Wilted Roses ; The Hunger Games

XVI. rose?

Dionysus hated killing.

But thankfully she was lucky enough to somehow avoid killing just narrowly enough to get by. She fed off of her fellow career's achievements even when they kicked her to the curb after she only got a four in training. She somehow always crept back in with the career pack, she was fast and— not to brag— marvelous at plan making.

But now every one of her allies had died to the hands of one girl. Rose from District Four. Dionysus hated her since the beginning, she didn't know why but her 'innocence' always got on her nerves. She hated how she overshadowed the people who trained their entire lives for these games, the people who truly deserve the spotlight.

She didn't exactly know how— but Dionysus had made it to the final three. It was only Rose, Roses district partner/ally Connor, and Dionysus. Dionysus knew the best way to take out Rose, was to get to Connor first. Though she already attempted this with Crystal from District One, and she hardly got by with a slice in the arm she was left to take care of alone. But this time she was ready. The arena had begun to flood, Dionysus wasn't the best swimmer but hopefully she could take out the two of them before the water rose to her chin.

     When Dionysus heard Rose yelling for Connor and telling him she would come back for him, thats when she saw her chance. A sly grin spread across her pink lips and she gripped tightly to a sturdy branch hanging off of one of the many trees in the forest and she began climbing.

     Dionysus remembered the days where her father would take her to the nearest park and watch as she climbed all the trees in sight before coming home and being scolded by her mother for being 'un-ladylike', she missed those days more than anything, she wished she didn't have to volunteer her life away for the slim chance of getting those days back. But whatever she did, nothing could please him. She could visualize him shaking his head disappointingly at the fact that she has been too afraid to shed blood.

     But if she came home victorious, all the money their family never lacked, all the trips and publicity her family always narrowly avoided, would it make a difference? Would he build up the same respect for her that was knocked down as she grew older? Or would he be disappointed his little girl was gone for good.

     The tender memories brought a somber smile onto Dionysus's face as she blinked back tears, thankfully due to the darkness, nobody would see her cry. She then set a rule for herself that she would no longer be able to show the tiniest sliver of emotion until she makes it home. She was soon to face the hardest battle of her life, but when she hears the cannons booming for the last time and the triumphant sound of the trumpets announcing her victory, it would all be worth it. Everyone she's lost, every life she would inevitably take, it would all be justified for that one moment of glory where her face would be plastered on every screen in Panem.

She felt weightless as she practically floated through the branches, the water now risen to her toes meaning she had to act fast before it engulfed her entirely. She had heard stories of people in the dark ages meeting a watery demise and it seemed like another level of hell for Dionysus. It was truly her greatest fear ever since she almost drowned in her aunts swimming pool, she had been horrified of any body water ever since and of course she had to end up in an arena where the game makers used flooding as their special twist.

Dionysus could hear the faint sound of water splashing in the distance and she knew it had to be Connor. She took a deep breath before speeding up in order to catch up to him. He was alone, weak. He was helpless prey and Dionysus was the predator, about to pounce at any moment.

She didn't like what she was planning to do, she wasn't the nicest, she would admit to that, but she wasn't a killer. As much as she tried to be, she was all bark no bite. But this was the time to change that, she knows nobody sees her as worthy, but now they would have to. She would no longer be the family disappointment, but the child her mother would boast about to her book club. She could almost feel the pride coursing through her veins as she lifted her chin triumphantly, clutching desperately to the facade she held up so easily.

     Once Connors unmistakable blonde curls came into view, a small grin spread across her face as she twirled her knife between her fingers. A mix of adrenaline, dread, and pride swirled in her abdomen as she stalked closer and closer, making sure she was as silent as the wind as she approached him.

     She premeditated her actions as she stared at the back of his head that grew closer by the minute. She felt like the grim reaper, slowly lurking above the most unsuspecting victims as she rips away their lives as they can do nothing but pray. She almost felt powerful, like a puppet master pulling the strings to the greatest puppet show, his life was now in her hands as she looms closer, her knife simply itching for it's first taste of blood.

     A loud slice became prominent in her ears as the boy in front of her suddenly paused. Before she could fully immerse herself in what was happening, his neck was pouring blood from a large slice she created at the side of his neck.

     "Rose?" He gasped out, hardly audible as he turns slowly. His blue eyes were wide as he scratched and clawed at the gaping hole in his neck. Dionysus watched like a hawk as his clothes stained with a red substance, it was almost satisfying as she watched him fall to his knees, struggling to breath as he landed flat on the ground.

     Dionysus was frozen, she could only watch as his struggling stopped and his body went limp. Only one thought stood out in her mind;
Try and save him now. A grin spread across her face as she looked up to the drone following her in the sky imagining she was looking at her father, she finally did something that could make him proud, but why didn't it feel as empowering as she thought it would? She saw how prideful and cocky her fellow careers got when they successfully took out another tribute, she wanted to feel the same but she couldn't. She felt like she was being devoured whole by a dark pit in her stomach, she felt nauseous as she stared at his limp body, the life already drained from his eyes. She thought everything would change, that she would discover there was nothing to hate. But she only grew hatred for herself.

     She felt shameful as she walked away from his body, a cannon boomed through the air as Dionysus blinked back tears. She thought she would feel empowered, instead she feels like the type of person who would kill a twelve year old in cold blood. She was horrible. Nothing could change that. But the show wasn't over yet, she still had one more hurdle to jump over before she could say she survived the great war.

     She had one more life to take before she could come out of the games triumphantly. She didn't want to have to do this again, but it's what she had to do. She had to make it home. She couldn't have gone through all of that for nothing.

AN: this chapter is literally so short and a bit rushed because im rlly sick but i REALLLYYYY wanted to post this chapter today bc yk it's 2024 now. And idk why but i always write better at night so im just writing this at 3 am and now ima finally get some sleep.

ALSO. CONNOR. That happened. Im sorry if his death seemed rlly bad or rushed bc you're seeing it from someone who's not as close with him perspective but just wait until Rose finds him👀 i do sort of regret not giving it this shock factor but i've had this chapter and its concept planned from the beginning and i feel like its rlly important to walk in the "bad guys" shoes because i really just wanted to show how she was really just a kid who wanted to make it home to her family because theirs so much hate towards careers even though they are really just lost kids in a corrupted world🫠