raging black ocean [d4 train]

[Tom]

Bell.

Fucking.

Hailsham.

Out of all the Hailshams, Bell Fucking Hailsham is the one to volunteer. A girl who believes she's better than them all, even if no one else saw it like that. Cole's been in that academy for years dealing with her and the type of training they've done. She's not bad at all, but her head was so high in the clouds that he didn't know what to do. Two Hailshams in the same games meant the academy would either have one success or two major failures and between the two of them, neither wanted that. He was sure of that. Bell Hailsham was like a hurricane in a room, spinning people to her whim and getting what she wants, but she couldn't know the truth about Hailsham Academy. The organs of the hollowed souls left behind.

I'll rip them apart, brick by fucking brick.

The journal feels calming in his grip as he ignores the pestering thought of Liam's house of cards crashing to the floor. The memory of Luke Hailsham in the justice building. His own thoughts peering back into the mindset he's already put himself in before arriving on the fucking train. He was going into the games. He was going to chance death over life. Toying with his own fate as if he could decide to survive or not, but he's got only one chance and this was the only chance for him.

The train was calmer than expected. Smoothly chugging along to the beat of Four's hearts that reside in the cars. All sorts of embellishments sit before them, taunting them with the knowledge of hunger would be coming to them in a week or so. The alcoholic beverages sitting before them as a taunt of what fun they could be having, but instead Cole remains by the window watching the ocean disappear behind a hill as the land fills his vision, comfort fleeting from the way blue disappears and the scenery turns into green and browns. Fingertips gently touching the window as the chill comforts him slightly compared to the warmer room.

Eyes glance back over to the victors of Four and Bell Fucking Hailsham as if the world weren't as strange as before. Annie had won, but at the cost of everyone coming back and was that really winning. Leon had fallen for the man who tried to kill him, but they all knew it was some joke. A sigh from his lips as he shuts the book in his lap, focusing back to the area as he decides to actually find a glass of just water, sipping from it. One of the fancy capitolite desserts being stuffed between his lips as he munches away to starve off the hunger and focus back at the things before him.

Burn your thoughts. Comfort is fleeting.

Death looms over his head, with the sharpest of blades he's ever seen.

"These are adequate."

Silence as he stares at the sugary baked good. Liam would have laughed at him, thought he was a dick for even thinking some of the best food in the world was just adequate. Things were changing, but the only way was to fight. Cole was never one to back down from a fight. He wouldn't back down from this one. Even if it meant killing someone like Bell Fucking Hailsham. She could think she's better, but he knew her better than anyone. He knew the weaknesses of her training, could see the holes behind the armor she carries, and that'll be her downfall if she's to test him.

Awkwardness fills him as the raging black ocean of nothing fills his chest. Cole's never been the type to keep a conversation going. Alone in the world, besides his twin, he's got more of a fire than ice, but the chill of silence was his comfort. A laugh almost dares to pull from his brain to his throat at the thought of being more social than any time in Hailsham Academy. At least, he wouldn't be losing his organs. Eyes reach back to the others as he speaks once more.

"Why'd you do it, Bell?"

A glare pulling at his eyes as he tries to seem tougher.

"You weren't supposed to be here."

A huff of air as he supports himself as he remembers the way she pushed him aside. The way she told them all she's the better of them. The name they should remember. As if she would be remembered more than him. Fuck her. He could handle himself and be just as memorable, or more memorable than her. Anger sets in his veins, but he's already tugging at the edge of his sleeve trying to calm down a little bit.

"Whatever. Who cares, just another obstacle."

A smile on his lips as he turns to Annie with the smile still there. Eyes glancing to the hand, remembering how Lex had sent that hand back to her. Thoughts filling his head as the raging black ocean fills his vision. A moment of silence before he speaks up again to one of the only people who have been in the arena before. Questions on the tip of his tongue, but he doesn't dare ask. A single moment to get anything they could from them, instead he shrugs and lets the victors take over or Bell. No matter who, he didn't care anymore.

Bell Fucking Hailsham ruined his plan.

All he could write was one word in his journal.

Fuck.