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KILL FOR YOUR LOVE.

act three.

(chapter eighty-eight, but could juniper?)

district seven, 76 ADD.

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IT WAS POURING WITH rain and nearing evening by the time Juniper Hale arrived in District Seven. Her jacket was still inside out. Her laces were still undone. She was still wearing her pyjamas. Tears were stained on her cheeks. Mud had dried on her boots and the hems of her bottoms. She looked like a mess and stuck out like a sore thumb once she stepped off the train and onto the platform. 

One thing she noticed about District Seven, even in her looniness, was that it differed immensely from Ten. There was no mud in sight and rather, grass and cobblestone paths were substitutes. Silhouettes of tall trees shadowed everything. Redwoods. Pines. Even the smell was better than what it was in Ten, a crisp, refreshing aroma floating into Juniper's nose that mixed with the scent of the fresh rain. 

But one other thing about Seven was that it was much larger than Ten, town wise. Juniper could barely see the figures of buildings and stations that went on for miles, mixed in with mediocre houses. The Hale's woman vision was hazy with the pouring rain and her hollow head was trembling with thoughts, but she could still conclude that Victors' Village would be difficult to find. 

Taking a deep breath, Juniper stepped off of the platform and onto the stone path, but as she did, she was soaked to her bones in a matter of milliseconds. The rain seeped heavily into her jacket and pyjamas and she could feel her boots becoming filled with water. The Hale woman hadn't compensated for the wind either and was nearly knocked off of her feet when she took another step. 

("... I thought we were starting to like each other..." Johanna whispered, her smirk faltering slightly as she stared at Juniper)

("No!" Orion raised his voice. His daughter didn't even flinch. "You're grieving, Juniper. I know what that feeling is like. I can't leave you like this. I might have messed up, but I can still redeem myself. I'm not going to leave you.")

Juniper wrapped her already-soaked jacket around her, trembling as she began to make her way into the district. Through the rain and fog that surrounded the area, she could barely make out the buildings that she was passing. She figured they were small shops from the little signs that were nailed on the verandas, but they were all empty. It was evening time. No wonder they were all closed. 

What must have been a market place went on for a long time and only stopped when Juniper entered what must have been a residential area. Nearly every house was made out of wood with shabby red curtains and sturdy brick chimneys. Juniper could barely see any of the smoke coming out of them due to the rain, but she could catch a glance of a few people running around to their houses, jackets hunched over their heads as if to stop the heavy and stinging droplets. 

Licking her lips and shielding her eyes from the pounding water, Juniper jogged over to an elderly man who was speed-walking by. He had something that looked like a newspaper over his head and it was soaked with rain, just like the man himself who harboured a freckled face hidden by his wrinkles and brunette hair that was streaked with grey. 

"Hey!" Juniper tried to call out over the rain. She could feel her joints creak and groan when she stopped in-front of him. "Can you tell me where the Victors' Village is?" 

But whilst the Hale woman expected some type of response, she wasn't surprised when the man took one look at who she was before his eyes went wide, immediately shaking his head and hand before limping away. He disappeared within the fog. 

Juniper dropped her hand and allowed the water droplets to fall down into her eyes. Perhaps coming to Seven was not a good idea. She guessed no-one in the district liked her due to her past, but she thought, with the war over and the Hunger Games gone, everything could be redeemed. 

("No!" Orion raised his voice. His daughter didn't even flinch. "You're grieving, Juniper. I know what that feeling is like. I can't leave you like this. I might have messed up, but I can still redeem myself. I'm not going to leave you.")

No. She had to come to Seven. She had nowhere else. The only person who would even think of letting Juniper Hale into her house lived here. And who was the woman from Ten to care what others thought? She didn't before. But that was before... 

Finnick was dead. Finnick was dead. Finnick was dead.

Annie was pregnant. Annie was pregnant. Annie was pregnant.

Prim was dead. Prim was dead. Prim was dead.

Lucy was gone. Lucy was gone. Lucy was gone.

She deserved this. She deserved this. She deserved this.

Feeling her heart sink slightly, Juniper carried on walking through the district, passing through the huts. Other than the old man, the area was a ghost town with no evidence of souls or beings. And with this, the rain continued to pour down as lightning began to streak across the sky, illuminating the district. Thunder rattled Juniper's bones. She needed to find Victors' Village.

Wrapping her arms around herself, the woman bit her gums until blood drew, the metallic taste poisoning her mouth. She could feel her headache intensifying. She was shaking like a leaf as rain trickled down her back. Her pyjamas were sticking to her flesh as her jacket began to weigh her down. Water sloshed around in her boots. Her first visit to District Seven was not comfortable nor one filled with hope. 

Still walking, Juniper passed humongous brick-walled buildings that were surrounded by piles of large trunks of trees. They were piled up in triangles and seemed to have been newly cut from the forest that surrounded the district. That was one advantage District Seven always had in the Hunger Games in that they were taught from an early age how to wield an axe. Juniper sighed. 

(Cedar was swinging her axe vigorously, but was missing)

Juniper tried to shake her hollow head free of any thoughts, focusing on the cobblestone paths that split off into many directions. She would never find Victors' Village in this condition. The paths led to many parts of the district and large brick buildings constricted her view, even if the rain hadn't. The thunder that boomed and the lightning that popped was no help either. She could never find Victors' Village. 

And so, the Hale woman paused, flapping her arms against her side as she tried to take deep breaths. There was no use in coming to Seven. No-one liked her here and the only person who did, she couldn't find. It was a lost cause even going on the train to the district. 

("Miss Hale, those two women gave up their lives for a lost cause," Clampitt said, lowering her voice. "They died. And for what? What outcome did they expect?")

Juniper was half-tempted to go back to the train station and book a travel back to Ten or Twelve to Lucy when suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from behind her. The Hale woman whipped around to see a young woman just slightly smaller than her with a freckled face approach her.

"Miss?" The woman yelled over the rain. There was a hood over her head that protected her from the pouring water. "Can I help you?" 

The Victor studied the girl. She had a small frame with eyes the colour of honey. Sweet freckles caressed her wet flesh. Her brown hair was dry beneath her hood, but frizzy from the condensation. Juniper let her lips part slightly as she stared at her. She looked so much like her... but perhaps it was just District Seven genes. It had to be District Seven genes. 

"Um..." Juniper began to say. "Do you know where Victors' Village is?" 

The woman eyed her state before slowly nodding, a smile playing upon her lips. "Yeah. You go down that path and into the forest. It's hard to miss." 

She pointed down the cobblestone road that continued going straight, disappearing amongst the tall trees that must have led into the woods. Juniper gulped before biting her gums once more. Just down the path and into the forest. Hard to miss. 

"Thank you..." Juniper said sincerely as she looked back towards the woman. "Truly." 

"No problem, Miss Hale." 

The said woman was about to walk away, but froze when she heard the sentence echo around in her ears. She could feel her shattered heart pound on the ground, hollow head twirling as she slowly pivoted around to face the girl. But when Juniper did, she had already disappeared into the fog and rain. 

("No problem, Miss Hale.")

Juniper had to stand in that one spot for a few moments, closing her eyes to recollect herself before setting off down the cobblestone path and into the forest. And as she trudged through the trees, she realised the scenery of District Seven's nature was much more beautiful than Ten could ever dream of. 

Lanterns littered the sides of the cobblestone path that twisted and turned in the forest, flickering in and out as they provided light in the darkness. A soft orange glow illuminated the area and thick branches suspended from the trees that covered the grass and soil, flowers beginning to blossom with deep, rich colours. The rain still poured, but it did not halt such beauties of nature. Juniper was caught in a trance.

But it did not last long, especially when she saw the gate with Victors' Village written in steel. 

And so, Juniper Hale froze at the entrance and eyed the area. The Village itself differed immensely from Ten. A fountain was set in the middle of the greenery with a figure of an angel atop it, spouting water from its mouth. The sound of the rain hitting amongst the fountain echoed around as Juniper inspected the Village more. 

Two-story cabins littered the area in a perfect oval shape. Built with wooden logs and beams, they looked sturdy and worthy enough for a Victor to live in them. Windows with red curtains were embedded in all of the walls and well-built brick chimneys were atop the ironstone-brown roofs. There were porches out the front of the houses that had love-seats decorated with intricate details and lanterns hanging above the door. But all the lights were off except for one house that was directly across from Juniper. 

Johanna. 

The Hale woman knew that once she could find Victors' Village, it wouldn't be hard to find Johanna, considering she was the only Victor left in Seven. And so, wrapping her soaked jacket around her more tightly, Juniper began to set off towards the house, going around the fountain. She nearly slipped on the wet cobblestone path, but tried to keep her balance and take deep breaths as she approached the two-story cabin. 

The lantern hanging above the door was alight, but the red, cloth curtains inside were snapped shut. Juniper eyed them as she began to make her way up the steps towards the porch, wincing as the wooden boards beneath her feet creaked and groaned in symphony with her bones. And despite the rain not touching her once she was in-front of the door, she still trembled. 

What if Johanna didn't let her in? What if this was all just a waste of time? Juniper wouldn't blame the Mason woman if she didn't want to see her again. Bad memories, bad events were associated with each other and seeing the other again would only cause them to flare up. Maybe she shouldn't have come. She had never been certain about her friendship with Johanna Mason, where they stood.  She should have turned back to the station before that woman helped her. She couldn't do this. She can't do this— 

But against her own will, Juniper, with a shaking arm, knocked her knuckles against the wooden door with all her might. She nearly fainted when she heard the sound vibrate through the fibres of the material, nearly passing out when there was no noise for a few moments.  

Silence. 

When the door didn't open minutes later, Juniper could feel all hope deflate inside of her and she was quite ready to go back to the train station and go back to Ten to wither away, but suddenly, with a ruffle of a curtain, with a slight turn, the door opened. 

"Hale?" 

Juniper had to blink once, twice, and three times to get the water out of her vision to see Johanna Mason properly. But even once her eyes were clear of any rain, she still had to stay silent for a minute to study the woman.

Her hair was just lingering at her jaw and it was curly. It was free of any bleach or dye with the natural colour of brunette and the short locks were twisted in curls. Her green eyes were more vivid with her freckles more apparent. 

She looked good.

"Mason..." Juniper sighed. Never had she been so relieved to see Johanna Mason's face. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Johanna snapped, but once the woman looked at the state of the other Victor, her narrowed eyes seemed to soften as she added, "You look terrible." 

"Can I come in?" 

Johanna seemed hesitant, especially as she clutched the wooden frame of the door, but with a nod, she moved to allow Juniper to enter. And as she did, the Hale woman got a good glance of what the inside of the cabins looked like. 

The walls were wood with lanterns hanging from the pointed ceilings. Leather couches and chairs littered the area with a sparking fireplace underneath a mantle, which only had one lone photograph on it. Red doors led off to different sections of the cabin, but Juniper could spot the kitchen and a sliding door that led to the patio out back. However, all the crimson, cotton curtains were snapped shut as if to block out the view of the rain. 

As Juniper studied the cabin, cascaded in the orange glow the lanterns brought, Johanna murmured, "What are you doing here, Hale?" 

Juniper turned around to see Johanna crossing to the other side of the room, opposite of her. Her eyes were dancing around her and her fingertips were shaking slightly. She looked nearly scared. Why was Johanna scared? 

"I don't have anywhere else to go," she replied softly. "And this is the first place I thought of..."

Johanna clenched her jaw, hiding her hands in the long sleeves of her jumper before responding, "Nowhere else to go? Hale, there's ten other districts you could go to—" 

"You really think anyone else would let me in?" 

The Mason woman faltered slightly, but readjusted herself as she huffed, saying, "Well... of course not. But seriously, do you think I'm going to let you stay here?" 

"Aren't you?" 

Johanna stared at Juniper and Juniper stared at Johanna. The woman from Seven looked terrified as she kept glancing over her soaked state, water droplets dripping onto the wooden floor. Slight tremors rippled through her and Juniper had to raise a brow. Why was Johanna so... scared of her? 

"There's an extra bedroom upstairs. It's the first door on your left," Johanna whispered. "I'm assuming you want to stay here for the night?" 

"Yes. Please." 

"Right..." Johanna grumbled. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Well... I'll see you in the morning, I guess." 

"Yeah..." Juniper responded. "See you in the morning." 

The Hale woman watched as Johanna took one look at her before disappearing around the corner, her company leaving the room. And as she did, Juniper let out a sigh. Why was Johanna scared of her? They hadn't seen each other in months and she wouldn't even dare go near her.

("... I thought we were starting to like each other..." Johanna whispered, her smirk faltering slightly as she stared at Juniper)

Juniper thought about it as she began to move around the living room, eyeing the wooden stairs that ascended into the second-story of the cabin. Some of the floorboards creaked underneath Juniper's boots as she walked towards them and the rails seemed rough yet worn down once she grasped them, but she tried to ignore it as she climbed up the stairs slowly. 

Once she reached the second-story, she stood before the first door on her right. It was a deep crimson with a bronze knob and Juniper clenched her jaw as she stared at it. Why was Johanna scared of her? Was she even scared or was it Juniper's hollow mind tricking her? The thought or even the mere idea of Johanna Mason being scared of Juniper Hale caused the woman's shattered heart to seize up. She didn't want Johanna to be scared of her. She never intended to make her scared of her. But why was she scared? 

Shaking her hollow head, Juniper grasped the bronze knob and twisted the crimson door open. And as she did, faint scents of cinnamon and apple flooded her blocked senses, caressing her nose as she took a step inside. In the room, there was a medium-sized bed with a wooden frame and red, thick, crochet quilts that was guarded by two side tables, which had lanterns flickering atop them. On the left, there was an open wardrobe that was bare of any clothes except for a green cardigan and black slacks. Juniper sighed as she shut the door behind her. 

She could feel her soaked pyjamas and jacket stick to her flesh, causing her skin to become irritated. Her boots were still filled with water and speckled with mud from Ten. Her hair was still knotted and matted, frizzy from the rain. And everything was aching as Juniper, gingerly, sat down on the edge of the bed. Not even the soothing softness of the quilted blanket could cure her hollow head, even as she brushed her fingertips over it. 

But then, suddenly, it hit her. It hit her why Johanna was so scared. 

(And Juniper raised a brow as she watched the soldier throw Johanna back into her cell to see that she was completely soaked in water, tremors rippling through her body as she twitched and twitched)

("Isn't it obvious, Hale, or are you dumb...? Water and electricity don't really go together.")

("Come on." Katniss groaned slightly. "It's just water. It won't kill us.")

(The Block was to test their weaknesses, make them fight their fears. Johanna was tortured with water and electric shots in the Capitol. The woman looked petrified)

Johanna was terrified of water. She had been tortured with it in the Capitol. And Juniper Hale, so insensitively, had shown up on her doorstep, drenched in rain. No wonder Johanna didn't want to go anywhere near her. No wonder she looked as if she was going to go berserk when the droplets dripped onto the wooden floors.

Johanna Mason had aquaphobia.  

The reminder of it caused Juniper to launch her brittle bones back on the bed, sighing as she felt herself become consumed by the softness of the blankets. But she felt terrible. How bad of a person was she when she couldn't even remember Johanna's torture? When she couldn't even remember the screams that had emitted from the woman's mouth? 

But Juniper Hale didn't want to think about Johanna Mason's screams. She would rather go deaf than hear such things. She would even rather cut off an arm than hear Johanna Mason in pain. The woman didn't deserve it. Out of everyone, Johanna Mason was the one who had to live a good, content life after the Games and war. 

("... I thought we were starting to like each other..." Johanna whispered, her smirk faltering slightly as she stared at Juniper)

("No." Aurelius shook his head as he dropped his hand. "Live freely. Live contentedly. And live peacefully... that's all I ask of you... happiness is something you must find yourself. Something I mustn't ask of you. Something you must ask and find.")

But could Juniper?