• CIRCUS FREAK | 𝒯𝓇ℯℯ𝒸𝒽 • [CURRENTLY ON HOLD UNTIL JULY]

21: THE BLOODBATH

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Athena's alarm pierces the silence of her room and she's instantly alert, her mind already racing with the day's grim agenda. She dresses swiftly, the fabric of her uniform whispering against her skin as she moves. Securing her hair in a tight ponytail, she barely glances at the mirror before she's out the door, the chill of the corridor a sharp contrast to the warmth of her bed.

The Capitol is eerily quiet at this early hour, the opulence of its architecture a stark backdrop to the turmoil brewing within her. Athena's steps are measured, purposeful, as she navigates the familiar path to the zoo. The argument with her parents hangs heavy in her thoughts, their words a cacophony that still rings in her ears. They haven't spoken to her since last night, nor does she particularly want them to. What stings her more is the fact that Dani has also refused to speak to her, no doubt under her parents' influence. But there's no time for that now—she needs to see Treech, to say one last goodbye.

As she arrives at the zoo, the sight of the tributes, vulnerable in their slumber, tugs at something deep within her. In just over an hour, they'll all be thrown into the Capitol arena where all but one will die. She finds Treech leaning against the tree, his hat a makeshift shield over his face as his chest rises and falls with deep sleep. 

She hesitates, then whispers sharply, "Treech!"

He stirs, the hat falling away to reveal his startled, sleepy eyes. 

"Athena?" he mumbles, voice thick with sleep, rubbing his eyes as he struggles to adjust to the sunlight.

"Yes, it's me," she responds, urgency lacing her tone as Treech walks over in a slightly lopsided fashion, still half-asleep, "Listen carefully. Coriolanus gave Lucy Gray rat poison. It's dangerous—more dangerous than the stuff you have in the Districts. Stay away from her".

Treech rubs his eyes again, holding the bars as if trying to prevent himself from falling over, "Rat poison? But why—"

"There's no time," Athena cuts in, remembering the pamphlets given to them as a precaution during the war whenever they purchased rat poison, "Just trust me. Avoid her at all costs. If she uses it, it could kill you with a single breath, vomiting can slow the effects but only for a little, you'll still be dead within the hour".

Treech's confusion gives way to understanding, and he nods, a frown creasing his brow, "But why don't you just report him? Surely that will get him disqualified or somethin'".

Athena's gaze hardens, "Because, Treech, sometimes the rules are less important than survival. If Lucy Gray takes out a few tributes, your chances of going home increase. It's cruel, but it's the truth".

Treech's eyes darken, the weight of her words settling over him. 

"And Mizzen?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.