Hey there!
Just want to say: I know I've left out the training scores – and you'll see why in this chapter.
NOTE: PLEASE READ.
ALL DEATHS THROUGHOUT THE GAMES SHALL BE FOLLOWED FROM THE HUNGER GAMES WIKI BOOK DEATH ORDER.
Also, I've based the cornucopia on how it was in the book and not the movie, though I do admit I prefer the cornucopia in the film than I do the book.
Another thing, when Clove sees a bow and arrow on top of a mound of blanket rolls, that is where the bow and arrow was described to be according to the Hunger Games wiki.
Enjoy! :3
Born to Die
Chapter Nine: Let the 74th Hunger Games begin
Disclaimer, Point's of View, Characters (including O/C's) and Pairings list:
See Chapter One.
3...2...1...
The siren went off, causing tributes to scatter everywhere – heading for the cornucopia. I searched desperately for a pack of knives; when I noticed something: Katniss Everdeen, the District Twelve female, had claimed twelve glistening knives from the mouth – and pulled had one out, aiming the silver blade at me.
Time ticked by slowly – as if the small action wasn't real, that was until the blade met my temple – the world was darkness; till my life was no more.
I awoke with a silent scream; sitting bolt upright and drenched in my own sweat.
Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.
I chanted this over and over in my head, my brain pounding as I tried to calm my breathing.
Tonight was the final night of true safety. The final night when you could trust someone when they promised that they were your friend...
For many tributes, the last night of their lives.
My head made contact with my cool pillow once more, but I couldn't sleep. Consciousness was currently both my best friend and my worst enemy; without vital sleep I would have no energy for the bloodbath that the morning was to bring. The amount of sleep I got tonight was literally the difference between life and death; career tribute or not.
I can't do this. I'd tried counting sheep, listening to the eerie silence that was broken by the hands of a clock casually ticking by; even refusing to move and trying to force uncomfortable sleep upon myself – nothing worked. My mind buzzed with both fear and anticipation of tomorrow – I had to release some of this energy or I'd never fall asleep.
I tip-toed out of bed and slipped a pair of shoes onto my feet. Perhaps I couldn't leave the building; but I was going insane in that room.
The corridor was my friend; long and silent besides the low, soft snores emerging from different rooms. I walked for a while before slumping down a wall; stretching my legs out and hitting my head against the cold wallpaper.
Of all the nights insomnia could have chosen to strike, it had to pick tonight – didn't it?
For some reason my wide-awake brain didn't match my heavy, limp body and decided to turn philosophical; hypothesising different scenarios in the games that I knew would never come to pass – when I heard:
"Insomnia?" I forced my head to look up to see Cato, his usually perfect blonde hair sticking up at all angles as he slid beside me.
"Got you too, hey?" He nodded and for a minute silence reigned.
"You know, I never thought I'd have a sleepless night the day before m- the Hunger Games." His voice tripped; as if he were to say my Hunger Games. I shook my head.
"You can say it. Your odds are better than mine, anyway. Three-to-one – best of us all." I told him truthfully.
"Don't you have faith in yourself? I mean, yours are five-to-one, it's not exactly District Twelve – is it?" I once again shook my head.
"I'm not a real contender in these games." Why am I telling him this? "I might make it down to the final few, but these games aren't mine." This is none of his business! I've known him seven days, for crying out loud.
"Why do you think that?"
There was something, some small piece of sanity left in my confused, tired head to tell him: "I...It...It doesn't matter." He looked as if he'd press the question for a minute due to his gaping mouth; but the smug blonde decided against it as we sat there in silence again.
"But..." I began, "it doesn't mean I won't try. That doesn't mean I'll be an easy kill; someone who can easily be snuck up upon at night and had their throat slit."
"I wouldn't dare, Clove. Your training score was one of the highest, a ten." Cato informed me, as if he was trying to boost my confidence. Why was he doing this? So I would be more fun to kill in the arena?
"Same as yours, Cato. Besides, it's not you I'm worried about."
"Who?"
"Twelve." He had no answer for that one. Katniss Everdeen had done the impossible: Received an eleven for her training score, which was impressive on its own, but the fact that Katniss was District Twelve really struck fear and anger into my heart.
"We have to watch out for her. Once she's dead, then the games will be a piece of cake. Katniss has to be our main target," Cato's smug smile was back.
"That's why we've got lover boy." I nodded – a couple of days ago Enobaria and Brutus had gotten friendly with Haymitch; the drunken mentor of district Twelve, making a deal for their male tribute to join our career pack. Peeta Mellark was the name of District Twelve's male tribute, but where he showed promise with his score of eight, he seemed to be in love with Katniss. Love was a huge disadvantage – I should know – despite her best efforts to lie, Katniss didn't seem to love him back. That left him vulnerable; which will probably make him lead us straight to her.
"If he doesn't die protecting catnip-"
"Katniss," I corrected.
"-Katniss, he'll be easy to dispose of." One thing worried me; once Katniss was out of the way, would I be his next target? Probably.
"Yeah. Then the Hunger Games will really begin..." I trailed off.
For fifteen long, agonising minutes silence was thick in the air – before I broke it, that is.
"I'm going to bed." I stood up and rubbed my eyes, yawning and feeling tired for the first time since I woke up.
"Okay." I began to walk off when Cato called:
"And no matter what, I want you to know I'm not the guy that would kill an ally in their sleep. That's not me." I shrugged.
"Whether it's you or not, there's only one victor in this cruel game of bloody murder." I quoted Kelly, the District Four female.
Before finally leaving him I looked straight into his soft blue eyes and quoted my motto. "There is no room for kindness in victory."
-LineBreaker-
A cool glass of water was shaking in my heavy, bony hand as I forced myself to take a small sip. Last night I achieved around four hours of sleep – which did me no good for this morning. I'd showered in cold water and was downing the substance as if it was pure liquid gold to be cherished dearly, but so far I was still so tired I could be stood next to a zombie and no one would be able to tell the difference.
I'd slipped my mandatory tribute costume on, which each person also donned, and was stood with Rubis – waiting for the games to begin.
Just as I finished my eight cup of water a large, intimidating voice boomed:
"Thirty seconds."
Rubis nudged me forward into a tall glass cylinder, and I tried my hardest not to show my nerves as the door slid close. Not very hard, clearly – as Rubis began to strike up conversation as the voice roared:
"Twenty seconds."
"You know, I've never seen a tribute from District Two nervous before. Always ready, always excited. Never nervous."
I said nothing, but tried to cease my shaking and purse my trembling lips together.
"I admire that." He informed me.
"You're not like the other robots from Two, Clove. For this I shall remember you, you are – by far – the most human tribute I have met from District Two." So usually the tributes are aliens? I thought sarcastically as:
"Ten seconds."
Was erupted aloud.
"Thank you," I muttered as the cylinder began to rise. My palms were flat against the tube as I began to piece together what was going on, Rubis' bright red hair was the last thing I saw until the world swarmed into darkness.
-LineBreaker-
I ascended further through the dark until bright daylight shot through me; and I, for the first time, got a chance to evaluate the arena.
Sixty seconds.
The numbers flickered down on the cornucopia. Sixty seconds we were given to take in our surroundings; to plan what we were going to take from the cornucopia. To decide on our first victims.
I took the opportunity to discover the type of arena I was in, whether it was a frozen wasteland or a dessert; a jungle or a ruin city. Thankfully, the arena was working in my favour – as it was none of these, but a forest thick with woodland.
The golden cornucopia was decked with prizes; the best of all centred in the mouth. Towards the middle there was a bow and arrow sat upon a mound of blanket rolls, of which I could see Glimmer eyeing suspiciously. Then, of course, Katniss Everdeen's focus immediately turned to that of Glimmer's.
Perfect. I thought. With a single careless act Katniss had already told us what her weapon was. Glimmer had to get it; whether or not the blonde was near useless with a bow, if we took it from Katniss the brunette would have a severe disadvantage, which could easily work in our favour.
The clock read thirty seconds. Not much time left.
Peeta was visibly shaking his head at Katniss, which forced a smile onto my face. He was already distracting her; that bow would be ours.
My eyes scanned the cornucopia, when my pupils almost scooted right over my prize.
Thirty beautiful knives gleaming in the sunlight right at the very mouth of the cornucopia.
I quickly averted my eyes to some spears, in case someone saw where I was looking and went straight for the knives, but in my head I thought to myself:
I don't care what happens, those beauties are mine.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
I looked at Cato, who was staring straight back at me. He smiled ruefully, and I shot my best wicked grin back at him.
Three.
Two.
Cato nodded to me and I nodded back. We'd discussed this previously; go straight for the weapons and kill our way to the mouth.
One.
The siren blared and I stood off my pedestal – bolting straight forward, intending on grabbing any weapon I could in order for me to battle my way to the knives.
Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-Fourth annual Hunger Games begin.
Hope you enjoyed that!
Not my best chapter, but it still deserves a review, right?
I'll make y'all a deal, if I get another review, and I will write another chapter for today! (If it's too late at night then I'll post two tomorrow.)
:3 So, please review!
