You have just a moment to yourself, getting water after Nelly told you that you should forget to keep yourself hydrated, especially now. But walking away from the others, has left you open. And when you’re alone, the sharks come to swim.
“Seems we have something in common now.” Teal begins, shoving a grape into her mouth. “I watched my sister die, you watched your brother die.” Her lip twitches upward just the slightest, looking over your form. “I mean, at least your brother played the game right. My sister was a complete fucking moron.” rolling her eyes, she takes a step closer to Hudson.
“While you’ve been busy crying, I’ve been watching your little family, Hudson. I hope you remember what I told you before. I’m not going to let you ruin everything for me.” She eats the last grape in her hand, then presses her finger firmly into your chest. “I always hold true to my word.” Her bold eyes stare, burning inside of you, and then she pushes back, bringing her smile with it.
“I think we’re going to spend a lot of time together, Hudson.” She says, patting your cheek before trotting off. You don’t realize until then that your cup of water is on the ground, and the water has covered half of your pants.
Gage is dead. And while before they couldn’t imagine themself looking away from the screens, now they can’t imagine continuing to watch, and so they obey Nelly’s instructions with numbed compliance.
That’s where Teal finds them. It feels too much like the last time: like Teal is some kind of predator waiting in the reeds; like, unbeknownst to them, she’s always watching—and she’s watching them. And like she’s too smart to let them play stupid; too angry to not see that they’re angry, too, a simmering fire somewhere inside them that won’t let them forget for a moment how wrong this all is. She sees them, and from her it’s a threat.
“I’m just one person, Teal. Whatever you’re trying to blame me for—” they say, and while it sounds like an entreaty, it’s partially a threat of their own. They’re the one she’s cornered, but they’re not alone. What’s happening now, it’s bigger than them. They couldn’t stop it if they tried.
It doesn’t matter, though. She’s gone, but her threat stays behind. The chill running down their spine remains.
Gage is dead. He won’t ever see his wife again, nor will he meet his child. And as the Games continue, and the walls close in, Hudson is less and less sure that they will, either.