Layelle ran off her metal plate as soon as the gong rung. Her feet moved quickly along the arena ground, with her heart beating a thousand times per minute. Her emerald-green eyes looked behind her, seeing some tributes running into the trees and others running to the Cornucopia behind her. Looking forward, her dark hair blew violently behind her. She finally reached the middle, grabbing a backpack and looking to see if anything else was within her reach. Out of nowhere, a boy twice her size attacked her and pinned her to the ground. "Help! Help!" She screamed from beneath the boy. He laughed and covered Layelle's mouth, pinning a knife to her throat.
Without thinking Cress ran towards the screaming girl and speared the huge girl that pinned her down. The boy froze and collapsed. Layelle got off the ground quickly, her face full of her blood.
"Are you okay?" Cress asked. She nodded. "Let's go." She started to run.
He followed the dark haired girl through a thick forest without stopping to catch his breath. Eventually they stopped next to a river. She stopped, breathing heavily. She wiped her forehead, with her hand turning red.
"What's your name?" he said brushing his hand through his messy brown hair.
"Layelle." She wiped her hand on her pants.
"I'm Cress," he chuckled.
"Alright." She smiled. "By the way, thank you."
"It's okay," he sighed. "It would be a shame to kill a pretty girl like you."
She blushed though it wasn't very visible due to her face already being red from the blood.
"Your face is a mess," he laughed. "Wait, not in that way."
She laughed. "I get what you mean."
He scratched the back of his neck. "So I guess we're allies then," he mumbled.
"If that's a problem for you, I can leave." She said, perfectly hearing what he said.
"No, no, don't leave!" he cried. He blushed suddenly.
She smiled. "Alright, I won't leave."
A cannon sounded 8 times.
"So it's begun," he said.
She sighed, not saying a word. Instead, she knelt by the river and started washing her face off.
"But hey, there's no need to worry," he smiled. "I'm here, I'm strong, and I know how to use a spear."
"My hero." She said sarcastically, smiling.
Suddenly there was loud laughter across the river. "Careers, get down," he hissed.
She immediately did what she was told, pulling him down with her.
"Yeah, now I really am your hero," he smirked.
She smiled, putting a finger to her lips. There were five of them, two girls and three guys. They watched quietly. There was aloud clatter as Cress dropped his spear. The careers looked up. She suddenly held him tightly, her eyes tightly closed.
"You're a fast runner aren't you?" he breathed.
She nodded.
"Okay, run," he grabbed her hand and ran through the forest. He could hear the careers behind them.
She quickly followed, and looked behind to see the Careers coming closer. He ran faster, but stumbled down a steep ditch pulling Layelle with him. She shrieked, losing grip of his hand.
"Layelle!"
She rolled down, not responding to him.
He searched for her panicking, but hit his head on something hard and blacked out.
She eventually stopped, looking for Cress. "Cress?"
"Cress!" She screamed, seeing his unconscious body.
"Cress!" She scrambled to his body, shaking him.
His eyes shot open. "Layelle!" he pulled her into a hug.
She hugged him tightly back.
"There they are!" a career shouted. Cress jumped to his feet unsteadily, grabbed Layelle by the hand, and ran. Suddenly he tripped on a rock. "GO!" he shouted.
Layelle hesitated for a minute, but it was too late, the careers had caught up with them. The two girls grabbed her arms and two of the boys held down Cress. Layelle was forced to watch as they cut Cress' throat.
He clutched his neck gasping for air, and eventually his eyes glazed over.