DOOMSDAY || TREECH

In their small room, the passage of time is difficult to track. Without the sun above them, Laurel and Treech's time is spent in darkness, huddled together on the beam. They hadn't talked, sitting listening to each other breath. Occasionally, they would take turns sleeping, making sure the other didn't fall.

Their lack of action began to unsettle Treech, he spent every waking moment listening for footsteps or voices that would pass their door. None had taken the time to look inside yet but he wondered what he would do if they did. Would they stay up in their spot until someone noticed them? Would he have to jump down with his axe and protect them? The boy had little hope that Laurel would allow him to try, not that she could do very much in her state. Before they had even made it into the arena, she had started starving herself. Taking the smallest bites of her food before passing them over to him and refusing any attempts he had made to deny them.

He could feel her ribs through her dress, they jutted out harshly stabbing into his chest and palms. Laurel's face is also gaunt and exhausted, "Hey." He jostles the girl's body.

She opens her bloodshot eyes, sitting up from her place against his chest.

"I think we should try to find some food." He states already moving to climb down off the beam.

"No." She whispers, her voice raw from crying and dehydration, "I'll go."

"Laurel." He sighs, "Please."

"No." the girl replies, digging her nails into his arm.

"I'm going but I'll be back. Just stay here." He presses his lips to the top of her head and grabs their axe from beside him.

"You have to come back," Laurel begs, gripping his shirt until he climbs out of her reach.

Treech responds with a stern nod and a tip of his hat, "Don't worry."

A flash of desperation passes over the girl's face and she moves to climb down, but not before Treech takes off closing the metal door behind him quietly. The hallway is damp, the only sound he can make out is the dripping of a pipe deep in the darkness to his left. Treech wasn't completely sure how they had made their way to the room, he had been too distracted by the adrenaline that had riddled his body to take note of the route. Gambling he turns to his right running as quietly as he can, stopping at each corner to mark it with his axe. After several minutes light appears above him and he climbs out, crouching behind the barricade.

In the arena, the boy from District Two is still hanging limply. Treech debated trying to get his mentor's attention so she could send some food and water down but before he could make himself known, a harsh cough reverberates out of another tunnel. It's the young girl, Dill, from District Eleven. She stumbles out into the light and Treech realizes, that Laurel isn't the only one starving in the tunnels, maybe if they wait it out in their room they might win just by staying fed.

The girl takes a few steps into the sun, a small amount of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth and in a flurry of action, drones zoom down towards her dropping food and water at the girl's feet. In astonishment, Dill watches the drones leave before bending down to pick the gifts up. Her frail body, however, must have been deteriorating quickly as another fit of coughs through her off balance, and she lands wheezing on the ground, not attempting to stand.

It's a heartbreaking scene as the girl lays on the ground staring up at the sky, convulsing with the effort of breathing. Then another figure follows her and falls to their knees beside the girl. It's Reaper, her district partner.

"Dill." The boy whispers, brushing her hair off her damp forehead, "It's okay."

He's only met with a blank stare and another wheeze. Two more bottles of water fly towards the pair but they go unnoticed by Reaper, instead, so he picks up the girl. Walking until he finds a space in the arena that's empty for debris, placing her down in the evening light.

Treech realizes quickly they have left Dill's gifts behind and in a moment of desperation, he sprints out scooping them up, before diving back into the tunnel. Unsure if he was being followed by the significantly larger boy Treech sprints as quickly as he can back through the tunnels and back to Laurel.

The creek of the heavy metal door startles Laurel from her place, resting on top of the beam. She quickly realizes with a sigh of relief, that it is only Treech, panting heavily and holding an armful of resources.

"You're okay." She laughs, taking the water and food from him as he climbs back up to her.

"I told you," Treech replies returning to his spot.

He had managed to collect three bottles of water and two rolls of bread during his excursion. Laurel quickly tears the cap of one of the bottles offering the drink to Treech, "Drink." She demands.

He takes several gulps. He finishes half the bottle, grateful to relieve the aching dryness in his throat. Much to the boy's disappointment, Laurel only takes a few sips before closing the bottle again.

"Drink some more," Treech asks pushing it back towards her.

"We have to ration," Is all he receives as a reply. 

The boy reaches up to cup her face in his hand. Her fragility is startling, "Please drink some more. You're going to starve yourself."

Her eyes meet his and she shakes her head, "It'll be better than dying by something like that." Her gestures towards the still bloody axe.

"Not for me," Treech whispers, pressing his thumb into her protruding cheekbone. The idea of watching her waste away into nothing in this disgusting room by her own accord is infinitely crueler than dying by someone else's hand, it makes him sick to his stomach.

"Fine." She whispers, pulling away from him to take another few sips of water and a bite of bread, "Happy?"

"Very." He smiles.