Harlow hated the Bloodbaths. She always did.
Joule managed to escape from the chaos, which helped relieve some of the stress that had been coiling up in her gut all morning. She knew her own concerns had stretched beyond this year, went as far back as the 70th Games. Though as a Mentor, she had to watch, even as Gee had gotten killed by the little girl from Twelve.
She had to keep reminding herself that Joule was still alive, that she still needed them to help her get out of the Arena. But the mantra was drowning out of her head with the burn of whiskey running down her throat. She had tried to stay sober through this year, though also made that promise to herself knowing eventually it would cave. She could still hear the cheers and the shouting from behind her and she intentionally kept her back to the screen. She wouldn't look unless something was said about Joule. She didn't need to see the replays of the 'upset' from District Twelve.
The brutality of the Bloodbath was what always made her sick. And though she knew it wasn’t the same way she had lost Soren, she couldn’t help but correlate Gee’s death to his. To this Bloodbath with that one. It was why she had to get up from her spot in the viewing room and walk away, try to drown out the cheers and images of Gee’s death from her mind and get rid of the pain tearing at her heart again.
Harlow set her glass down and gently nudged it forward in a silent request for a refill. A shadow had cast over the bar top on her right and she glanced over at the person taking a seat next to her. "Couldn't handle the excitement, either?" she asked, turning her attention forward again as the Avox refilled her glass.
@ttwstarters













