Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. They belong to Suzanne Collins.
Note: Sorry for the wait! Been busy with my life and had stuff to do that couldn't be put off. But, here we are on day eight of the Games. The end is drawing nearer and nearer, and with it plenty of bloodshed...or worse. Next chapter, I'll start giving hints for who the third protagonist of The Nameless Chronicles will be. With what I've got planned, and how the finale draws near, I hope I can keep up my inspiration for writing. Not much else to say, so read on and enjoy. :)
I'm awake, quite suddenly. Looking around, I'm still slotted into the hole in the tree I slept in throughout the night. No signs of injuries, besides the many I already had...looks like the night went by calmly, without a cannon to wake me up. Lacey is alive, and that little thought can keep me going.
But Cinder is dead, and that thought eats away at me worse than the Ant Mutt could've done. It was me, all me...I may not have been awoken by my own screaming, but my dreams were thoroughly unpleasant. Awful stuff. As though Jabberjays were infected me with horribly familiar screams. Until several years after I win, or until I die in a few days, I won't be free of this thought and feeling. All I can do is try not to think of Cinder's corpse and how her family must have reacted in District Five…
It's a cloudy morning, and rain is on the way. Makes sense, with how rainy and damp my spirits feel right now, but I better get down from the tree before the rain makes me fall. So, trying not to think too hard with my by-now-broken psyche, I carefully hold the tree trunk and slowly make my way down towards the ground. Climbing up is never easy, but climbing down...somehow, not as bad.
BANG!
The sound of the cannon makes me shriek in alarm, losing my grip and falling to the ground. I land on my back with a hard thud. Only a second later the pain surges through me, and I can only whimper. Maybe I could just lie here for a few minutes and wait the pain out…
"Aaaahhhh..." Is all I can bring myself to say, the aching in my back quite severe. Did I snap a vertebra? Did I wound an important muscle?
I'm only lying here for a minute or two though, before I suddenly sit up straight, my eyes wide and fully open. My heart feels caught in my throat, almost, and I begin to wheeze and choke. It's a while before I am able to stabilise my breathing and get to my feet, and even longer before I can start to think clearly, but something is very clear to me now.
A cannon fired.
Somebody has died.
Eighteen Tributes are now dead, and six are left.
There was a one out of six chance that was Lacey's cannon…
My eyes look into the sky, frantically looking for a hovercraft. One thing I have noticed in past Hunger Games is that a descending hovercraft is a clear give-away of somebody's position and a method Careers use to find and murder strong Tributes not in their pack. How near is the body? And...if it was Lacey, would I have time to run to her and to lay down flowers?
And to say goodbye?
I slap myself. It might not be Lacey, and I know we cannot both go home...but after how close we've become in the Arena, the idea of her dying and me not being there at all...it just feels wrong and sickly. Though, I suppose Miller feels like that right now after what I caused to happen to Cinder. Maybe not being able to say goodbye is like that karma concept that people who lived before Panem sometimes lived by?
Looking up I spot a hovercraft descend a distance away. It looks like it's further down the river, maybe a mile away. There's no way I'd be able to get there in time if it was Lacey, but I'm already running. I've done a lot of running in the Arena, usually away from something...it feels off, running towards something for once.
"Don't be Lacey, don't be Lacey!" I yell desperately.
I already feel broken after what I did to Cinder...if Lacey dies too, I don't know if I would be able to take the pain. I'm not certain if it's possible to die from pure misery, but I don't want to find out. If I'm gonna die, I'd rather it be quick...like being decapitated or blown up by a mine.
I wonder if Lacey...no, I wonder if the person who died who may or may not be Lacey had a swift death.
(Not much later…)
I blaze into the clearing the hovercraft had been in, but the hovercraft is already long gone. I feel shaky and short of breath, and not from the running. Did I miss Lacey's body? Was it her at all? She got chased a different way than I did by those Mutts, but she could have travelled through the night.
I both dread and desire the Anthem right now, if only for some answers.
"...Maybe something got left here?" I say as I look around. "Something that could tell me what happened."
The whole area looks pretty dead. Dirt, logs...even the trees are a little sparser over here. The perfect place for a murder. Murders make death, and this place is dead…
You know, when I feel scared and full of painful guilt my grammar seems to get worse.
"Ok, let's see what we got here," I say, kneeling down to look at a disturbed patch of ground. "Looks like the body fell here, but I don't see any blood...must have been quick, and clean."
Looking at the disturbed dirt, it looks like there wasn't a struggle. Something hit the person, and they fell down dead in a second. But looking at the size of the dirt imprint...they seem to have been kind of on the smaller side, I think. At least a bit thin. I can't be certain of anything, but I don't think it was Marvel or Weldar who got killed.
But if not them, then who? That brings it up to a twenty five percent chance that Lacey…
I swallow my vomit and keep looking. Maybe there are footprints nearby? Or, some fallen gear?
It takes me a bit of searching to find anything I can get the smallest bit of information on, but suddenly I see it. Or rather, I seem them.
Footprints.
By the looks of things, three people were here. It's hard to tell that from most of the footprints being disturbed or brushed over in some way, but I can see the differences. What I'm looking at here is a footprint with the District Nine Seal on it, and two separate sets of footprints with the District Twelve Seal on them.
"Oh, thank goodness. Lacey, you're alive..." I whisper, my chest warming up. "Be safe."
So this means it was either Miller, Katniss or Peeta who died...and I won't find out until tonight's Anthem. Miller dying...at least he'd be back with Cinder, to spend eternity with her. If anything lies beyond the curtain anyway. But if it was Katniss or Peeta, that would mean that me and Weldar…
We'd be the only duo left that the rule change would apply to. I can't help but feel that when this rule change was made for whatever reason...it was meant for Twelve, or the Careers. Not us. Guess Weldar got lucky, and I got very unlucky. No change there.
Six left. I should get moving. Just gotta follow the river and I'll find my way back to the Cornucopia. If I take my time then Weldar might kill Lacey if they get there first, or Mutts will chase me and possibly kill me.
This quickly gets me back on the move, sipping from my water bottle as I go. Though, I'm almost out of water now. Food too. I need more...hopefully the river water is safe. I don't have any iodine and I don't know how I'd tell if it was safe. Well, it's not stagnant, so that's good. I kneel to fill up my bottle, and I can't help but look at my refection.
"Is that me?" I say, reaching towards my refection for a moment. "I look like a mess..."
It's true. Bruises, a broken nose with dried blood around it and my eyes somewhat glazed and unfocused. I look like a walking corpse, like some of those movies from before the Dark Days at the library in Three. I wash my face with the water and, though it makes my nose sting a bit, I feel better. At least for a few moments as, really, my face isn't much better when it's clean.
But, I'm still alive. More than eighteen of the Tributes can say...if they could say anything.
"Hey, a footprint...footprints, even," I say. A trail of them is leading away up the river. "they're going where I'm going...better be careful. Who is it?"
Thankfully, these footprints are in good condition. The District Twelve Seal is clear in my eyes. So, one of the Twelve pair is going this way. Wait, they've travelled together, so...that must mean one of them got killed, with Miller as the one who did it.
"Katniss or Peeta must be up ahead," I say, fumbling for my knife. I'm not going to attack...only defend myself if I have to. "But I can't go too far off course. Ok, I can do this...I can do this..."
The question is, what will I have to do? And another question to follow hat one, if I have no idea what is coming, can I say that I can do it? I can't kill again, can I? Katniss is a tough girl, I noticed. She could shoot me with an arrow if she wants to...at least it'd be quick. As for Peeta...actually, I don't know if he'd feel like attacking me. But he's strong, and I'm not.
"I can't waste anymore time." I mutter as I jog alongside the river. "At least I'm not thirsty."
(Not very much later…)
It's still dawn, so I've slowed to a walk. I don't have any real need to run, so long as I keep moving forwards along the side of the river. Plus, the slower I go the longer until I'll have to cross paths with Peeta or Katniss. More time to plan what I'll do...and more time to live, possibly. The tracks are still here, though not frequent. But I know I'm going the right way.
Once again the trees have become sparse. In fact, there's very little plant life around this part of the river. Just dirt, rocks and the water flowing faster than it was previously. I guess the water is faster as it's going slightly downhill, but why the lack of plant life? Doesn't life bloom near water?
Well, the Arena is artificial so normal botany rules do not really apply.
"...Wait, what's that sound?" I ask, putting a hand to cup my ear and listen.
I can hear something up ahead. It sounds loud, and powerful...like a roar, but not one from a Mutt. Almost wet sounding too.
A waterfall!
"That'll be a good landmark," I say to myself as I keep going.
I'm not sure if maps of the Arena are a thing that can be sponsored, so every landmark counts. And as the tail of the Cornucopia always points to the north, if I can figure out where this waterfall is in relation to the silver horn then next time I get chased by Mutts I won't be lost for long.
Kinda depressing that I can say I'll be chased by mutts again, and in such an offhand kind of way.
"Wah!" I yelp, almost tripping over my feet.
I manage to grab onto a tree and stabilise myself. A few moments of shaky breathing later I look down at what it was I tripped over. It's a opened pack of dried meat, with a few pieces left.
That's breakfast.
And, as I quickly eat the meat in a few mere seconds of chewing, I realise it's also confirmation somebody else is very near me. This makes me stand right beside the river, as at least this way I can't be snuck up on from behind without anybody making splashy sounds.
"Where are you…?" I mutter quietly.
I walk on as the river curves. It's not twenty seconds later that I can see somebody. They sit on a rock at the top of the Waterfall, looking lost...and very alone. In some ways, its like looking at myself and how I feel most days.
If I were a boy that is.
Peeta sits still. Not crying, but clearly miserable. He loved Katniss, and they could have both gone home and loved long, full lives. Now any dreams he had with Katniss are gone. The Career duos are dead or broken, the Twelve duo has now been parted...what cruel irony that the only duo left is mine, and I never, ever wanted to go home with Weldar at my side in the first place.
What should I do? I don't think I can kill again...I might die of a broken mind if I do. But if Peeta decides to attack me, would I have any choice? Is self-defence less of a terrible act, even if it's to the death?
Peeta makes the decision for me when he looks up and spots me.
We silently stare at each other for a moment.
"...Hello..." I say after a silence, my knife trembling in my hands.
"Hey..." Peeta replies, no kind of emotion in his voice.
Peeta looks at my knife and then me, while I don't take my gaze away from him.
"...Go ahead, you'd be doing me a favour anyway," Peeta says, tossing his bladed whip over the waterfall and to the rushing river below. "You heard the cannon, right…?"
"Katniss..." I mumble, shivering. Peeta, right now, feels just how I'd feel if Lacey died. Though as Peeta was in love with Katniss, I suppose he'd feel worse. "I saw the footprints...it was the boy from nine, um, Miller, right?"
Peeta sadly nods.
"He caught us off guard...he was almost crazy with grief, and...he hit me down and..." Peeta trails off for a moment, trying to find his voice. "He shot Katniss with her own bow and arrow. He was travelling with, uh...Katniss called her Foxface. Her. I guess her death hit him hard...you know, I can't say I don't know the feeling."
Peeta is silent again. I look at my knife, and then put it away in my bag. My heart is pounding as I approach Peeta, just in case this is a trick, but he doesn't react when I sit down next to him. He also doesn't react when I put a hand on his shoulder.
"If any District Pair should've gone home, it's you guys," I mumble. Maybe a bit of kindness will cheer him up? Lacey cheered me up the same way after all.
"What about you and, uh...I don't know his name. You guys are still a duo," Peeta replies.
I pause for a moment.
"Weldar torments me. He's horrible to me...if not for Lacey caring about me so much and stopping me I'd have blown myself up on the landmines to get away from him and his torture. We're no duo. But you and Katniss...a young couple who could've gone home and been no longer star crossed," I whisper. It brings a tear to my eye, thinking about the fact another couple has been destroyed. "I'm sorry for your loss, truly..."
Peeta is silent for a few more moments.
"Thank you," he says. "It's amazing, how you can go from feeling hope to feeling...nothing but emptiness. I'm still alive, but...if I want to go home then I'm gonna have to murder somebody. Maybe more than one person. Maybe even you...and I don't eve know your name."
"Gadget," I mumble.
"Nice name. But, whoever you are and your own heart, dreams and feelings...only one victor, or two in one circumstance you do not even want. I guess being in here...you stop seeing others as people, and just things in your way of going home. But..." Peeta trails off for a moment. "But, I could never see anybody like that. I said to Katniss, the night before we entered the Arena, that I wanted to show I am more than just a piece in their Games...that if I did die, then I'd be me...not a monster."
Peeta takes a breath, looking up at the sky. It's a fake sky of course, but...I think he means his gaze to look beyond it, to the outside world and the heavens above.
"And, right now...do I even want to return home? To live with the pain forever...to train kids each year and see them die over and over...I'm sorry Haymitch, but I can't," Peeta says as he looks up at the sky still.
Peeta reaches into his pocket, and takes out a handful of...berries? Wait...ok, I don't remember what they are called, but I am fairly sure those are poisonous.
...Oh. No, no! Peeta seems to have made up his mind, but I hold him in a hug. Lacey saved me with her kindness...maybe, just maybe, I can do the same as her. Just this once, I can help and make a difference.
"Wait, no!" I plead. "You could still win and go home! You could...you could start a District Twelve streak! It doesn't have to be this way...I know how awful it is to kill...I'm the one who k-killed Cinder..."
I gag, fighting a sob. The feelings of self-hate are strongly and swiftly returning.
"I'll live or die as a monster, but you...you could win without killing. It's unlikely, but it's not impossible," I whisper. My arms are shaking unpleasantly by now. "Don't do this, please...put down the berries..."
I barely know Peeta at all. All I really know is his name, and yet here I am begging him to not do it. If I do nothing my odds go up and Lacie's do too...but I can't stop myself. I can only hold Peeta and plead him not to.
It's mad to think about, really, that rather than tearing us apart...this year's Arena has been bringing us together, in some ways.
"I'm sorry Gadget," Peeta says with a sigh.
I choke out a sob and a laugh. He's listening to me! I gently loosen the hug and wipe my eyes a little. That's when I yelp in pain as I am knocked backwards, landing on my butt. Even though I am used to it by now, the pain of the impact still hurts my backside, and makes my back ache too. Looking up though, it seems Peeta felt bad he had to knock me over.
"Thank for showing me a bit of kindness," Peeta says, managing to softly smile. "More people in Panem should do that...show a little kindness. Good luck Gadget...and if Lacey really did save you as you say, good luck to her too. I'm not gonna become a monster, or live a life as a slave to the Games...I'm more than a piece of the Games, and now...I will die as myself. ...The boy with the bread."
"Peeta! No!" I wail. I don't even know why I am crying...I know nothing about this boy, but the tears won't stop falling.
But I am powerless to stop this, as by the time I am back on my feet Peeta has swallowed the berries in his hand without fear or misery...indeed, he seems almost happy. Maybe for he will be with Katniss, and away from the struggles of Panem. And just a second later, he lifelessly falls over the edge of the waterfall, a splash following moments later.
BANG!
I knew Peeta was dead. Knew it beyond any doubt, but hearing the cannon...it's getting hard to hold back my sobs. Over the edge, I see Peeta's body floating in the water. Without life, but without any kind of injury that I can see...and without anymore pain. He just floats away slowly, a small smile on his face, and his eyes starring lifelessly to the sky.
He died on his own terms, refusing to be a monster or letting himself become just another piece of the Games. Dying by his own hand and not from anything else...he died out of a refusal to play. Me, I just wanted to die to make the pain end. In some ways, I think Peeta got lucky…
District Twelve is now without a Victor for twenty four years in a row…
I couldn't do what Lacey did. I...I couldn't stop him from ending his life...I hardly knew him, so why do I feel so disgusted at myself for failing?
It's quite some time before I stop sobbing and get back to my feet. By now Peeta's body has drifted far enough away to be collected by the hovercraft. Oh, the Hovercraft...a little taunt of how we are bugs beneath the Capitol, and how close yet far civilisation is…
Five left, and I'm in a duo. My odds of going home, once so awfully low...low enough I wanted to jump off my pedestal...now, they look good.
So, why am I not happy?
...Probably because I stand a good chance at going home with my tormentor, a certain chance Lacey won't come home with me...and the fact my good odds were paid for with the lives of nineteen people, two who were only twelve…
"Come on Gadget, you said you'd stop crying and focussing on the bad. Keep moving, keep surviving," I tell myself firmly.
And so, I do. Climbing down the waterfall takes a little bit of time, but I don't want to chance jumping over the edge and possibly breaking my ankle. Running away has kept me alive, and without that option I'd not last much longer.
I'm not gonna give up. That's my promise to myself...after all the pointless deaths I have seen, I'm gonna try to survive this. The fallen all had such potential...and, somewhere within me, I think there is a part of me that knows I do too. I won't let that be wasted. I won't go down without any kind of a fight.
"Ok...how far away now?" I ponder out loud, looking ahead.
The edges of the Arena look closer than before, so I know I've been making progress. And the Cornucopia is closer than the edge…hard to estimate the distance when I've not gone from one side of the Arena to the other, but I think I should be able to reach my destination before midday. Maybe before Weldar if I am lucky. That way I could get away with eating something good, and it could just be blamed on somebody stealing it while we were gone.
"Maybe by the time I get there I won't feel like crying as much," I mumble, wiping away my salty tears. They sting, but that's hardly anything after the rest of the pain I've felt.
At least, as I jog along, I can take a tiny bit of comfort in two things. The river water is so soothing...a nice sound to focus on.
And, also the fact Lacey has a good chance of going home. If I die, I'd hope she would make it back. Panem could use more laughs. Imagine, a District of Comedy...
(Later…)
The sun is high in the sky now, and I'd guess it's probably early afternoon in the Arena. Outside, I'm less sure but that's not important now. What matter is that I've made it back to the Cornucopia. The clearing is silent, the only sounds of note I can hear being the afternoon breeze making the grass rattle a bit. The Silver Horn stands silent as can be, unmoving…
I don't know why, but it intimidates me a bit. Maybe due to how many people have gotten killed in this very clearing? The eight who died on the first day, the three Careers...just one more and that'll be half of us who took our last breath in view of the mighty Horn of Plenty. But, that won't be happening right now. Nobody else is here, and I know where all of the mines are buried, so for at least a few minutes I'm safe.
"Let's see what I could grab. Nobody here to catch me, and Weldar would probably assume that somebody else took it all if I can remove any evidence," I say to myself. Strange to me still, the idea of stealing is becoming really enjoyable and...fun. Maybe I'm more like Miller than I thought?
I hope my way through the mine field and quickly begin scavenging. The issue is, if anybody enters the clearing they'll see me in an instant, even if they cannot reach me, so time is of the essence. Ah, time...I wonder how long the games have lasted now. Eight days, I think? I wonder how much longer it'll be until one of us can go home, or we die...I think the record length is four weeks. Being in the Arena that long...it makes me mind feel like it'll fall apart just thinking about it. As for the Victor...legend says they went mad and died a month after they won.
I stop thinking too hard and focus on the supplies. It's easy to grab stuff and put it in my bag, but I can't afford to let anything fall to the ground or it could activate a mine and blow me to pieces. But, scavenging is just like working with wires or electricity...it takes delicate hands. It's not long at all before I have taken some medical supplies, an extra knife, a bottle of water and a big pack of dried fruit into my bag. It'll last me a little while.
As I carefully hop out of the mine field I look up at the sun. Not gonna be dark for quite a while, and it seems nobody is nearby...and there's no guarantee Weldar thought to find a river to follow towards the lake.
I know what I need to do.
"I should have nearly everything I need to finish it," I say to myself. And then, I say a little louder. "I'm sure the Capitol viewers will find it interesting and exciting."
Hopefully that tempts them to spend a few more Caps to give me sponsor funds. But, I'm not desperate enough to wave to the cameras, so I simply sprint towards the perimeter of the clearing and onwards into the forest. With luck, I can get all my current sponsor parts in place and be back before anybody else gets here at all.
Five left...it'll be ending soon. The only issue is, that means my own death may be soon, or possibly Lacey's. No...no more tears Gadget.
(Time passes…)
Tools in hand, I work fast and effectively. A bolt here, a wire there, a piston to the left and a plate of metal to the right. It's hard to focus fully, with only five people left alive and the chance of a mutt being sent upon me to drive me into the action looking more and more likely.
They sent an Ant Mutt on me before, and I barely escaped it with my life. If it was sent on my now and cornered me within the cave, I'd have no chance.
Still though, at least the pain killers I took from the Cornucopia have made my head feel less...every bad word I can think of.
"Almost done, almost done..." I mutter, carefully connecting some wires. I need to try to focus here, because if I ruin even one wire...I'll be hard pressed to get anymore of them.
Time passes without any incidents, be they electronic or Mutt. And so, it's not a huge amount of time until I've put the almost finishing touches on my secret weapon. I allow myself a moment to admire it...it's really an extraordinary achievement in technology and engineering and such things, especially given the limited supplies I have to work with and how I'm only thirteen.
"Almost finished," I say quietly. The killer word here is 'almost'...the ultimate way to say something is close, but simply out of reach.
There's only one more component that I require, and that's a Plasma Reflux Fuse. Really advanced stuff, you can't get it in any District, even Three, and they're very expensive even for the Capitol, I hear. But, if a rich sponsor feels so inclined...it could happen.
"I still need a Plasma Reflux Coil to make it work and come to life," I say, knowing a camera can hear me. "They're not cheap, I know...but, imagine this is action. The sword, the flamethrower...no Hunger Games has seen something like this before. With some...well, more than just some...donations from you all, you could make Hunger Games history..."
Appealing to the bloodlust of the Capitol viewers, it's a known strategy to get sponsor funds. All just a show to them, and they love an exciting final battle. Assuming I'd make it there, and part of me is afraid to live that long. Not just in case it was a terrible match-up of me versus Lacey, but the fact is...most of the time, the 'final battle' of a Hunger Games tends to be extremely dangerous, much more than any other part of any Hunger Games, and traumatising, both to live through, and witness.
I remember two 'final battles' that have stayed with me to this day. One took place within a volcano with fire and molten lava all over the place along with crumbling platforms. The Victor only won because they abandoned the fight and escaped the volcano. The other tribute melted alive…
The second one that really sticks out to me started at the highest peaks of a mountain arena. The last two started fighting at the peak, but an avalanche meant they were...I guess dirt boarding down the mountain, and trying to slash each other to death as they went down. The Victor was nearly dead by the time they reached the bottom, and only won because her opponent hit a tree so fast they literally exploded into a shower of blood…
So, it makes me nervous about what awaits me, if I reached the stage the Gamemakers consider 'the finale'. If I got sponsored the Plasma Reflux Fuse though, the odds would be in my favour. After all, Mutts never enjoy fire...least of all from a flamethrower.
"Well, that's all I can do now...back to the Cornucopia. I'll just...leave my stuff here," I say as I get up and leave. Not like Weldar will come here and see proof I have stolen from him.
I leave the cave and walk into the sunlight. Though, it's gotten a bit colder than it was before. Not a snowstorm, or anything that could hurt me...just an unpleasant afternoon chill. I wonder if Lacey would allow another cuddle, because this is actually really cold. I shiver a little, huddling myself. The clouds are thick in the sky...so, it must be another storm on the way.
That gets me moving back to the silver horn all the quicker.
(Not much later…)
I make it back to the Cornucopia, and by now there's a light shower of rain going on. It wets my hair, taking away from of the grime with it. Everything seems to be just as I left it...am I the only one here? I knew following the river would save time, but I didn't think it would save this much. Well, if I'm truly alone maybe I can help myself to more supplies. Who's gonna know?
As I walk to the horn, however, I see that I am in fact not alone. Lacey sits within the Cornucopia, wrapping a bandage around her arm. She winces, mumbling sadly.
"Lacey!" I exclaim, relief filling me up from head to toe.
"Gadget!" Lacey squeals, jumping up and taking me in for a hug. "You made it! I heard two cannons, and...I was so scared that..."
"Me too," I whisper, holding my friend. "...It was Katniss and Peeta..."
"So you and Weldar," Lacey begins.
I nod. Of all the duos to be the only one let intact…
"...If you want to leave, and run away I will not stop you," I assure her. "I won't kill you, but...we both know Weldar will, and since only five of us are still alive it won't be much longer until he does."
Lacey doesn't seem scared though. In fact, she just hugs me closer.
"If I left, he'd start beating you more and you may try to kill yourself again. I can't have that happen," Lacey whispers. "He won't hurt me yet...he'd wait until Marvel is dead. He may be a little...um, 'silly' right now but...he's the toughest toughie left."
"What do you mean by that?" I ask as we sit down against the side of the interior of the horn, pulling a blanket over us. "What do you mean he's gone 'silly'...I saw him the other night, and he seemed a little odd, but capable of rational thought."
"Well...he's losing his mind," Lacey explains. "Careers enjoy the glory and thrill of battle, but they always have supplies. And ever since the other three...died...Marvel has had nothing. Not even a sausage! He's injured, starving and...I think his mind is falling apart now that all that he's done and seen is really setting in."
I consider this. He did seem a bit off when I saw him last...he's really going crazy after a few days without being at the top like he expected and without food. That's my whole life...maybe the fact I'm used to suffering is what's keeping me in one piece in here, more or less. Though what I did to Cinder...I may not be falling apart, but I am cracking a little. I would have thought Marvel would be fine though...he wanted to be here. He wanted to kill people. I saw the way he leered at me like I was a meal...
I'm not too sorry for him not getting the 'Hunger Games experience' he wanted.
"He deserves it," I say firmly.
Lacey gives me an uneasy look.
"Are you quite sure? Does anybody really deserve to...go bonkers?" she asks me.
"In most cases I'd say no," I admit. "But, Marvel...not only has he treated me horribly, but even when you take away anything personal, well, he volunteered and clearly was eager to kill as many people as he could. Now he's getting to experience the Hunger Games like how Tributes who do not have the odds in their favour do. Like us..."
Lacey is silent for a few moments.
"I guess he is a meanie," Lacey agrees. "But...losing all of his friends, losing the two victor benefit, being driven away from any kind of food or supplies, feeling constant pain from what looks like an axe wound...I can't help but feel bad for him."
I give Lacey a gentle one armed hug. To say I do not deserve her is an understatement...does Panem deserve somebody like her? Frankly, I am not convinced it does.
"Then you're better than I am," I tell her. "Part of me wonders if I look like a horrible girl for not feeling any pity for him. I mean, I felt pity for..."
I trail off, the horrible feelings of guilt and self-loathing from killing Cinder returning to me.
"What's wrong?" Lacey asks.
"...I understand how you feel about dropping the mine onto the Careers. I killed Cinder," I say, barely loud enough to count as whispering. "She stepped into my rope snare and hit against a tree...and then a nest of Tracker-Jackers fell down. It all happened so fast, but her screaming...it was horrible. I'm a murderer."
I stop, shivering a little as I take a few deep breaths.
"Am I much different than Marvel, or Weldar?" I ask. I bet I sound as scared as I feel.
Lacey quickly hugs me close.
"You've killed less than them, and it seems you took no pleasure from it at all," Lacey says gently. "...Did you?"
"Not at all. It was the most horrible and awful feeling, and I don't like it," I whisper. "I was...going to let her go, but...but the Tracker-Jackers..."
"So then, doesn't that make you different? You didn't get any pleasure at all from it, and if not for those mean bugs you'd have let her go," she says gently. "...I've killed more than you, if that means anything."
"But that wasn't your fault!" I exclaim. "It was an accident!"
Lacey gives me a gentle look. Suddenly, I see what she means...here I am begging her to not hate herself for an accident, and...maybe what I did is similar? It'll haunt me for years regardless and I doubt I'll move on for a long time...unless I die soon. But, I didn't know the Tracker Jackers were there…
It's a small comfort, but...it's there.
"Thank you," I whisper, resting my head on Lacey's shoulder.
"No problem, Gadget!" she replies with a big peachy grin.
We sit quietly for a few moments. I'd like for this to continue, but something has occurred to me. Something I want an answer for.
"How did you hurt your arm?" I ask, the bandage suddenly really sticking out to me. "...You said Marvel was injured. Did he…?"
"He had a sharp rock," Lacey says, her pain clear. "But, no pain no gain! Gaining pain that is...owww."
The bandage should be enough for now. If that is Lacey's only injury then maybe Marvel really is losing it...I would've expected him to have killed Lacey. Or...perhaps Lacey is stronger than I thought? No matter the case, I hug her. We stay like this, gently snuggling, for a while as the rain starts to fall.
"Any ideas when Weldar will come back?" Lacey asks.
"I'd rather not think about him," I say. "Any time without him is a good time."
Lacey points outside of the Cornucopia.
"Well, prepare to have a bad time because here he comes now," she says anxiously. "Uh, hi Weldar! Nice of you to join us!"
Weldar just makes a spiteful sort of noise as he enters the Cornucopia. He looks wet and miserable. The marks left by the bird Mutts show he's in a lot of pain. Possibly for over a day straight? Makes sense that he quickly grabs some medical supplies from the pyramid of goods. A bit of Capitol medicine and he appears to relax, still with a scowl on his face.
"All but five of us are dead," Weldar says calmly. "I heard two cannons...kinda thought you two had died, really. Who was it?"
"Katniss and Peeta," I say quietly. "Miller killed Katniss and Peeta killed himself with nightlock berries...the second one happen right in front of me."
I can't help but shiver at the memory of it.
"Yes! Haha, brilliant!" Weldar cheers. There's a look of serious glee in his eyes... "Well Gadget, looks like we're the only duo left...and I saw Marvel run by. I didn't fight him, but he looks injured and half insane by now. Not gonna last much longer."
Weldar holds his sword out towards Lacey.
"I don't think I really need her anymore," Weldar says coldly, looking ready to kill.
"No! No!" I plead, quickly getting in front of Lacey. "You know what I'll do if you...do that!"
"But I'm blocking the way out of the horn," Weldar replies icily. "I could impale her, knock you out and then tie you up with some rope. So long as you're alive my odds remain good, even if you're tied up at the back of the horn, without food or water."
"But Marvel and Miller are still out there!" I plead. I can't let him kill Lacey, I can't!
"I can cut you without killing you," Weldar says, cold as ice. "I can use the elft over mines to flow up Miller if he comes by. Now shut up."
"Leave Gadget alone!" Lacey yells, shaking her fist. She doesn't seem to remotely intimidate Weldar.
"I don't need her. Marvel will probably die from his wounds soon enough, and together we can kill Miller easily," Weldar shrugs. "Back away from the retard, and let me kill her! I do not need her anymore!"
"I do!" I yell, my voice cracking a little. "No! You are not hurting her!"
"Yeah, leave her alone! Um, me alone!" Lacey adds. "...Please?"
The rain outside seems to suddenly become a storm. In fact, I can hear lightning. That's not my main focus though, as Weldar tries to stab his sword at Lacey. She falls backwards with a frightened squeal, narrowly missing the tip of the blade becoming embedded within her. Before I consciously realise I am doing it I've flung myself forwards, using all five feet and nine inches of my body force to bring him to the ground.
"Lacey run!" I scream, pleading to her.
I whimper, moaning as my vision blurs. Weldar just struck me in the head with something hard. A metal water bottle maybe? Something painful, but not lethal...his usual tactics. Lacey runs past us, but stops at the mouth of the Cornucopia.
"Come on Gadget, you too!" Lacey exclaims.
I weakly haul myself to my feet, only to be bashed over by a punch from Weldar. While he grabs his sword I wearily crawl out of the Cornucopia and into the pouring rain, trying to get get to my feet. As I do, lightning strikes nearby. I shriek in alarm and jump back away from the Cornucopia. Anything metal is a lethal trap in a storm like this!
"Quick! Get away from the Cornucopia!" I yell, right as the lightening starts to flash across the sky.
Lacey scampers to the other side of the clearing while Weldar runs out from the silver horn, armed and angry. He looks at Lacey, and then he looks at me. He stops to give me a nasty look. I feel my knees knocking and my head starting to feel faint.
"If you win, you're going home back to Three, not Eight," Weldar says, snarling like a Muttation. "You're a District Traitor with how you help her. Do you actually think you're both getting out of this? Pathetic.
The lightning strikes again, but this time it hits the Cornucopia, and for a few brief moments it glows as it is charged with electricity. Weldar shrieks as he quickly backs away, out of range of being fried. The sight of the horn glowing like that...it's scary to watch, but at the same time so very captivating. Of course, the loud crackle of lighting that fills the sky quickly gets me cowering once more.
And then, I freeze.
It's basic knowledge about lightning that it will strike the tallest object. Especially if that object is a conductor, like most metals. While in the Arena there are breaks taken from the reality of the outside world, sometimes things do happen as could be expected. This being the case, I nearly scream at the sight of a sword poking out from the top of the supplies pyramid, the tip of it facing the sky.
I barely have time to get down and cover myself before the mayhem begins.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The lightning strikes the sword, but this wasn't what caused the horrible, painfully loud explosions. No, as I look up several long moments later with a very dazed feeling throughout me I see that the force of the lightning strike must have made crates fall loose and onto the mines, and with all of them detonating at once...the area in front of the Cornucopia is a charred crater now. Nothing is left…
All of the supplies are gone, and I can't see Weldar…
Is he dead…?
There's no cannon, and soon I see Weldar stagger out from within the Cornucopia. He must have been blasted backwards into it by the force of the explosion. Based on his limping, he was close enough to the blast to be hurt, but not close enough to die. Aside from Weldar looking a bit singed, he doesn't seem to have any serious injuries. That armoured vest is effective. Looking over at Lacey, it seems she is not overly injured either as she staggers to her feet, her knees knocking.
"That was too loud!" Lacey yells, holding her head.
Weldar quickly fumbles to grab his sword. Lacey screams and makes a beeline towards me, and I stagger and hobble, trying to keep start off in the direction of my cave. Lacey soon runs up to me and, gently taking my hand, begins to lead me away.
"Get back here!" Weldar screams. "You District tra-…!"
Weldar pauses. It seems he is suddenly realizing something. I chance a glance over my shoulder as me and Lacey weakly hobble away to the edge of the clearing. Weldar is patting his ears, a look of panic on his face.
"Why can't I hear anything!? Where's the sound?!" He screams, pulling his hair and smacking the Cornucopia in a mixture of fury and fear.
At the distance I was from the explosions, my ears are ringing painfully, though I can still hear to a degree. It seems Weldar was close enough to the blast that, while he is still more or less able to keep going physically, it would appear that both of his eardrums have been ruptured.
Weldar has gone totally deaf.
Scared of him and hating him as much as I do, I still feel a small twinge of pity for him. This Arena is a hellish place...being in here and not being able to hear anything, or anybody, coming must be terrifying. I'd be unable to sleep at night due to fear and paranoia a Mutt or Tribute would slit my throat in my slumber.
I feel kind of hypocritical, feeling something for Weldar and yet still nothing for Marvel.
We clear the forest perimeter, still stumbling along, and Lacey squeals in alarm as she glances back.
"He's coming!" she shivers, a hand over her gut protectively...not that it'd be anything against a sword. "Stranger danger! Stranger danger!"
"W-what…?" I manage to say as we pass through a place with some rather thick bushes and tall grass.
"Well, I hardly know him, so he's therefore a stranger...and because he wants to murder me from head to tie, he presents danger," Lacey says, somehow reverting to her usual happy tone. "...How are we gonna escape?! W-w-what if the Gamemakers won't let us…?"
This has all happened so fast, my mind has been on auto-pilot. One moment we're snuggling in the Cornucopia...the next moment the supplies are blown up and we're fleeing from Weldar. I don't think the full reality of how this changes everything has really hit me at all yet…
But Lacey is right, the Gamemakers could easily drive us back the way we came from. Though, if this is looking good on TV...they may allow it, just for a day. But we need to hide, right now!
...Weldar is deaf…
We can hide so much easier!
Quickly, I pull Lacey to the side and, in one shared fall, we tumble into the tall grass. Lacey gets the idea, and so we lay perfectly still. Even if Weldar is deaf, we do not dare to breath too loudly, just in case…
Weldar stalks by, sword in hand and breathing shakily. His face is full of hate.
"I know you're here somewhere!" He yells, a bit of a slur on his words. I suppose even if he's only just gone deaf it's already hard to talk without Weldar hearing his voice. "I may not be able to hear you, but I will find you Gadget! Lacey is going to die, you know she will, be it from me, one of the others or a grisly end to a Mutt! And if I see you...I won't kill you, but I'll break you. You'll crave death! You're not stopping me from going home!"
Minutes pass, and Weldar storms back to the Cornucopia. I doubt he'll follow after us, not as he is now. There were medical supplies within the Cornucopia that will have survived the explosions...I don't know if they'd help Weldar, but it will keep him occupied. At least now we've got a chance to make a swift exit to somewhere safer.
"You know, this may be a bad time to say this," Lacey begins, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "But...it's kinda comfy to lie on top of you."
That's when I realise, for several minutes now, I've been laying belly down with Lacey on top of me in a similar position. This is so embarrassing...then again, at this point what do I care about dignity? Do I really have any left?
"Could you...get off?" I mumble.
Lacey giggles as she stands up, helping me up as well. We're both rather dazed and shaky, so we put an arm around each other and stagger onwards, as though we were underage drinkers.
"Sooooooo...where are we going, Gadget?" Lacey asks me.
And, as Lacey is the only person in this terrible place that I trust...and by terrible place I could mean the Arena or Panem really...I decide to tell her.
"A special cave nobody else knows about," I say, trying to put on a mysterious face. It hurts to make the expression.
Seeing Lacey with her eyes sparkling with wonder, though, that makes it worth the pain. For at least a few hours...I've delayed the inevitable.
(Time goes by…)
"Whoaaaaaa, this is the best secret lair I've ever been to!" Lacey exclaims, looking like she's in a candy store with enough money to buy one of everything.
We sit together in my hidden cave, the secret weapon at the other side from us. Outside the rain fall and the wind howls. Certainly a horrid evening to be outside and without any shelter. But, at least for now we're alright. My ears have stopped ringing, but I now have a massive headache. Per Lacey's insistence I lay me head on her lap, dazed as can be, as she gently strokes my hair while chattering about all kinds of things.
"So, that's the story of why the factory my mommy works at has banned nylon from being bought in," Lacey concludes. "So now, I have a question for you."
"What is it?" I ask. "If it's what we do now...I'm really not sure. I...guess hide until Marvel succumbs to his injuries? Or, hope Weldar and Miller end each other at the same time? Though...then we'd be the only ones left and...I can't..."
"...Me neither," Lacey assures me. "To bad we can't live in here forever, huh? Just think, us as the only ones left and not hurting each other, and the Arena can be our own little dome of paradise! Once we remove the Muttation problem, it could be like a holiday that never ends!"
I don't reply to this. In theory, I like that idea...but it wouldn't happen. If we didn't fight, then some horrible Muttation, or several, would be sure to get unleashed and tear apart one of us horrifically. But for a few hours, it's nice to dream about such a life.
"...It's almost over," I say quietly. "Nineteen of us are dead. Five left...maybe we should split up so it won't come down to both of us?"
Lacey stops stroking me and looks at me with teary eyes.
"I don't want to say goodbye," she sniffles.
"...Me neither," I say, almost sobbing. "...For now, lets just snuggle, for what little comfort it gives. We'll...figure this out in the morning..."
Lacey agrees and soon we huddle close, trying to keep warm. It may be dry in the cave, but it's still freezing. Especially as all the blankets at the Cornucopia probably got blown up or damaged. I see Lacey glance at my secret weapon every now and then...a secret to all but her anyway...she seems equal parts amazed and uneasy, maybe more of the former actually. I'd never use it on her, and I'd hope she knows this.
I'm so weak and very tired, but when the anthem starts I still find it in me to shakily crawl to the vines covering the cave and peer out into the stormy night sky, with Lacey joining me a few moments later.
The Capitol Seal stays in the sky for a moment, reminding us who put us here. As if we could really forget…
Peeta's face is the first one shown in the sky. In the Hunger Games, the boy is always shown before the girl if both from the same District die, regardless of who lived longer. Seeing his face, a blank stare without the human empathy it held when he lived...it feels wrong. Like it's a picture of a fake Peeta. And here I am talking like I knew him well...I'd have liked to have known him better.
And then, Katniss is shown in the sky. The Girl who was on Fire, who volunteered to save her little sister...so admirable. But selflessness at a reaping and being bold and eye catching at a parade doesn't change anything if you fall on the wrong side of an arrow. She'll be forgotten, just like most of the Fallen will be my next year...or by the Victor Tour. But, I'll keep her in my mind. I admire familial love…
The Anthem ends, and all is silent besides the rainfall. A loud boom of thunder sends us quickly scampering back into the cave though, holding each other close for comfort. We stay like this for a bit without saying anything.
"You know, we got sidetracked didn't we? I never did ask you my question," Lacey says suddenly.
"Oh yeah, you're right...whoops," I say with an awkward chuckle. "What did you want to know?"
"Well you've kinda said before Weldar has picked on you a lot in life, so...what made him become such a meanie face?" she asks curiously. "Some Tributes go cuckoo in the Arena, and the Careers have the meanie face mindset taught to them...but neither of those things seem to apply to Weldar. What's his story?"
I consider this. I've only heard much of anything second hand, and as I think of the facts it occurs to me...besides how much I dislike and fear him, do I really know much of anything about Weldar? I didn't even know his surname until the Reaping happened.
"Well...I know his dad got arrested and executed in public," I say slowly. Thinking about what happened to Mr Coil makes me feel ill. "I don't know why, but...Weldar saw it happen, screaming and begging for his dad. He was never the same after that...though even before that, he was always cold and distant. But as time passed...he just locked on to me and began hurting me. I don't know why...and maybe I'm missing some of what happened. Weldar will never feel like telling me, obviously...you'd have to be able to read his thoughts to know...I believe he was a nice boy once, but, well...I've never seen it for myself..."
I take a deep breath, and exhale.
"It's ending soon..." I whisper.
"...The Games, or...us?" Lacey says quietly.
"One or the other, maybe both," I respond with a soft mumble. "Let's just...enjoy the night and being alone together while it lasts."
"I'd like that," Lacey agrees as she lightly nuzzles my shoulder. "Best friend..."
As Lacey begins to nod off, I find myself left awake and fill of sickly unease. Only five are still alive, and Marvel has a chance at dying from his wounds before he ever finds us. But what then? It'd be us, Weldar and Miller...if we stalled too long then they'd send us towards each other for a big battle, and it'd be bloodshed.
Will I have to watch Lacey be brutally killed in front of me? If she was, would I even desire going home, such as it is?
If Weldar dies and I go home alone, would my District treat me any better? I m-mean...they're seen what Weldar has done to me, right? Wouldn't they be happy I made it home, even if I'm not the ideal tribute? Though, neither is Weldar…
How will Miller factor into all of this? District Nine could still have a Victor.
And why do I feel so terrified of dying? There have been a lot of times I have wanted to die...why, didn't I feel so tempted to jump off my pedestal on the first day? What's made me change my mind and decide to keep living, no matter what ends up happening?
One look to the girl sleeping up against me, and I have my answer.
In the morning, I'll have to deal with the worry and constant fear once more. But, for now...for just a few hours, I have time to briefly step away from it and get some sleep. If I can sleep without a nightmare, that'll be as good as I can hope for.
Gadget Byte, the odds are not in your favour...but tomorrow is another day.
END OF DAY 8…
REMAINING TRIBUTES
Marvel (District 1 Male)
Weldar (District 3 Male)
Gadget (District 3 Female)
Lacey (District 8 Female)
Miller (District 9 Male)
THE FALLEN
6th- Peeta (District 12 Male)- Committed suicide via Nightlock Berries.
7th- Katniss (District 12 Female)- Shot in the heart with a bow and arrow by Miller.
8th- Cinder / Foxface (District 5 Female)- Caught in Gadget's snare trap and stung to death by Tracker-Jackers.
9th- Cato (District 2 Male)- Blown up by a mine dropped by Lacey.
10th- Glimmer (District 1 Female)- Blown up by a mine dropped by Lacey.
11th- Clove (District 2 Female)- Blown up by a mine dropped by Lacey.
12th- Thresh (District 11 Male)- Shot in the forehead with a bow and arrow by Glimmer.
13th- Marina (District 4 Female)- Throat slashed with a knife by Clove
14th- Sparky (District 5 Male)- Speared in the gut repeatedly by Weldar.
15th- Rue (District 11 Female)- Speared in the heart, gut and face by Weldar.
16th- Rammy (District 10 Male)- Arms sliced off and decapitated by Clove.
17th- Urchin (District 4 Male)- Throat slashed with a machete by Cato
18th- Jason (District 6 Male)- Tripped and slashed to death with a scythe by Cato
19th- Nettle (District 7 Female)- Speared in the heart with a spear by Marvel
20th- Sickle (District 9 Female)- Knife to the lung by Clove
21st- Wood (District 7 Male)- Slashed in the throat with a crescent sword by Thresh
22nd- Tamora (District 6 Female)- Stabbed with a knife by Glimmer.
23rd- Sable (District 10 Female)- Hit in the skull with an axe by Cato.
24th- Callico (District 8 Male)- Stabbed with a kukri by Marvel.
TRIBUTE NOTES
Katniss: I guess there's not much to say about Katniss, as for the bulk of the story except one tiny section she was never in the same area as Gadget was. That's one of the issues with first person POV narration, we can only ever see what the protagonist sees. But, what were she and Peeta doing all this time? Maybe we'll eventually find out? As it stands though, given she had never come across Gadget at all this was really as long as she could last...and killed by her own signature weapon too. Not anywhere as major as she was in Hot Water, but nobody can be major in every story.
Peeta: As with Katniss, Peeta did not cross paths with Gadget much either. With our lead stuck at the Cornucopia most of the time, and the Twelve pair usually a great assistance away, they simply didn't get much chance to interact. Hopefully his final scene was an enjoyable one though...well, perhaps not 'enjoyable' so much as well written? Dying by his own terms and refusing to become a monster, it takes boldness and it was his own little rebellion. So now, the Twelve pair are reunited in death, and Peeta shows he's more than just a piece in the Capitol's Games.
And now, we're down to five...
