dodging death in the six-speed. jules & walter. day 5.

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✨ zozo.
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dodging death in the six-speed. jules & walter. day 5. Mar 26, 2020 0:18:05 GMT -5

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Post by ✨ zozo. on Mar 26, 2020 0:18:05 GMT -5

We run and run and run until I cannot run any more, collapsing to the ground underneath the strenuous weight of my wounded leg.

In the leaves and the dirt I roll over and gasp in air, staring up at the sky through the trees. Everything seems harsher. Deadlier. The green, the blue, the tiny speckles of colour from flowers and harmless creatures - it's all so much more dangerous than I had once thought before. Even Walter. When I look at him all I can see is his sword covered in blood and his cheeks flushed red from pain and grief.

I don't trust anyone here, I'd spat at Sophie Fray on our first day. Now I can barely count them on one hand - even with half a thumb lost to the arena. He'd told me he was thirteen. Only thirteen. I guess he was saying it to save his own skin - perhaps he'd paid enough attention to find out I have a whole shed of siblings back home, thinking it'd make me trust him. I want to trust him, but I want to look after him more.

And I hate that about me. I hate that by giving in to myself, for remembering who I am and all the things that make me Juliet - the delicate balance of good and god-awful, the innate need to look after those younger than me, the desire to protect Walter - it makes me weak. To be myself, truly myself, I'm putting my own life on the line.

But I suppose I've already damned myself enough by calling out in the middle of the crowd to save Noah's life.

"You okay kid?" I manage, pulling myself up to a sitting position. "How's your shoulder?"

It's hard to tell by looking at him if he's processed what happened. I can barely put it together myself. Bok-bok, then the river, and then those purple... things, that girl and thoughts of Silas, flaming spears, Walter screaming, I'm screaming, there's blood on a sword and canon fire.

My hands shake as I stitch up my leg, betting that the girl will find me again before I can return the favour. Everything is deadlier in this place. Even the tributes. She won't be satisfied with just one hit. I know only that much - it was written all over her face.

I killed your boyfriend, Juliet.

But neither will I.

Last Edit: Mar 26, 2020 1:10:41 GMT -5 by ✨ zozo.

“and men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins.”

d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel
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dodging death in the six-speed. jules & walter. day 5. Mar 26, 2020 7:51:28 GMT -5

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Post by d6a georgie cham 🍓🐢 frankel on Mar 26, 2020 7:51:28 GMT -5

Pain. Agony and everything in between. That is all he feels right now. Walter’s body surrenders to the screams and the cries. It is not all just physical, mental torment is just as prominent through the broken bones and torn flesh. The sword feels heavy now. It is has only carried the deaths of mutated beasts but now a real soul has fallen victim to its pointed edge.

He really does not know how the feel. What to feel. Is there anything he should say to the boy that lies at his feet?

There is no blessing to be said by the murderer.

Rule four - don’t harm anyone, if they haven’t harmed you. It is not an eye for an eye matter. The hammer only broke Walter, it did not end him.

He soon runs with Juliet as he is dragged away. No time to think it through, no time to grieve the blood that has been added to his sword. Except the pain is all that matters now. It is all that needs tending too. Then his thoughts can be tamed, then he can process exactly the action he has just committed live in front of millions of people.

The youngest tribute in the arena, a real brutal killer.

It is never ending, the running. A sprint to survival, every step makes his broken shoulder rattle. No arms to support it, he will soon have to free his left arm from the sling or there will be no carrying that sword again. There are enough bandages in his pack to mummify him, enough plants around him to ease the pain.

Finally, he stops, his ass lands on the floor of the jungle and he just breaths. It takes a few minutes for him to catch himself, to finally move from the frozen position he lands in. He does not say anything as he sips the lukewarm water from the metal flask. An icy cold beverage is not on the menu today.

”I..I saved us both.” That is it. That is all he has done. Saved two lives to live another day in this hellish zone. ”He hurt me. They all hurt us. Someone had to…” That is it. That is what he tells himself as he stares past Juliet, not looking at her in the eye. The tears are dried on his cheeks. Just crusty remnants remain.

”My shoulder will be ok, there are a lot of medical plants around here. I will get you some pain relief…” Walter gets back up onto his feet, a roll of bandages in his hand. He walks away from his new ally, the only one he has managed to save. Two dead. One fled. Now this girl.

Walter wraps the bandage around his shoulder as he inspects the colourful leaves and aroma filled flowers that decorate the jungle. ”Some of these taste really nice!” He calls out to Juliet as he walks back to her, handing over a collection of pain relief. ”Some don’t though so prepare yourself.”

His mind has wandered. Everything his buried. To the next day…

✨ zozo.
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dodging death in the six-speed. jules & walter. day 5. Mar 27, 2020 4:29:49 GMT -5

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Post by ✨ zozo. on Mar 27, 2020 4:29:49 GMT -5

His voice is hollow. Breathless.

”I..I saved us both.”

There's another canon, as if on cue.

"Yeah you did," I reply quietly, staring at his hands. "Well done kid."

"He hurt me. They all hurt us. Someone had to...”

He won't look at me. I don't blame him. I'd told him what to do, what our plan was, and he'd followed through. But it's changed him already. He's rambling - but in a panicked way, not like he did from the riverbed to here.

I wonder if he blames me.

"I know, kid," perhaps reassurance will help fill the silence. "I know. You did what you had to do. Thank you," I sit up properly, stretching out my stitched-up legs as best as I can. "Seriously."

I try a smile - or what I can summon of one, given the situation. "Thank you, Walter."

He gets back up onto his feet, and although I'm glad to see enough shock as worn off for him to be able to move I'm still worried about the vacant look in his eye. "Don't wander too far, okay?" I'm protective of him - he saved my life.

Too protective.
I know.

But it's who I am. I look after people. Walter seems to understand that - and yet he insists on helping me. It's strange, to be the one extending my arm out instead of placing things in it. Half the time I snatch them up again, take what I can get all for myself. Walter seems to want to share. Like it's in his nature. Maybe he's got a comfortable life in Six. Maybe he wasn't taught it's yours versus theirs.

In this place, I'll take anything I can get.

"Thank you," I nod, bundling the plants up into my bag for safekeeping. It's fit to burst, even with all my unpacking and re-packing, and the weight is starting to eat into my half-healed shoulders.

He's stoic, I'll give him that. But he's also young. Walter's proven he's more than his age but when I look at him I see Bailey, Sidonie, Saoirse. I see someone who puts on a brave face. I see me, in some ways, at thirteen. Doing what she has to do to survive. Learning, slowly, that sometimes the things you must do feel horrible.

He'll learn to live - or die - with his choices.

"Here," I offer, trying to catch his attention. "Take this." The knife I had considered killing him with this morning lies in my hand, the blade in my gloved palm with the handle pointed for him to take. "Might help with getting some better plants later."

If he kills you with that, Jamie seethes in my head, I'll never let you hear the end of it.
Yeah yeah, I smile.

But when he takes the handle my stomach drops - just a little. Just enough to send a message.

Just enough for Jamie to fume.
Just enough for me to worry.