Chapter 8

"So doing all of that stuff you think you can win these games?" asked Burgundy

"Sure I do. Why not?" asked Michelle

"Well you know, I think I would have trouble coming up with a few ideas. Let's see…the gamekeepers are not going to let someone to survive that easily, you are going to have several professional fighters after you in an arena that can't be much greater than 400 sq mi., you will not necessarily find food daily in one part of the arena, and avalanches or other types of disasters will keep you moving." said Burgundy

"Well, it is better than fighting professional fighters! I don't understand the reason everybody seems to be so psyched about killing each other." said Michelle

"It is all about survival of the fittest. Those people who have the strength and skills required to survive are the ones who benefit the most out of these games." said Michelle

"So the people who win these games are selfish people who can't care less about other people's lives?" Michelle asked

"That sounds a little crude. However, if you want to know the truth, other than Peeta none of the victors have been angels." said Burgundy

"It is not too late in order to try something new. It is my best shot at not having to kill someone." said Michelle

"I doubt people have not tried that idea before. It seems kind of lame." said Burgundy

"What if I don't care? What if I just don't want to do this? Why should I be here? I want to go home! I don't like this game. I quit!" Michelle cried with fury

"I am having second thoughts about having saved you. I really believed you were the daughter of John Boswell." said Nooria

"Michelle, you just need to grow up for a few days and then go back to your usual life. Nobody who leaves these games is going to do anything good. When have you heard of victors that turn out to be great people when they leave these games? You are actually doing them a favor by killing them." said Burgundy

"Okay! Now I am going to kill you. Remember, it is for your own good." said Michelle sarcastically

"Don't take me so seriously. I am not saying you should kill everybody. I am just saying there is no reason that killing another tribute in order to save yourself is bad. How can you possibly give any value to Laura's life? When the capital was in power, her hobby was torturing rebels. One of her favorite tortures was tearing limbs in a slow and antagonizing way." said Burgundy

"All I am saying is that this is bad!" said Michelle

"Please, you can't be that superficial! You are treating them like human beings. That is your big mistake. You'll be fine if you see them as virtual people in a video game. Remember the new video game your dad would show in school to people studying to be peacekeepers? It made them feel the people in the districts are only animals who have to be slaughtered. That is the way you need to think of the other tributes. Virtual people or animals, it's your choice." said Burgundy

Why are you telling me all of this? Would it not have been easier to kill me without giving me confidence?" said Michelle

"Good question. I wanted to ask you if you want to do an alliance with me and Nooria. That means we are united in order to fight together. Eventually we are going to have to break up. Still, when there are still seventeen people out there to kill you, it is difficult to fight on your own." said Burgundy

"Oh, is it like being friends?" asked Michelle

"It is nothing like being friends. Friends have to like each other. Allies are only united for common interests. For example, do you think I like Nooria? Of course not! It is just we need each other for the moment." said Burgundy

"Okay. I want to fight with you." said Michelle

"That means you have also accepted you might have to kill. We will try to do all the killing but if you want to be with us, you have to be ready to kill when it is needed" said Nooria

"No worries, I am ready to kill anybody who get's anybody in our way." said Michelle

Now Burgundy was ready to make the opening address to start the alliance. It did not have to state something Nooria or Michelle did not know but make this meaningful. He wanted the group to feel like a team. Soon enough, he found the right words to say after this long discussion with Michelle.

"Good. That is a lot of progress for a girl like you. Now, I want to make it clear we have chosen to be part of the games. That is because the two other choices were dying or rebelling. Dying is not going to do anything. If you feel like doing anything to sabotage the purpose of the games, that falls in the category of rebelling. It is kind of like what Katniss did that made her and Peeta the first two people to get out of the same game alive. Now, if you want to rebel, you should not say it out loud considering we all have microphones taped to our chests. I just wanted to let you now it is technically possible."

Michelle had finally given up her willingness not to kill. Burgundy had just accomplished what Haymitch, a veteran in training tributes like Michelle, had failed to do. This had been due to Michelle's greatest weakness. When she is tired, she would does anything someone told her to do without thinking much. The next step was the unleashing of the strength she held in her bones.

The trio walked for about a mile without having any significant encounters. All that lay in their path were trees and overgrown grass. A strong mist prevented them from seeing to far. It was the atmosphere of a jungle in the early hours of the day.

"I wonder where they got all they were able to make so many mosquitoes. Just by looking at them you know half of them at the very least cannot be real. Owww…. they know how to bite really well." said Nooria

"Oh, this game is lame. The Hunger Games under the capital were much better." said Burgundy

"Shut up! You now they are hearing us at all times." said Nooria

"What, are you afraid?" asked Burgundy

"Of course I am. It seems you forgot what you said about choosing to be part of these games. They can blow us-"said Nooria

"Come on, they now how to kill us. There is no need to say it out loud." said Burgundy

"Okay, then keep your pie hole shut." said Nooria

"You know, that is not the spirit you should be having when we just made an alliance." said Michelle

"Blah, Blah, Blah…" said Nooria

"She is right. If we get to mad at each other we might do something stupid." said Burgundy

"Look who is talking." said Nooria

"Listen, you were the one with the idea about us fighting together. It seems to be falling apart." said Burgundy

"Okay, just watch it with your psychotic ideas." said Nooria

"Hey, we are reaching the edge of the mountain. Stop walking." said Michelle

"Oh look, those are the people who did not know to climb a mountain." said Burgundy

"There are many more than I thought." said Nooria

"Hey! I thought I killed Boris in the duel before games. What is he doing here?" said Burgundy

"Look. I can see Christina from here! I killed her in my duel!" said Nooria in shock

"Is that Cynthia Rogers? asked Michelle

"Maybe this is the revenge of the rebels for the mutts the capital had in the last few Hunger Games. These are fake versions of the souls of the people we killed." Nooria

"Guess they could not be doing anything good." said Burgundy

"It looks like they opened up this river under the ground. Maybe they are doing this to get water. We could be getting water too." said Michelle

"No. They already have water. They must be up to something." said Burgundy

"What are they doing with that tractor?" asked Nooria

"Lucky Sam left some of his spy equipment behind. Let's listen." said Burgundy

Burgundy plugged the earphones in order to listen to what these tributes and non-tributes were saying. At first it didn't seem to be working. Luckily, Michelle had taken a course called Electric Circuits 101 and she was able to fix the apparatus. This is what Burgundy heard: You think this will be enough to stop the flow of water? Call the genius (another person is summoned). Yeah, I guess that will cause the overflow which should affect everyone but Beatrice and Laura. They are way too high. This operation is ready to go. Burgundy suddenly felt an urge of panic.

"They cannot do something like that. I will stop them." said Burgundy

"What are you going to do, jump off the mountain?" said Nooria sarcastically
Nooria may have not meant it seriously, but that is exactly what Burgundy did. He opened up a parachute he had recovered from the treasure box the day before and jumped of the edge. Nooria yelled in despair and started to rant about the error she made in having joined Burgundy all this time. To any person who saw this Burgundy might have looked stupid when he took Nooria's words seriously.

It seemed even stupider, when he hit a tree and a crowd of tributes surrounded him. He had no choice but to drop his long sword, the one Michelle had taken from Max Boswell earlier in the games. They picked him up and started to beat him up without mercy. Michelle and Nooria figured he must have broken something important.

What was worse for Nooria is Michelle's failure to understand the meaning of the word ally. She felt it also meant she had the obligation to try to save Burgundy even when it most likely meant her death or capture. The common interest Burgundy had described did not exist at this point. Unfortunately, Michelle showed no understanding of this concept when she jumped of the edge of the mountain.

Burgundy was already dead by the time Michelle had jumped.