Live or Die? – Chapter 9

Leander is like a ticking time bomb. It has been two days since Aversa, Skye, Bastion and Audrey died but he won't let go of his grudge towards Lux. Tomer has to occasionally step in the middle of them and break up the fight. But most of the time Tomer's mind is preoccupied and he spends his afternoons looking longingly at the jungle, searching for something lost.

Leander's head keeps thinking that Lux is the one who killed all four of his team mates while his heart is telling him that it was Audrey and Skye who killed Aversa and Bastion, causing Lux to kill them. He ponders about this for two days straight until eventually the bomb explodes.

'Damn it! I've had enough.' Leander says, 'You killed them! You lied. Tomer is probably your accomplice!'

Tomer steps in between them, 'Leander, I understand you are ticked off but-'

Leander pushed Tomer out off the way and faces Lux with a knife in his hand.

'Leander stop!' Tomer attempts to tackle Leander to the ground but the boy is taller and heavier than he is.

Leander picks Tomer up and flings him towards a boulder, winding him in the process.

Lux has armed herself with her bowie knife but, like Tomer, is not as strong as Leander. Leander smiles as he disarms her and holds her steady to slice her throat out.

Rumble

The ground shakes, throwing him off balance. The rocks start splitting and cracking apart.

'Earthquake!' Lux shouts

Lux picks up Tomer and runs like hell in a random direction. Leander quickly catches up and tackles her to the ground, 'What the frick Leander?' She shouts

'If I'm going down, your coming with me!' Leander says hysterically

'Tomer!' Lux cries

Tomer grabs her hand and pulls her away from Leander. 'Come on. There's a bridge ahead.'

There's a scream coming from behind them. Lux and Tomer turn their heads around just in time to see Leander fall into the earth.

'We can't make it time.' Lux says panting for air

Tomer shakes his head, 'We can!'

He picks up Lux and throws her towards the bridge. She lands just three meters from it when she turns around with an evil smile.

Lux laughs, 'Thanks for nothing, stupid.' At that moment the ground rumbles again and swallows her into its belly.

Tomer stops running and stands in shock. The ground rumbles again and he dodge rolls out of the way as the dirt cracks open, showing the dark hole below. He gets on his feet and runs like hell to the bridge over a ravine. The earth laps at his feet, promising to swallow him into the deep below. The ground suddenly splits in front of him, separating him into a chunk that starts sliding down the hole.

This is it then, the end…

Suddenly someone jumps onto the chunk with him and throws him on the bridge. Tomer lands on his back and he looks up just in time to see Elsie on that chunk he was on. She can't make it in time.

'Elsie!' He calls, reaching his hand out as if to help her across.

Elsie looks at him and shouts something but the noise from the earthquake drowns her out.

Rumble

The chunk shakes as the ground gives way and slides off into the black hole, carrying her with it.

Boom, Boom, Boom.

Tomer looks down at the black hole with tears welling up in his eyes, maybe this is some kind of trick, maybe Elsie is alive somewhere. No Tomer. She's gone and she's not coming back.

Tomer lies on the bridge as his tears patter on the wooden planks. Live or die? It would be easier to jump off into the ravine below, but Elsie had saved him and her death would not be in vain.

'Elsie…' He whispers for the last time and closes his eyes. Then he realises what she said before she went down, the three words that mean nothing to people but meant everything to him, and those three words were, I love you.


Aria walks with her companion, Ash. It was a long story of how Ash agreed to take her with him. Mostly because she had water and that she found a way to sneak into the waterfall. The careers were gone now, all except one. It was the final five now and they had agreed that they would split if the cannon sounded one more time.

The waterfall was an obvious bloodbath hotspot so they packed up and moved to a different area. It was nearly night time so they decided to set up camp beside a large tree. The leaves above were slightly parted and allowed the sunset to flood the area.

'I'm going to scout the perimeter.' Ash says, 'Are you going to be ok here?'

'Yea, just don't go too far.' Aria says

Ash nods and leaves the camp site. Aria scanned the area and lays her eyes on a bush. It looks darker than the other bushes, which is ironic since the dying light makes everything look dark. Aria looks above it, searching for a tree or a branch that could cause a shadow but only the sky roofs it. She looks back down at the bush but it is blocked from view, a shadow has emerged from it and is running towards her with a knife. Boom


Ash freezes up when he hears the sound. He turns around and sprints through the trees, back to the camp. Aria lies on the ground in a pool of red. Damn it, it's a trap.

At that moment the bushes part and a figure jumps out, tackling Ash to the ground. The figure raises the knife and brings it down. Ash rolls out of the way but the knife hits his damaged right shoulder. He screams in pain but gets up and slashes at the figure's chest. The boy grips the wound with his hands and rolls into a nearby bush. Ash walks up to the bush slashing randomly at the branches but he doesn't hit anything.

Out of the corner of his eyes he can see the claw lifting Aria from the ground. Ash backs away from the bush looking left and right with his knife in a ready position. Blood pours freely out of his right shoulder but the adrenaline in his veins ignore the pain.

'Face me you coward!' Ash shouts

The bushes part again but this time Ash is ready. He dodge rolls out of the way as the figure leaps at him and lands on empty ground. Ash turns around to face the boy on the ground and plunges the knife into his chest. Boom.

Ash takes a step back and collapses on the ground, looking directly up at the sky. Stars litter the black emptiness and shine as bright as the sun. He groans and clutches his right shoulder with his left hand. The warm blood paints his hand red and drips on the green earth below. Life or die? The answer is too obvious to deny. He has lost too much blood and lived such a short life. He watches as the stars burn brighter, engulfing his vision with white blinding light and he finds himself moving towards it.


Top two now.

Tomer crouches beside a fallen log, the sound of metal on wood echo through the trees. He peers over the top of the log to find Bellya tapping the tree with a small knife, she then sticks a metal object inside the hole and water slowly trickles out of it. Tomer turns back around and leans back against the log, the cornucopia in the distance sparkles a golden colour. He takes a deep breath and turns back around again with his spear in his hands. He raises it above his head and aims at Bellya's face. He pulls back and is just about to launch it when Don, one of the commentators, announces a feast. Tomer falls to the ground using the log as cover.

'Attention remaining tributes! A feast is now being held at the cornucopia. The packs contain items that you need the most, items that before now you thought were lost.'

Tomer freezes up, what he lost was Elsie and now they have her? He shakes his head, Elsie is gone.

As if he read his mind, Don says, 'You might want to have a look, I promise you, they won't be disappointing.'

And with that Tomer is on his feet and sprinting as hard as he can to the cornucopia. Bellya is also on his tail and throws an axe in his direction, but he is running so fast that the axe misses completely. She picks it up and runs after him.

Creepers and vines trip him from below but he quickly gets up and runs again. He rushes through the jungle not once looking where he places his feet, they catch on a tree root and send him sprawling on his stomach. Bellya throws the axe again and he rolls away, but the blade scratches his cheek. Blood flows down his face but he gets up again and sprints to the cornucopia.

Tomer climbs up the hill and grabs his pack, he then glances behind him and sees that Bellya is way below him, and also grabs her pack. Tomer legs it down the other side of the hill and sprints to the jungle. He scales up a tall tree and uses the vines and moss to cover himself from view. Tomer rests with his back leaning against the tree trunk as he breaths heavily and watches out for any sign of his follower. Sure enough Bellya emerges in sight and runs past the tree, searching for him.

Once his breathing evens he takes his pack and removes the clasp. It's a small photo of Elsie. He smiles sadly and fumbles with the chain around his neck. He pulls out a sliver locket, on the right side there is a photo of his Mum and Dad and the left side of the locket is blank. He slips the image of Elsie into it and closes the locket shut. Tomer presses the cold metal to his lips and puts the locket back under his singlet.

He picks up Bellya's pack and flipped the clasp. Inside is medicine for a serious illness. It has the Capitol seal on its lid, so it must be manufactured there. She doesn't seem ill, Tomer thinks to himself. He places the medicine back in the pack and stows it away in his backpack.

The golden morning light shines through the trees and Tomer slides down, landing on his feet. He looks cautiously around and runs towards the cornucopia, searching for Bellya. Time to finish this.

Once he reaches the summit of the hill, the air is quite and filled with silence. The birds hop from tree to tree, hardly making any noise. Tomer squats down at the edge of the trees and observes the area. There is nothing but the silence and the golden horn.

Thud

The axe spins into view and grazes Tomer's stomach. Even though it hurts, the blow did no damage whatsoever. This isn't right. If she wanted to win why doesn't she just end it? Then it hits him. She doesn't have the heart to kill.

Tomer jumps out of the trees and steps into the open area that surrounds the cornucopia. His spear is gripped in his right hand and his blue eyes dart around searching for her. Bellya steps into the grassed area as well.

'So this is it then, the end.' She says

Tomer smiles sadly to himself. He said that once before and the end never came. 'I guess so.'

'Then may the odds be ever in your favour. I will not go easy on you this time.' Bellya says seriously

They raise their weapons. Axe verses spear. It would be easier to just throw them at each other but the audience want a full scale battle. They want an ending unlike any of the others. They charge forwards and catch blades. The spear has more reach than the other weapon but the axe is more deadly. Bellya parries and slashes at him with amazing speed. She grunts and cuts at the spear shaft with all her might, it gives way and snaps in half under the weight. Tomer reels back and falls on his back. Life or die? Bellya advances towards him and raises her axe.

Tears fall down her face. 'Goodbye Tomer.' And she brings the axe down.


A cry fills the air and the axes falls down from her grip. He looks down with shock at the knife in his hand and that knife is connected to her chest. Bellya stands unmoving and falls down as he releases the blade. She looks down and registers what has just happened.

Tomer picks her up and lays her head on his lap. Tears fall down his dirty face, 'I'm sorry.' He sobs as looks down at Bellya's dying face.

'My- my father.' She says desperately, 'I- I wanted to win for him. He's sick.'

Tomer's eyes widen with understanding, 'Then you have to win. I have no one to come back to now. My parents will be just fine without me.' He fumbles in his backpack for the bandages.

Bellya shakes her head, 'No. It's too late for me now… M- My pack.'

'It contains medicine, is it for your father?' Bellya nods. Tomer looks at his pack, 'I'll give it to him. I promise.'

Her body relaxes and her breathing slows down. 'Thank you.' She takes his head in her hands and leans it down, so his ear touches her lips.

'Then you can do what you want to do.' She whispers

'Do what I want to do?' Tomer repeats confused, 'What do you mean?'

But she doesn't answer because she's gone.


Author's Note: Hey guys! Thank you so much for waiting. Just to clarify that shadow/figure/boy was Shade Clarke. I know some of you are asking for obituaries at the end of the chapter, I will do that at the end of the story so I can conclude all the tributes. The next chapter will be out next Weekend. Love you all - Rage