Chapter 10: Hunger Games Part two
As the bell rang and walls locking us in fell, Jerome and Mitch seemed to shoot out off their stands like lightning. They ran to the center, looting chests among other people. As soon as chests began to close, weapons went flying. I was watched Jerome single handedly swing a golden axe at the kid standing next to him. The boy vanished instantly. Mitch leapt over the chests, swinging down a blade on the unsuspecting recruit across from him.
As for me, I was frozen solid. I watched the people run and scatter or fall victim to the two officers in the center. Jerome equipped with his...butter axe and Mitch equipped with an iron blade. Everything seemed to run in slow motion. People brushed passed me, shouting something but I could hardly hear them. My heart was pounding softly in my ears. What was going on.
Time snapped, speeding up. Ray, the nice lady I met earlier, shook me free of my daze, shoving me off the stand. As my feet hit the ground, I took off running deep into the woods. I ran for what felt like ever. I ran and ran until I hit a wall, literally. It looked like glass, enclosing the battle arena. I felt the cool surface with my hands. The sound a screams and what seemed to be canon sound effects.
I ran some more, along the edge of the arena. I was growing out of breathe, slowing to a jog and eventually a walk. I stumbled once but kept moving. I looked around, enjoyed the view. Eventually, after a long time of walking, I came across a chest. I perked, kneeling beside it, and opened it quickly. A wooden blade and what seemed to be a paper bag shirt. It didn't matter. Anything was helpful.
As soon as I touched the paper bag shirt, it was suddenly on my body, covering my chest. I was slightly startled but didn't seem to care too much about it. I took the blade, closing the chest and standing up. I took around, feeling a rise of loneliness and anxiety. I just needed a break, a breath of air, a moment to think.
"What am I even doing here!" I cried.
I didn't mean to be loud. My voice seemed to echo off the trees. I shook my head, rubbing my eyes before I broke into tears. I knew why I was here. I was going to rescue Ashley. I smiled lightly, looking around. Knowing Ashley, she was probably arguing to those things that Sky was going to come get her and that the Sky Army would kick their sorry squid behinds. Ashley wouldn't be scared.
A snap and hurried footsteps on grass. I perked, pulling out my blade and holding it with both hands. How stupid I must've looked, holding a wooden sword, wearing a paper bag on my body. My eyes darted, watching the trees and the darkness that lied beyond them. My heart beat was loud in my ears. Panic. I wanted to scream. Anxiety. I wanted to barf. Fear. What if I failed?
Someone screamed, growing louder. I spun around, spotting the man running at me. I wasn't fast enough to dodge the first blow to my shoulder, though he only had a wooden sword too. I dodged the second strike, quickly blocking the third. I took a jab, getting him in the side. He didn't have any protection like I assumed the paper bag was giving me. I swung again, hitting him across the cheek. He nicked my ear.
"I'm gonna win, rookie," he hummed. "This isn't my first Hunger Games..."
He swung again. I stumbled back, narrowly missing it, but falling to the ground. I swung widely as he approached. I felt the blade hit his leg a few times but he was still coming at me. He stood over me, preparing to slam his blade down. I screamed, jabbing my sword straight up, and closing my eyes. Nothing. I felt something thump on my head and into my lap.
I opened my eyes slowly, spotting all the stray objects around me. The man was gone. I chuckled lightly, soon breaking down into hysteric laughter. I gathered up what was dropped which included a nearly broken wooden blade, an iron ingot, a wooden axe, and a few apples. I, driven by sudden hunger, ate most of the apples while I sat in my little spot.
"This...is crazy," I panted, slowly moving off again.
A notice was soon announced that only ten people remained. Something called Death Match was to begin when only four remained but would automatically activate in a few minutes. I didn't want to worry about it. I began moving through the woods, leaving the safety of the edge. I wanted to see if I could find another chest with something other than a paper bag in it. I walked around, running when panic attacked or fear made me hear things.
"You've made it surprisingly far."
I jumped, spinning around and aiming my wooden sword. Mitch was leaned on a tree, wearing what appeared to be full iron armor from head to toe. He offered a smile, pulling off the tree and stepped closer. I stepped back, bumping into someone behind me. I leapt, holding back my scream, scrambling to back away from the both. Jerome laughed as he watched me back away from him.
"First Hunger Deans is always the worst," shrugged Jerome.
"Learned anything?" Mitch offered.
"What?"
"She's only got one kid," mumbled Jerome.
"Dat determination though," chuckled Mitch.
"Double gangers be like that?" hummed Jerome.
"What the hell is a double ganger!" I howled.
"Good question," they both smirked.
"Wanna meet Betty?" purred Jerome, smiling like a child.
"Betty?" I whispered.
He pulled out another axe, this one colored blue. Somehow I felt outmatched. I was pretty sure then though that Jerome and Mitch could be barehanded and still beat me. Two was better than one had nothing on this. I stepped back. Mitch rolled his eyes.
"Betty is a diamond axe. Ain't she a pretty."
"Chop, chop," whispered Jerome, stepping toward me.
I didn't bother trying to fight. I ran. Sword at my side, I hightailed it and ran through the woods. I could hear them close behind me. They obviously had more stamina than me. I could hear them talking between each other but couldn't make out what. I ran and stumbled and eventually fell, tumbling a bit until I completely stopped.
I sprang back up just as they arrived. Something hit my arm. Everything seemed to slow down. I couldn't move too quickly. Jerome took a swing first. My paper bag shirt ripped off me. I took a wild swing of my blade, watching it shatter on Jerome's shoulder. He seemed shook, stumbling back and vanishing into the woods. That was when Mitch came in.
He swung his own axe, though made of iron, and nicked my arm. I dug around my belt, pulling out the axe I had gotten off the man. I made another wild swing, missing at first but hitting him the second time around. I stumbled backward, where Jerome had been waiting. He swung his axe and the next thing I knew I was collapsing onto a metal floor.
"GG," someone hummed.
Looking around, I saw several people standing and waiting. Some people looked pissed, others at peace. The walls were coated in screens, viewing the surviving Hunger Game participants. I could see Jerome and Mitch go over my stuff and moving on down the path. I stood up slowly, looking over the screens. I didn't feel like I'd just had my butt handed to me.
A few others hummed "GG" to me. I spotted the guy I had gotten earlier in the game. His eyes were narrowed at me, arms folded across his chest. He huffed, turning away, and watching one of the screens with Jerome on it. I could tell he was pissed off.
The rest of the game ran smoothly. Watching the game was relaxing. Jerome and Mitch went all the way to D-Match, kicking butt and winning the whole thing. Jerome beat Mitch in the end with a sneak attack with Betty. Mitch hardly had time to respond. Jerome celebrated proudly. The spectating booth was lowered and a door opened to let us out. the man I beaten quickly shoved passed me, nearly knocking me to the floor.
Mitch rushed out, shoving Jerome jokingly. They both laughed. The crowd formed in front of them, waiting to be released. I was in the front somehow, surrounded by people I didn't know.
"Well done, everybody! We've learned a lot this round at least," hummed Mitch.
"What on earth could you have learned from this mess!" howled someone.
"We've learned some are not cut out for this," Jerome chuckled. "Some are made for this. Some are cowards. Some are brave."
"Go get something to eat," offer Mitch.
The doors behind us opened. People began to filter out. I watched Jerome and Mitch a moment, but soon followed the crowd out. I was concerned about which of those categories I fell into.