Oh dear, it seems I've stumbled out of my fandom!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.
No, I says in my head and it feel like a hundred thousand eyes is starin' straight through me. I feel like somebody put me in a glass box and people is lookin' at me like I'm somethin' they don't sees everyday when they walk by my house. They lookin' at me like I'm new to them, and I ain't.
I ain't new.
The lady up on the stage, dressed in fine clothes that I ain't never felt before, calls my name again and somebody gives me a shove in her direction. I walks just fine, normally, but my feet. My feet felt like they had been glued right to the ground and I can't walk. I can't move.
Somebody pushes me again and my feet get unstuck. I take a tinny step forward, like I'm a little baby learnin' to walk for the first time.
I keep my ears perked up, like somebody goin' come up and say somethin'. Maybe they gonna say, "I volunteer as tribute," or something nice and noble along them lines. But don't nobody come up to take my place. They stands there like they feet been glued to the ground like mines had been, and everybody lips been glued shut all o' a sudden.
I'm this year's female tribute in the Hunger Games. When I was littler, I thought it was a eatin' contest and I thought that I could win. But when I turned twelve last year, my momma sat me down and explained it all. This ain't no eatin' contest, I remember how she said it, this be a killin' contest. Nobody ever really win.
I don't know much about the Hunger Games, except it's been goin' on for forty somethin' years. I don't know anybody who's forty somethin', at least not personally.
One of them Peacekeepers pushes me up on the stage next to the lady with the fine clothes and I smooths down my dress. Momma had washed it 'til her hands was raw and ironed it, 'cause it was the best dress I had. She made it herself.
"Now for the male tribute!" The lady says and I think she talks right nicely, 'cause she rich. She probably got lots of books and tapes, and electronic things where she lives at. I look at the container she holds as she sticks her whole hand in it, moving it around. I wonder what she would do it I went and kicked that bowl out her hand.
She pulls a piece of paper out and unfolds it right slowly, right calmly. "This year's male tribute is…Skylar Herriot!" She says like she knows him personally and like she's happy for him, and I wonder how she don't stain her teeth with all that lipstick she got smattered on.
Skylar Herriot is older than me. I think he's seventeen, because he's tall and heavyset. He's got thick, straight black hair and them kind of blue eyes that makes you feel like he lookin' at all your deepest, darkest secrets.
He pushes his way through the crowd, his jaw set and steps onto the stage to stand beside me. He stands over me, my head not even at his shoulder. I feel little next to him and I look up at him and he looks down at me. He nods once and says, "Good luck, kid," and that's the end of it.
Two people come out onto the stage, both men. They were victors from our district in the earlier Hunger Games. I don't know how they won, but they did and now they're rich. They stay in nice houses and gets lots of food. I bet they got lots of books, too.
Harrion Balantynin won the Hunger Games four years ago. He don't look that old, maybe about twenty-two. People used to whisper that he won from pure luck alone, that during his time as a tribute, all he did was steal and manipulate. He look like that type, too.
Jachariah won twelve years ago. I don't know how he won, but he built like a oak tree, so I'm guessin' it won't from bein' sneaky. He and Harrion were goin' to be our mentors, to help us win. Or at least one of us, 'cause one big rule about the Hunger Games is that only one can win.
That means that either me or Skylar is goin' to die.
"I'm going to mentor this one," Harrion says and puts his hand on my shoulder. He leans down real close to my ear and he whispers, "Are you strong?"
I shakes my head hard. "No," I says, "I ain't that strong."
He straightens back up and pats my shoulder. "That's alright," he says, "I think we can work on that."
That night, when everybody else is eatin' dinner at the table and probably talkin' about me and Skylar, I hug my momma. She cries and cries, 'cause I'm her only baby and she thought that I was lucky. I was her bright child, her light, and now I'm goin' to die.
Somebody I don't even know is goin' to kill me.
"Here," Momma says and walks into the back room of our little house. I follow her and I see that she's kneelin' down, pullin' up one of the floorboards. I sees that she's pulling out a strip of cloth and when she unravels it, she reveals it to be a rock. It's a stone that fits right into the palm of my hand and it's round and smooth, and cold. "It's goin' be your keepsake. Remember where you come from."
"Yes, Momma," I says and I touches the stone with my finger. "What type of stone is it?"
"It's Tiger's Eye. It'll protect you," she says, "if you let it. If you let it, it'll bring you home." She pulls me into her chest again and runs her hands down my hair, "I love you. You're going to come home," she says, "I know it."
I can barely sleep that night and when I wakes up for real, it's because Peacekeepers are knockin' on the door. Behind them is Harrion Balantynin, who looks like he's got a lot to say, and the escort lady, lookin' clean and rich.
I remember that I ain't ever comin' back again, not here, unless Momma's magic stone works.
"We're leaving today," the escort lady says and I can't remember her name. "We're going to the Capitol! I hope you have everything you need."
I got the clothes on my back and my momma's stone.
I see Skylar and his mentor, Jachariah, and Harrion tells me that we're getting' on a train that goes straight to the Capitol. I reach into my pocket and hold Momma's stone. I don't want to get on no train. I ain't never been on a train. What if it breaks down and kills us all?
Well, then there would be no tributes from our district.
The train looks fancy, like somethin' rich, Capitol people would ride. The doors slide open by theyself and I see a big room with furniture and tables, and a huge window. It's like a house inside a train.
"Have a seat," The escort lady says to us and gestures to the table that's across the room. I slide in the seat that is closest to the window, so I can turn around and look back, and Skylar sits down beside me. He hasn't said anything since yesterday, and I can't strike up a good conversation.
Harrion and Jachariah sit down across from us. Both of them are silent for a while, lookin' at us. Finally, Jachariah says, "Only one of you can win." He looks at me and then he looks at Skylar. "Both of you are going to make our district proud, but only one will win. That is, if you aren't killed. There are slim odds of either of you winning, being where you're from, but we're going to ensure you have the best chances possible."
"You two are going to be a team. Up until the time both of you die, you're going to work together." Harrion clears his throat, "Our tributes last year both died in the first two days because they didn't work together. But if you support each other, you have a fighting chance."
"But what if we gets to be the last two alive?" I asks. "Only one of us can win. Do that mean one of us is gonna have to kill ourself?"
Skylar glances at me.
Harrion nods. "In the Capitol, people love dramatics. If the two of you are lucky enough to be the last two tributes alive in the arena, then you're going to have to play it up. If this does happen," he says, "who do you want to win?"
"Skylar," I says.
"Myself." He says.
At least he was honest.
I think I just said I was okay with dyin', at least if it was for a good cause.
Jachariah snaps his fingers. "I'd die for you!" He shouts and we all look at him. "That's it," he says, "That's our theme. Friendship that knows no boundaries." He slams his hands down on the table, "The only way any of you are going to get far is if you make the people of the Capitol like you. They're going to sponsor your success."
So people are goin' to pay for us to win.
Harrion clears his throat. "I want you two to discuss this while Jachariah and I get things ready. We're going to be in the Capitol in only a few hours, and then you're going to meet your preparation teams. Everything you do from now on will be critical."
Both he and Jachariah leave through a door and I look at Skylar.
"Look," he says, "Just because I want to win doesn't mean I'm going to kill you the first chance I get. If we are the last two, we're going to be fair and honorable, alright. We're all going to be strong, but only the strongest win. If you turn out to be the strongest, then it was meant to be. It's natural, only the strongest win."
It's natural.
"I want you to win," I says. "I want you to win. I mean, I wants to win really bad, but in the end we all lose. If I was to win, I would regret killin' you or anybody else. And I ain't good at nothin'. I don't even know how you use a knife. Can you?"
Skylar nods, "I can use a knife and I can throw it, too. I have good aim." He extends his hand and grabs my fingers, "If I do win, I'm going to honor you. You're too young for this. How old are you?'
"Thirteen," I says.
"We're all too young for this."
It's evening time when we get to the Capitol. I know because it's bright and glowin', like a festival and it's the brightest, boldest thing I've ever seen. I see strange buildings as the train pulls up and I wonder how people sleep with lights so bright.
When the train stops, I sees a lake on one side and a street on the other. I see people dressed in clothes that they can barely walk in and are bright enough to blind someone if they look too hard. I sees people with tails and even the animals are different colors.
"Welcome to the Capitol!" The escort lady says- Harrion told me her name was Caraphina. "Your preparation teams are waiting for you the moment you get off the train. Please, watch your step!"
Caraphina gets off first and then our mentors. Harrion grabs my hand and helps me onto the ramp that connects the train to the platform. Below the platform is the street, where all the people are.
I turn and sees a group of people waitin' on the side of the platform. They are all dressed strangely, in awkward colors and weird hairdos. Stuff normal people wouldn't be caught dead in. I thinks it's ugly.
A woman walks towards me and puts both hands on my shoulders. Her arms are covered in gray, raised, spiraling tattoos and underneath all that mess; I see that her skin is brown. She smiles and hugs me, like I know her personally. I think she smells right nice, though. Like fruit.
"I'm going to be your stylist," she says and her voice sounds funny. It ain't the good funny, either. "My name is Euphemia." She looks at me like I'm a doll, like she just opened me out of the package and can't wait to bend and twist me. She look at me like I'm new.
To these people, I am new. I'm new and shiny. I ain't somethin' they see everyday. I see that another woman is pinching at Skylar, tugging at his shirt and peerin' down it. These people are strange, I decides. They ain't people I would trust.
Euphemia cups my face in her hands. "I know what I'm going to do already! I don't have many supplies, because I'm new, but I'm going to work with what I got. I think red would look good on you. Ooh, just wait until I design your Interview dress!" She squeals.
"Now, now," says Caraphina, "They have to get to their Opening Ceremonies. Come now," she says, "I don't have very much time for preparation. It starts at nine o' clock!"
"What time is it now?" Asks the other woman who was lookin' down Skylar's shirt. She waves her hand before Caraphina can answer. "No matter, they'll be ready." She grabs Skylar's hand. "Now we have to get them ready for their ceremony, first! Euphemia, you remember what we discussed?"
Euphemia nods and grins like a rat fat on cheese. "Oh yes," she laughs, "I think they'll look rather nice. The cowboy and the little herding girl. She's much shorter than she looks on-screen, though," she says. "We got a good pair, I think." And she rubs her hands together like the Capitol woman she is.
I do not like the look on her face.
"I feel ridiculous!" I says.
"But you look fabulous!" Euphemia cries and looks at me with glee. I hope she likes what she sees, because I feel like a idiot. I'm dressed in a little white lace dress that barely goes to my knees and a white bonnet that ties under my chin. "You're a little herding girl, herding her sheep."
"But I don't herd sheep," I says and I been tryin' to tell her that for the last two hours. I've been bathed and my nails are all filed to rounded point. "Can't you do somethin' else?"
Euphemia shakes her head, "Stop complaining. You have to represent your district and you want your family to be proud, don't you?" She knows she has me and I stick my tongue out. "You look so adorable! The Capitol is just going to eat you up!"
Not literally, I hopes.
The door of the dressing room opens and in walks Skylar. He's dressed better than I am, but not by much. His pants are thick and brown, with white ribbons, and he's got on a big hat. I giggle. He's got on a vest, too.
"Alright," Caraphina comes in behind him, "all tributes have to be in their chariots and lined up in five minutes." She smiles at us both. "Remember, you have to create as much attention as you can. Make them notice you."
We pass through a door and then we are standing on a balcony. I sees the Capitol as it is laid before us, like somebody took it and stretched it out so it goes on for miles and miles. In front of us are mechanical chariots. There are twelve.
I look to the left and I see another, separate balcony. There is a boy and a girl standin' there, waitin' to get in their chariot like us. They dressed different from us, though. They're from another district.
There are two other districts to my right and they dressed different, too. They're Eleven and Twelve, the poorest districts. I think we is lucky to not have been from Twelve. At least Tens have a fightin' chance. I think.
The first chariot pulls off. That's One. The second one goes and then all the others until nine. The tributes from district nine get in their chariot and Skylar and I do the same. Euphemia and Caraphina, and our mentors look at us as we take off down the street.
People are lookin'. They remind me of yesterday, when nobody wanted to stand up for me. When nobody want to touch me and they just lookin' at me like I'm a freak of nature. I try wavin' and they wave back.
Skylar opens his mouth and shouts, "District Ten!" loud enough to rattle my eardrums. He bellows and throws his arms up, shouting again. He looks at me. "Make them notice you," he hisses, "make them see you!"
I nod and then I grab onto his shoulder. I holds onto him for balance as I climb onto the top of the chariot, holding onto him until I find my footing. Then, I'm standin' above him for once and when I feel good enough, I outstretch my arms. "District Ten!" I shouts, "The odds are in our favor!" I know that's a lie. The odds ain't in our favor. They won't from the start.
The people in the other chariots look back at me and I knew right there that they was goin' to hate me even more than they already did. I was bold. I was a threat.
I wonder if Momma was watchin' back home. I wonder if she was smilin'.
When we stop, it's because there's a stage. It's a open stage, with a couch and lots of bright lights beamin' down on it. There's another chair with a man in it, his hands laced together. He looks 'bout as normal as a Capitol citizen could get, dressed in vibrant blue and purple. His hair is cut short with spikes sticking out of it like horns.
"Get off," a man says to us as I scramble down back into the chariot. "You're going to be dressed in your Interview clothes. Hurry, we don't have much time!" I realize he is part of our preparation team.
Another man takes my hand before I know what it happening and shoves something soft in my hands. It is a dress, I see, and it is red and light blue. "You have to get dressed quickly," he says and we walk around the stage to the back, where there is a tiny room. "Change now."
I nod and step into the room. Outside, I can hear swelling music and lots of talking, like a hundred thousand voices at once. I think that's probably true. I ain't never seen so many people. Ain't never heard so many peope.
I slip out of my District Ten outfit and shimmy into my Interview dress. It slides right onto me and falls just a little lower than the old one, only the cut is more innocent. I'm a little girl. They like seein' little kids fightin' to the death.
When I step out, the first Interview has just begun. I see the District One boy seated on the couch, lookin' like a smug snake. He's grinnin' like a rat fat on cheese and if Skylar's built like an oak tree, then he was built like a mountain.
"So," I hear the man in the chair say, "what's your name?"
The boy smirks. "My name," he says, "is Mattias. I am eighteen years old. I am a Career tribute."
That means he's trained his whole life to kill people. I wonder if his momma was proud.
"Do you think you stand a chance in this year's Hunger Games, Mattias?" The man asks and I hold my breath.
Mattias leans forward and grins. "Oh yes," he says, "I think this is my lucky year."
His Interview ends and his counterpart steps onstage. I note that her name is Wren, but that's all. She don't look that scary, not from this distance anyway.
The girl from District Four, though, she looks scary because she's beautiful. She's tall and elegant, and dressed in red and white. She's got deep, dark brown skin and black hair over her shoulders. She sits down and folds her hands in her lap. Like a queen.
Her name is Zenobia. She is a Career tribute. She does not expect to win the Hunger Games this year, but she thinks she will last a long time. She smiles and when he asks her more questions, she gets up and leaves.
Another tribute I notice is Kadrian. He's average looking and he's from District Four, like Zenobia. I think she stole all his light. He looks sneaky and has short, clipped answers. He look like he might hide in trees and ambush people. Can't sleep with him around.
Finally, finally it is Skylar's turn. He sits down on the couch and tugs at his shirt collar. He looks that man with the spiky hair right in the eye.
"What is your name, District Ten?" The spiky haired man asks.
"My name is Skylar Herriot. I am seventeen years old. I am from District Ten." Skylar says and looks out at the crowd, baring his teeth in a smile. He's actin' natural.
The man nods, "Skylar, what is your strategy for this year's Hunger Games?"
Skylar leans forward, clasping his hands together. "My strategy?" He laughs softly. "My only strategy is to win, and if I don't do that, then I'll do what I can to make sure my district does. Only the strongest can win." He looks straight at me, then, and smiles. Then he stands and walks off the stage.
I am next. I ascend the stairs and sit on the couch, pressing my knees together. I make myself look small and innocent, because the people like that. I think. I don't know what these people like.
"So, this is the daring little girl who climbed atop her chariot!" The man says and smiles at me. His teeth are unnaturally white. "Tell us your name, Daring District Ten."
I smile sweetly and tell them. "My name is Ziv," I say and now all of Panem knows. I am the girl from District Ten.
The spokesman nods. "How do you think you'll fair in this year's Hunger Games?" He asks and narrows his eyes. Skylar's put me in a hard place, I think.
"Oh," I says, "I hope I win! I think the odds are very slim, but I believe in miracles. Do you believe in miracles?" I ask and lace my fingers together. I smile and I hope I look adorable. At least, as adorable as a thirteen year old can. Which ain't much.
"You know what, little Ziv," he says, "I do believe in miracles! It was wonderful talking to you, Daring District Ten, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
Yes, I says in my head.
When it's over, Euphemia hugs me and Harrion nods. I look at Skylar and we share a moment. We're both tributes who are going to be pitted against each other, even though we're in the same district.
Only the strongest can win.
But not without miracles.
I admit I'm not good at much. I can use a knife up close and I can throw it a little, if I focus real hard. I can't use a bow, but I can use a staff. I learn I can mangle a body with a staff or heavy tree branch. I learn of talents that were hidden in me in Training. Then they score me.
I score a six. I think that's bad. Momma's stone ain't that lucky.
Today.
Today is the day I'm thrown in an arena with twenty three other people who want the same thing I do. To win.
Euphemia pulls the straps on my legs tighter so they grip my angles. I slip on my boots as another member of my preparation team finishes braiding my hair. Euphemia is quiet as she straightens my collar, smiling softly. She kisses my forehead.
I reach into my pocket, pulling out Momma's stone. I wrap my fingers around it and whisper to Momma back in District Ten that I love her. I look at Harrion. "I'm ready," I says. I know what I am going to do. I am the youngest person going into the arena today. "Thank you."
Harrion nods once. I think we both know I'm not going to win. I ain't that lucky. I ain't that liked.
A Peacekeeper steps around the corner and gestures to us. "It's time," she says. "Countdown starts in six minutes."
She takes my arm and leads me down the dimly lit hall. I clasp my hands together as she opens a panel door. It reveals a small, circular tube that is to transport me to the arena. That's when the countdown starts.
I step inside and close my eyes as the door shuts behind me. Only one can win. Only one and that one ain't goin' be me. I hope I can win. I sigh and keep my eyes closed. I don't want to see anything until the arena is before me.
The floor panel below me moves and lurches. I press my hands against the wall without opening my eyes. Not yet.
I don't hear anything for a long time, but then light pours into the sides of my prison. I open my eyes and see another panel next to me. It is holding Skylar, his head down. He looks up and I nod at him. Good luck, I says in my mind.
To my right is Zenobia. She's got her hands in her pockets and is smiling at me. I look away.
The Games will commence in five…
I hold my breath.
Four…
Close my eyes.
Three…
Open them.
Two…
The front glass of the container opens and I can see a wide field. In the middle of the field I see a pile of what looks like backpacks and other things, like weapons. I wonder what's in them, but when I look over at Zenobia, I can see her eyeing me. It's not worth it, I decides. I can come back later.
One.
A single cannon goes off and the doors of the containers are thrown open. The tributes lunge towards the mound of supplies, letting out war cries. I see Skylar and Zenobia, and the others, too. I watch them for a moment.
Mattias gets there first. He picks up a backpack and what looks like a sword. The boy from District Eleven comes up behind him.
I look away.
I take off in the opposite direction and I see the tree-line. I can hear screams of pain coming from the battle and I shake my head. It ain't worth it. I can come back later. I can defend myself with a tree branch if I need to.
The trees are dense and I stop. It is cool here, and darker than the field, but that's alright. I can stay hidden. I just need to find somewhere where they won't find me. At least until I can find Skylar. If I find Skylar, then I'll be safe. At least for a little while.
I lean against a tree and look up. I can barely see the sky through the branches. I slide down until I am half sitting, half crouching. I perk my ears so I can hear and then I breathe. I stayed alive for the first ten minutes.
I hear something rustling in the trees and I leap to my feet. But it's just a bird. I don't know what kind of bird, but it don't look dangerous. I ain't never been very good with animals, even though I used to play with my neighbor's pet goat.
Something creaks to the other side and I hear someone breathe. I whip around just as an arrow sticks into the tree I had been sitting under. I see Zenobia kneeling in the branches of another tree. She smiles at me like a rat eatin' cheese and readied another arrow.
"Why didn't you get anything?" She asks from her spot in the tree. She still has her arrow aimed at me. I remember she scored a ten during Training. "Why'd you just run?"
I don't speak. Zenobia looks at me and then relaxes her arm.
"Do you want to be my ally?" She asks and smiles. I see her teeth. "You just need a weapon. I see potential."
I shake my head slowly. "No," I says, "I don't think I do."
The arrow grazes by my cheek, leaving a thin line of blood that welled up from my skin. I cry out and when I look up, Zenobia had disappeared. I decides that I got to keep movin', because I don't trust her. I'll circle the arena and find out how big it is. Then I'm gonna hide.
I hear sounds as I creep, pressin' my back to the trees. I thought I heard voices and what sounded like laughter, but then it was gone. I put my hand to my cheek. I marks my way as I go, so I know how to get back to the supply mound.
I walks and I walks for a long time and I makes sure I'm quiet. I hold Momma's magic stone in my hand and slip through the trees.
Twelve cannons go off simultaneously. Twelve tributes are dead since the beginning of the games. In less than two hours of the first day of the Hunger Games, twelve of my opponents are dead. I wonder how they family feels, knowin' that they ain't comin' back home alive. I wonder how they died.
I hear the sound of running water. I runs towards it. I burst out of the trees and I see a lake. Or maybe it's a river. Either way, it's huge and I can't see the other side. It's clear and clean, and I drop to my knees. I crawl to the water and scoop up some in my hands, preparin' to bring it to my mouth. I'm suddenly thirsty. So thirsty.
Here, I decides as I drink, I'm going to hide here. I don't need no knife. I can set a trap to hunt if I can find some rocks; maybe I can make a fire. I don't know how to make a fire, but I can try. I can try real good.
I have to survive. At least until the top two.
At night, somethin' flies over the arena real slow. I look up and I see that it's broadcasting the twelve tributes that died today. It shows the scenes up to their death, but they don't show how they actually die. Both District Twelves are gone, the boy from Eleven, the girl from Nine. The tributes from Six is dead, too, both of 'em. The boy from Seven and the girl from Eight. I'm surprised to see that District Two lost their girl and District Five's male tribute is dead.
They all died in the both bath. I look at the screen as it shows the District Two girl's death. She's shot with an arrow and it cuts to Zenobia running through the trees. The District Four boy, Kadrian, killed the District Three boy by slamming his head against a tree.
Skylar's still alive. So is Mattias and Wren, and Kadrian and Zenobia. And me. I'm alive, too.
I find Skylar at dawn. He's sleepin' by the lake, not far from where I settled down. He's asleep when I first see him and I sees he's got a set of knives at his hip and lying beside him is a staff. He's got a backpack strapped to his bag. I wonder if he got all that stuff during the bloodbath, or did he wait to scour through the dead bodies.
When I approach, he opens his eyes and rolls to his feet in a heartbeat. He's got a knife aimed at me and I know he was goin' to throw it. I hold up my hands and he pauses. "It's me," I says and he looks at me hard. "I ran from the bloodbath."
Skylar nods and throws the staff towards me. It falls at my feet and I stoop to pick it up. "I know," he says, "I knew you were going to do that. I stayed close enough to get the stuff from the dead bodies." He looks at me as I sit down next to him. "I've been trying to stay away from the others. Mattias and Wren are working together with Kadrian. Scorpia is with them." She was the girl from Seven. "I don't know about the others. What happened to your cheek?"
"Zenobia," I says. "She wanted me to join her and when I said no, she shot an arrow at me." I pulls my knees up to my chest. "I want to go home."
"I know," he says, "I do, too. I have an idea." He shows me the backpack and opens it. Inside, I see coiled wire rope and a package of what looks like dried meat. But I focus on the wire rope. "We need to get rid of Mattias. He's their leader and Kadrian is their second in command. We're going to set up a trap."
I smiles and then I laces my hands together. "Maybe Zenobia can help us. Maybe we can get her help, if we can find her." I had a feelin' that she was nearby, listenin' probably. "We can form our own little team. She has good aim. She scored a ten."
Skylar nods again. "We need Zenobia on our side. We can make it to the top three with her."
Oh, Zenobia! I shouts in my head, Come out come out wherever you are!
I must've dozed off 'cause when I open my eyes, it's because Skylar is shakin' my shoulder. I stands up and dusts off my clothes. I wipe the sleep from my eyes and I wipe 'em again, because there's a tall, brown spot just beyond Skylar's shoulder.
Zenobia.
"I thought about your offer," She says and I looks at her. I wonder when she had heard, or if Skylar had found her while I was asleep. She rubs her hands together, "I'll join you on one condition. We save Kadrian until the end. I want to end him myself."
"You hate your own teammate?" Skylar asks her and she shakes her head.
"Only one can win," Zenobia says right slow, right calmly. "And it's not going to be him. If I die," she says, "I'm taking as many people as I can with me."
Skylar looks hard at her with his blue eyes. "Only the strongest can win," he says. "And here's our plan. Ziv and I are going to set down the wire line. After that, we're going to distract them and make them chase us. That's when you shoot them when they trip."
Zenobia has her bow and her quiver on her back. "I don't have arrows to waste." She narrows her eyes. I know she would probably shoot us both in the head if it suited her, but she wanted to live long enough, too. She wanted to make it into the top four.
And to do that, we had to kill Wren and Mattias.
My hands are a little bloody from pulling the wire rope too tight. I wipe them on my pants and look across at Skylar before looking up at Zenobia. She's sittin' in a tree branch, looking down at us. She waves in confirmation.
I pick up my staff from the ground and look at Skylar. He nods and I smiles at him a little warily. We goin' to kill somebody. But they would kill us, too.
We creep through the trees like we some kind of night-cats, or coyotes that used to sneak into the field back home. Skylar leads the way and I follow.
They made a camp in the middle of the forest. They have precious supplies like backpacks and I see weapons piled up, too. They took everything they could from the supply mound. I see them eatin' dried meat and drinkin' what looks like juice. Juice.
Mattias is sittin' in the middle with Kadrian. Scorpia and Wren, and the District Three girl. They look like they ain't scared of nothing, and I wouldn't be scared either if I had so much.
I looks at Skylar and he looks at me. I holds my staff above my head and then I scream. I scream and run forward, swinging at Scorpia. Skylar is beside me, lashing with his knife. Scorpia bares her teeth when I slam my staff onto my shoulder. She shrieks and I swing low this time, towards her knees.
Wren grabs my braid and I panic. She's draggin' me by my hair and I can't fight back, because Scorpia is trying to pull my weapon from my hands. I ram my elbow into Wren's stomach and she loosens her hold on my hair.
I jerk my staff from Scorpia's hands and snatch up one of the back packs before taking off the way we had come. I hear them running after me, shoutin' all kinds of mean things. I bet the people in the Capitol were eatin' it up.
They were probably thinkin' that the innocent little girl did somethin' daring, and now she needs a miracle.
I leap over the wire and roll forward, landing in a bush. I see Wren tumbling forward, her eyes wide. I note that she has blonde hair. Her feet are caught in the wire. I looks up towards Zenobia. I see her leaning forward, drawing an arrow from her quiver.
I see Zenobia draw back her bow, aiming for Wren.
I see Wren layin' on her back, lookin' at me and lookin' at Zenobia up in the trees.
Zenobia bites her bottom lip. Her fingers twitch for a minute. I know she ain't hesitating, not when she was so ready to shoot me, yesterday.
Wren dies instantly.
Mattias lets out a shout, lookin' for who killed his friend.
He never finds out who, because Skylar comes up and kills him. It was as easy as that.
"Well," Zenobia says as she scrambles down from the tree, stepping over the bodies. "Kill two birds with one stone."
Two cannons go off that night.
We go through the backpack I managed to snatch. In it is more food and a box of matches. I think we got lucky, even though Kadrian and his remaining friends probably want our heads now. We did, of course, kill the District One tributes rather easily.
I would hate me, too.
For a while, the three of us lay low. We stay by the river and divide our supplies up among us. A day after we kill Mattias and Wren, another cannon goes off. The girl from Eleven died. She fell in a pit that I knew was intentionally dug by the Gamemakers. We got to be careful, I decides.
Kadrian's lookin' for us. Zenobia told us that he probably was, 'cause he was sneaky and slick as a worm. He ain't gonna die without revenge, but he bidin' his time. He goin' to get rid of the others first, the ones that are left, and then he's going to come after us.
We have to stick together, until we have to break apart.
I feel like a third wheel. Zenobia and Skylar are good. They good at fightin' and they even better at plannin', and I can't do much. I mean, I ain't a good fighter and I just follows they orders the best I can. I shows Zenobia my Tiger's Eye stone and she shows me her token.
It's a simple little necklace with a key at the end. She says it's her house key, so when she goes home, she can open the door by herself. She goin' to go home, I can see it in her eyes even though she don't say it.
Skylar and Zenobia start lookin' at each other different. Skylar looks like he's lookin' into her soul with his blue eyes, prying out her secrets and her eyes do the same, even though hers are light brown. They might as well be district partners, because I thought our alliance was supposed to be between Skylar and me.
The Gamemakers don't like that.
And they change the game.
It's evening when we notice the water in the lake is receding. It confuses me, 'cause I ain't never seen water leave so quickly. I look at Zenobia and she looks at me. For a while, all three of us just stand there and looks at it. Think about it.
Then the water comes rushing back towards land in a huge, roaring wave. I could feel the spray against my face as it came and then Skylar grabbed my hand. I heard someone shoutin', telling me to run and I force my legs to work.
The water roars, roars, roars and I can hear trees snapping. I look back to see our supplies bein' dragged into the water. My staff breaks like a twig. Run, I thinks and shouts in my head, run and don't look back!
But I'm only human. I can't outrun the Gamemaker's tidal wave.
I'm swept up in the water and it tosses me under. I'm thrown back to the surface for a brief minute and my mouth in full of water. I spit it out just as a tree branch flies by me. I grab onto it, holdin' my breath in case I'm thrown under again. I pull myself onto the branch as the water runs forward, sweeping through the forest.
Eventually, the water calms down. I shiver and try to catch my breath. I feel a hundred thousand times heavier, my clothes hanging limply. I'm soaked like somebody dumped water on me, and it ain't a lie.
"Skylar?" I shouts, "Zenobia?!" I don't hear them and something in me breaks. What if they died? No, no, no, no. Skylar's got to win. There ain't no other way around it. Skylar's got to win.
I puts my head down for a long time and close my eyes. I don't go to sleep, though. I just lay there and I don't think, either. I just sit there and listen. I listen to the animals in the trees, singing old lullabies, and I listens to the water as it moves around me.
When I open my eyes, I take a chance and put my feet in the water. It stops just above my ankles and I wade through the water towards the center of the arena.
Something slides across my foot and I shriek. I freeze as I see golden scales slidin' through the water before disappearing. I breathe deeply, lookin' down. Hound-snakes. I remember Momma told me they was mutations that the Capitol made during the Dark Days. They was mighty poisonous.
I walk under the land becomes dry underfoot and I can see the field where we first started. I run towards it, where I see the mound where there were originally supplies. There are none now, except for a few scraps of food and I lay on top of the cold metal, lookin' up at the sky.
I reach for the stone in my pocket and I decide that maybe it is lucky. It'll protect me, if I let it.
Two tributes died. The District Three girl drowned because she was washing off her face. And Scorpia. She had been in a tree with Kadrian when she mysteriously fell. She got bit by a hound-snake.
When the floods are over and the water recedes, I crawl back to where I last saw Zenobia and Skylar. I find them layin' together, their arms and their legs wrapped around each other. I look at them as they hold each other, like they the last thing left in the world for each other.
I wish they could both live in the arena. That they both could win. But it ain't possible. I wish it was, because I want them to be happy. They want to live and I want to live, too, but I don't think my life is as valuable as theirs. They were the best ones surviving now. Except for Kadrian.
Skylar hugs me when they see me and he says he was worried about me, that I had died. Zenobia just looks at me and she looks very small without her bow. In her hands, she has the box of matches. With them, I decides, we could set the world alight. We could set the world on fire. All three of us.
"I can't be you with guys anymore," Zenobia says and wipes her hair out of her eyes. She pockets the matches and I look at her, like she grown two extra heads. "It was nice working with you." She smirks and then takes off running to the east. "Good luck," she shouts, "I'll be seeing you soon."
She says that and leaves so quickly that it takes me a while to register what she means. By then, though, Skylar is looking after her. He don't look sad, though. He knew. That's why they had been together. Only one can win. Only the strongest can win. It's only natural.
I look at him hard and then I throw my arms around him. I pull out Momma's stone and curls it into his hands. "Take it," I says, "Momma said it was for good luck." I wish I had the matches, so I can set the world on fire.
Zenobia was just doin' what was natural. She wanted to go home. We all did.
I hated this game.
Twenty tributes have died. Two died in the floods three days ago. Now it remains me and Skylar, and Kadrian.
And Zenobia. Of course, Zenobia.
I haven't seen Kadrian, but I know he's slinking around. I see Zenobia in the trees. Sometimes we sit and look at each other for a while, when Skylar's not looking. We don't talk. We ain't friends. We just two people thrown in a game of killing. There ain't nothing entertaining about it.
On the fourth day after the flood, I stand on the ground. She is sittin' up in the tree. She looks at me and I looks at her hard. We both silently agree that we ain't goin' to win by just sittin' there and waiting for somebody to make a move. But we don't make a move against each other. No. It ain't like that.
Zenobia looks down at me. She holds up four fingers- for her district- and kisses each one. Then, she brushes them by her heart. She throws something down at my feet. "Good luck," she says to me and jumps onto another tree branch. I know where she's going. She's goin' to fight Skylar Herriot. If he don't win, I want her to. I want her to go home alive.
Harrion and Euphemia, and Momma and everbody else are probably watchin'. They waitin' to see what I'm going to do. But I can't do much. I am the girl who scored a six. I am Ziv, my momma's bright child but compared to the others, I am only a candlelight.
Even with a candle, though, you can set the world alight.
I pick up the matches. I take one and I strike it. I look at the tiny little flame.
I hear spear before I feel it and I am not afraid. I know that it is Kadrian who has killed me. He's been bidin' his time. I let the lit match fall to the ground. I know that only the strongest can survive, can spread their light.
I was not strong.
And I cries while I'm dyin', and I know Kadrian is sittin' there watching me die. The bushes catch on fire. "Good luck, Skylar," I say. I remember he has my Tiger's Eye. "Good luck, Zenobia. Only the strongest can win. Spread your light." I don't know who I'm talkin' to. "Be strong. You're going to win."
I was not strong.
This was admittedly hastily done. I don't think it's possible to fit a whole Hunger Games event into a one-shot. Ziv's voice was a strange one. I think maybe I should go back to my own fandom. Yes, that is what it is best.