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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 8, 2019 16:18:07 GMT -5
After Life
A young male sat at his desk, seemingly alone in his room, with nothing but a pale white wall and light brown desk, it was a rather boring room, and in comparison to his eccentric look and blue dye in his brunette hair, he seemed to stick out like a sore thumb.
Not even the vibrancy of his attire could mask the frown and worry that the male carried, the solitude he dealt with for years.
Pain, a pain so heavily influenced by the very place he was in and person he now was. He brought it upon himself, that’s what his thoughts told him.
Yet, as he sat there, with a pale piece of parchment, with a wilting red rose in a vase, he sighed, reading through the note as his brow quirked in growing worry.
The male was Catullus Acton, a star of the Capitol, but a sorrowful boy of just 19, just years past, he competed in the Hunger Games, losing a close friend, and many other potential ones. He killed a sorrowful male to win, he became the monster he hated.
Just a year ago, his words brought about a darker end for his family. He tried doing the right thing, but it cost him everything he loved.
Though, in a sudden outburst, his hand clenched around the note in his hand, anger visible on his face, as he crumbled the note up, before throwing it as far as he could, and swiping everything off the desk in one fell swoop. The vase shattered to 100s of fractured pieces, painting the floor in glass.
It was then, that he started crying, his anger fading away like mist, the makeup ran down his face, as he couldn’t hold the tears at bay.
Their deaths replayed in his mind, and little did he know it, but he conjured up the presence in his woe.
“Divorced,” One voice echoed, thinking about how they once lived, separated and dissociated from life at much too young of an age. But they hung back, he couldn’t hear her, he wouldn’t be able too. Though, the moment she spoke, his memories conjured up her death. Blood, fear, screams. He hadn’t witnessed it himself, but when he watched the reviews of the deaths from the victor’s couch, it brought everything to light.
Destiny, a girl who ironically never got to live out her own fate completely, and now, she, like the others, haunted like a ghost.
“Beheaded,” A much younger girl spoke next, appearing seemingly from nowhere, her pale hair cascaded over her shoulders, pale skin reflected no light, as the light passed through her. Her neck still bore scars from the games, perhaps it wasn’t a true beheading, but she still suffered a vicious death. Her name was Halina, but she remained further back, her arms crossed in her classical sassy way.
Obviously, she too didn’t want to be there, a hateful gaze thrown at the grieving boy, who was angrily wiping away at his face, trying to clean up the mess.
She snorted, and beside her, another ghost appeared.
“Died,” the red haired girl looked between her fellow ghosts and Burton. She bore burnt markings still, caught in the traps of the game. Though, it wasn’t as bad as the blood curdling screams from that day, she looked much more perplexed than anything.
She was wondering if they should attempt to aid the boy, but the others all shook their heads. This version of Robin was able to retain much of her innocence, her forceful take away from the games returned her to reality, even if she could no longer live it.
“Divorced,” Yet another, this time, the girl was a proud, with a strong stance, and eyes boring at Burton, without much for sympathy. She had scars hidden under her clothes, from when the boy she loved ended her life. Though, to be sincerely honest, she wasn’t forgiving towards Burton for killing Everest, but she understood. Part of her still loved Everest, but part of her hated him for his betrayal.
It wasn’t like Amadrya held grudges, but the fact that she entitled trust into Everest, only for it to be turned away, irritated her to no end. Though, perhaps that was better than what her friends dealt with to some extent.
“Beheaded,” Then the queen be arrived, checking out her nails, though she had no reason anymore to be crude or angry, some habits die old, while some girls die young. She was one of the eldest of the ghosts present, the thought of her actions would forever anger the boy who stood up now. He thought about Macaria, who deadly wound came from an axe, though she didn’t tend to hate Amadrya anymore for it.
Though, Catullus couldn’t really harbor a lot of anger towards the past career, all of them were scared. But Macaria made no move to help, she accepted that she couldn’t, but...
“Survived,” and immediately the newest ghost was running towards the boy who had went towards the door. She didn’t make it in time, and as the door slammed to a close, her outstretched hand rested against the door as she laid her head on it as well, sighing deeply. Multiple bloody wounds once marred her body, and at times they would suddenly become visible.
She never quite forgave her murderer, but she didn’t hate Macaria either. Many of the other ghosts pitied her(much to her disdain) since the boy she loved was the survivor, since the boy she loved turned his backs on them all and worked for the one true factor in all of their deaths.
The Capitol.
“I wish he could see us,” Holly whispered as Amadrya approached her, nesting her hand on the short, distraught girl’s shoulder.
Amadrya went to speak, but another ghost beat her to it, “He doesn’t see us because he doesn’t want to.”
Halina and Robin both glared at Macaria, who simply shrugged in response, rolling her eyes at the two of them, before continuing, “I mean, sure, no one can notice us, but they can at least face that we are gone without acting like children.”
“He’s upset!” Holly defended, turning quickly, though she couldn’t hold up to her argument, curling in on herself, “But you’re right, I guess.”
“Of course I am,” Macaria commented with a dazzling smile, all fangs and sharpness, true to nature, she and the black-haired Holly still held animosity towards one another. They were enemies in that arena, perhaps moreso due to their similarities than their differences.
“Would you all shut up?” Destiny commented, annoyed, turning to walk away to another room, already done with the bickering that had happened in such a short span of time.
“That would include being quiet,” Holly commented, already seeming to return back to her sardonic mood, “So no.”
“You are all royal pains in my as-“ Destiny continued, before being interrupted by all of the other 5 ghosts.
“Language!”
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 8, 2019 16:18:58 GMT -5
I’ve stopped seeing the version of myself from the Arena in my dreams now. But every night when I fall asleep and see who stands there instead I wish it were Arena me instead. Because seeing him hurts. Knowing he isn’t really there, that he made that sacrifice for me and for the others.
And as I fall asleep, he’s there. Standing next to my bed, looking concerned, his eyebrows furrowed. I’ve never seen him like that, not even really in the Arena.
“Macaria,” he says softly “what are you doing?”
I know what this is about. Lately Holly and I have been training to take down Louden, because neither of us will rest until he’s gone, we cannot. And Amadrya and Everest keep saying that they’re worried about me, that I’ll get myself killed. But honestly, I’ve lost the capacity to care at this point. Death never really scared me, not really. Being forgotten did, being unimportant did. But not dying.
Since Alessandro’s death, since even escaping the Arena, I’ve felt lost. Trying to chase the right thing when I don’t even know what it is. It’s hard when you grew up believing that people don’t change to try and do so yourself. And I don’t know who I am anymore, or what I’m doing.
“What I think is right,” I reply “this is the only way I can have peace and be happy.”
“This will kill you,” Alessandro shoots back “but you already know that, don’t you?”
“Of course I do!” I sigh “I just don’t care anymore.”
“Don’t you think it kind of cheapens my whole sacrifice if you go and die immediately afterwards?” Alessandro challenges
“Don’t you think it cheapens your sacrifice if I don’t do some good?” I ask “it’s no damn good me getting a long life because you sacrificed yourself if I don’t do anything with it.”
“So you’re chasing revenge and more death? Come on, Macaria, this isn’t who you are.”
Those words make me narrow my eyes
“I don’t know who I am, actually!” I shout “I’ve spent my whole life with people telling me who I am, who I’m meant to be. My family and the Capitol and the academy told me I’m a career, a killing machine. And you told me that I’m more than that, that I’m good. But now you’re gone and I don’t know anymore, so by all means tell me what to do. Tell me who I am! Because god knows I don’t have a clue.”
I spent my whole life just trying to survive, trying to do what was expected of me. It never occurred to me to find out who I really am, I was told I had to repress all that.
Alessandro just smiles a sad smile
“You wouldn’t believe anything I said anyway,” he says “you’ve got to figure it out for yourself. All you need to know is that you have the choices and the ability to be better than you were. Don’t let yourself fall apart now, don’t let yourself give up. Not when you’re so close, when you finally have the chance to do something good and important.”
He’s right, I know he is. I just can’t get rid of the anger, the burning feeling that someone has to pay for what happened to Alessandro. For what the academy did to me and the other careers. And I feel lost, like I’m shattered and the pieces of me scattered miles apart. I’ll never have hope of finding all of me.
“It’s hard to fall apart when you were never together.”
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 8, 2019 16:19:15 GMT -5
Oooh au post gonna read it now)
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 8, 2019 16:21:40 GMT -5
After Life follows the story of the murdered children from the 90th Hunger Games as they cope with their ended lives, explore their pasts, mend friendships, and try to guide their one living peer as he pushes on through life. With their lives ended, how will these ghosts save the life of the one boy left?
(This story is going to follow a song per chapter, some songs will last many chapters, so feel free to select songs and characters. It won’t be super serious, and the plot line will be loose, it’s mostly for fun and humor.
Like, the characters bantering, and the characters talking/singing about their pasts.)
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 8, 2019 16:23:08 GMT -5
(Macaria honey your gonna break my heart.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 8, 2019 16:25:05 GMT -5
Ahh I’m so excited for this au I love banter and just like fun stuff it’s gonna be so fun to read
I loved that first post, you get Macaria so well every time and I loved the banter and wow the characters fit even better than I realised tbh like you did an excellent job making the links between the six and I love it. Ugh perfect I loved it!)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 8, 2019 16:25:36 GMT -5
(Macaria honey your gonna break my heart.) She’s just going through some stuff right now XD this is what you get for killing Arlo you have to deal with sad Macaria) |
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 8, 2019 16:35:36 GMT -5
(Honestly I’m excited for some chapters.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 8, 2019 16:40:11 GMT -5
(I’m excited for them all tbh)
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 8, 2019 23:47:01 GMT -5
Expectations and Reality
“I’m worried - Hasn’t awoken - Alive?” Words, they were jumbled though, so, so jumbled. They didn’t make any sense to her, and she wishes they did. Some of the voices were ones she hated, though she couldn’t quite remember why. Sometimes, they sounded so mournful, she just wanted to help them. Sometimes they incited a buzzing feeling of love, such a foreign emotion, and sometimes they filled her with dread an fear.
The thing is?
She couldn’t move. She couldn’t move no matter how hard she tried. She forgot how to move, how to speak, because every attempt she made didn’t work. And opening her eyes?
She couldn’t do that either.
So she stayed still, because she couldn’t really form coherent thoughts, she could only listen to jumbled messes, that faded in and out of consciousness. Sometimes there were dreams, where she remembered the arena, remember the Capitol, the cell, and the isolated room where her mind started to fray.
”Please let me out,” She would beg, scratching her hand at the cell walls, before sinking. Her mind ate at her alive, she couldn’t think anymore. Demons in her head taunted her.
“Die. Die. Die!” They would say, and she would start singing to concentrate on anything but the bad memories and ugly voices.
She remembered everyone and everything. Everything and everything, and she couldn’t make it stop. She didn’t like remembering, she liked company, she had been so dependent on it, so eager to feed and steal their happiness that without it, she didn’t know how to function.
Singing, screaming, talking to the voices. She became dependent on them, just a figment of her mind, but much better company than nothing.
Even though they reminded her of the monster she was, it was better than nothing.
Wasn’t it?
“I wish she would wake up,” A voice beckoned, the first truly clear one she had heard in, well, she couldn’t tell you how long. “I hope she doesn’t-“ the person didn’t finish 8t, but her mind pulled together what they would say.
I hope she doesn’t die.
She wanted to reassure them that their friend, whoever she was, would wake up soon and wasn’t dead, but everything felt stiff(oddly enough, she could feel). But she forced herself to, for some reason, whoever was there, near her, inspired her to act.
Burton, her mind reminded her, and she sprung up, gasping loudly and drawing in a breath of air, sending the startled boy reeling back with a scream. Holly swung around,taking in her surrounding, from Burton, to the hospital-like bed she was in, and the fact that this place had posters and more than just padded walls.
“Your awake!” Burton than joyously spoke, leaning forward to hug her.
She leaned back, eyes wide, as she pointed at him, then the room, before laughing sourly. “This isn’t real!” She yelled, before turning to glare at him. “I’m not falling for this! Not again!” She screamed, before huggin herself, “Why aren’t I dead yet? Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet!”
Oddly enough, no voices were speaking, other than thoughts of doubt, no tributes watched her, ready for her to die. No longer did she see them dying.
Though, Burton looked a bit bothered by her outburst.
“Holly?” He questioned, he didn’t sound mad. Not like the voices always did.
“This can’t be real,” she commented, arching from the corner of her eye as the door swung open.
“We heard screaming-“ Amadrya stopped, staring at Holly, before grinning like mad. “You’re awake!”
“Um, this...can’t be real?”
Amadrya moved in to check on Holly, and in the doorway Holly could see Macaria hanging back, looking so sad and depressed.
Holly couldn’t help the snort that came out of her mouth, “Where’s your little follower?”
It was really really wierd how quickly everyone froze in that room. Holly almost wondered if she really was imagining it all.
Macaria just stared at her in shock, her hands that were hugging herself falling to her sides, mouth opening, but no sound coming out.
“Are you really so dumb that I have to clarify?” Holly asked, not really noticing the anger rising in her tone, her last encounter, true encounter, with Macaria was Macaria’s attempt at killing her. After that was the escape, and they were all too busy for this conversation. “Your flirt buddy? Your pet? Your man on a leash-“
“Holly, that’s enough!” Amadrya interrupted, and she froze by the strict and angry sound of Amadrya’s voice, along with the glare sent her way.
Macaria’s eyes filled with tears, and she hunched in on herself more, hiding her face, it kind of filled Holly with satisfaction seeing the girl so beat down, but what concerned her was why her comments brought it about.
Then again, leave it to Holly to find humor in vengeance. First Rayne, now Macaria.
Her green eyes narrowed, glaring at Macaria, but she noticed even Burton looked disappointed, frowning deeply.
“What?” She hissed out, before laughing darkly, eyes narrowed, “What, gonna kill me again? You’re all just figments of my imagination, go ahead, try it.”
“Holly,” Amadrya sounded annoyed still, obviously trying to keep her cool, “This isn’t...-Why do you even think- we’re not figments of your imagination!”
“I mean, of course it takes away the fun of torturing me if you admit that you are,” She retorted, seeming even more unsure, but turning her face away. “Plus, you have to be my imagination, Macaria doesn’t have emotions.”
“Holly!” Burton then spoke, and hearing him sounding disappointed caused Holly to immediately shut up, turning to look at him with big, wide eyes. “She does too, and what you said was rude.”
“What did I say?” Holly questioned, glancing between the three, who seemed a bit shocked at her question.
No one responded, and her visage changed.
“No one wants to answer, huh?” She chimed up, sitting up more, “Well let me tell you this, I’m tired of being the hunted, and I’m not letting Macaria and Alessandro-“
The mention of the name caused Macaria to visible flinch, and Holly stopped, a horrible feeling entering her veins.
It was tense and terse, and she backed up in her bed. Before glancing wildly between the three of them, “Where am I?” She questioned, afraid of the response.
“The Rebel’s Base,” Burton responded, seemingly confused.
It wasn’t the Capitol?
That must mean...
“I’m free?” She questioned, glancing at them with wide eyes, “For realsies?”
No one commented on the childish comment as she tried to lighten the mood, so she just sighed instead.
“And everyone is mad at me why?” She didn’t really wanna know why. If they knew...
“Do you know-“ she began only for Macaria to interrupt.
“Alessandro’s dead.”
Holly shut her mouth, even though Burton seemed to catch her comment, staring at her in confusion. Though Holly looked at Macaria.
“What?”
“Alessandro’s dead!” and it’s your fault...
Macaria didn’t add the words, but perhaps she should have.
“Wait, no. No. No, no, nononono....” Holly commented, feeling a terse, heavy feeling in her chest as she backed up more, curling up. “Liar, liar, liar! Hahaha, so funny to lie to me, right? It’s not very funny anymore. It’s not my fault. Not mine. Not. My. Fault!”
“Holly!” Burton exclaimed, leaning forward and shaking her slightly, forcing her to look at him, “Your free now, your not in that room anymore.”
She remained silent, though she stopped shaking, looking between Macaria and Amadrya. Then she focused on Burton again, “How?”
“When he...when he died, I came in and freed you, Amadrya and Macaria.”
“What about Everest?” She questioned, though she spotted a new figure in the room.
Everest. He was fine then.
She smiled then, though it was forced, “So we’re free now?”
“Mostly, except Robin,” Burton commented, though so many sent him a glare, and he raised his hands, “Not that’s I’m defending her, but, I’m just pointing out.”
“Well,” Holly commented, looking down at the ground, before staring at Macaria, “Some people don’t deserve to be free, do they?”
“I guess not,” he responded, it seemed everyone went about on their things, but Macaria noticed her comment, was the only one to notice who it truly was directed at.
“I want out of this room,” Holly commented, turning to look away, “and I’d like to be alone.”
He had a feeling she meant that she thought she was in another room, and the fact that she wanted to be alone pulled at his heart. “Yeah, okay,” He commented, brushing it off, “Alessandro’s funeral is in a few days, we were able to recover his body, we wanted to wait until you woke up.”
“Yeah, okay,” the guilt still ate at her, she couldn’t be mad at the dead boy, not after his sacrifice, and he wasn’t the one who hurt her, tortured or tried to kill her. But something about Burton’s words caught her attention, “How long have I been out?” She questioned.
He hesitated, sighing softly, “2 weeks,” he commented, “You were in a coma, we didn’t know if you would wake up. You had been in that room for a long time, I’m, I’m so sorr-“
“Don’t.” Holly interrupted, staring at the IV in her arm, before glaring at him, “You won’t mean it, not after you know.”
“Know what?”
“Now’s not the time Burton,” Holly commented, “Now, can I get someone to get this prick out of my arm?”
“Language.”
“No.”
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 9, 2019 0:35:20 GMT -5
Ex-Wives
Wait, no actually that doesn’t fit
Destiny stood, watching as yet another child died, with a sigh before fading away to meet the others at the arena.
As the child’s ghost emerged, she smiled softly, walking forward. Night time, the hovercraft was coming to pick up their body, and the little boy stared back in shock, he was about 16, eyes like silver dollars.
“And tonight, we are-“ She beckoned to the others, she wasn’t the leader, but no one else was making a move to speak. This was their introduction to the child after all, though, they didn’t really have an introduction set in stone, they, for some ironic reason, had to start of with ‘and now, we are live!’ Even though they were dead.
Everyone got the notice though, before grabbing the child’s attention with a “Live!”
The boy turned, his eyes wide as he backed up. So, he recognized them, though most probably did. His golden-brown eyes were blown wide, his hair was almost a red tinted dark brown, chocolate in color, sweeping over his head.
His eyes followed Destiny as she beckoned him to follow her, a rueful smile lit her face, he seemed afraid of them.
Now that wouldnt do.
“Listen up,” she told him, nodding towards the others, before she continued, “Let me tell you a story.”
Halina caught the clue, taking over, “”A story that you think you’ve heard before”
The boy looked between the two of them, confused, of course he knew their story, what more was their to know?
“We know you know our names,” Robin should have left it at that, but she flicked her hair with her hand with a smile, none of them really knew when she became this vain, “And our fame, and our faces.”
Each of the other five shared a continuous sigh, a small pause occurring, but the boy just fixed Robin a stare like she had two heads all of a sudden.
“Know all about the glories and the disgraces,” Amadrya spoke from experience about her and Everest, about how they all died, about Burton, who won.
This kid had known it all, they could tell from the second they saw him. He had a wisdom to his eyes, and a sadness immediately when he spotted them. Many of them guessed he lost a loved one in those games.
“I'm done 'cause all this time I've been just one word in a stupid rhyme!” Macaria came in, shocking some of her peers by the fact that she even got involved. Though, her involvement sparked Holly to do so as well.
”So I picked up a pen and a microphone,” She smirked at the others, arms crossed, but the boy just seemed confused by the presence of the girls, and why were they singing? Or talking?
What exactly were they doing?
“History’s about to get overthrown!” They all came in, all together(somehow) as if on queue.
“Um, hold up, what’s going on?” The boy questioned, looking wildly between the othe ghosts. He expected a response, but he wasn’t getting one.
“Divorced,” Now Destiny started sounding bored and tired of the word. She didn’t mean the word in a marriage sense, because if she married as a teenager something was obviously wrong with her. She meant the word in dissociation with her life.
“Beheaded,” Halina stood behind the boy, spooking him. Deadly wounds were appearing on the girls, telltale signs of how they died. It was odd that they could appear suddenly out of nowhere like that, though it probably had to do with irony of some sort. Or maybe something about the author of this thinking it fits.
Whatever.
“Died,” Robin sounded bored too, though this was routine. Though, she had the general word. Technically they all died, but she mega died, probably.
“Divorced,” Amadrya too meant this in the same sense Destiny did. That doesn’t mean she won’t marry Everest in some way, or in some alternate universe(totally not a spoiler), or that she didn’t want to. But, the boy having killed her kind of ruined the chances of that happening.
“Beheaded,” Oh this again.
Macaria rolled her eyes, still continuing on, because she already got involved and seeing the newly dead boy confused was hilarious.
”Survived,” Holly continued, she looked horrifying at the moment, all bloody and scarlet, with that creepy smirk on her face.
“But just for you-” 5 of the girls continued, but they were interrupted.
“Wait!” Macaria spoke, cutting them off, before looking at Holly. “We need to change that.”
“Change what?” The girl responded, all of them were bloody, maybe it was being back in an arena.
Whatever.
“You didn’t survive, I mean, if you did, then I did something wrong.” Macaria questioned, and from beside her Halina snorted, hiding laughter.
“I mean, that’s true, but it’s what’s written in my script.” Holly retorted.
“What script?”
“This one,” Out of seemingly nowhere, Holly held up a piece of paper, and Macaria snatched it from her.
“This just says ‘10 ways to kill ghosts’,” Macaria drawled out, glaring up at the black-haired girl, who laughed and shrugged in response.
Destiny promptly facepalmed, along with Robin and Amadrya, because they sensed a argument happening.
The boy just stopped trying to talk of function, just watching the interaction with a lack of emotion, probably freaked out by the fact he was dead and seeing dead people.
“But just for you tonight, we’re divorces, Beheaded, Live!”
Somehow, they said this in unison, almost like they had practiced it before(which they totally didn’t, not at all)
“All you ever hear and read about!” Destiny picked up, drawing the confused and helpless boy to watch her. Surprisingly, he actually assumed she was sane.
He was very wrong.
“Is our ex and the way it ended,” Holly looked like she was about to say something about Halina not having an ex, but Halina ignored her, just as happy as a Bird.
“But a pair doesn’t beat a royal flush,” Robin picked up, and despite the boy’s confusion, they all seemed to just kind of do their thing now.
Another canon went off, and another ghost came, this time of a girl who was once the boy’s ally, both new ghosts had the wounds of battle still, killed by Careers, but none of the girls really noticed the new arrival.
“Your gonna find out how we got unfriended,” Amadrya looked to the side, remembering her own death, it was a very painful and touchy subject that Holly thought was hilarious to bring up at times because Holly didn’t know what a filter or limit was.
“Tonight, we’re gonna do ourselves justice!” Macaria said, probably still sore over the fact that she died and couldn’t win her games, no matter, “’Cause we’re taking you to court.”
“Every Tudor Rose has it’s thorns” Holly started, Rose in hand, again, out of seemingly nowhere, before flashing the new boy and girl a dangerous smile, “And you’re gonna hear ‘em live: in consort.”
“Can someone explain what’s going on?” The newest girl piped up, her blond hair falling over her shoulders as her blue eyes were wide in concern and confusion.
“I tried asking, they didn’t respond, I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re insane.” The boy responded, sighing.
“That....make’s sense, I guess.”
“Divorced” they all echoed as Destiny sighed.
“I'm a paragon of royalty, my loyalty is to the Vatican(or something). So if you try to dump me, You won't try that again” which ironically missed all the parts that really didn’t fit Destiny but let’s go with it.
The boy rolled his eyes, but the new girl seemed intrigued.
“So, you’re like a princess?”
“I mean, think of a cooler, stronger, more dead version of a classical one and sure?” Destiny responded, for once.
“Beheaded”
“Why did I lose my head? Well my sleeves may be green, but my lipstick's red!” Halina commented, showing off her green sleeved shirt, and even though she wasn’t wearing lipstick, her deadly nature came across still.
“Usually she’s not this flirtatious,” Holly commented, appearing behind the two new ghosts and spooking them, much to their annoyance.
“Died”
“I died, but I'm not what I seem, or am I? Stick around and you'll suddenly see more” Robin spoke, blunt and curt to her point.
“Usually that contained more puns, but it doesn’t really work with her,” Holly tagged on once more.
“Divorced”
Amadrya was next, frowning, “I once loved Everest, but he killed me, maybe-“ she suddenly switched back into her role “I didn't look as good as I did in my pic. Funny how we all discuss that but never...”
“I don’t like where this is headed,” The boy commented, only guessing where the rhyme would go.
“Cover your sweet virgin ears,” Holly squeaked as she placed her hands over the girls ears and glared at Amadrya, “Think of the children!”
The girl rolled her eyes, letting Macaria continue next.
”Beheaded!”
”For my promiscuity outside of wed-” Macaria started, continuing off of their phrase, but she was interrupted.
“I thought I said think of the children!” Holly snapped, before snickering, “Also, that’s not why she died, she just died for being a bitch”
“Language!” Destiny snapped.
“Lock up your husbands. Lock up your sons, Macaria’s here and the fun's begun!” Macaria made the executive move to use her own name...
It was effective!
”Survived”
“Even thought it doesn’t fit,” Macaria mumbled.
Holly then did her verse, of course, focusing on the true survivor that everyone remembered them from, “I saw him to the end of his life...I bet you wanna know how I got this far. I said, I bet you wanna know how we got this far!”
”Do you wanna know how we got this far?” They all asked.
“No!” The boy responded, sighing so deeply and regretting his time as a ghost, “Not really!” He growled, “Not like your gonna Listen!”
“Then welcome to the show
To the historemix
Switching up the flow
As we add the prefix!”
Now they continued, finishing up the overly long part that the author is not regretting having ever started.
Just joking.
”Get your hands up
Get this party buzzing
You want a queen Bee?
Well there's half a dozen
Everybody knows that
We used to be six wives
But now we're
Ex-wives!”
“You were married?” Now the boy seemed intrigued.
“Actually no, but other than Macaria wanting to say knives, we were out of options.”
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 9, 2019 0:45:16 GMT -5
Oooh they’re both so good! I’m so glad holly is alive  poor Macaria though Oh my gosh the Six au thing was so funny oh my god, like the little fourth wall breaks, the jokes about the lyrics not fitting. The banter oh my god I laughed at the last line as well. And the ‘she died for being a bitch’ XD I loved it so much Also you saying effective made me think; Macaria chose Use Own Name it was super effective!) |
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 9, 2019 21:52:38 GMT -5
Glad you liked it. I honestly love After Life so far because I love music, and it’s such a creative way to write out songs I love, add humor, but darkness will still be there,and some heartbreak, but overall, it’s a really cutesy fun thing that I just love writing.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 10, 2019 9:38:37 GMT -5
My point of view has been altered because I'm
Never looking out through my own eyes
I don't know when I misplaced my own perspective
So now I gotta take back what was mine
“Macaria, this will be the death of you,”
Amadrya has her hand on my shoulder, trying to stop me as I leave to go do more training with Holly.
“I’m aware,” I reply “and I don’t care. Death has been hot on my heels since the Arena, so if I’m going to go down anyway I might as well do it doing something good.”
Amadrya saved my life in the Arena, Alessandro sacrificed himself so we could all keep living. I’m only still here because of my friends, and a little bit of luck. I always knew death was going to catch up to me anyway, and I’m not scared of it.
“I won’t let you keep doing this,” Amadrya says firmly.
But I just push her hand off my shoulder.
“And maybe that’s not your decision.”
She grabs my wrist this time, determined not to let me go. Before she can say anything else, I turn to her.
“This is the first decision I’ve made for myself, and I’m proud of my choice. Louden has to die, and someone is going to have to sacrifice themselves to make that happen. It’s too late for Holly, this is what she wants, but I won’t let it be you or any of the others. You and Everest... you need to be together. And I won’t let it be Burton or Halina or Ari.”
I sigh, detaching her hand from my wrist.
“I’m obviously the right person for this, and you know it. I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever loved, including Alessandro. People have made too many sacrifices for me, good people who shouldn’t be putting me above themselves. And I have mistakes to pay for.”
So tired of this stagnant place that I keep living in
Don't know how it happened, but I'm wearing thin
I just wanna rock the boat and raise some hell
Set fire to my own damn bed 'cause I never wanna sleep again
I just wanna rock the boat and kiss and tell
Set fire to my own damn mind and leave inhibitions behind
I don't care about the repercussions
I don't care about the repercussions
Just as long as my blood keeps rushing
I don't care about the repercussions, no whoa
Holly understands far better than the others do. There’s no senseless pity from her, and she supports me. She seems to have some respect for me for wanting to put things right, and at first she at least seemed to respect me for the fact that I didn’t want the others, better people than I am, to keep paying for my mistakes and making sacrifices for me.
Now it’s more than that, though. We train together and we’re starting to actually become friends. I teach her the skills I learned in the academy, she teaches me what she learned in District 8. I’m now far better with katanas than I was before.
We’re training, sparring outside when I catch a glimpse from the rebel base of two figures watching us. It’s Everest and Amadrya, and I can see they’re talking. I share a glance with Holly.
“They think we shouldn’t do this,” I say “that we’re going to get ourselves killed.”
“Isn’t that the point?” Holly replies
“Technically the point is to kill Louden,”
“Same thing,” Holly counters “Don’t listen to them. They don’t understand.”
“I just don’t know if I’m strong enough for this, strong enough to not break,” I reply
“You know you’re strong enough, you know that from experience. Your mind is made up on this, don’t start questioning yourself now. I...I need you. You understand my reasons for this more than anyone else does, we’re so alike. So don’t abandon me now.”
I smile, I nod, and I continue to spar with her.
People keep saying that I'm overdramatic
And everything is actually okay
But I'm living on the verge of a panic
And I gotta find a way to break
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 12, 2019 15:51:06 GMT -5
It’s been a long time since the rebellion began, and Everest and I are now married. We’re moving closer and closer to the Capitol every day, though, and in fact were just fighting in District 2. But I got shot in the shoulder. I’m sure it’s nothing, that it barely got through my armour. It will only be a graze. But I can barely use my arm and so after the fighting finished they took me straightaway to get medical attention, Holly alongside me since she was fighting near me.
It’s she who is perched on my hospital bed, and is looking at my shoulder in increasing worry. It’s bound and the bleeding seems to be stemmed but I’m in quite a lot of pain. Not the worst I’ve been in, of course, but still not great.
“I’m going to get you some morphling,” Holly says concernedly. It’s sweet, I’ve never seen her worry quite that much about me before. Not outside of our time as prisoners anyway. Perhaps seeing me in pain is bringing back memories. It always does for me when Holly or Everest is hurting.
But when she rises to get the painkillers, I catch her wrist before she can go.
“Don’t,” I say, “I can’t have morphling.”
Holly looks suspicious of those words. She knows I’m not allergic to morphling, I was on it for months after we got out of the Capitol, almost got addicted. Holly pulls her wrist from my grip, stepping closer to me. She tilts her head and draws her eyebrows together.
“Why?” Holly asks
After a moment of considering whether or not to answer I sigh, leaning closer to her and speaking quietly.
“I’m pregnant, okay?” I respond
“Right,” Holly says, “I’m happy for you and all but, and forgive me if I’m wrong, isn’t a battlefield not the ideal place if you’re pregnant?”
“No, but I’m not too pregnant yet. I’m tired and feel ill all the time but I can still fight. I wanted to do what I could before everyone finds out and I’m not allowed out to fight. I don’t want to give up on this, Holly, and I don’t want them to make me stay here while you guys go and fight. I still have some time before they find out I’m pregnant, so please don’t tell anyone. Especially not Everest.”
“Don’t tell Everest what?”
The voice at the doorway makes my gaze shoot to the figure I now see standing there. Everest is leaning against the doorframe, arms folded. Once he has our attention he approaches, and I can’t tell whether he’s mad or not.
But I don’t want him to think I’m lying or hiding something from him, which he will now he’s heard me say those words to Holly. I have to tell him. So I sigh and ask Holly to leave the room. When she obliges I turn to look at my husband.
“I’m pregnant,” I say
“What?” Everest asks, stunned
“I’m pregnant,” I repeat
“Yeah, no, I know what you said,” he replies “but when were you going to tell me?”
“When...” I say, but frail off
“When it was a good time? Maddie, there isn’t a good time. The rebellion is still in full swing. You’re running out into battle pregnant, I mean, what are you thinking?”
“That I don’t want to be benched and labelled useless because I’m pregnant,” I shoot back
“You’re going to get hurt,” he insists, “the baby is going to get hurt. Please, promise me that you’re not going to put yourself in danger anymore. I can’t lose you.”
“Okay, I promise,” I reply “but you can’t put yourself in danger either. I’m not raising this baby without a father, and I’m not losing my husband. If I have to stay home you’re not allowed to go and get yourself hurt. And I won’t just sit here twiddling my thumbs, I’ll need some way I can still help the rebels.”
Everest chuckles, “Deal.”
Now we’re agreed, he sits on the edge of the bed and I see his eyes trail to my stomach, and I see a glint in his eye as a smile tugs at his lips.
“You’re really pregnant?” he asks
“Well something’s been giving me morning sickness,” I laugh
He lays his hand on my stomach as if he’s going to feel anything, which is obviously isn’t because it’s way too early. But I can see the wonder and happiness in his eyes. There’s a little bit of doubt and fear there too, and I understand that. It was the same way I felt when I found out. Because what are we doing having a baby in the middle of a war? But he looks so happy still, and he smiles.
“I can’t believe it,”
I place my hand on top of his and smile.
“Me either.”
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 12, 2019 23:31:54 GMT -5
I had been busy for a long while. Between work and school, I barely had anytime at home except for late times that were dedicated to Catastrophe and the few other strays I had taken in. Plus, the injury to my shoulder didn’t help any matters.
Just weeks ago, Rayne, the bully of much of my adolescence, was killed in the Hunger Games. Screaming like the child she was, and lacking the balls to actually fight. She died in the Bloodbath, she didn’t last anytime at all.
She always told me to volunteer, that no one would miss me except my cat. She placed down the importance of Catastrophe and the other rescue(who I eventually freed). She claimed that they were useless, pathetic things, just like me.
As bad as it sounds, I took pleasure in her death. Knowing that she could no longer harass me, bully me, and put me down. The fact that I had a choice once more filled me with a confidence.
It was nice, being freed from her shackles. But her boyfriend, Roger, remained. He had always called my ‘Hollow’ rather than ‘Holly’, referencing my apathy as the source. I could never quite argue his point, because I was quite a detached person. Weak, they would claim, a pushover and silent.
They thought my only defense was words.
I had asked him, promptly, about if he missed Rayne, and I gained a large, scarring gash on my right shoulder. For the fact of the matter, it was entirely worth it. Ever since, he had left me alone. They all had.
It was during my usual walk back home that I found darkness quickly approaching as evening faded into night. In the morning, I had school, and after, I worked my apprenticeship job for the local seamstress, giving her ideas on outfits and sewing. I wasn’t the best at it, but I was good enough and creative. But the job was boring, and I was excited to return home.
Catastrophe was at home, at the time, I didn’t have any strays. Most the animals in our area preferred the outdoors. So I let them be, feeding them at times.
It was when I was close to my little home that I noticed the door ajar. The fact was disconcerting, as I always shut the door when I left. Immediately, I second guessed my routine.
When I walked slower, hasty and wary, I noticed that the door was forced open, meaning someone had entered my house at some time.
That’s when I started to speed up, silent, ready. I assumed the thief already left, nothing of monetary value was in the house except a few priceless dresses and outfits that I had been given. I doubted a thief would even know what to steal.
So, I approached slowly, and it was right as I reached the door that I spotted specks of blood just inside the door, and heard a whimper, a howl and a cry.
I froze, for just a moment, before entering my house silently, freezing once more at the sight I had seen.
Roger, sitting in my living room, holding a knife at my cat’s throat. Roger, with a sick grin, like those people humored at the pain of animals, standing over my bleeding cat that he was ready to mutilate.
I noted, with brief calmness, that the blood seemed to be from him, a long scratch on his arm, multiple, indicating the culprit as Catastrophe, who was growling and hissing.
But soon, I could only hear my heartbeat, and with baited breath, I took two steps to my right, grabbing a broom I used to commonly clean the room, before stepping closer to Roger.
I purposely pressed my foot into the ground, overriding the noise of the screaming cat, watching as he froze before me, dropping the knife he was about to use to kill her, as he slowly turned to look at me.
I didn’t flash my sarcastic smirk, not anything, because one moment, I stood there, the next I smacked him in the head with the broomstick, watching as he toppled to the side, cradling his head.
“What the hell, man?!” He screamed at me, backing up as I walked closer, maying no mind to the scratch now on his head or the blood on the broomstick.
“I told you not to mess with me.” I responded, slamming the broomstick down on him, he barely dodged, yelping as he rolled. “And let me tell you this, you touch my family again, you won’t ever see the break of day again.”
He seemed to smirk then, reaching over and grabbing harshly at Catastrophe’s tail.
She screamed, and all hell broke loose.
One moment, he’s startled as he earns another scratch from the quickly retreating cat. The next moment, we’re rolling on the floor, me having tackled him, and running into the wall, breaking us apart.
He’s up first, launching a punch at me, and I parry, grabbing a glass that somehow got in my house, and throwing it at him, paying no mind to the glass embedding into my skin.
He whined, but I just grabbed a larger shard, before launching myself forward, tackling him to the ground and pinning him, even with my small weight. In my hand, the glass shard cut my skin, releasing droplets of blood, as I placed it against his throat.
He immediately froze, eyes wide, fearful, and I found myself applying more pressure to the shard. My voice came out jagged, rough and cruel, “I said I’d kill you if you hurt my family.”
I spotted tears building in his eyes, and I almost laughed, “Ple-please don’t!”
“Oh,” I pondered, sighing dramatically, “But that...that would make me a liar.” He visibly flinched as I raised the glass and swung it around haphazardly. “Plus, you tried to kill her, I think this is pretty fitting.”
“I wasn’t gonna kill her! I was-“ he gulped, “I was just going to hurt her, to get back at you!”
He was lying, it was easy to tell. I saw him about to kill her, so I acted reasonably.
I pressed the glass back to his throat, before lowering my voice drastically, “Ever talk to me again, I’ll make sure they think your death was a happy little accident.” I then looked at his arm, which laid to his side. “Speak of this ever? No one will believe you. A small little girl beating a big touch guy? And if they, per se, did, I’d know to get one last kill in before I’m done.”
He nodded, understanding the terms, and I smiled. Fake, of course. I went to stand up, but then stopped, glancing at him.
“For good measure, this is for Catastrophe,” I commented, stabbing the shard into his expose arm at his side, wincing as he screamed.
Good, my cat screamed too, and he didn’t care.
Regardless, I stood up and yawned, glaring down at him, “Now, get out before-“
I didn’t finish the sentence, and he was already out the door.
I noticed, from the shards of glass, that he had brought a beer bottle into the house. Most likely, he never even remembered the situation with how drunk he was. But he always seemed scared of me, as if he wasn’t truly afraid of me, but recalling a nightmare I played role in.
It didn’t matter, no matter what happened, the endangerment of those I love can push me to do the unthinkable, kill, or die.
And he wasn’t the last to learn that.
(So yeah, I feel by the time of the games, she may have feared Burton’s response if she acted in such a way, or maybe recognized that most of the children were just scared.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 13, 2019 0:48:12 GMT -5
Oooh that’s so interesting, I love it! That was such good writing too)
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Post by Sparky on Dec 13, 2019 10:27:10 GMT -5
[TL;DR don't mess with her cat ]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 13, 2019 11:04:23 GMT -5
She’s called Catastrophe because if you hurt her the consequences will be catastrophic)
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 13, 2019 19:11:43 GMT -5
(I mean I’m kinda shocked she didn’t kill anyone in the games(yet).
Violent child.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 16, 2019 18:04:23 GMT -5
(Just a version where Amadrya shares cells again with Holly and Everest after her capture rather than her own cell)
I’m not used to hearing the clicking of heels as I walk. At home I always wore soft, worn leather boots or shoes. I tried to make them last as long as possible because new shoes were a luxury. Especially when my cousins and I had been children and my poor uncle had to buy us all new shoes every time we grew out of them.
Still, the steady clicking, though unfamiliar, is perhaps a little comforting. Guards walk either side of me as I walk, but they know by this point that I won’t try to run and so they don’t feel the need to grab my arms or anything. Instead I find that, in some kind of effort to comfort myself and keep calm, I have my arms folded and am gripping my own arms. Which is good because it keeps my fingers from twitching and betraying my nerves. And I’ll be sitting in the interview, so nobody will see my legs shaking. The makeup covers the tear stains on my cheeks.
It’s the first interview, and Louden has just told Everest and Holly about my betrayal. He had to head down the corridor to get something but said he would catch up to us, which he is doing now that we are almost at the stage; I see him approaching quickly down the corridor. We walk in silence the rest of the way, which suits me just fine.
We stop before going on though, and Louden gives me one of his self-satisfied smiles. He can see the nerves in me, the frightened glint in my eye, the way I stand unnaturally straight rather than doing what I would do in a more comfortable situation and leaning against the wall. I try to ignore him as he studies me, but I’m unable to because he speaks, which pulls my attention.
“It’s amazing how much pain one person can cause, isn’t it?” he asks
“You’re referring to me, or to you?” I reply, tilting my head in mock question
“Don’t get cute with me, you know I mean you,” he responds shortly
“I don’t want to talk about this”
“Then isn’t it a shame that I’m the one with the script?” Louden asks with a smile
It’s true. Not just the script to the interview we’re about to do, of course, but the script to our conversations. He’s in control of everything. Even offstage we’re nothing more than his puppets. Or at least I am. Holly and Everest didn’t betray their friends, and themselves to boot. And the rebellion.
“I know how this ends,” I reply “and I know there’s nothing I can do to change it. Is it really so bad for me to want to pretend I can protect them a little?”
——————
It’s after the interview, and I’m returned to my cell, having changed out of the dress and makeup. Holly and Everest don’t say a word, can’t even look at me, but I can see by the hunch of Everest’s shoulders that he’s hurt.
I sit there for a long while in silence, knees drawn up to my chest, before Everest speaks out, and if I didn’t know he was talking to me it would have been like he was talking to the wall.
“Why?”
Just one word, and it’s like a stab to the chest. And then Holly joins in, drives the knife deeper.
“I was so stupid to trust anyone,” she snarls
“I had to, Louden said-“
I begin to explain, but Holly interrupts with a raised voice
“We don’t need your damned excuses. It doesn't matter what Louden said to you, what it comes down to is that you were emotional and selfish and wanted to save your own ass. He made some threats and you were too weak, it’s pathetic. You could at least have been selfish without throwing us under the bus in the process, not to mention the rebellion and, by extension, the entire country. Yeah, you’re really making them pay, Amadrya.”
She’s throwing my own words back at me, from our conversation before the parade. I told her to make the Capitol pay for every second we were in the Games. She might be wrong about me doing this to save myself, but I suppose she’s right about the emotion and the weakness.
“Look, I’m sorry,” I sigh
“And we should just take your apology?” Everest asks sharply “I cared about you. You’ve gone and betrayed me, Holly, the whole rebellion. Why should we even believe you? Maybe we’re like the Capitol, maybe we’ll believe everything you tell us.”
Ah, our conversation from the roof. My words are just all getting thrown in my face today. I can’t tell them though, because if they find out they’ll either try and stop me or Louden will stop our deal if he gets wind of it. He only keeps the deal because it entertains him to cause the three of us pain through it. Plus, any way to split us up and make us distrust one another.
Still, stupid as it may be, I don’t regret it.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 20, 2019 16:22:34 GMT -5
I’m writing something soon x not sure what yet)
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Post by Sparky on Dec 20, 2019 16:40:57 GMT -5
[ I just finished all my final exams woot woot ]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 20, 2019 16:41:59 GMT -5
Oooh yay! I hope they went well x)
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 20, 2019 18:09:43 GMT -5
(I have some chapters done. I’ll post them soon :3.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 20, 2019 18:15:36 GMT -5
Ooh I’m excited!
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 20, 2019 18:42:45 GMT -5
(I have no idea what this is but here, enjoy XD it’s super short though oops. It was just a mini idea I wanted to explore that wasn’t worth a whole big piece of writing)
It’s some time after the rebellion, and the others all have their lives together now, we’re all grown up. The districts have all been rebuilt from the ashes, and as we move through the Capitol it’s clear that this place was no exception.
The last time we were here was the final battle, the last push through the city. A lot of us were injured, but in the end the victory was worth it. When we left the Capitol huge areas of it were ruins, not the beautiful new buildings they are today.
We have all become celebrities since the rebellion, and that’s why we’re here now, heading through the city in chariots as the people cheer us. It’s eerily similar to the parade before the Hunger Games, but I think we’re all trying our best not to think about that.
I’m trying to remember Diana’s words before we went out there.
“Remember, you’re not yourself,” she said
“What?” I questioned
“You and the others are not your own individuals anymore. Now you represent the new Panem and everything it stands for. They want glamour and strength, they want people to look up to. You are a political ideology. So go out there and be the perfect image the people want, and for the love of god don’t do anything... Macaria.”
I hate this. I’m a symbol, just like I was in the Hunger Games. I’ll never escape it. And after spending so long figuring out who I really am it’s kind of irritating to find out that it’s all suddenly irrelevant. I have to pretend again, like I always had to in the academy.
But still, it’s better than before. I know I am and have been doing the right things. I can see the others struggle with this burden too, but I think we all agree that it’s worth it. Panem is safe, and eventually they’ll move on. Find new symbols. And then we can live our lives in relative peace, hopefully.
I just wish people would stop asking me questions about Alessandro and his death.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 22, 2019 18:25:44 GMT -5
It’s Christmas some time after the revolution. Everything seems, if not perfect, at least fine right now. I’m sitting on a comfy seat in our shared house, basking in the heat from the fire as I’m surrounded by my friends. I sit on an armchair and Everest sits on the floor in front of me. An engagement ring glints on my finger as I absently rub his shoulder. Holly is sitting on the couch, reading, while Burton is on the floor, sprawled in front of the fireplace. Macaria shares the couch with Holly, and while she is relaxed now earlier she took no small pleasure in trying to distract Holly from her reading in any way possible. Mainly throwing things at her.
We’re all even dressed quite festively. Even Holly and I agreed, and I’m wearing a green jumper and have wound red and gold ribbon through my braids. Holly is also dressed in red and gold. I next cast my glance at Macaria who, probably in a deliberate effort to mess up the colour scheme we have going here, has gone for blue and silver. She’s wearing a navy blue dress with a silver belt and jewellery.
Macaria never got over losing Alessandro. We all hear her crying late at night but we’ve learned that it’s best not to talk to her about it. If she wants to open up to us more than she already has then that’s something we can’t force; she’ll come to us on her own. The only one of us she really talks to is Holly
“Don’t you just love Christmas?” Burton grins, breaking the silence.
And then, in true Burton fashion, he obviously decides that this moment calls for a Christmas carol, and begins to sing.
“Frosty the snowman-“
“Melted,” Holly interrupts, not even looking up from her book
Of course, this makes us laugh, even though I try to hide it. Burton looks annoyed, glaring at Holly (not that she notices), which of course makes everyone laugh even harder. Attempting to salvage the moment, and out of pure stubbornness, decides to try and sing a different song.
“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer-“
“Only became popular because people realised his differences were valuable to society.” Macaria interjects
We’re all sniggering now, and I have to admit I’m not even trying to hide it. Holly and Macaria high-five, and Burton huffs irritatedly.
“I’m just trying to bring some festive cheer,” he says “I can’t work like this.”
It’s st that moment that Halina and Ari come in to join us too. Ari is carrying some extra firewood he got from our shed outside, and Halina is carrying presents she’s been busy wrapping upstairs. They both look pretty proud of themselves as Ari puts some more fuel on the fire and Halina arrays the presents under the tree. Then they join us, Halina perching on the arm of the couch and Ari sitting on the floor near Burton and Everest.
“Well since everyone’s here and Burton reckons it isn’t festive enough, why don’t we exchange presents?” Everest suggests
Everyone seems pretty excited by that idea. Holly gets up to grab an armful of presents from under the tree, the ones she wrapped. She passes them out, apart from Macaria’s, before returning to sit on the sofa. Everyone else follows suit.
Macaria grabs the only gift she hasn’t given out yet and throws it at Holly, who by now is apparently so used to Macaria throwing things at her that she catches it reflexively.
“Merry Christmas, loser,” Macaria smiles
Without missing a beat, Holly throws her present for Macaria over to the other girl.
“Merry Christmas, asshole.”
Burton is excited by literally every present he receives, but of course Holly’s gift to him is best. None of us know Burton like Holly does. Halina seems to be focusing on seeing what everyone thinks of her gift choices, watching with pride as people open her gifts. I can see the slight nerves in her eyes though; she really cares about making sure that we like the presents she gave us. Ari is thrilled with his presents, even running over to give me a hug when he opens my gift. Like always, I got him something from district 7. It’s a special gift, since neither of us get to go there very often anymore. Something from home is important to us. Everest and I then exchange gifts, giving one another a peck on the cheek as we do so. Everyone’s happy, and talking and laughing and having fun.
It’s perfect.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 22, 2019 21:51:54 GMT -5
Damnit this makes me regret what I plan to do.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 23, 2019 2:36:11 GMT -5
No do it, take my heart and shred it)
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poor Macaria though
