told myself to forget ;;
With this clichéd sadness and clichéd pain, I barely hold back tears and watch the stars They shine brighter than usual, and seem to fall As they quietly illuminate me...
Death was no stranger to Eli. For years it followed her, stared her in the face. And when she blinked, it disappeared. She was always close to it, but never met its embrace.
So many times, Eli knew that she should have died, but never did. The day she was adopted. Her sixteenth birthday. A month before the reapings. When Milo died. The bloodbath. When Evie died. When Nozomi died. When Ophelia died. When Ecthelion died. Lives, some innocent, some not, ended in exchange for hers.
Was she worth it? Was her life worth that much pain to others? Was the life of Eli Tojo really worth all of those others?
Eli sat on top of the mountain, staring out at the arena. She hadn’t bothered with the feast, knowing that whatever was in the pack wasn’t worth the effort of climbing down the mountain. She left her camp the way it was in the middle of the forest. Still functional. The tent was still there along with two unopened food packs and Nozomi’s spear and daggers. She also left the small backpack that her and Nozomi never opened.
Nozomi. She clutched her hat to her chest thinking about her. Even though she died a few days ago, Eli couldn’t stop thinking about her. How it wasn’t fair that they had to meet under the circumstances that they did. How one girl so quickly took over her mind in the best and worst way. Best because she finally had someone that she could relate to. Someone that would stay up and listen to her talk about her past. Someone that she found herself caring about. Worst because she knew the truth of what would happen. This was the Hunger Games, not the Bachelorette. She knew that in order for her to live, she would have to lose Nozomi.
And she did.
Tears started rolling down her face as she remembered Nozomi’s final moments. The girl that was once full of life soon full of death in her arms in what seemed like minutes. She regretted not even giving her a proper goodbye. Decent last words.
“I love you too, idiot.”
The five final words she ever spoke to the girl that taught her how to love again. That taught her that she wasn’t alone. That taught her that the best things come in the form of surprises.
Our paths will intersect once more, worry not, Elichi.
Nozomi’s last words. Eli held onto them, knowing that there was still a chance for a reunion. Not in this world, but perhaps in some other world. One where she wasn’t constantly meeting with death. One where the two could live like normal girls in a happy world and go to the city and go to the beach and spend nights holding each other in greenhouses and go out to small parlors for parfaits and not have to worry about waking up the next morning.
The only way to be born again is to die.
Eli knew this. But she also wasn’t ready to die just yet. Nozomi told her to fight and win. The people of her district were expecting her in a body bag and she needed to defy their expectations.
She looked down toward the Cornucopia. There were only four tributes left. Her, the asshole from 12, the whiny one from 3, and the one from 10. She quickly thought about what she knew about them. She knew that 12 and 3 were together which she found to be unfair. Why did they get to survive this long together? What made them so special that they get to still see each other? Then again, Eli knew what that meant.
It gave them an obvious weakness.
The major downside to surviving long with your significant other is that the lower the numbers get, the higher chance there is of losing them. Or the problem if you’re the final two.
And Eli would rather blow up the entire arena than have 12 and 3 be the final two standing.
Her mind shifted to the boy from 10. What did she know about him? She remembered him mentioning something about losing a sister in the last Games in his interview. She also remembered his training score. 8. Right under hers.
And Ecthelion’s.
Ecthelion. One of the few people that Eli genuinely tolerated and kind of liked as a friend. Or at least as much of a friend that you could have in the Hunger Games that you’re not allied with. She hated that he died. She felt like in another world they could have been friends. Probably the same world where she would be happy with Nozomi.
Eli shook her head. She did enough thinking of the past during her time at the mountain. She at least needed to figure out a way to entertain herself.
Ooh, I can do weird funny voiceovers of whatever’s going on with them. I’ll use a high-pitched squeaky voice for Amity, a deep low voice for Pluto, and the most annoying voice I can do for Axel.
“Hey, hey Axel. Do you think maybe if I say please hard enough you will commit suicide with me? I don’t want to go a day without seeing your face. I just, in the short time, that I have known you, I have super quickly fallen in love with you. Like one minute, you hated everyone, and the next, I fell in love with you. And you with me.” -Amity
“Oh, Amity. Just the way you looked at me when I was annoyed that I was brought here really just made me see the light at the end of the strange tunnel known as life. Even though it only took just a moment for me to realize that you are the one for me, I still return your feelings.” -Axel
“Hey guys you know I’m here too, right?” -Pluto
“Well of course, Pluto. Somebody has to be the minister at the wedding. That’s the only real reason why we let you here after your allies died.” -Amity
“Wait, what? I thought it was because he had this whole big plan to kill all the careers and now we’re left with a career. And you’re weak, and I have a limp, so it’s not like we can do it.” -Axel
“Well yeah, I mean, if you need me to take her out, then fuck yeah I’ll kill her.” -Pluto
“Oh thank you so much, Pluto. Now in return for her head, we ask for you to officiate this wedding. The wedding between the goofy goober of district 3 and the whatever Axel is from 12.” -Amity
“Um, I don’t know what that means. But if you want me to be the celebratory cow at the wedding then by all means, I’ll be your cow.” -Pluto
“What the fuck does that mean?” -Axel
“Well in 10, when a couple gets married, there’s always a celebratory cow for the couple. The cow is given as a gift to the couple to ensure peace and prosperity between the two.” -Pluto
“Um, we just wanted you to be our witness and be the one to be like ‘Yo Axel, do you take this cute boy to be your husband in the last however many days it takes for Eli to make a move?’ and that stuff.” -Amity
“Oh. So you guys don’t want a cow? You guys just want me to ask you if you’re serious.” -Pluto
“Yeah basically.” -Axel
“So do you two seriously want to get married in the shady cave in the middle of a mountain where we could die at any minute?” -Pluto
“Yes.” -Axel & Amity
“So does this mean you’re married yet?” -Pluto
“Well, um, I guess. Do you think we’re married, Axel?” -Amity
“I don’t know. Should we say some vows or whatnot?” -Axel
“Oh yeah! Vows! Oh Axel, I know that you plan to sacrifice yourself for me since I am weak and even though you have a limp, I am still weaker. But, fear not, I vow to love you forever. Even in the afterlife. If you survive the Eli, then I will still be watching you. From the other world. I don’t know if heaven or hell exist so I’m just going to call it the other world. I love you, Axel Turner, to the depths of this cave and beyond. I am so happy that Pluto is witnessing us in our moments of glory and profound love.” -Amity
“So, uh, I guess it’s Axel’s turn now?” -Pluto
“So, Amity. I know that for the first five minutes I wanted to just kill everyone that I saw, but the minute I saw you, I was like ‘oh shit there is a super cute boy that I just want to be with.’ And I know that we’ve been through a lot. I mean, it’s the Hunger Games. That is some pretty scary shit which is why I was so annoyed at the start. And well, I was annoyed with everyone but you. You are what made me realize that I can actually be a decent person when not many people are around. I vow to protect you. And if the Eli comes, I will sacrifice myself for you. You’re a great guy, Amity. And I love you.” -Axel
“I love you too, babe.” -Amity
Eli wanted to vomit off the mountain. She couldn’t believe that she resorted to doing shitty voiceovers of the remaining tributes. She also couldn’t believe that she had to do shitty romance between two people who did not deserve romance.
At least she had her hat. Her tangible reminder of Nozomi.
She was going to fight. She was going to win.
