveled below them, making Rose freeze as she spots something big moving in the corner of her eyes.

     "Oh shit." Connor mutters as Rose looks downward. A giant, slithering snake whose scales reflected every color, constantly changing in the reflection of the moonlight, only half of its body peeking over the glistening waters, slid below them. Rose felt an immense feeling of deja vu, almost feeling like she has seen it before but decided to brush it off.

     A loud crack bursted under the water as Rose felt that same rumble once again, she looked closer to see a giant crack slitting through the ground, only growing with the amount of time Roses eyes fixated on it. Rose knew she wasn't safe up there, if she went down there she could get eaten by a giant snake, if she stayed up in the tree the cracks would eventually knock it down and would only leave her more injured as she was eaten by a giant snake.

     With the two decisions both looking rather bleak, she decided to take a risk and before she knew it she was hopped onto the ground, knee deep in the rising water as she swayed away from the direction of the snake. She gestured Connor down quietly, as quiet as she could with each movement causing water to clash against the plants surrounding them who were already showing effects of over-hydration. The roses sticking out of the water had already wilted, Rose grabbed it out of the water and stuck it in her bag, she didn't know why exactly but she did.

She waved her hands around in the water, desperately searching for Connors until she met the warmth of his hand in hers, she gave him another squeeze and an assuring squeeze before they began trekking in the opposite direction. Rose didn't know it at that point, but they had lost the snake. She was too focused on escaping to wherever to realize.

They set their destination to the cornucopia, it would be rather easy to make it due to both of their natural skill for swimming due to their District. They learned how to swim before they learned how to walk, it was almost a blessing the arena had started flooding.

The loud Capital music began booming through the air, making Rose freeze in her place. Rose took a quick moment to think to herself, how many tributes were left? She heard a faint hissing through the trees though the booming music left any other noises made by their surroundings in the dust.

Jinx from District Seven.
Phoenix from District Ten.
Daryl from District Eleven.

That just leaves Connor, Rose and Dionysus. Rose was astonished she even made it past the first few days, but for Dionysus to make the final three truly puzzled Rose. Sure she was fast but that was truly all that was going for her, she may have gotten sponsors but it was truly dumb luck that has carried her so far.

Rose was suddenly broken away from Connors grip, before she could even process what had happened a giant zooming object flew through them. Rose couldn't even see Connor over its scaly skin, she wanted to shout for him, she wanted to climb over the snake though she knew she would never make it. She looked in both directions and the snake was stretching from as far as Roses eyes could see, there was nothing she could do at this point besides attempt to kill the creature.

She wielded her sword as it shook in her unsteady hands, she gulped before charging at the giant object. As she made impact with its rough skin, she instantly was knocked onto her feet. True fear strikes in Roses stomach as she realized she was apart from Connor for the first time in the games, there was nothing she could do.

"I can't kill it! I'll find you around!" She shouts as she books it in the direction of its thinnest end, knowing it would be her best bet to find Connor again. She zoomed through the trees, the sharp thorns and branches of the greenery around her leaving small cuts and slices in her exposed arms, her jacket being left covering Connors stab wound, but she didn't care. All she cared about was finding Connor once again. The wind zoomed through her curly brown hair as the darkness of the night made it even harder to see more than five feet ahead of her.

Rose hated these minutes of separation, she felt helpless, unable to protect him means leaving him completely vulnerable to all the dangers of the arena. Her plan would go completely out of the window if she didn't make it to him— and fast. She felt like a ticking time bomb was attached to her chest, she only had minutes before Connor could have ran into Dionysus or met the wrong end of the snake.

"Rose!" The moment Rose heard her name, she froze. There was such an urgency and fear in his voice that could only mean one thing.

AN: ... final three!... Yippee!