Fall Of The Innocent (Crusader Day 7)

[Cato]

Crusader Rhodes
district 11 male of the 68th hunger games

I watch as my blade slides deep into her back. Not long after she collapses to the ground. I'm about to scream her name to ask if she's okay when we can in echoes throughout the underground maze. Tears fall down my face at a fast pace. Water from the raging river covers my body drenching me from head to toe. What have I done? I...I killed her. I killed someone when I promised myself I wouldn't. I took the life of an innocent being. She deserves to be alive in my place with me on the ground covered in water as my soul leaves the world together. I never wanted to kill her, but I fought her. I tried to kill her, but I can't wrap my mind around the fact she's actually dead. Just like Esme after she killed this girl's district partner. I ask myself the same question. Did I? Is she? And I know the answer Kirk have her. I know the answer would be what he would tell me now. I'm a murderer. I killed. I killed someone.

Violent sobs fly from my lips as I'm moving towards the ground on my knees. Pain shoots through my entire body like someone stabbing me over and over again. Blood stains the floor below me and it doesn't take a magician to realize the blood doesn't only belong to Pearl; it belongs to me too. My stomach clenches tight as I bring my head to my knees. No. I killed. I can't believe I killed. I don't know what to do. My parents died to save me. I killed to protect Stella, but do I really want to save her? I've left her so many times. The bloodbath. The fight Kirk died in. The feast where Esme died. Would someone who made a promise leave that person behind so many times? I left her, and now I killed. Why did this have to happen? Why was I thrown in this hell fighting for the survival? Would I win? Would I return home for a life of pain and misery? I don't know. I don't know anymore.

The anthem blares through the arena, and I can't bring myself to look. I don't want to see the face of Pearl staring down at me. I don't want to see any more dead eyes looking at me. I've seen enough over the games. I've watched it happen. I've watched people die, but I owe it to her. To wish her goodbye. I look at her face wiping the tears from my eyes. And I watch as she leaves and the tears consume me like a storm flying through the air. Who else has died? Who died? I don't care, and I can't force myself to look. I shine my flashlight down in the rapids. Maybe I should end my life. Maybe I should just die because it's what I deserve. I should just throw my body in the rapids and fly away from the arena, but I see a reflection shining from the rapids staring back at me, and I can't help but turn towards the ceiling.

Stella.
Stella Calloway.
My district partner.

It takes a few moments for the reality to set in, and I realize that she's dead. Someone out there killed her. I promised to protect her, and I left her behind and now she's dead. Fire surges through my body as I back away from the water. I will not kill myself because I have a mission. Someone killed Stella, and now I must kill them. My hands ball into fists. My heart leaps inside my chest as fire rages inside me. I don't know who this person is, but the Crusader Rhodes I was when I left home has died. I don't know if I like this new Crusader, but he'll make do. I have to find who killed her. I have to make it right. Loud howls flee my lips flying in the air bouncing off the walls blocking out the sound of the water fighting next to me. Patricia is alive. It could have been her. It could have been the kid from eight who killed Esme. It could've been the girl from six. I don't know. I know one of them killed her, and they all would pay. Stella died, and I will make sure her death is never forgotten.
I'll make this right Stella. I'll make this right.

I don't sleep. I don't do anything except search for whoever killed her.
Maybe I'm wrong.
Maybe I'm right.
I don't care.

This is the fall of the innocent.