CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
the siren

trigger warning - sexual assault / attempted rape

ROBB DAWNS BURNT IN THE FLAMES OF THE BONFIRE LIT BESIDES THE LAKE, MITCHELL SIMPLY WATCHING WITH A SEEMINGLY EMOTIONLESS EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE. It took a moment for Eleanor to fully comprehend what Mitchell had done, but Robb's pained screams seemed to wake Eleanor up to the absolute horrors of what she was witnessing. Eleanor could not contain her shock as she watched the boy burn, screaming out as the fire consumed his body entirely. It licked at his skin, latching on and charring away at him until the roar of the fire overpowered his screams and a canon instead sounded.

Robb Dawns had died.

It was now Mitchell Braws, August Hastings, and Eleanor Eves.

Mitchell chuckled at the sight, the bright orange hues lighting him up as he continued laughing. His shrills rang out loudly in the opening, head tilted up to the sky and screaming in pure bliss. His siloutte was engulfed in the orange, his grin menacing. August shook in horror, finally standing up with her blade in hand.

"August..." Eleanor's plea was ignored, the brunette shivering as her weapon grew more firm in her grip. "No... please..." She tried to hold onto the girl, wanting them to run away, only for August to twist her arm to the side. In a shriek, Eleanor let go and August bursted through the shrubs.

"No!" Eleanor screamed, trying to grab ahold of the girl but her other hand slipped through August as though she was gripping sand. Fear practically swallowed Eleanor whole as she watched August run towards Mitchell with her blade in place, no longer under the protection of the shrubs.

She felt hopeless as she was lodged in place. Her entire body seemed to forget every function it had, her breath caught in her throat, her heart hammering uncontrollably, and her limbs freezing. Her hand barely gripped onto the knife August had given her, but Eleanor knew that it was useless.

She watched as August screamed, holding her sword in front of her. "You cunt!" He blocked her attack seamlessly, rolling his eyes as August grunted, snarling at him with hatred written in her eyes. "He was your ally! He trusted you!" She moved closer to him, her fists clenched tightly on her sword, hoping to deliver the killing blow.

Mitchell, however, seemed more confident, jeering at August with a sneer and an upturned nose. "He was a fool!" Mitchell spat out, his left fist making contact with August's face. She yelped as she crumbled to the ground, her sword falling away from her. She crawled back as he advanced forward, her eyes falling on Eleanor. Mitchell turned and finally saw the girl, a smirk on his lips. "Hello."

"No!" August yelled, swinging her legs under his. He fell down, grunting as August tried moving ahead. Her wild eyes were filled with worry, regret finally settling in as she watched Eleanor with a thundering heart. A scream sounded as Mitchell grabbed onto her leg, his hand moving down to pull her back. "Eleanor! Run! NO!"

Mitchell laughed, holding the spear in his grip and throwing it her way. Eleanor yelled as she fell back, the spear hitting her thigh and piercing it. She crumbled to the ground as she bit back a sob, heaving as she tried moving away. Her nails bore into the soil, trying to shuffle herself forward with pained grunts.

This was not how this was meant to go.

Mitchell turned back to August, quickly snatching the sword from her. He held it in his grip, his knee pining August to the ground and he laughed at her helplessly. He gave a loud laugh, turning towards Eleanor with a coy laugh, "You know, pretty girl," Eleanor gritted her teeth, holding back a sob. "It's your little friend you have to thank for your allies deaths."

Eleanor paused, her mouth going agar. "What?" She watched as August struggled underneath Mitchell, thrashing wildly. She was nothing more than a writhing animal, at the mercy of Mitchell Braws and his spear. "What?"

A fake apologetic look crossed Mitchell's face. He pouted, his bottom lip protruding outwards in such a disgusting way. His knee pressed harder into August's torso. "You didn't know," he turned back to August with a snigger. "Didn't your pretty little head ever wonder how little miss August knew where to find you when Alina kicked the bucket? She's the one who found your camp, who was watching you for two nights."

"Eleanor, I'm sorry!" August pleaded, letting out shrills as she tried pushing him off. "I just wanted to survive! I didn't think they'd kill all of them!"

August whimpered as Mitchell's finger trailed down her cheek, rubbing a tear away. He gave a low laugh, watching Eleanor carefully.  "Guess it'll make this so much easier."   He buried the hilt in her chest, a scream lodged in August's throat as he drove it up in the air, driving it down even harsher. All Eleanor could do was watch, burning rage in her veins that practically flooded her mind.

August... what had she done?

Was she the reason they knew where her group had been?

It was clear they had been watching them for a while, so maybe that's how August knew where to find Eleanor?

Eleanor blinked and all she saw was August's dead corpse. She hadn't even heard the canon, though it seemed that Mitchell hadn't either. Wounds littered her skin and guttered sounds echoed in the opening as Mitchell defiled her body. Finally, he raised the blade once more, driving it furiously into her face, between her eyebrows.

Eleanor's throat burnt badly. Why did it burn so badly?

She hadn't realised she was still wailing.

Eleanor pulled herself up by her elbows, watching with horror in her eyes as he pulled the sword out, moving the blade up to his lips and licking the blood. August's blood coated Mitchell Braws plump lips, being wiped away with his tongue.

Eleanor finally gritted her teeth as she pulled the spear out of her thigh, holding back her scream as she ran ahead, blind with fury. All she could see was August's blood and that lit a fuse in her. Every ounce of anger she had against August burnt against Mitchell Braws. She burnt with a passionate fury which seemed to consume her with every step, only to be blown out as Mitchell knocked the spear from her grip. She staggered to the side, immediately getting up with adrenaline pumping her veins as she swung her fist his way. It caught the side of his face, making him fall back with a grunt. Though, it seemed he recovered quite quickly as he got up and punched Eleanor to the ground, quickly moving to straddle her.

They were by the water now.

TRIGGER WARNING - SEXUAL ASSAULT

He pressed down on her lower body, leaning on her as his mouth hovered above her ear. "You know," he breathed in, then out in rasps, grinding down on her. She screamed, trying to shove him off, desperate to evade his touch. If you were just hearing her screams, you would have thought boiling water had been poured over Eleanor. "I did always want to have my way with you, Princess."

His hands became ice against her skin. Painful, raw, and tight, even as his hands wandered. Eleanor shivered in fear, watching in slow motion with wide, fearful blue eyes. They screamed for mercy, begging him for death.

But men never gave women mercy.

They never have and never will.

Let it be quick, she begged. Let him just get it over with, so I can die and leave all what was left of me with him. Eleanor had never sought death as much as she had in that moment, praying for the salvation only mercy could grant. She sobbed, her head falling back as he pressed more firmly onto her. She had never expected her body to freeze the way it did, but all she could feel was him.

Him.

Only him.

Her entire face was lit up by the hue of the bonfire, bright red with scorching heat practically choking her as red glistened tears streamed down her cheeks. Mitchell's hand trailed down her body, groping her with every touch. His hands struggled with her bottoms. Mitchell's teeth latched onto her neck as he sucked on it, rolling his hips into hers as he groaned. Eleanor gritted her teeth in pain, before finally moving forward to bite down on his shoulder. Mitchell recoiled almost immediately, the pain of Eleanor's teeth breaking into his skin making him scream.

TRIGGER WARNING OVER

He parted from her, Mitchell's eyes staring down at Eleanor with what she perceived as fear and perhaps lust. Eleanor, with wide fearful eyes and breathlessness, stared at him, his blood coating her white teeth before Mitchell's fist slammed onto her face. Blood immediately fell down Eleanor's face, her nose broken and bloody, and her cheeks bashed in. Without any regard, he pushed Eleanor off the edge of the bank, joining her in the water as he gripped onto her hair. Eleanor struggled to get to the surface, her body burning as she finally surfaced, only to be pushed down once more.

"No!" She yelled as she resurfaced, only to be shoved back in once more. Her lungs burnt as he continued dunking her in, pulling her face up and then continuing. She thrashed around, aimlessly kicking in an effort to make him stop. But, it seemed as though Mitchell liked her fighting. His fist collided with her head once more, his other pulling her head up.

It seemed Mitchell Braws ignored the way Eleanor took a deep breath, before being submerged once more. All the energy in Eleanor's body disappeared as she limply floated in the water, head faced down. Living was too painful now, all Eleanor wanted was to finally die and for Annie and Finnick to place those tulips on her grave.

Eleanor could only hope that Finnick and Annie would be okay without her. Annie would be able to learn how to help Finnick throughout his mourning, and then they would be okay.  She didn't fight him anymore, simply waiting for the eventual canon which would signify her death.

But it never came.

Eleanor Eves was particularly good at holding her breath, so much so that she had fooled Mitchell Braws into believing she had died. It seemed he got tired of holding her in place, simply letting her go.

He let go of her head, watching as her body stilled in the water before finally laughing. Under the water, Eleanor's yellowed eyes snapped open and her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. She was supposed to be dead.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Yet, here she was, alive, near death, but alive. She was floating, her mind hazy, yet her spirit alive and that was enough. Her heart still thudded in her chest and Mitchell Braws was still alive.

Above the water, however, Mitchell Braws celebrated. His spear fell into the water, floating besides Eleanor's body as a loud cry of victory sounded from his lips. He focused much more on the skyline as he cheered in victory, bellowing his own praise. The Capitol, the whole of Panem, would all be watching in confusion, simply because no canon had sounded.

He had not won.

From the mentor room, Finnick Odair would be watching, held firmly by Mags Flanagan as he prayed for Eleanor to fight. He watched her float, praying for her to do something - anything - just to stay alive.

Eleanor waited for a moment, before floating closer to him. To Mitchell, it would look as though her dead body was simply just moving with the current.

But, in reality, the siren was lurking.

There was a reason she was from District 4. There was a reason Lucille donned her in the skin of a siren the first time Panem saw her.

She wasn't going to die in vain.

She waited a moment, before he realised that no canon had sounded. Hesitantly, Mitchell paused, turning. His eyes darted around, before noticing it. Her bloody eyes resurfaced from the water, watching Mitchell carefully. He could only stare, watching as they grew closer and closer. Anyone who was watching saw the sight of those haunted eyes which fixated on Mitchell, watching his every move. Eleanor did not make a sound, waiting, watching as she moved closer.

All of Panem watched, time had practically stopped and the only indicator that it was going ahead was the feeling of Finnick's heart thundering in his chest.

This was it.

Before he could even react, Eleanor lurched out, holding onto him and pulling him under. She submerged herself with him still held in her grip as her hands moved onto his neck, strangling him as he struggled for air. His eyes were blown out with fury as he tried to pry her grip away from him but Eleanor didn't stop. His hand tried pulling at her necklace, only for the rope to break as the shell sunk to the bottom of the lake. Eleanor let out a wail, his spear in her grasp as she finally pierced it through his chest.

The water clogged the sound of the canon. But, Eleanor knew it was over.

She let go of Mitchell and finally emerged from the water. A strangled gasp escaped her lips as she finally breathed out, coughing slightly. His blood dripped down her arms, practically soaking her as he aimlessly floated.  There was a loud ringing in her ears, followed by Claudius Templesmith's distinct voice ringing out in celebration.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the Victor of the 67th Hunger Games, Eleanor Eves!"

ANDDDDSS THATS A WRAP OF ACT ONE BABY

eleanor killing mitchell will forever satisfy my needs, karma came for that bitch and gutted him out.

also how do we feel about that twist? that august was the one who betrayed eleanor after all and is the reason mitchell and robb knew where the group was? i know some of you had the feeling about it, though i feel like i executed it quite well since lots of you did think august had no role in the others deaths.

the only reason eleanor wasn't angry in that moment was bc she was so terrified she just couldn't process it.

can't wait to unpack the trauma of that

oh my god this has been one hell of a journey. i still can't believe people are reading this????? it genuinely bewilders me

i'm also gonna tease some lovely events for act two:
- it's set after eleanor's first year mentoring. she mentored for the first time during the 69th hunger games
- girlie goes through some lovely things /sarc
- our fav (absolutely cunt) snow makes a wonderful appearance
- drama
- and some ALCOHOL 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

oh and finnanor moments <3333