running out of time // woodsmen leisure

Beck was all broken bones and bloody wounds. The canon still rung a pitiful melancholy between his ears. He'd helped kill Sarina, the blood on Sophie's hands was not her sin alone. He'd looked a girl in the eye and hoped she'd die. He was relieved she had. He wanted to be sad, to feel something similar to the grief he'd experienced when Silas had fallen, or even a glimmer of the terror that had consumed him upon Ikaros' death.

He didn't.

And Beck didn't care one bit. The weak knees and sweaty palms had disappeared somewhere he couldn't reach. That weakness must remain, a man like Beck was not defined by his strength, but he was glad killing a girl didn't hurt. He'd have to kill what felt like a hundred more to make it out of here.

He stopped counting his steps long after the adrenaline took over, making sure to put as much distance between them and that infernal beast as possible. To earn themselves a fitful nights sleep that wouldn't end in vengeful spears sunk into their gut. There was enough eating away at him without those dangers which lurked around every corner.

When he couldn't run anymore he slumped against some tree in some part of some stupid forest. "Y'know," He mused, staring at the space below the village, where he and Silas had once watched Sophie and Juliet trudge through the dense undergrowth beneath, full of mirth as they'd called to their companions.

A memory not so much nostalgic as it was a punch to the gut.

They were going to make it to the end of this but what did that mean? Just Sophie and just Beck. Just District One and District Four with their blades at each other's throat, battling for their lives as the audience howled for glory. He'd made promises when survival seemed impossible, now those words bode for nothing less than bitterly tragic endings. "Someday you'll-"

probably have to try to kill me.

For some reason, Beck couldn't force the words from between his lips.

He smiled but he didn't look at Sophie, "be a legend. One the Districts whisper about for years to come. I'm proud to have been a part of it."

Because he sure as hell couldn't promise he wouldn't go down fighting.