.for just another day| TSH vs. A vs. V

run, run, run away, buy yourself another day
a cold wind's whispering secrets in your ear
so low only you can hear
run, run, run and hide
somewhere no one else can find

When the cannon fires, I feel nothing.

I've been in close proximity with so many dead bodies over the last few days that I've become desensitized to destruction, numb to the point that I don't even bat an eye as Emerald crumples to the ground, Asunder's arrow sticking hideously out of her eye. The only emotion I can manage to muster is a vague sense of horror, a haunting mantra that rings in my ears. I'm alone now. Alone, alone, alone.

The District One girl and I were never close. It was an unspoken understanding that neither of us trusted the other one as far as we could throw them, but alliances in the Games are the only form of security we can give ourselves. And now my security is gone. I stand rooted to the ground by shock for an infinite moment, wide-eyed and blinking slowly. "Em-Emmy?"

As if I expected her to get up, brush herself off, and dive back into the fray.

"God dammit, Asunder!" I shout, finally snapping out of my trance as I turn on the District Twelve and shove him hard, my hands slapping against his bony chest and knocking him back a few paces. I'm angry, and I guess that's good. Angry is a feeling. After so many days with Emerald, I think I was beginning to turn into something numb and soulless too. The rage roars through my veins, and I could do it, I really could, I could take my vengeance right now. The knife is out of my bag and gleaming in my hand before I even have time to blink, the other hand fisting in his obnoxiously bright shirt and yanking him back until his face is mere inches from my own livid expression. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?! You just royally screwed me over; I won't make it two days out here without an ally! I ought to…"

I ought to, I ought to, I ought to, and the knife is right there, glinting dangerously against his skin. I ought to, but I can't. There's a moment of tenuous indecision, but then I drop my hand with a growl, shoving him backwards again. He's too clammy and indecisive to take a swing at me when I almost just gutted him for his transgressions, and Viridian Harper is hovering so close to death's door that he's not even a remote threat at the moment. Sighing resignedly, I walk over and kneel next to Emerald's corpse, carefully closing her one remaining eye. If it weren't for all the arrows and blood, she could be sleeping.

"Thanks for sticking with me," I whisper, brushing a lock of crimson-matted hair back from her forehead. The rich green velvet of her cloak, of that silly sponsor gift she wore around like a badge of honor is miraculously unsullied, all the blood flowing through the slope of the ground and spreading out in pretty tendrils through the water rather than pooling around her body. My fingers brush briefly across the clasps, and without even realizing what I'm doing, I've removed the heavy fabric, cradling it close to my chest like my last hope as I turn back to look at Asunder and Viridian. "You can have the rest. Just… just let me keep this, please."

Feeling like my bones have suddenly filled with lead, I drag myself back to my feet, wrapping the cloak around my shoulders and fastening it into place. It's not Emmy, but it holds her spirit, reminds me of her confident smiles and decisive leadership. I shove the knife back into my backpack, loop my not-so-trusty flail through my waistband, glaring at the battered boys in front of me. "I'm giving you two a five minute head start. If I run into either of you again, it's not going to be pretty. Now go."

And then I turn on my heel, walking briskly in the opposite direction and briefly sidestepping the graceful body that's staining the lake with lifeblood.

"Bye, Emmy."

And I feel nothing.

[River claims Emerald Shore's cloak (permission from Kay) and flees.]

fly high across the sky from here to kingdom come
fall back down to where you're from
don't you fret, my dear, it'll all be over soon
i'll be waiting here for you, for you, for you
don't you fret, my dear