“Anyway, I told the truth, and I’m not afraid to die.”
nick cave noises – @flightlessmxckingjay
Reminded Benny just a little of himself, the year he was reaped. Coulda made three of her from one of him, tall and strong as he was back then, head and shoulders above most of the tributes, even the careers from Districts 1 and 2, been born and raised to fight. She made weapons from whatever she could put her hands on, same as he’d done, to feed himself, to feed the homeless of District Four. Mostly the children of rebellious parents. Or the orphans of rebellious parents.
He didn’t respond. A crossbow with no bolts wasn’t gonna get him far, so Benny was whittling, wondering why in the hell the famous Katniss Everdeen was crouched by the same tree he was. Should oughtta offer her a pair of long splinters to prop those pretty eyes open, since apparently, she was afraid to sleep.
He shrugged. “Could serve you well. Might not.” Depended if it made her stupid or not.
In the trees, there were things shifting, growling, growing. How the damn Capitol had managed to tear a hole in reality, throw them all into another dimension (they’d called it Purgatory, and Benny was starting to wonder if that might not be literal) he hadn’t yet figured out, but since knowing wasn’t likely to get them home he didn’t much worry. He’d made his peace; they didn’t intend for anyone to get back, not this time. Wasn’t even convinced there were video cameras. Hadn’t seen a single fuckin’ tracker jacker, not a single acid storm. Only death. Purgatory full of trouble makers; the Capitol had already won.
There were screams. Maybe the worst Benny had ever heard. He tried not to think on it.
“If it comes down to you or me, though, cher, you run. Save yourself. Couple o’ years, my looks’ll go,” he joked, waving at his face, the terrible scars he’d been wearing since he’d emerged the victor more than twenty years ago. “Maybe you’re not afraid to die, but me…”
“’m kinda lookin’ forward to punchin’ it in the face.”