The Angel (Finnick Odair x OC x Johanna Mason)

17

The days pass by, but the anxiety in my heart at watching the games does not dissipate at all. Our routine has stayed fairly the same, and a lot of our time has revolved around watching from the screen, discussing, drawing in sponsors, and promotional activities during the day.

During some nights, however, I am preoccupied with the clients that Snow sent my way. On those mornings, I always return home drained and depleted of energy, but I've learned to hold my tears in.

I'm not the only one with clients; I know that my brother also has them. And probably Finnick does too, since I've seen him on the rooftop several times in the early hours of the morning. I'm tempted to go sit next to him, but for whatever reason, I don't.

On the 11th day of the games is when we finally see some significant changes in power.

So far, the career pack have remained the most likely candidates to survive. They have been successfully hunting the rest of the tributes at a rather steady pace, and now only 3 others are left apart from the 5 of them, bringing the total number of tributes alive in the arena dwindling down to 8.

The 5 tributes in the career pack are all doing fairly well and have around the same number of kills, making each of them just as likely to emerge as the victor.

Diamond and Luster from district 1 are usually the ones to make the decisions and take the lead, although they have frequent arguments over it. Kai, the male tribute from 4 is usually the one to moderate these arguments and is perhaps the most practical. Ajax is a bit more hotheaded and likely to rush into a battle, while Beatrix is more reserved, although still strong and cutthroat enough to act quickly when it comes to a dangerous situation.

Out of the other three participants left, one is Watt, the male tribute from 5. His former ally, Harvest from 9, was killed by the careers just two days ago, while he has managed to escape by the skin of his teeth, albeit with a few injuries.

Then, there's Apple from district 11, a petite 13-year-old girl who is somehow miraculously still alive due to her spectacular hiding and camouflage skills.

And finally, the last standing tribute in the arena is Johanna Mason. The 17-year-old girl from district 7 who no one else has expected to last this long because of her appearance of being snivelling and weak. But I know better, and I fear that there might just be another trick up her sleeve, if she's persisted this far without stirring up a commotion but just hiding peacefully.

Now, it seems that Johanna is finally about to make her move after 11 days of doing nothing.

The audience must be confused to see her heading in the direction back towards the Cornucopia, where the careers are, with only a couple of daggers for defence. She weaves around and in between the ruins, taking her time as she sharpens her knife skilfully in preparation for what's to come.

My gaze is fixed on the screen, as are the other victors', and I catch a glimpse of Apple appearing around the corner of the ruins, her breathing panicked and strained.

When Apple sees Johanna on the other side, her eyes widen even more in fear as she clutches her knife in her hand clumsily. Just then, the sound of another pair of footsteps grow ever closer as Watt, who appears to be the one chasing Apple, joins the fray in the midst of the ruins of a building.

Watt's sword is held tight in his hand, one that he's gained after taking revenge on the killer of Harvest, his fallen ally. The blade is still covered in splotches of crimson as he raises it with the intention to silence Apple.

Knowing there's no changing Watt's mind, Apple turns to Johanna instead, "Please... Please help me... I don't want to die..." Her voice is shaky as she stutters out her breathless plea, and the fear and terror is shown evidently on her face.

Johanna curls her lip but says nothing as she watches from the sidelines.

Watt glances at Johanna as well, but after realising that she isn't about to stop him and assuming that she won't be an immediate threat, he turns his attention back towards the cowering girl in front of him.

The unpleasant squelch of blade into flesh is broadcasted through the speakers of the screen as Apple chokes on her own blood and takes her last breath. Her death is projected across all of Panem, a spectacle for the audience in the Capitol to mourn and sigh over for just a few short seconds before moving on to the next battle that awaits in the arena.

I'm no stranger to the sight of blood and gore, but even I find it gruesome to watch. This is the nature of the Hunger Games, I suppose. Funny how I've never felt disgusted or appalled before I was the one in there being watched.

A cannon booms, marking the young girl's death.

Watt turns back to Johanna, but before he can even raise his sword again, Johanna slices his throat with a dagger mercilessly, her movements as nimble and quick as the wind.

She watches as Watt heaves and blood spills like an endless river from the wound at his neck, the dark red colour seeping into his shirt and his clothes. The bloodied sword that has only just claimed Apple's life no longer than a brief minute ago falls from his hand as his energy leaves him.

A second cannon sounds, and I think I almost see the hint of a smile teasing Johanna's lips as she stands victorious over his body.

"2 down, 5 to go," she whispers to herself for the whole of Panem to hear.

And with that ominous phrase, Johanna Mason continues trudging back to the Cornucopia as the other victors and I, along with the audience of the Capitol and the districts, watch with bated breaths to witness the final battle of the 71st Hunger Games.