(SPOILERS FOR SUNRISE ON THE REAPING. GO READ IT. IT’S A MASTERPIECE. <3)

wyatt callow didn’t last five minutes.

the moment he stepped into the arena of the 50th hunger games, the 2nd quarter quell, he was killed at the hands of a career.

but he didn’t die for nothing like so many of the tributes do. he went down protecting lou lou, or the decoy louella that the capitol had curated after the chariot incident. the girl couldn’t defend herself, so wyatt did. he saved her, and allowed her a few more hours of life. a few more hours to find haymitch, or maysilee, or one of the other newcomers to hide behind.

you witnessed it firsthand. you watched as wyatt was attacked and struck down to the deceptively beautiful grass of the arena, and as lou lou watched with wide eyes before dashing off to the cover of the forest.

being from district twelve yourself, you, of course, knew of wyatt. gone to school together, seen each other along the gravely roads of town. but it was ironic, really. how the boy from a family of gamblers didn’t even get a chance to bet his life on anything but death. he didn’t have the time to make a choice. he only had one thing on his mind, and that was protecting his fellow tribute. even though it wasn’t really louella.

the games killed all. even if you came out alive.

you’d know that the death you just witnessed would haunt you for the rest of your days, whether you were crowned victor and granted the gift of a long life, or struck down by the blade of a career within the next few hours.

you didn’t give yourself time to mourn. you took off after lou lou into the trees. if wyatt died to keep her alive, you’d do whatever it took to make sure she stayed that way.