Memory

1) Dream for things that once were

She found herself in the maze, alone, just like she had almost every night for the past three months. She knew what was going to happen, and just like always, she knew there was nothing she could do about it. The familiar whirls and clicks of the griever filled her ears, making her breath catch in her throat. Even though she had done this so many times before, a tiny whimper escaped her lips as the creature rounded the corner.

She knew she had to run. If she wanted to stay alive, that is. So she began to move. It didn't work, of course. It never worked.

She was going too slow and she knew it, but she couldn't make herself move any faster. Every step felt like she was walking through molasses, her legs almost refusing to budge.

Everything fell eerily silent and she let out another half-hearted whine, knowing that nothing good had ever come out of this quiet. She could still see the lights the griever gave off, red bouncing through the trees, and she wondered when it was going to pounce.

She tried moving again, only to find that she was stuck in the same predicament as she had been ten seconds ago, unable to move faster than a crawl. Fear began to take over any logic left and she thrashed about, trying to gain some sort of freedom. It didn't work, in fact, it only made matters worse.

She stilled as vines began to snake up over her ankles and wrists, their thorns digging into her skin. Blood began to pool in the indentions they made and slowly dripped down her arms and legs. Only when a tendril began wrapping itself around her neck did she begin to panic.

Her thrashing resumed and it seemed to get the Greivers attention because it whirred back to life and suddenly lunged at her.

A claw dragged down her face and she let out a strangled cry as it-- somehow-- rocked her whole body from side to side. Somewhere in the back of her subconciousness she knew what was actually rocking her, back in the real world, but now she couldn't recall how to bring that knowledge into focus.

A needle pricked her pale flesh and instantly her vision flashed white, her head spinning as she was again being rocked. The Griever went to strike again.

Somewhere through the commotion, her name, she realized was being repeated. Over and over, like a mantra, it was called. She also realized that the voice sounded familiar, safe. She wanted to call out to them, tell them where she was, but as soon as she opened her mouth, a vine wrapped around it, muting her cries.

All at once the scenery changed and she was out of the maze. She was-- no. No. she couldn't watch this again. She'd rather die than watch this again. In a frenzy, she tried to tear out of the bondage.

Her struggling was to no avail.The vines still held tight to her, now holding her head in place as she was forced to watch the scene that had torn her apart those few months ago. She couldn't close her eyes, too overwhelmed to even try. She knew what was going to happen and still she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene

It had all happened so fast. His eyes, the fear he had in them as he gained control for one last second, the ones that had haunted her for so long now. The calm that suddenly replaced that fear... The bullet, the spear... She watched with horror stricken eyes as her lover fell to the floor, collapsing onto his knees before falling to the side.

At once, just like they always did, the vines released her and she stumbled over to him, body finally cooperating. She collapsed at his side, just like she had done three months ago, when this had all started, and pulled his head into her lap, stroking his cheeks and hair frantically, trying to get a response.