QUEENOFTHEBUTTERFLIES
GALACTIC GAMES
FRUSTRATED
That day when I fell out of the tree… I felt like I was flying. Even if it was just for a few seconds before I hit the ground, I thought that I was going to grow wings and soar. This time, it's different – it's completely and utterly terrifying. Even though I can see Ronom ready to catch me, I can't help but have the sinking feeling that he won't.
And while I'm fretting about that, I hear something behind me – something that sounds suspiciously like and arrow tearing through the sky. And then I feel a sharp pain in my shoulder right afterwards. My head snaps back to look, only to see a few bloody pieces of my own flesh flying around… oh, and an arrow lodged in my shoulder. At that, I scream. I don't care if the other Careers can hear me – it hurts. A lot. There's a bloody arrow in my shoulder!
However, my scream is cut short when my gut makes contact with Ronom's heavily armed shoulder. I feel the impulse to gasp as my breath is knocked out of me, but it's hopeless. I can't seem to get any air to come me; I feel like I'm drowning, except I'm not submerged in water. My lungs want to explode, and no matter how hard I try, I can't help them get the oxygen they need. My vision starts to go blurry, and I can barely hear a thing. The threats of the two Career girls are all jumbled up into one big voice that's speaking nothing but gibberish. The ground beneath me is moving, but I'm not walking. Everything fades into a pale grey, and then goes black.
(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)(-*-)
When I wake up, the first thing I do is reach for my head. I notice that there's a resistance in my shoulder, so I look at it, only to find it crudely bandaged up. I remember being chased by Careers and jumping out of a tree, but nothing else, so I'm not exactly sure why I'm bandaged up. I decide to sit up and look around. I'm in a small wooden cave. The floor space is maybe ten by seven, and I think that the "roof" is only about seven or eight feet up. It's tiny, but it's roomy enough for me. I look out of the make-shift living space and see that's it quite dark outside. How long have I been out?
I'm guessing not too long since I can see that Ross is still unconscious. Maybe a few hours? That is, if it's evening. And I'm assuming that it's evening because Ronom isn't anywhere in sight. If it was early morning, he would probably be sleeping. At least I hope he would be. Because I know I would be.
I slowly pull myself up into a standing position. It's a little painful on my shoulder, and my legs are actually pretty sore, too. Maybe it's from all the running I did today – I don't think I've ever run that much before. Not even when I was trying to get away from Old Man Piro's shop after I stole a loaf of bread. That old man could run faster than I thought.
I hear the anthem of Panem start to play, so I shake all thoughts of Old Man Piro out of my mind. I walk out of the cave and notice that I'm still in the tree. The cave must have been a lucky indent that Ronom came across. I look down, but all I see is a multitude of branches and leaves – the usual sight, I'm guessing. I can't see the ground.
I take a few more steps out onto the branch, which can fit at least five of me in a row, and stop. I hear one cannon fire, and I look up at the sky and see the face of Jempe, the male Trynnie tribute. He's got this dark brown fur with a few light colored patches. I guess in a way, the Trynnies are kind of like rodents. Their faces and fur more or less remind me of gerbils.
To the right of his picture is some (very little) information about him. Jempe Clupo of Planet 4, killed by Gilza Neddle. Under that, there's a small – but definitely recognizable – picture of Gilza. I remember turning around to find her standing behind me with Jempe dead at my feet. He died trying to kill me. So does that make his death indirectly my fault?
Jempe's face disappears, and I hear a second cannon. His face is replaced by a different face – a face that has been permanently engraved into my mind. Eela Tres of Planet 6, killed by Avoria Maydel. I can't help but think of how Eela looked when I attacked her – she looked so surprised, like she wasn't expecting anyone to come after the Droid girl from six. I remember the horror in her eyes when I held up my dagger. She knew that she was going to die – but she still couldn't believe it. She didn't have time to think any last thoughts that she wanted to think – she was dead by the time she wanted to think them. And yet in her picture, she's so full of life. She's smiling, and she looks like she means it, too. Her dark hair is pulled back into a bun, leaving just a few pieces to frame her face. And even though her skin is grey, it appears to be full of spirit. She had a life. And I took it from her. Maybe someone else would be able to justify my actions – it's the Hunger Games; I was defending Ross; it would have happened eventually. Yeah, maybe someone else would be able to say those things, but for some reason… I can't. I can't justify what I did to that girl. I stabbed her right through the heart – the heart for goodness' sake! I could have just kept her pinned down and told Ross to run. I could have let her go with just a threat. I could have… There are so many things that I could've done but didn't. And because of that, I feel a fresh set of tears building back behind my eyes – tears for what I could have done; tears for Eela's life. It stings to keep them there, so I bite my lip and simply let them fall.
Pral Lome of Planet 6, killed by Xion Keilht. I vaguely remember seeing Xion pounce on a boy. Was that Pral? Was he murdered for nothing else than to just be murdered? I feel a strong burst of hate engulfing me; hate for people like Xion, who don't kill because they have to. Hate for people like Xion, who kill because they want to. And yet somewhere in my hate I manage to wonder… am I like Xion?
Viva Dorall of Planet 7, killed by Kipei Matlh. I saw her. I may have only seen her once, but I suppose it was the last time anyone saw her – I saw her as she died. She died over a bag and a pack of crackers. Let me repeat: a bag and a pack of crackers – both of which could have been found in abundance around the Cornucopia. Another killed just to be killed?
Tiko Swas of Planet 8, killed by Ashaba Morsi. He must have been the one I stole my daggers from… the one who's dead body I overturned; the one who's blood is on my hands. I look down at my palms, which are a mixture of light red and dark pink. It looks like I'm wearing gloves… gloves made of blood.
Tora Wilbin of Planet 8, killed by Lipra Mir. The girl who got shot with an arrow. The girl who was trying to get away but couldn't. Yet another girl who was killed for nothing. I let a tear fall for Tora.
Kipper Jax of Planet 9, killed by Ronom Tunre. The Rawulf. He's the one who tried to prevent me from getting my shuriken… I know that Ronom tackled him. I never really saw what happened after that, but I guess I know how it ended… Is he another person who died indirectly because of me? Another person whose life was taken because my actions had consequences? Three-eyed consequences, to be precise?
Lias Flock of Planet 11, killed by Gilza Neddle. Hobbit boy. I have to admit, even though he tripped me, he didn't deserve his fate. He wanted to kill me – I could tell by the look in his eyes. I wanted to, but he wouldn't have been able to. Not even if he had tried, now that I think about it. All he had was a staff – nothing more than a long, smoothed out stick! What was he going to do? Bludgeon me to death with it? And yet he died just like Kipper and Jempe, who were actual threats to my life. Why did he even try? Did he want to impress the Careers by taking out some of their main competition? Was he an idiot? Is it wrong for me to think this way of a boy who died because of me? I let a few more tears fall for Lias.
I don't know where my head is. I'm sad, and frustrated, and angry, and… and… I don't know what to do. I pull a handful of leaves off of the nearest small branch, and I chuck them down into oblivious. I let out some sort of frustrated sob as I do so, and it's only now that I realize how much I want to sob – how much I want my mom. And I've never wanted my mom for comfort – I always thought that she wouldn't give it to me. But I would have gone to her... if only I had known...
Now I'm just plain frustrated. I'm frustrated at my mom for not revealing Brick's condition sooner; I'm frustrated at Hanya for pulling my damn name at the reaping; I'm frustrated at the Capitol for creating the Hunger Games, and I'm frustrated at the Hunger Games for making me frustrated.
And then the final face shines up in the sky, and the last cannon of the night goes off, bringing me out of my frustration – and into even more depression. I feel my stomach acids heaving inside me, and I put my hand on my abdomen, hoping to calm it somehow, but it's no use. There's nothing I can to do stop the vomit that's coming, or the words in the sky from being true. Gilza Neddle of Planet 12, killed by Anson Char. I fall to my knees, not caring about the pain that spikes through by legs as they land on the hard wooden surface. I lean over the edge of the branch, feeling the hot burn on the back of my throat as I puke. My stomach twists in horrible knots, and I cringe was I'm forced to smell and taste my regret. She tried to protect me – that's all she was doing. Helping me – and I left her! I left her there to face Anson – the brute of the Career pack. I left her there! "I left her! I left her there to die!
I hit the side of the branch with my fist, clutching my eyes shut. They sting with salty tears. "Why?" I shriek, grabbing onto the edges. "Why? Why did I do it! Why is everybody dying?" My sobs are sick and muddled. I have to push myself away from the edge of the branch as my body shivers with uncontrollable sobs. It's the first day. It's the first freakin' day, and I can't even control myself. I want to scream at myself, tell myself to stop crying, but I can't. All I can do is hold my stomach and curl over, just in case I need to throw up again. All I can do is scream.
And that's how Ronom finds me – bent over and sitting on my knees, sobbing and screaming. He doesn't say a word as he picks me up with both arms, holding me like a child. He carries me back inside the cave and sets me down on the floor. He grabs one of out three blankets all pulls it up over me, leaving me to cuddle up as I wish. If I could form a coherent sentence, I might thank him.
Instead, I just continue to curl up with the blanket, and I don't even realize that I've fallen asleep until I wake up. The sun is blaring through the huge opening of the cave, and I find myself squinting to see anything. I sit up immediately, pressing my hand to my pillow for support. It's wet – I must have been crying in my sleep. Or drooling.
Once my eyes adjust, I take a look around the cave. The first thing I realize is that Ross is nowhere to be seen; he's gone.
I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I~I
Author's Note:
I just remembered… I think I have COMPLETELY forgotten all disclaimers! :O So I might want to get started on that… xD First off, I don't own The Hunger Games or any references I might make to it (such as this entire story line in general! xD). I don't own Wizardry 8, which is a totally awesome game. Due to that, I don't own the following species: Felpurr, Dracon, Trynnie, Mook, and Rawulf. And I'm pretty sure that Wizardry 8 doesn't own these species: Elf, Faerie (or any spelling variations – this is just the Wizardry spelling variation!), Droid (short for Androids), Gnome, Dwarf, Hobbit, and Cyclops. Cyclops aren't even in Wizardry… Also, I don't own Star Trek, which is where some of the ideas (holographic stuff, transporters, ships…) came from. I think that should be it. O.o
Also, a super-duper-special thanks goes to my un-official (but totally official) new consultant, Chrissie DeKourson! And that last sentence sounded lamer than I thought, but oh, well! Anyways, she's helping me keep everything on track and whatnot, and giving me some super ideas to throw in here! And she's helping me develop my own ideas as well. Heck, I get new ones by just messaging her. I hope this lived up to your expectations, Chrissie! xD I also think that now is a good time to mention (to everyone!) that things aren't always what you think they are… interpret that in your own way! ;D
The arena chapters are going to be shorter (but action-packed! …mostly), so as a compromise, I'm going to make the Author's Notes shorter as well. My shout-outs will pretty much go like this:
THANK YOU TO / CHECK OUT THE STORIES OF THESE PEOPLE:
tributegirl
Twirlgirl821
Short, yes, and kinda blunt, but… you guys STILL deserve a mention. ALSO! That Talking Heads song I mentioned? It was Psycho Killer(: Avi says something about how Ross probably isn't a dangers psycho killer, but she can't be sure! xD
FINALLY… since this is going to be the longest note for a while… :D Fix all my mistakes. xD And… how do you guys think you would feel with a few perspective changes? I mean, the story would still mainly be from Avi's, but maybe to spice it up a little, we could hear from a Career and/or another random person or whatever… Opinions? If you wanna see it done, perspective(s) from whom…?
WAIT! WAIT! THAT WASN'T IT!
R.I.P for the Following Tributes:
Jempe Clupo
Eela Tres
Pral Lome
Viva Dorall
Tiko Swas
Tora Wilbin
Kipper Jax
Lias Flock
Gilza Neddle (who will, in my opinion, be missed the most)
-QOTB-
