Such a pretty little soul, so broken so bruised

Bo Sheehan-Mckenzie, 16, Sent to my death for the games, going to find my family again

[tituscronin]

Without a word, Farro grabbed the trident. He didn’t want t do it, but it was the least he could do to the boy who had saved his life. “Alright.” he said. He looked at Thalassa, and waited for her last words. After that he used all his force to stab the trident into Bo’s heart. It was satifying. Not that the boy had died, but that the canon boomed only on seccond later. it hadn’t hurt the boy, and Farro was happy with that.

[thalassarivers-blog]

The trident pierced through Bo’s heart, and Thalassa let out a bloodcurdling scream of grief and horror.  She wasn’t ready, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet.  There were so many things left unsaid; so many things to tell him… she didn’t even get to say goodbye yet.   Thalassa threw herself on top of him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, watching as her tears washed away some of the blood on his neck.  “Bo.”  She let out a broken sob, the sound of his canon resonating throughout her mind.

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

bo gulped lightly when he saw Farro raising the trident and he looked away focusing on Thalassa. he squeezed her hand tightly wiping his blood of his lips and smiling: “it will be alright. You will be alright, but-” he couldn’t help the joke bubbling from hsi lips mixed with tiny tears and blood: “I kinda told you that he wouldn’t bring us any luck!” he couldn’t think fo a better way for him to go. With a stupid joke on his lips the chuckle half risen out of his throat and with his best friend by his side. he was so distracted b hsis own thought that he hadn’t even noticed the pain at first. it was short lived, but strong. he could basically feel his heart popping, which made him grab onto the hand clutched in his during an act of dieing strenght. but just like that he was gone just holding on for a moment to see his friend one last time through blurry eyes. he could still see the pain in her, but at that moment she was the tiny freckled blong girl again that had insulted him multiple times during gambling the girl that had ben there with him during his first suicide attempt. He could see the glint in her eyes even now and he realised that he had done the right thing. His glint was long gone, but Thalassa was still burning.

There was no bright light though or a man wanting to bring him over the styx. there was just him and the ocean. just the familiar sound of waves crashing over others. the familiar salty smell . Bo looked around stunned he had been right. he had been a child of the sea and he would always be.

Bo! The dark chuckle ran throuh the air making him shoot around. Took you long enough you fucking chestnut! Bo rubbed his eyes and then grinned. So I’m really dead huh? How did it happen that you shitheads beat me even to the grave? He had never believed in an after life and his mind was probably making these things up, but right now he could see them. Douglas, arm wrapped around lynn who was smiling giddily and Dover in front of them waving lazily. Bo knew he had to let go of the sand below him.he had to let go of feeling grounded and so he started running into the water smile growing with each step. 

At that moment Bo sheehan mckenzie died. The boy who had fallen apart with scars that had never really healed was finally ready to let go. for he was stitching himself together. for he was finally going home.

[tituscronin]

Farro smiled, and nodded. He didn’t expect the boy to root for him. But he knew that he Bo did like him, and that they turned out to be friends. Atleast, if you would be able to call it that. He saw the two crying, and talking, and just knew that they needed to be alone. “I’ll be around.” he said, as he gave Bo a friendly nod, and looked at Thalassa afterwords. He turned around to walk away, only realising then that that would be the last time he’d speak to Bo.

[thalassarivers-blog]

She laughed through her tears at the memory, guiding his sleeve to wipe them all away.  “I did have a good hand, I thought for sure that I’d win.”  She clutched his hand in hers and brushed it to her lips, then moved it to her cheek.  “NO.  I’m not leaving you, Bo.  Not now, not here, not like this.  I’m going to be here.  I’m going to stay with you.  Stay with you until–” she swallowed thickly and took a shaky breath.  “Stay with you until the end.  I’ll be here.  It’s going to be okay.”  She turned and watched Farro as he left, knowing that he’d live because Bo was going to die.  Always the hero, Bo.  “You’re not afraid.”  she stated.  “If I were death, I’d be scared of you.  I’m surprised you didn’t tell it to fuck off already.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

“Well- you might be stronger, but I always ahd the better poker face.” he pointed out breath stopping lightly. it was going to end soon. and so he reached out for farro’s hand. “hey- that favour. You need to do it for me! I don’t want to die liek I’m just a toy forthe gamemakers.” He pressed the tridents with nimble fingers int farro’s hand. “I’m sorry i have to ask this of you, but it has to end.” he had nothing more to say to Thalassa, but he knew if they kept talking for long it would smily make himw ant to stay even more. he took her hand again and fiddled with her fingers: “I wanted to, but there are people waitig for me Can’t really leave them alone and honestly- Death is going to have such a hard time with me I’d want to be as polite as i can!” 

[tituscronin]

Farro nodded. “Allright, if that’s What you want.” He said as he looked at the boy. “Im sorry Bo.” The words came out withouten Amy form of ease. He found it hard, but he felt guilty, although it wasn’t even completely his fault. “You shouldn’t have saved me.” Farro said. Seeing the two together made him realize Bo had way more reason to stay alive here than he did.

[thalassarivers-blog]

Thalassa was too upset to make a sharp-tongued remark back to Farro without thinking about it.  She was in the process of grieving for her soon-to-be-dead surrogate brother.  She smiled through her tears at him.  “I told you so.”  she whispered.  “I told you I was stronger than you.  I just didn’t want you to admit it like this.”  Her lip quivered as he spoke, knowing full well that these would be the last words he said to her, the last things that he would say to anyone ever.  She wanted to tell him he was a profound ass, that he was a sappy bastard, tease him like they always did, but she couldn’t find it in her to say it.  “I love you so much.”  She whispered to him.  “You’re my best friend, and my brother, and I love you so much, even if I do call you names and swear and curse like a fucking sailor. Even though I am annoying and I talk too much, I love you more than words can describe; I need you to know that.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo chuckled lightly and that was when the pain kicked in again. Fuck him and his body for tortureing him like that. He chocked on the mess of blood and tears: “don’t cry- please don’t.” he wiped them away only to leave blood stains on her cheek. His hands shivered, when heused his sleeves to wipe the blood away that time. “I’m such an idiot I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry i didn’t want any of you to cry. So please don’t! You are not annoying and you don’t talkt oo much. It’s me who is talking not enough and you just try to make up for it. I’m the dork after all. And I know that. i have always known I was your favourite. Ever since you threw that old rag at me and told me to shove it up my ass for beating you at gambling.” His breath was growing steadily weaker. He ooked back over o farro: “i would have done it all over again kiddo! I’m sorry I can’t root for you though.” Everyne in this arena deserved to go back home: Thalassa, Farro, Elaina- at that moment he was actually kind of relieved to be gone before it all fell apart. He wiped his own tears away. he was going to die on his own terms: “Look Thal- you don’t have to watch, but- i’m going to be fine. I’m going to see them again. Mom, dad, Douglas, lynn dover I’m going to meet them again.” the wind rustled through the rocks and touched the water and ofr a moment it seemed like someone had laughed and called out to Bo. he knew that laugh and he knew that voices. Bo knew that he was probably going mad, but it was comforting he didn’t want to let go of that again.

[tituscronin]

Farro looked at the two together. There really wasn’t anything he could do, nor say. “Do you want me to leave you?” He asked them both.

[thalassarivers-blog]

“You can stay if you want, I won’t make you leave.  You have the right to be here just as much as I do.”  She spoke to him calmly, despite the circumstances.  Despite him being the reason Bo was dying.  She turned back to Bo, nodding her head, the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.  “I won’t let him know.”  she told him, trying to sound as though she were joking lightheartedly, like they always did.  “I promise.” her voice cracked.  “I promise, I’m gonna try.  I’ll get out for you Bo, I’ll get out.  I’ll get out and I’ll say hi to Papa for you.  Tell him you loved him.  I’ll make you proud.  I promise.”  She tried to smile for him.  “You’re going to be okay.  I promise, I’m gonna stay with you.  You’ll be okay.”  She watched his face pale and watched him cough up blood, coating his lips red.  “Hey, hey, hey, take it easy now.  Don’t hurt yourself.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo clasped his hand tighter around him. Bo was glad that she was at least trying. They had always managed to make things stay unspoken, but heard. He reached out cupping her face in hs palms and bringing their foreheads together. “You can do this. I know you can. you were stronger than me anyway.” He smiled weakly letting the little whit elie slip out of his mouth. for now he hadn’t failed. he would never be able to make sure that she got out, but he had saved someone. That had to count for something right. “It’s not hurting Thals. I feel so light.” All the pain the exhaustion the hurt had vanished. he wasn’t thinking straight anymore, but he was fine. Tears continued to slip out of his eyes. he didn’t want to leave them. he didn’t want to leave Thalassa or Artie or Joe. He didn’t want to leave his family, like they had to him. “I love you Thalassa. So so much. You are my family. You all are. never forget that. No matter what will happen-” he choked again, but he wanted to get that off his chest. he had never had the talk for douglas had been in denial and Bo and lynn were torn away from him in a rush. “never forget that I’ll always be there.” His hands pointed towards her heart leaving a bloody point, right where it should be: “Right there. Remember me. Drink on me, but don’t grieve, for I’ll never really be gone.” His eyes flickered over to Farro: “Stay. You’ll have to do me a favour later.”

[tituscronin]

Farro looked at the two. As soft as he could he pushed his shirt onto the wound again, to give Bo as much time as possible. A fraction of a second, his and Thalassa’s eyes met. He shook his head, barely see able, but he knew she had seen it. Now all of them knew what wa happening. “Hang in here pall.” Was all Farro could say.

[thalassarivers-blog]

In a sense they really weren’t lying to themselves.  They both knew Bo would die, and soon as well.  There was nothing Thalassa could do to change that.  She reached out and clutched his hand in hers.  “You’re going to be okay.”  she swallowed the lump in her throat.  “You’re going to be okay, it’s all going to be all right.  I’m here.  I’m right here, I’m not going to leave you, you hear?  You’d be crazy to thing that, anyone would.  You were always my favorite brother, why would I leave now?  I love you so much, Bo.  You’re going to be okay.  It’s all going to be okay.  I promise.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Suddenly tears threatened to enter Bo’s eyes. he didn’t want to cry. He wanted to smile and laugh. he didn’t want to go mad like lynn or cry like Dover. He just wanted to be the old Bo again. The one that hadn’t cried. The one that ha laughed. the one that had loved. he was going to speak, but then a violent row of coughs interrupted him and he spit out blood: “Don’t- Don’t let artie know that, okay? he alway s though the was your favourite!” And that was it. he tears were rolling down his face: “I don’t want to leave you Thals. You need to get out. promise me. You’ll get out and you’ll greet your old man from me okay?” it was all too much. The blood loss, the memories. he had never expected dieing to be lie this. He wasn’t scared simply sad and grieving. “but hey- on the bright side- the pain is almost gone.” he chuckled lightly just to scough uo even more blood. he looked down to his stomach, and saw the damage, but it didn#t feel like a part of him anymore.

[tituscronin]

Farro desperately looked around to find Thalassa. When he saw someone coming from one of the caves, a small breath of relieve left his lungs. “Thalassa!” He screamed, waving his hand towards him, indicating she should hurry.

[thalassarivers-blog]

Blood.  It ran down her face, covered the upper part of her jumpsuit.  There was so much blood.  Her blood, Freyja’s, it all mixed together.  She wanted nothing more than to jump into the coldwater and scrub herself clean, scrub her skin raw if that’s what it took.  She needed to be clean.  As if scrubbing her skin raw would absolve her of the thing she’d done.

It took her some time to navigate back to their camp, her being a world away.  She’d just walked through the same tunnel, following it through until they reached their hideout.  She’d ducked in, dropping Freyja’s jacket on the ground, ready to strip and dive into the waters, Farro’s scream resonating in her mind.  Wait, that couldn’t be right.

Blood.  More blood.  So much blood.  It completely caked Bo’s abdomen, it looked as though he dove into a pool of it.  No.

“Bo?”  she choked out, scrambling to his side.  She pushed back his jumpsuit to reveal his wound.  If there was some almighty power of the universe, she doubted even that could save him now.  “Bo, you’re going to be all right.  I’m here.  Don’t worry, it’s all going to be okay.”  She tried to offer him words of comfort through her shaky breaths.  “You’re going to be okay, you hear?”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

“hey-hey-” bo caught her hand and fiddled weakly with them: “it’s okay Thals. Are you- are you okay?” even hsibreathing was raspy now, but was shocked him more wa the pool of blood on her aswell. For a moment panic rose once again and he reached out for her face lightly wiping the blood away: “it will be okay.” They were both lying to themselves nothing owould be okay. Bo had failed and he would take his unishment for failing. but i a sense it would be alright. He had never really believed in the afterlife, but maybe there was something. maybe he really would get to see them again. he hissed lightly though when his wound touched the air. he knew he wouldn’t hang on for much longer, but he could see her. 

[tituscronin]

Farro noticed the struggle and just picked him up again. That would go faster anyway, and it cost him less effort. “Shut up.” He said. He was serious, talking wasn’t okay. “I promise but don’t talk anymore.” He said as he made it to the place where they’d need to get through the water to reach the camp. “Alright we’re here. Let’s hope she’s around.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo slipped down next to the water his hand falling into the liquid. Maybe he had been meant to die there. Maybe it was all meant to end where it started.  he had been born in the water and he would die there aswell. there was something comforting about the though. it took him some time to look up again looking out for Thalassa.

[tituscronin]

Farro quickly glanced at he boy he was almost dragging forward. “Shut up, we don’t have time for this.” He said. “Talking costs too much energy, something you can’t loose right now.” He said as he looked forward again, determined to get him to Thalassa. “Thank you, though. So are you.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

bo couldn’t help the small smirk before pain overtook his face again. Every step was harder to take than the first one: “promise me. Promise me you’ll take care of her. if I hear of you touching one tiny hair on her head I’ll haunt you rass, get it?” A husky chuckle escaed his throat:”it’s ironic though. i seem to have more friends in here than I ever had back in four.”

[tituscronin]

Farro knew just as well as Bo what was happening, but he got his idea. He wanted to see her again. And if that was the thing he could do for the person that had save his life, he’d make sure he’d react her in time. “We don’t have time for this.” He said as he put Bo’s arm over his shoulder and he started running, almost carrying him again.

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo glanced over to farro through his blurry visions. His face paled visible with each drop of blood he lost. it was ironic. He would die because of an animal. because he had decided to help instead of save. He had known he would die, but he had thought he would be killed by a human not by something the gamemakers created. “You know-” he started his voice horse and weak with ocassional drops of blood dropping out- “I’m sorry I was so angry at you. You are a great guy actually.”

[tituscronin]

Farro stopped for a moment and layed Bo on the ground. They were almost at the place to go down again, but Bo didn’t have time. Farro didn’t know a lot about first aid, but he knew you ha to keep pressure. He opened his jumpsuits and took off the tank top underneath. “This will hurt, but we gotto have pressure or you won’t survive the next two minutes.” His eyes widened as he saw the wound. It was even worse than he thought. He wrapped his shirt tightly around the wound and picked the boy up again, not caring if he was in pain anymore, he had to move him.

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Somewhere deep down in himself Bo knew that he was going to die anyway, but he needd to see her. he needed to know that she was fine. a canon had sunded just as they had arrived at the opening, which made panic rose in his chest. he couldn’t have failed not another time. His train of thoughts got interrupted, when he groaned in pain as Farro treated his wound. he panted lightly: “Doesn’t matter. justlet’s go back.” Bo did feel embarassed being carried around, but there was nothign eh could do about it. he had no idea how they managed to get down again. Their hands had slipped and Bo felt like the wound had only gotten worse. but once they had steady ground back under their feet Bo took off half stumbling half falling. he knew farro was behind him. They needed to get back to camp!

[tituscronin]

“Shit! Alright!” Farro said, but late the boy down again as he saw the bear coming back. It was just him and the beast now. He sprinted towards the animal and threw another punch with all his strength. He felt the jaw’s break and smiled slightly. It was disorientated and stumbled back. Farro saw his chance and kicked at the wound on the Bears stomach. It fell backwards to the ground. He grabbed the spear out of the arm, and forced It into the Bears head. It of breath, he turned towards the boy again. He didn’t hesitate and picked him up. He started running away. “Let’s get out of here, before his other friends show up.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

bo was too consumed by the pain to actually notice anything thatwas happening. He took his time though to look at the wound and what he saw almost made him vomit. The beast had ripped flesh of his body and Bo was horrified by the steady blood flowing out of his body. he had been in many life threatening situations. he had doved in the water during storms to save otherpeople from drowning, he had been holding up masts during stormas and climbed them to get the sails. He even had thought about suicide a few times, but it had never felt like that. never so real- never so final. In that moment all he wanted was to get to Thalassa. he needed to know that she was fine.

[tituscronin]

“FUCK!” Faroo screamed and then snapped the animal’s neck. He then jumped towards the other bear. He couldn’t believe what he was doing. He threw a punch at the mot’s jaw, which caused the beast to be confused for a moment, which gave Farro time to kneel next to the boy. “Shit! Are you okay? Can you stand? We need to get out of here now!”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo lay on the groud ofr a oment pressing his palms to his side. What had he done. Why the heck did he choose Farro and not himself? he had to get Thalassa out not farro. Yet as he saw the boy leaning over him he realized tht he never had anything against Farro. he simply wanted to not get attatched to make it easier for himself. Bo sat up groaning and coughing blood up. His hands were already soaked in the red liquid and he tried to pull himself up on the other boy stumbling a few steps before almost crumbling down again: “i- i think I need some help with that!”

[tituscronin]

Farro grinned as he noticed the distraction. He used his chance and made his way to the back of the bear. He then ran up to him and jumper into his back, after which he pushed up again and wrapped his legs around the beats neck. He was about to snap the neck when he noticed another bear, behind Bo. “Bo, Behind you!”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo looked up to Farro and then to the bear that had come up nehind him with full speed. If farro hadn’t hesitated with snapping he neck everything might have turned out different. but it didn’t and so o watched as the bear behind him got closer, while th e bear in front of him reached out to crush Farro to pieces. he fund himself faced with two choices. Either save Farro or get out unhurt himself: “ fucking hate bears.” And with that hejumped forward plunging his trident deep into the bears chest while the other one clawed out at him his claws entering Bo’s pit of the stomach. The blood curling scream escaped his throat before he could do anything else.

[tituscronin]

“I sure hope not.” He Said and looked at the spear in his hand. He figured he was better at fighting without the spear. He threw it up, and catched, pointing it at the creature again but this time above his head. He threw it with all his power. As he watched his spear fly, it made it’s way through one of it’s arms. This seemed to do some damage at least.

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo watched slightly clueless as Farro threw is spear, but when he saw the trickle of blood seeping out of the arm he grinned: “Not bad kiddo, not bad!” he twirled his trident quickly making it catch the sun glimmering and getting the attention of the mutt. “hey you want that. Come here and get it!” he knew that he was playing with fire, but he also knew that they had to get that spear back and while it was still stuck in the body he had to get the mutt away from Farro.

[tituscronin]

Farro nodded and pointed the spear at the bear. “I’ve got you back.” He said, after which he surprisingly fast stabbed at the Bears chest. The spear made its way deep into the animal, but it seemed like it had only made him more angry.

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo nodded slightly: “Great because I’ve got yours.” He launched forward divin under one paw of the bear stabbing his trident deep into its leg, though just as with Farro’s spear the mutt obviously didn’t react that well to it. it growled deeply and loudly as if- as if it was trying to get somene: “you don#t think it could bring some of his buddies, could it?”

[tituscronin]

Farro looked around, and Smilde slightly. For the first time since the arena had started he felt somehow at home. “No wait.” He said as he walked to a tree that looked like it would be higher than the rest. “I’ll be right back.” He said as he started to fluently climb the tree, something he had done almost millions of times. “I’m going to look if I can see anything useful.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

bo cursed again. Stupid boy always running off. Bo could climb, it was just that he had never climbed a tree and so he decided to stay on the bottom watching out from there. he couldn’t even see Farro anymore, when he heard a deep growl behind him. God fucking no! he took a cautious turn and then shouted up to Farro: “I think i got something here.” The bear in frn of him must have been at least 3 metres tall. Bo readied his trident ready to use it at any sign of danger.

[tituscronin]

Farro hadn’t even reached the top of the tree yet when he heard Bo screaming. He jumped down. It was a long fall but he had made higher drops before. He saw the bear and readied his spear. “Shit.” He hissed. “I don’t think it likes us.” He said as he saw the Bears looks in its eyes. “Do you know what to do?”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

Bo glanced over as farro fell slight worried that he would hurt himself. "You think?" The bear growled again and he grinned nervously :"I think we have no other chance but to fight it. I trust you to have my back kay?"

[tituscronin]

Farro looked around, and Smilde slightly. For the first time since the arena had started he felt somehow at home. “No wait.” He said as he walked to a tree that looked like it would be higher than the rest. “I’ll be right back.” He said as he started to fluently climb the tree, something he had done almost millions of times. “I’m going to look if I can see anything useful.”

[bo-sheehan-mckenzie]

bo cursed again. Stupid boy always running off. Bo could climb, it was just that he had never climbed a tree and so he decided to stay on the bottom watching out from there. he couldn’t even see Farro anymore, when he heard a deep growl behind him. God fucking no! he took a cautious turn and then shouted up to Farro: “I think i got something here.” The bear in frn of him must have been at least 3 metres tall. Bo readied his trident ready to use it at any sign of danger.