"Friends"
This is most definitely a spoiler for the next chapter of "An Artfully Misleading Interpretation," so I hope you guys enjoy this. I had fun writing it.
I knew it would be me. I'm was the only female victor. But now I'm here, in another God-forsaken creation of the Capitol where I have to fight to survive. Against 23 of my "friends." What a fantastic day it is to be Lucille Theron, the only female victor of District 9.
As I'm lifted into the arena, I know I'm at a disadvantage immediately. We're in an ocean, I can tell by the smell of the air, and by the fact that I'm surrounded by water. That crazy District 2 bitch, Enobaria, is to my left. The killer of my favorite tribute is to my right, Gloss Melrose. I'll be damned if I die at his hands.
The gong sounds, and only the Everdeen girl, Finnick Odair, and the man from District 5 go for the Cornucopia. Enobaria and Gloss are just standing there, it takes a forceful yell from Cashmere to get the careers going. "What the hell are you all waiting on? Get going!"
The rest of the careers jump in, along with Mags. She's just bobbing along in the water, why she volunteered, I'll never know. Beetee was flailing around, his belt keeping him afloat. It's just me, Wiress, Peeta Mellark, and Woof standing on our platforms, and I decide to go.
As I'm swimming, I see Gloss get an arrow in the thigh from Everdeen, something that brings probably the last smile to my face. I barley survived my own games' bloodbath sixteen years ago, I doubt I'll make it out of this one.
I make it to the shore faster than I expect, and there's an open space near the Cornucopia which I sprint to, grabbing two sickles. Cashmere is busy bandaging Gloss when I get enough time to look around. Enobaria is taking on Clear, the latter clearly being tired. Poor man, why did he turn to morphling? As soon as the thought exits my head, Enobaria's knife is slammed into his throat, his cannon would've sounded if this wasn't the bloodbath.
Seeder and Cecelia are giving Brutus a run for his money. Woof has made his way off of his platform and is moving towards the Cornucopia now, Wiress has made it to the beach and is pulling Beetee away from the Cornucopia, a knife in his back. The Mason girl, her District partner, Everdeen, Odair, Mellark, and Mags are all nowhere to be seen. They must have already escaped. Lucky bitches.
Seconds later, Enobaria is rushing recklessly towards me, a knife in hand. When I say recklessly, I really mean it. A five year old could probably stop her with the way she is running. I don't really know what she's thinking, I'm not stupid or weak. Before she can even register what happened, my fist is slammed against her face and she falls to the ground. I go to finish her off, but a knife comes whirling past my face. A sneer appears on my face as I look over to see where it came from. Who's hand did it come out of?
Gloss Melrose's.
I kicked Enobaria in the stomach so the wind would get knocked out of her. And then I said it.
"I'LL BE DAMNED IF I'M KILLED BY YOU, MELROSE!" I yelled, the tone of my voice frightening even me. I threw one of my sickles at the pair. Cashmere dodged in time, but poor Gloss, he wasn't very fast. It connected with his shoulder. Only a small wound, though. He pulled it out and threw it down.
Cashmere went to raise her bow and arrow, but Gloss stopped her. They started arguing and I turned my attention back to Enobaria, who was now recovering. She had picked up Gloss' knife and her own and was now charging at me. I braced myself for the inevitable, she had underestimated me once, she won't do it again.
The pain never comes though. I look up, and Milo Swanson is holding her by her hair, a knife at her throat. Milo Swanson. The only other living District 9 victor, saving me. Poor kid, he's only 19. He only got a two year break before he was thrown back into the games again. And now he's dead.
Cashmere had launched an arrow and it found it's home in his ear canal. Milo fell over, another victim of these games. As Enobaria struggled to get away from his literal death grip, I took advantage of the situation and knocked her out. I could have killed her, but Brutus had just finished off Cecelia. Her limp body fell on top of Seeder's, and he was now coming towards me.
Woof had never even made it to shore, I think he drowned. Poor guy. Clarissa Gray, the woman from 10, and myself, were the only two non-careers left. It was going to end soon. Clarissa and I ended up working together to fight Brutus, her shield blocking his sword, my sickle attacking. I almost slit his throat. But almost doesn't count in the bloodbath that has some of the most skilled tributes ever to hit a Hunger Games arena.
Brutus got a lucky shot on Clarissa, hitting her leg. I raised my sickle to end his life while he was focusing on her, but something sharp and painful entered my body before I could make it work. I fell to my knees from the intense pain and looked down to see an arrow sticking out of the middle of my chest.
Cashmere had the Melrose smirk on her face, and Gloss' mouth was agape. He looked like he could kill her. I thought he was going to, too. His fist connected with her face so hard that I could hear the sound, and I was over 50 feet away. Cashmere was in the air for three seconds before she hit the ground probably five feet away from where she was.
Clarissa fell to the ground in front of me, the empty look in her eyes told me she was dead. Gloss mouthed an 'I'm sorry.' He's sorry for everything, and he deserves a better place than this. Gloss is too sweet, too kind, to be thrown into this mess. I mouthed an 'it's okay,' back, and let go.
After that was done, I closed my eyes and gave up. I can't say I'm ready after only 32 years of living, but my life is over, and it's time I accepted it.