CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
black blood

MARLENE HAPPILY GAVE AUGUST HASTING A NASTY CUT TO HER CHEEK THE MOMENT THE CAREER WALKED IN TO THEIR HIDING SPOT, HOLDING ELEANOR EVES PRACTICALLY DEAD BODY. It seemed as though the girl was very much aware of where they had been hiding, having no problem at all uncovering the leaves that concealed them from prying eyes. It was a horrific sight to see the moment August had emerged from the safety of the Willow tree, Jaime and Kai both shrieking at the career.

Though, they were most likely horrified at the sight of Eleanor.

Of course, she didn't know fully what was going on, but seeing the career carry Eleanor's practically catatonic body made her see red and she immediately responded by slicing August's cheek up slightly.

August didn't even retaliate and Marlene had to be practically pried off her by Sage, Jaime, and Kai. She was sat besides Sage, who seemed just as shocked as the pair of girls watched Kai and Jaime fuss over Eleanor's practically comatose body. She still clutched tightly onto the blade, glaring August's way, despite Sage's best efforts to keep an eye on the erratic blonde.

"I don't know what happened," August Hasting was explaining, using pieces of her suit to wipe away any of the excess blood on the girl's body. She had ripped off pieces of her own suit almost immediately when she laid Eleanor's body on the moss bed. Marlene wanted to believe she did know exactly what happened, but from the looks of things, August Hasting was truly, and surprisingly, innocent. She sighed heavily, not even bothering to tend to her. "I heard a canon, Alina's, and came back. Those dicks practically forced me to abandon her and I told them the deal was off if they did that."

From afar, Eleanor looked painfully peaceful, her hands laying to each side as her lips were parted. But, the sight of her darkening veins and the small moans escaping her lips weren't comforting at all. Blood was already beginning to drip down her nose and ears at larger quantities, the substance an uneasy black shade which was most definitely unnatural and tainted.

"What deal?"

August shook her head at Kai. "The Career pack."

"They left her? That girl from 1?" Sage gently asked, her voice deep with shock as she fully comprehended what exactly had been said. She awkwardly shifted on the spot, her expression faint and almost sympathetic. Marlene's eyes focused heavily on her, her hazel eyes fixed on Sage as though Sage was truly the only person in existence. "She defended that boy from your district and they left her for dead?"

August nodded solemnly, grimacing ever so slightly as she recalled how both Mitchell and Robb reacted the moment they abandoned Alina. "I wanted to go back so I did. That's when I saw Eleanor collapse. I don't know why, but," She reached forward, forcing the group to pay attention to the marks already spiralling up Eleanor's pale skin. "I think it's poison from the snake. I don't know how it got into her, but it did." Her voice faded away as she thought, trying to piece together what they didn't understand.

"Why you even care for Els anyways?" Marlene snapped.

"I don't know," August honestly replied. Her shoulders quivered ever so slightly. "I told her I'd leave her alone, but when I saw her collapse... How could I leave her behind?"

"Thank you." Kai softly replied, moving to sit next to August. Marlene wanted to tell him off, but she relented the moment Sage glared at her. "I think you might have saved her life."

August remained insistent that she hadn't, simply explaining that she watched Eleanor collapse. Marlene didn't press for any other details, clenching her jaw ever so slightly at the fact that she was really going to witness Eleanor die.

As much as she hated saying it, she didn't think she'd be mentally sane enough if she witnessed Eleanor's death.

But what did she expect to happen when Eleanor Eves first showed her kindness?

Marlene sighed heavily. "So we wait for her to die then?" She glumly looked down at the darkened veins extending up Eleanor's arms, clearly the side effect of the venom. She finally stood up, moving closer to Eleanor before finally placing the girl in her lap. "You think the sponsors will work their magic?"

Sage moved closer to Marlene, leaning ever so slightly to rest her head on the blonde's shoulder. "I wish I could say so, but we're in the Hunger Games. The show is the death of us... of her." Her voice faded out ever so slightly, a sniffle echoing as they all focused on Eleanor's worsening state.

Jaime shook his head quickly, determination on his face as he held back a cry. All he could focus on was Eleanor, the girl who tried her best to make him smile and comfort him even when it's so clear she is scared too. "But we can't just let her die!" Tears welled in his eyes, his lips quivering ever so slightly. "Eleanor wouldn't let any of us die. She could've left me when she found me, but she didn't!" Jaime turned and pointed to Sage with an accusatory glare. "She easily could have let you die from that stab wound, but she didn't! So why- so-"

"Jaime..." Sage tried reaching forward, but the younger boy flinched back.

"No!" He shook his head firmly, his blond curls bouncing around as he violently shook his head back and forth. He inched further away from the others, practically recoiling away from their touch. His wide blue eyes remained fixed on Eleanor. "I'm not letting her die."

"Jaime, we haven't got a choice!" Marlene finally snapped, her voice cracking ever so slightly. Her eyes welled with tears as her lip quivered. What choice did any of them have? The poison was in Eleanor's system, most likely killing her slowly. Marlene's eye drifted to her ax for one second, but she shook her head and turned to glare at Jaime. "You think I want to let her die?"

Everyone went silent.

"There has to be like-- something." Kai tried rationalising, but it seemed as though nothing made any of them feel better. He was hiccuping uncontrollably, trying his best to keep it together as he brushed Eleanor's hair out of her face. Marlene truly did feel hopeless and Kai's pleads to Finnick and Mags certainly didn't. The pleads eventually died out into soft sobs with became more muffled as August finally pulled him closer.

Then, they finally heard something. It was perhaps the most beautiful sound Marlene Woods had ever heard in her entire life, a cry of relief flooding out of her as she staggered up. She rushed towards the parachute, breathing out in relief as she unwrapped it. She didn't even read the note at first, rushing in with the note and a strange purple vial and needle.

She handed the vial and needle to August. "Sponsor." Marlene simply said, but she simply just wanted to cheer as loud as she could. Her eyes lit up at the note, reading it aloud for everyone else to here "'Two shots in each arm. - F'. Oh my god." She didn't need to say anything else, everyone quickly moved to lay Eleanor flat on the ground, rolling up her sleeves as though they already knew what they needed to go.

August's eyes were blown out as she studied the vial in her grip. She held it in her hand shakily, before gesturing to Sage to grab onto it. The red haired girl immediately nodded, grabbing onto the glass syringe and pressing it into the vial. They watched nervously as it filled with the liquid. "Probably Eleanor's mentor sent it." She finally mentioned, taking note of the added 'F' at the end of the script.

Sage nodded, not saying anything as she finally grabbed onto Eleanor's wrist. She carefully injected it into Eleanor, quickly moving to her other arm and repeating the motion. Marlene could not help feel relieved as she visibly saw Eleanor's entire body relax, the anti-venom already taking its effect. Finally, Marlene reached up and wiped away the blood that had been dripping down Eleanor's nose, rubbing it on Eleanor's uniform.

The relief was almost immediate.

OH MY GOD

WE ARE AT 20K OHMYGOD

THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE

THANK YOU ALL FOR READING AND ADORING THIS FIC

i hope it makes u all happy

i'm also potentially thinking of a haymitch fic but when he's younger and the oc is the girl he mentioned in the books

though i'll probably start thinking of that more when tbosas comes out since i want it to link to that in a special way 🤭🤭🤭

(yes i've read tbsosas and i'm aware how i can link haymitch's girl)

just u guys wait

but anyways would any of u be interested in that?