Through the Living Hope

“Really…” “It’s certainly an interesting story,” Meron said. Marewill ran to her side with steel, catching her to prevent her from falling over. “Congratulations, by the way.”

Meron looked down, sighed, and looked back up. “I disagree. Last games, my sister’s life was at stake. My family… It just wouldn’t be the same without her. Some risks aren’t worth taking.”

“He… he will.”

“What happened?”

“Mark!” He knelt next to him. “Meron, get back-!” ”It’s fine, Mare! Mark, are you okay?!”

Meron looked at him, scared. “Y-you are.”

“Mark! Are you okay?!” Marewill’s hand tensed. @The Bookwyrm

“It’ll be okay.”

“It’s fine. You alright?”

It took me like 45 seconds of effort lol

“The Capitol… I don’t know if it really fell, at least not completely. The same people stayed in power over there after we left. They just… reformed in a worse way than before. And if there’s survivors who knew those practices before, they’d keep doing it. ”… It sucks.”

"Not that I know of... They probably capture wild animals and do experiments on them. That's my best guess."

"Yeah... yeah, you're right." I guess they've gone from being like Mare to being like me... not in the Games themselves, but still at risk of losing.

"... Yeah, I guess. I just meant it wasn't you guys yourselves this time."

Jolane's eyes cracked open. She'd spent the night between her mother and father in their bed, with both of them clamped tightly to her. Now, though, they'd both woken up. She rose from the bed and entered one of the house's two other rooms. Her mother, with her back to her, was making food, and it smelled absolutely phenomenal. A few dresses sat on a chair, newly made and, she guessed, fitted to her so she could have more than one spare set of clothes. Heavy footprints approached from behind her, and she turned around. Sharian wrapped his arms around her again. "Stay safe," he said. "Your mother and I... Don't make us lose you again." She hugged her father back. "I will." He pulled back, moving one arm so that his hand held her cheek. It was calloused and rough, but that didn't mean it felt bad necessarily. "I love you. So much." She smiled. "I love you too."

Slowly, Aventine pushed herself into a sitting position. She pushed up one of her sleeves slowly and began to unravel the bandage around her arm. From elbow to shoulder (where the burns had been), she was scarred, but... at least she could move without agonizing pain now.

"What?"

Marewill nodded. "Well, obviously," Meron agreed.

"I think you're just saying that because this time, you have nothing at risk."

@The Bookwyrm @SmilingPanda19 Pellee rose from her chair. "If you'll excuse me, I'm returning to the medical wing." She cut the video and left her office, once again putting in an earpiece and taking a pad with her. The moon and stars hung in the sky. A deep cry echoed through the island.

"I believe you! Just the way you said it. If I've ever had alcohol, it was NyQuil or vanilla extract or something. Oh! Beer bread. That's actually pretty good."

"It's a modified one. A mutt. Do you remember the Redspine from the last Games?"

She chuckled, still bandaging the boar.