Retribution: Meri Yanamari

Through Copper and Steel

The snow flutters down around me like white butterflies. I stare through the flurries to where the bridge once stood. There is no way back to the Cornucopia. To me, this drives home the fact that there is no going back to where I was before these Games started.

Do I like what I've become? I don't know, but it doesn't matter now because going back to who I was before is impossible now.

"Meri?"

I spin around, eyes narrowing. Then I relax a little.

"Wiley..." I sink to my knees in the snow, almost crying in relief. He's alive. I want to make it out of this place, but I don't want to see him die either.

Another thought strikes me then. If I win, he dies. Can I live with that? My jaw clenches. Yes. I can. I'm strong enough for it now. After all, I left Beckett to the wild animals after nearly killing him. I doubt he survived that. And I abandoned Alex to the Wendigos.

"Meri?" Wiley repeats the forlorn cry.

I open my arms to the shaking child. "It's me..."

He rushes to me, throwing his arms around my neck and sobbing.

One moment of letting my guard down is all it takes. Because I let myself live in the moment and hug him back, he ends up dead. A growl sounds from a few feet away, and then something heavy slams into us.

The momentum sends me flying back, and I lose my grip on Wiley. My eyes meet his as I slam into the snow near the snapped supports of the ruined bridge. I start to yell for him to run.

The wolf is on him before I can.

I pull a dagger out and shove myself up. Then I launch myself at the wolf, stabbing the blade down into its spine. I hit it behind the skull, driving the blade in deep and paralyzing the creature just as it digs its teeth into Wiley's neck.

Wiley screams as I force the beast off him and drop to my knees. He stares up at me with tears in his innocent eyes. How can he still hold this innocence when he's seen so much death? I press my fingers to the jagged bite marks on his neck, trying to stop the gushing crimson tide. "Wiley... Wiley, stay with me."

His eyes glaze over, and he coughs, spraying blood everywhere. I shake my head, gathering him into my arms and cradling him there. "Wiley, no..." I groan, crying as I hold him.

What can I do to save him? Frantically, I move to dig through our packs. They're empty. Think, Meri! What would Az do? I don't know.

Snow. It's the only thing I can think of. I grab thick handfuls of the stuff with numb fingers and press it to his wounds.

It melts as his blood soaks through. I try to pack more in, but get the same result.

He's fading too fast.

Then he stops breathing. Wind ruffles my hair, and I kneel in the snow, stupefied.

He's still okay, right? My heart won't accept it. But my mind does. He isn't... He's dead. Just like Az, Milan, and Alex. Like everyone you've ever allowed into your heart.

"No... No..." I whisper, staggering to my feet and staring at his broken body. "No!" I scream into the sky. "How could you kill him?" I'm yelling at the Gamemakers, Capital citizens, and anyone who'll listen.

Just one more life wasted.

One more ripped prematurely from this Earth.

I wake from the dream. "Wiley?" I moan.