Just on the edge of the District Eight tract, a recognizable pair of mischievous dark eyes met Hazel's. Caleb, flanked closely by Elara and Julian, stood at the border of the tract and the grassy field. In their hands, they held a variety of sharp weapons. Her gut churned in anticipation, and she swallowed down nausea as she took them in. Elara smirked wickedly at her while Julian's expression remained more reserved and calculating. But it was Caleb's face that truly unnerved her. A cold but fiery intensity painted his features, reminiscent of her siblings' faces when their mother baked a tempting dessert. Hunger. Was this what Bloodthirst looked like? Hazel dismissed the thought and begged herself not to run. Not yet. They were playing into her hand, but it didn't stop the cold fingers of fear from caressing her heart.

Hazel took several side steps, glancing back toward the familiarity of the redwood and pine forest; a hint of the blue of Ethan's bow peeped at her from the branches. Sighing in relief, she worked her way outside the Cornucopia, easing herself toward the waiting trap within the forest.

"Did you miss me?" Caleb asked softly, his smirk broadening.

"I don't know. You miss Eve?" She countered. A flicker of dark amusement danced in Caleb's eyes. Elara rolled hers while Julian's gaze bore into Hazel, studying her every move.

Caleb straightened his shoulders as Julian leaned in and whispered in his ear, but Caleb's gaze never wavered from her. Hazel's grip tightened on her axe, her eyes locked with Caleb's. She watched as he dismissed whatever advice Julian offered, his expression a clear sign that he would follow her now—perfect. She was ready.

"I'm surprised to see you here. All alone. No oddly close stepbrother, no archer bodyguard, or that little runt girl from twelve. Did they all die?" Caleb's voice dripped with mock concern.

"Now that is surprising," Elara added, her hazel-colored eyes sharply probing over Hazel from her hair to her boots. "Not to mention disappointing. I had my money on Silus."

Hazel squared her jaw; she didn't correct them; it was better if they believed Silus was dead. "Guess they're letting just about anyone place bets these days."

Elara's eyes narrowed at the comment, but Caleb continued, undeterred, as the three moved closer, "Too bad, I wanted to make this whole thing a family affair."

"You would know all about family affairs, wouldn't you?" Hazel shot back.

Caleb let out a short, barking laugh, "You know what, Red, I have missed you."

Caleb's boots made deceptively soft noises as he and his troop stalked through the field. They would almost look like a group of goofy, unthreatening teenagers if it weren't for the arsenal in their hands or the rusty stains on their clothes.

Hazel had subtly positioned herself in the field across from the District Seven tract. She calculated that if she sprinted, she could beat them to her mark before the trees came down. It was as straight a shot as she was going to get. She eyed the blue glint in the trees, reaching behind her to pull the water bottle out of her bag, ready to send her signal to Ethan.

"Don't run away now. You just got here, and the party's just getting started." Caleb tilted his head.

The breeze picked up around her, tossing her hair over her shoulder, and Hazel caught another whiff of vinegar. She scrunched her nose. She knew what death smelled like, and this wasn't it. It was saccharine yet sharp and wholly alive.

"Smell something you don't like?"

"Besides you?" Hazel shot back, looking around them. Her mind grappled with placing the bizarre aroma that filled the air.

Just then, she caught a horrified look on Elara's face as she pointed up and shrieked. Julian and Caleb also twisted their heads toward the arena's dome. Both of their expressions grew grim and serious while also confused. Even Caleb's mocking smirk vanished.

Hazel strained her neck to see what they were staring at. At first, she saw nothing but an empty blue sky with lazy cotton clouds. She thought they were trying to trick her for a moment, but then she saw the telltale flicker – the anomaly, just like the wall and the arena itself. Except this time, it moved. Hazel furrowed her brow as the flicker continued to get closer, growing larger. Something significant, camouflaged to look like the sky, was descending from the dome. Its disguise warped and became disfigured as it neared them. Hazel stepped backward, fear prickling at her neck; the fine red hairs felt like they were standing on end. She abandoned her attempts to retrieve the glass bottle.

"What the hell is that?" Julian called out, his voice wavering.

Hazel took several more trembling steps backward as the form became more discernible. A bulbous body, the size of a building, began to take shape, its appearance flashing. The mammoth creature landed on top of the cornucopia, dwarfing the structure. Its color shifted to match the gold of the cornucopia, but due to its immense size, it could no longer entirely hide itself. The edges of its body wavered and warped, struggling to maintain its camouflage.

The animal descended from a nearly invisible rope, much like the snares from the beginning – actually, no, precisely like the snares. Hazel turned back to the hanging tributes wrapped in gauze. Of course. The snares weren't just snares; the tributes weren't wrapped in gauze. Hazel's stomach dropped as she fully realized what she was seeing. Webbing. She looked again at the creature, taking several more steps backward. She saw eyes, multiple eyes, glistening with a menacing intelligence. It had eight long, spindly legs, each as thick as a tree trunk.

The spider's body was a pulsating mass that shimmered and shifted colors to blend into its surroundings, making it look like a living, breathing piece of the environment.

The creature moved with a horrifying silence, the only sound the occasional clicking of its mandibles and the clunking thud of its legs on the gold surface. It adjusted its massive body, shifting its eyes between Hazel and Caleb's group. It seemed to be sizing them up, determining which would make the first meal. Hazel's carefully constructed plans disintegrated in her mind as she watched the descent of this new threat.

The spider beast paused its movements, focusing on the three tributes lingering at the edge of the District Eight tract. It wasn't easy to tell, but a shift in the scenery indicated it took a long step toward them. The three had lost all color in their faces as they retreated from the mutation.

Julian ran forward, releasing one of his spears at the monstrosity as Elara and Caleb readied their weapons but inched backward. The spear skimmed the side, causing a twinkle in the spider's disguise before it reset itself. However, the monster seemed to take issue with the attack and lashed out with one of its long legs at the group. They stumbled backward toward the eight tract.

Hazel started to run, but she could feel the air of the spider shift around her as it jumped from its space on top of the cornucopia. She felt the shift in the air more than she could actually see the creature land between her and the District Seven tract. Hazel paused, her heart pounding in her chest. The spider, a warping and challenging to-articulate target, seemed to mock her. She readied the harpoon and aimed as best as she could. She tried to use what she had learned, namely, axe throwing, though the weapon felt awkward and foreign in her grasp. Using only one hand to take the shot felt sacrilegious, but she steadied herself. She willed her arms to give into as much muscle memory as she could muster as she lunged forward with the marine weapon.

Hazel released the harpoon as the beast charged, allowing it to soar up and away from her unsteady hands. The weapon flew through the air with a whistling echo. Despite her awkward throw, the harpoon connected with the side of the spider's abdomen with a heavy thud. The mutt emitted a piercing, unearthly groan as its camouflage shimmered, revealing its proper form. It had muddy brown fur, deep black fangs, numerous jaundice-colored eyes surrounding it, and a bulbous abdomen that quivered as it fiercely attempted to dislodge the harpoon with its razor-sharp fangs. The long, curved mandibles dripped with a viscous, translucent fluid she swore sizzled as it met the earth.

Returning to the seven tract wasn't an option, and she took advantage of the momentary distraction to sprint back toward the cornucopia. Behind her, the spider bit through part of the harpoon, shattering it in a shower of splinters as it dug at the weapon lodged within it.

Caleb and his group had already disappeared into the trees by the time Hazel reached the narrow end of the cornucopia. As she skidded into the safety of the shelter, the walls vibrated violently as the man-eating spider landed outside its mouth. She let out a terrified shriek as she felt something bulky brush across her knee. The structure groaned; blades of grass broke and bent as trunk-like legs began scratching and swiping like a child trying to scoop out the last bit of ice cream from a cone. Despite several attempts to push forward, the mouth of the cornucopia was too small to accommodate the massive bulk of the creature.

Another one of its legs stretched toward her, its coloring shifting between the grass's green and the cornucopia's gold. While unnerving, it gave her a better idea of where the appendage was located as it lashed out. Hazel held the axe out in front of her body. She swung at the appendage as she saw the colors changing near the toe of her boots. With a satisfying crunch, she felt the axe blade make contact.

The mutt emitted a low, ominous rumble as droplets of a dark navy, almost purple fluid oozed from its wound. Its camouflage flickered once more, the delay even longer this time, before it finally returned to its deceptive disguise.

Soon, another trunk-like appendage was pushing inward, seeking her out, and she swung again with her blade. All she hit was vinegar and sugar-scented air as a nearly invisible force swiped along her calf, the tip of its claw slicing through her pants, leaving a raw, aching laceration in its wake.

Hazel grunted as the injury burned as if she had been licked by thorns. She felt the faintest hint of blood seep through her clothing, and the metallic smell of iron filled her nostrils and seemed to invigorate the spider further. It pushed harder, and the structure shook with force. Hazel held her breath, looking around. If the beast tipped the whole thing over, she would be in more trouble than any snow-coated thunderstorm could save her from.

Another leg swiped past her, and she swung her axe down with all her strength. She aimed for the familiar anomaly, slicing through the air until the blade met the Earth. The mutated spider screamed again and withdrew, leaving a trail of blue liquid in its wake. Looking down, she saw the tip of a hairy brown spider's foot lying at her feet.

The predator appeared to be regrouping, and suddenly, it pushed forward again, harder this time. The cornucopia convulsed and shifted. Hazel backed up as far as she could at the narrowest end of the structure.

The spider briefly retreated and then again rammed the cornucopia. Hazel braced her hands against the walls as they shook. The metal beneath her skin warbled in the most unnerving fashion.

Then the spider let out another screech, turning abruptly away from her. It was shifting colors as Hazel caught sight of a blue-fetched arrow protruding from Its rear.

The monster lurched in a circle as it hunted for the source of the attacker. Its broad head pivoted around, and its fangs chattered.

A muffled sound from the District Eight tract caught the monster's attention and it veered in that direction. Hazel wasted no time. She exited through the small opening in the structure and skirted along the outside edge, keeping the gold walls between her and the spider monster. Get back to seven. Get back to Silus. She urged herself forward, silently hoping she could make a run for it.

Inching around the structure, giant arachnid legs thundered through the grass. A trail of blue led away from the mouth of the cornucopia to the edge of the field. The spider paused as it scanned the woods for the source of the arrow.

Hazel saw Ethan no longer in the tree line but working his way toward her, bow drawn, as he motioned for her to follow him.

With a glance back at the arachnid, who seemed to have located something interesting in the trees of the District Eight tract, Hazel began to tiptoe toward Ethan. He crept closer, gaping up at the spider, muttering curses under his breath.

Hazel's stare never left the mutt as she gently stepped through the field toward Ethan. She eased herself as quietly as she could, carefully controlling her breathing.

A gentle breeze pushed harder against Hazel, tangling her hair. The spider's movements paused as it turned its massive head, its eyes shifting side to side, searching, hunting. Hazel froze, holding her breath. Ethan took a few steps backward. He was still out in the open, outside the shelter of the trees. Both of them were fully exposed.

Stolen story; please report.

Another shift in the wind caused the spider to lurch suddenly. Its focus landed on Ethan; its long legs spun its body around to face him.

"Shit," Ethan muttered, pulling the bow taut, his arms stretching. The spider lunged forward, and he released the arrow.

It ran at them until the arrow pierced one of its eyes with a sickening squelch. The leviathan squealed, pushing its head downward and hitting at the arrow in apparent pain and irritation. Hazel paused, her movements stilled as she watched the scene unfold.

"Hazel, come on!" Ethan yelled.

Hazel took several long strides toward him. He glanced worriedly at his quiver, biting his lip. There were only three arrows left.

Ethan aimed another arrow at the monster as it pulled the previous one out of its eye. He took several steps backward and let another loose. The gargantuan monster pushed itself upward, jumping from the ground just as the arrow flew past it into the air, disappearing forever.

The spider landed right in front of Ethan, its wide jaws snarling and mandibles clashing together.

Hazel sprinted forward, axe in hand, but she heard the creature grunt as something sliced through one of its legs, causing it to stumble backward. The object—a pickaxe—skidded through the grass before coming to rest under the beast.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hazel caught a distant flash of pink. Her heart dropped. Turning fully, she saw Ruby running toward them, a look of terror on the girl's face. The plan had utterly fallen apart.

"Ruby, get out of here!" Ethan bellowed. His voice was ragged, his face tight with abject terror. He tried to wave her off towards the safety of the woods, but the girl didn't heed the frantic warning.

The spider's movements paused, and it appeared to notice the girl approaching, shifting its attention toward her. Hazel was almost to them, sprinting as hard as she could, when it launched itself up again. The monster disappeared as it flashed and then melted into the blue sky.

Hazel's hair whipped over her face as the air shifted above her. She braced herself as the ground thudded deeply at the sound of the creature landing opposite Ruby at the edge of the District Seven tree line, effectively cutting them off from the tract forest. Ruby let out a shrill sound without words as the spider raised itself to its full height. Its camouflage continued to sputter, and blood flowed from its form and dripped, painting the field in violet-blue splotches. Injuries seemed to be taking its focus away from its disguise. But now, this furious, heaving monster was standing between them and the seven tract.

"Get to the cornucopia!" Hazel screamed.

Ruby turned away and sprinted toward them, her pink-covered arm flashing in the afternoon sunlight.

Ethan encircled Ruby's arm with his hand, pulling her away, and then pushed her ahead of him toward Hazel. Ruby followed Hazel's lead, her thin legs pumping frantically.

With a quick motion, Ethan withdrew Aaron's sword and sprinted at the arachnid. Swinging the blade forward, he buried it in one of the tips of its legs, pinning the appendage to the ground. The sword sunk deeply into the soft earth. The spider thrashed, its camouflage flickering wildly.

Ethan let out a satisfied grunt, turning to follow after the girls. The spider lurched and pulled at its trapped leg, the ground around it churning as it struggled to free itself.

Hazel sprinted back toward the cornucopia with Ruby panting behind her as the girls desperately sought shelter. Behind her, the mutation chittered and snapped, pulling harshly at its new injury. With a heavy bite, it sank its mouth around the sword's handle until it was dislodged. Spitting out the sword as if it were offensive, it resumed its chase. Hazel reached the cornucopia just as the spider flung itself upward again.

"Run!" Hazel screamed. Ruby, closely followed by Ethan, was just at the mouth of the structure when the spider landed on the cornucopia, shaking its walls. It turned in a circle, facing Ruby and Ethan just as they slid within the confines of the golden cone. Hazel pulled them back as the monster pushed its legs into the entrance, swiping at them. Hazel swung her axe at the creature's limb, creating a deep gash that caused the beast to squeal and coat her blade and boots with blue spatters.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Ethan howled as he grabbed Ruby's shoulders, his eyes wild and desperate. He shook her as his voice wavered. His grey eyes shifted between each of hers, strands of his hair stuck to his face.

"You disappeared from your spot. I was scared, so I came down here and saw..." Ruby shrieked and shivered as the spider attempted to push itself into the tube again, but it was making no progress, "That."

"Damn it, Rubes." Ethan released her shoulders and stepped back, running a hand through his hair and pulling it down his face. Sweat soaked the back of his neck, and his palms shook.

"I couldn't just leave you," Ruby argued wide-eyed as she raised her palms and shoulders in exasperation.

"And now what? We get to die together, eaten by a giant bug?" Ethan's exasperated tone filled the small space.

"Guys," Hazel urged, slicing again at another leg that poked into the space. The cornucopia shifted as the spider rammed its body against it over and over. The three looked around as the structure shuddered. Hazel braced a hand on the wall, "It is going to tip over. We've got to do something."

Ethan looked at his quiver and sighed, "I've only got two left."

Hazel glared at the aggressive, snarling mutant, furious and bleeding, as it desperately tried to kill them. Its mouth widened as it snapped and bit the air. The angrier and more injured the insect appeared the easier it was to see and the less it seemed to be able to control its disguising abilities. It snapped and chittered, spittle spraying toward them in its drooling frustration.

Hazel furrowed her brow, pulled her backpack off her shoulders, and searched the bottom of the bag. She then removed all but one of the blue blooms.

Hazel held the flowers in her palm, barely breathing. "Ethan, can you shoot an arrow into its mouth?"

The spider's colors shimmered and shifted, allowing more extended glimpses of its maw. Its mouth appeared relatively narrow despite its size, with two imposing fangs protruding from each side of its head, further constricting the opening. Ethan furrowed his brow, gaze fixated on Hazel's hands and then on the spider, carefully observing. His grey eyes filled with a storm of emotions and calculations, and his form was rigid.

"I would need to be close, like really close. But I think I can."

Hazel nodded and pulled her axe in front of her. She gripped the edge of her shirt and tore the end with the axe. Carefully folding the material, she swaddled the flowers in the fabric.

The structure shuddered once more as the spider seemed to abandon its efforts to reach them and instead began to attempt to push the cornucopia over.

Ethan sighed, a deep groove formed between his brows. He went from studying his shoes to raising his eyes, solemnly observing Ruby's face as her arms wrapped around her torso. Hazel flinched as another groan from the building filtered in around them. The ground beneath her boots reverberated with the blows.

Ethan appeared to be in deep contemplation as he stooped down to untie his shoes, his brow furrowed in concentration. With deliberate care, he removed both boots, taking time to loosen each lace. After pulling one of the laces through its designated holes, he handed it to Hazel and one of the two arrows from his quiver. "Here, use this," he said softly.

Hazel quickly used the shoelace to tie the bundle of blooms to the arrow. The thrum of the spider pounding its body against the structure frayed her nerves.

Ruby interrupted in confusion as she shook her head. "Your shoes are going to fall off. How are you going to run properly? You're going to need the laces," she said.

Ethan stared at her unblinking. He barely moved, but there was a gentle upward twitch of the inner corners of his eyebrows. "I won't be running, Rubes," he said solemnly.

Hazel paused, looking at him. His face had grown as serious as she had ever seen it. She half-expected a quip about the clothing-less lifestyle he seemed all too comfortable with, but the jokes and humor were long gone.

With tears in his eyes, Ethan leaned over Ruby and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me, you and Hazel will go one way, and I will go another."

Hazel frowned, "Ethan, if you make the shot, we can all get back to seven."

Ethan didn't look at Hazel but continued to stare at Ruby. His eyes grew more watery as he said softly, "No, to make that shot, I'm going to have to...." He sighed, "Let's just say I won't need my shoes afterward."

The expression on his face caused Hazel's heart to skip a beat; it was filled with resignation, grief, but most of all, an unsettling acceptance.

"Ethan...." Hazel started, but her voice failed.

"No," Ruby said emphatically, large tears forming as her features filled with rising panic, "We can come up with another plan."

Another forceful impact on the structure produced a booming sound, and the wall near Hazel's head cracked. The fissure violently snaked up the wall, and delicate specks of gold dust gently showered around them.

Ruby jumped, gold flecks landing in her tight curls. Hazel coughed and wiped away the dust, dread filling her; the building could only take so much more.

Ethan observed the dramatic events, almost like he wasn't really there. His demeanor was all too calm. He shook his head, "We don't have the time. When I say go, you and Hazel go left, and I will go right. Draw it out."

"No!" Ruby cried, tears forming in her eyes as she frantically shook her head, hands grasping at his forearms. Dainty curls bounced as she rejected his words, screwing her eyes shut.

"Rubes," his voice cracked as he spoke. "Please listen to me for once."

Ruby kept her eyes closed and shook her head more. Hazel moved closer as the spider screamed behind them, its growls filled with frustration.

Large tears carved through the dirt on Ruby's face like small, salty rivers through silt.

"I couldn't save her." Ethan's voice was as soft as cotton but as deep as thunder. Ruby opened her wide gray eyes. His gaze flitted between them. "Let me do this. Let me save you."

"What about Augustus and District Two?" Ruby asked between long, shaky breaths.

Ethan gently wiped the gold dust from her eyebrow and tucked a curl behind her ear as a tear rolled down his face. "You have to know, that was never my primary goal," he said, looking up as if willing his tears to stop. "When we were both chosen in the reaping, I made a promise to myself. I wouldn't let someone I love go again, at least not without doing everything I could to prevent it. Avenging Tulsi was always going to take a back seat to protecting you."

Ruby threw her arms around Ethan's neck, burying her head in his shirt. Her body shook violently. A sob escaped her lips as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I know. I know." He shushed her, cradling the back of her head with his shaking palm.

Ruby choked out another strangled sound that held no words. But words weren't necessary to understand her pain. Ethan let out a shuddering breath before pushing her back. He held her at arm's length, staring at the ground as he gathered himself, his shoulders shaking with effort.

Warm tears slid down Hazel's face at the sight of them. She scanned Ethan's features, and a sharp pang of bitterness shot through her heart. The unfairness of it all threatened to suffocate her.

Without looking back at Ruby, Ethan focused on Hazel and extended his palm between them. Hazel placed the arrow in his waiting hand, but she gripped his forearm before letting go. He paused, meeting her gaze. Hazel saw the determination in his eyes and knew there was no talking him out of it. She pulled him close and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, whispering shakily, "Thank you."

Ethan accepted her hug, and when she pulled away, he gave her a half-smile before placing the arrow in his quiver. "Promise me you'll get her out of here and keep her safe," he said, his voice strong despite the few errant tears he wiped away.

Hazel squeezed his forearm once more before releasing him. "I promise."

She met Ruby's petrified, almost unbelieving eyes. "Please don't, Ethan, please," Ruby pleaded.

Hazel's heart clenched as she gently gripped Ruby's biceps, pulling her toward the back opening while Ethan prepared the second-to-last arrow. Holding Ruby close, she whispered into her ear, doing her best to comfort the girl rapidly falling apart in her hands.

Hazel gazed out through the small opening of the golden cone they were trapped in. Subtle movements in the twelve and eight tracts caught her eye. They were watching, waiting. She glared at the tracts and then up to the sky-colored ceiling, a mix of hatred and sorrow burning within her. Numerous eyes were watching; more than just the other tributes, all of the Capitol and Panem. They were undoubtedly on the edge of their seats, thirsting for carnage.

Hazel shifted her grip on the axe as Ethan looked at them, his stare lingering on Ruby for one last moment. He drank in the girl's face like she was the sun's warmth on a rainy day. "Be strong for me, Rubes. I'll tell her hi for you."

Ruby let out another melancholy moan as she covered her mouth with a hand, face crumpling as a steady stream of tears flowed down her reddened cheeks.

Ethan hesitated as if he was memorizing her one last time. Squaring his shoulders, he refocused on Hazel.

Hazel held his gaze. "Okay, Twelve." She swallowed, biting her lip before saying as strongly as she could, "Let's go hunting."

Ethan smiled sadly; his grey eyes sparkled like the sky before it rained as he whispered, "Three, two, one..."

Ethan sprinted to the right while Hazel and Ruby veered left out of the back entrance, skirting along the opposite side.

Ethan's voice boomed as his sock-covered feet moved silently through the field, "Hey, ugly!

The spider's pounding stopped as it turned its attention toward him. Hazel held her axe in one hand and tightly gripped Ruby's shivering palm in the other.

Ethan took giant steps backward as he moved away from the girls, luring the spider further into the open field. The spider watched him almost suspiciously. Ruby let out another sob that caught in her throat and was much too loud. The monster paused to look at the sound while Hazel and Ruby flattened against the metal building.

The air was filled with a piercing scream as the arachnid convulsed, and another blue arrow found its mark in the creature's abdomen. The beast, thoroughly enraged by the attack, advanced menacingly toward Ethan, its eyes gleaming with fury.

Ethan readied his last arrow as Hazel and Ruby dashed towards the District Seven tract, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Come to Papa," Ethan shouted. The creature leaped from its spot, soaring above Ethan. Ethan's jaw was set firm as he pulled the bowstring taut, poised for the perfect shot. The beast abandoned its guise, baring its fangs as it swooped down toward Ethan with a primal roar. His arms, defined and strong, held steady, his stance unfaltering. In the afternoon's dimming light, his eyes twinkled, and though his expression was stern, it was also serene.

As the beast descended toward him, Hazel pulled her eyes away as a chilling sensation of terror streamed through her nervous system. She shook her head as the bow released in a tense twang. It was followed by a sharp alien scream that resonated around her before abruptly going silent. She urged a weeping Ruby forward. Moments later, she heard the thud of the mutt hitting the grass field below. They were nearly at the entrance of the District Seven tract when Ruby tugged at her hand.

"Hazel," the girl wept, "Wait."

Hazel sighed and reluctantly turned back. She steeled herself for the sight that awaited her. The spider's massive body lay sprawled on the ground, its once-imposing form now reduced to a twitching, lifeless heap. The camouflage had entirely dissolved, revealing the full extent of its grotesque size and appearance. The gargantuan, muddy lump of its body was fully exposed; its long, spindly legs lay limp and lifeless, splayed out in all directions.

The spider's many eyes, now dull and vacant, stared sightlessly into the distance. Hazel couldn't help but shiver at the sight of the monster, even in its death. Ethan was nowhere to be seen.

"No, no, no, no," Ruby sobbed hysterically, her voice cracking with each word.

Hazel felt tears streaming down her own face, blurring her vision. Ethan had sacrificed himself for them. The weight of his loss pressed heavily on her chest. She hugged Ruby tight, feeling the girl's body tremble with each sob. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Hazel murmured, her voice breaking. She squeezed Ruby tightly as if trying to shield her.

Ruby buried her face in Hazel's shoulder, tears soaking through Hazel's shirt. Her sobs were raw and unrestrained, punctuated by barely intelligible sounds. Hazel stroked Ruby's hair, her own tears mingling with the dirt on her cheeks. As the tide of their loss engulfed them, inescapable and profound, the world appeared to pause. The only sound was the echo of their tears.