Chapter 10: Let the Madness begin

Murderer. I hear the word all around me despite being alone for the past three days. The wind whistles it as it dances through the leaves of the trees and in turn, the leaves whisper it in a sing-song voice as I pass under their deceptively inviting shade.

And the worst thing is? I agree. How could I? What was I thinking? Was I possibly thinking that maybe no-one was watching when those four innocent souls died? Stop getting soppy, they killed. That doesn't make them innocent. End of story. But you killed them in turn so…

"Shut up!" I say, something in me snapping as the forest melts away to become a field of long grasses all the way up to my chest. The minute I sit down to take a break, the voice starts up again, making the memories of the deaths of the tributes fresh and painful again. I can still feel the air whooshing over my head when Annette shot the death arrow at Clarinde…the dead look in Janus' eyes when I shot Twinkle before I stabbed him through. Even if I wasn't responsible for the District Seven and Eight girls' deaths, their screams…ugh.

I'm a murderer and I know it.

Hoping to distract myself, I pluck two blades of grass and weave them together, channelling my attention towards the plait I'm braiding. In, out, side to side, my fingers deftly manipulating the grass until I have a large net in my hands big enough to easily trap a full grown man, certainly enough for a tribute…

There's nothing I can do now that I'm a murderer…. Might as well continue. I'm getting out of here faster anyway.

Why not? I'm getting out of here faster.

I'm getting out of here faster.

I'm breaking out of hell.

Faster.

And I'm going to win.

For District Four.

For Annie.

My thoughts are interrupted when a loud scream pierces the air not so far away, followed by the dull thud of the cannon. Looking at the net in front of me, a plan hatches…

Clutching my trident, still stained with dried blood, I smile slightly when I hear the howl of something that sounds like a wolf.

I don't care if I look retarded, I'm getting out of here.

Let the Games begin.

A/N: Ok, I have to say it: This chapter sucks. It's just that I realised I haven't updated my fanfics for at least a month and I wanted to get at least one chapter done for the release of The Hunger Games movie. So I rushed. And things sound insanely crappy when rushed. I haven't watched the movie yet and I'm DYING to watch it. I heard it was awesome (from people who have NEVER read the books). *Jealous*