A/N: Quicker update, shorter chapter. Would you guys rather have a long update and a longer chapter? Thanks to:
Seanthesheep356
AlaskanSalmon
Musicforlife28
Kongyroo1
For reviewing. Many people got the question right. When Juliet told Copper about Ian, he said "OOOOOHHHHHH somebody has a boyfriend!" The sponsor points are as follows:
Seanthesheep356- 17
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MusicForLife28- 7- I forgot in the last chapter to mention this… omigod! You had eye surgery! I hope you're okay!
AlaskanSalmon- 14
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Chapter Fourteen: Humanity
"You seem a decent fellow, I'd hate to kill you. You seem a decent fellow, I'd hate to die."
-The Princess Bride
Soya Till POV (District Eleven)
Final eleven. Against all odds, I've actually made it to the final eleven. Two more faces were shown in the sky, but the only one I knew was Vida Heller from District Five. While I knew it was beneficial for me, I was still sad that she had to die. She had always been nice to me in training, and I don't even want to think about how Autumn, her ally, must be feeling.
Sadly, the sun is coming up again and the inside of the Cornucopia is beginning to heat up. Maria pokes her head inside.
"Are you doing okay? Mylar is sleeping. I know it gets hot in there, but you just have to hold on until we find a way to get away."
"Why not now? She's sleeping, we have out pick of supplies, and I don't know if I can take another day in this oven."
Maria looks thoughtful, and then turns behind her and whispers for Dylan to join us. His head appears around the polished metal, and I hand him an empty backpack. "What do you say? Do you want to get out of here?"
He grins, grabs the backpack, and looks to Maria. "What do you say? Are you ready?"
She grins, and scoops up another backpack. "Let's clear this camp out."
I cheer softly, and step out onto the sand. "Let's grab everything we can carry."
Dylan tosses me two backpacks, and scoops up two more. "We should each take two backpacks. I'll gather weapons. Maria, you should gather food and water, and Soya, you collect the medical and survival gear."
Maria and I nod, and we all begin rooting through the camp. I take some paint, a tent, two sleeping bags, a blanket, night vision goggles, a first aid kit, and some rope. After a few minutes we all meet back up at the mouth of the Cornucopia, each with our own packs.
Maria looks to Mylar, who still sleeps quietly a few yards away. "I guess we have to kill her."
Dylan reaches into one of his packs and pulls out a sword. He walks over to her sleeping form and raises the sword, ready to plunge it into her heart.
"Wait!" I whisper-yell, and Dylan lowers his weapon. "It's not right. We can't just kill her in her sleep. The whole reason we're leaving is so we don't become savages like the rest of the Careers. If you kill her now, you're no better than them."
Dylan looks at his sword, and back at Mylar. "I know, you're right. But we still can't just leave her. You know she'll hunt us down. I bet she has sponsors, and she will be able to get supplies once again."
"Maybe she doesn't though. We have everything now. If we leave, we will get far enough away so that she can't bother us again."
Dylan sighs, and walks back over to us. "Let's just go."
I turn to Maria, who has been silent throughout this exchange. "What do you think?"
"I agree with you. It would be just a little too bloodthirsty to kill someone so defenseless in their sleep."
She adjusts the strap on one of her packs, and starts walking towards the cliffs were Dylan and I looked for water just days ago. It seems like we have been in this Arena for so much longer than just four days. Already I can feel my morals slipping away, replaced by a carnal urge to get home to my family and friends. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, and continue trudging along behind Maria.
A little later, after we have climbed down the cliffs, I turn to Maria. "Do you really want to camp down here? I know there's water a few miles that way, but there could be more Morsusnakes."
She scans the area, and then turns to me. "It doesn't look like there are any, and we are three, heavily armed people. I'm sure, even if we run into one, we will be able to handle it."
I nod, and we continue trudging until we reach the small lake. "This seems like a good spot," Dylan says, dumping his packs on the ground. "I say we sort the supplies."
Wordlessly, I set my two packs on the ground and take everything out of it. Several hours later, we have established a rather nice camp. Our tent is only a few feet away from the water, and we each have weapons, some food, and a water bottle on our bodies. The rest of our supplies lie in easy reach from the mouth of the tent.
The sun is starting to go down, so I grab the two sleeping bags and the blanket.
"Who wants to take first watch?"
Maria grabs the blanket, as well as the night vision goggles from the ground. "I will. I'll shout if Maria comes charging over the cliff."
We all laugh, breaking some of the tension that has accumulated ever since leaving Mylar. I grab the sleeping bags, and toss one to Dylan. "I'm so happy to finally be getting some sleep somewhere besides an oven!"
He chuckles, and we go into the tent. Instantly, the temperature becomes pleasantly cool, and the fabric beneath my feet is soft and plush, protecting us from whatever rocks lie below. I curl up inside the sleeping bag and close my eyes, but am far too paranoid and alert to fall asleep.
"Hey Dylan," I whisper, and listen as he rolls over in his sleeping bag.
"What," he mumbles back, and I prop my head up on my hand.
"Do you think anyone at home actually expects us to come home? I mean, I have a brother, Sage, and right now he probably still thinks you and Maria will kill me in my sleep. I'm just a tiny girl from District Eleven. They can't possibly expect me to be coming home… right?"
Dylan's sleeping bag rustles as he also props his head up on his hand. "Don't say that. You are just as likely as Maria or I to go home. After all, you have what almost nobody else in this arena has—empathy. Even though Mylar is a terrible person, and no doubt terrorized you in training, you still wanted to save her life. If anyone deserves to leave this arena still breathing, it's you."
Maria pokes her head in the tent. "Thanks, Dylan," she jokes. "It's not like I also voted to save her. But sure, I guess Soya's the only decent human around here."
We laugh, and Maria steps back outside.
"Thanks," I say to Dylan, and snuggle deep into the sleeping bag. I'm asleep in minutes.
I'm only asleep for an hour when Maria pokes her head in the tent. "Get up," She whispers, shaking Dylan and I.
We stagger sleepily outside the tent, Dylan with his sword, Maria with her trident, and me with a knife. Maria hands us her night vision goggles. "Look over there," she says, pointing directly ahead towards the cliff. I pull the straps over my head, and blink as the inky black night becomes a strange, bright green.
About a mile away I can see three shapes walking towards us. They obviously can't see us, because they are jabbering quite loudly and I can hear them excitedly shouting about how they can hear the water. With my face set in a grim line, I look to Dylan and Maria. I know what we have to do, even if I don't like it.
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I ready my knife and sprint towards them, keeping pace with Dylan and Maria. We are careful to keep our steps quiet, but they see us emerging from the blackness when we are a few yards away. I left the goggles back at the tent, but the stars light their faces enough so I can see that they are both the twelve tributes, and the District Nine girl.
Neither of the District Twelve tributes are armed, but the District Nine girl carries an axe. She doesn't look like she knows how to use it, but she can still be dangerous if she starts swinging it around. Thankfully they are scared, and turn to run. The District Nine girl drops her axe, and I realize that she is so stupid, she will die painfully by Mylar's hands tomorrow if I don't kill her now.
While that may not be true, it at least gives me the courage to catch up to her, and plunge my knife into her back. She falls with a scream, and I trip over her slowly bleeding out body. Mylar and Dylan keep running after the District Twelve tributes, but I slowly sit up and look at the tiny girl I just killed. She couldn't be more than fifteen, but her life is already over.
Her face is pale, but her lips red as small bubbles of blood form and pop around the corners of her mouth. The slight rise and fall of her chest indicates that she is still alive, but I know it won't be for long. "I'm so sorry," I choke out, hoping against hope that she will forgive me, even as she lies there dying.
Her eyes find a way to focus on my face, and she painstakingly opens her mouth. "You should be," her raspy voice croaks out. "I had a life back home, and you took it away. I hope you remember this moment until you die."
Her eyes become unfocused, her chest falls for the last time, her cannon sounds, and I'm left sobbing over the body of a girl I never even knew.
Two cannon blast follow in quick succession and I know that District Twelve is out of the running. I stand up, wipe the tears from my eyes, meet up with Dylan and Maria, and begin the long, silent walk back to camp.
This was the first tribute I killed. Let my Hunger Games begin.
Mylar Poise POV (District One)
They left me! I can't believe they left me! I pull a knife—one of the only things I have left—from my belt and hurl it at the Cornucopia as hard as I can. With a loud clang, the knife imbeds itself in the soft metal, and I pace around the ruined campsite, gathering everything I can keep.
Several minutes later, I am left with half a pack of dried fruit, two knives, a mace, one roll of gauze, all packed in the tiny backpack I found lying under the tail of the Cornucopia. Looking at the dusty ground, I see several sets of footprints, all leading in different directions.
Closing my eyes, I spin around and point to a pair of tracks. Setting my face in grim determination, I slowly trek away from the Cornucopia, and towards the oasis in the distance.
After several hours, the hot sun is starting to play tricks to my eyes. I think I see Gilt standing in the distance, but it turns out to just be a thick bush. A large lake disappears entirely, and another tribute starts running when I get close enough.
Hold on. I rub my eyes and squint, but there is definitely a tribute sprinting away from me on tiny legs. He looks back in fear and I can make out the face of the District Ten boy before he stumbles forward yet again. I smile before taking chase. This will be my chance to vent my anger and also gain some more sponsors.
My knife catches him in his calf and he falls immediately. If I wanted him dead, he would be, but I plan on having a bit of fun. He screams as I pull the knife from the back of his leg, and plunge it into the back of his knee. I then proceed to slash the tendon on the back of his right foot, to make sure he won't be able to get back up.
His screams are unbearable, and are making what should be a fun occasion annoying. "Shut up!" I hiss, and swipe the side of his face with my knife.
"Please," he begs. "My family is watching. Make it quick."
"The only thing I hate more than deserters," I say as I swipe his other cheek, "Is a beggar."
He screams again, so I clamp my head over his mouth, trailing my knife slowly down his jawline. "You better shut your mouth before I cut it off."
His eyes grow wider, but he keeps his mouth shut when I take my hand away. However, I think of Maria and Dylan and feel my rage grow. With a shout and a swipe of my knife, I peel away the boy's lips.
He screams, and the flesh that was once his mouth splits from the tension, blood flooding over his chin. I grow tired, and stand up, slashing open his throat.
His cannon sounds and I smile with blood still on my hands and lick my knife clean. They thought the arena was going to change me? Won't they be surprised when I change the arena.
The faces flash across the sky, showing the District Nine girl, District Ten boy, and both District Twelve tributes.
Six more people have to die in order for me to get out alive, and I plan on killing each and every one of them.
Autumn Lindell POV (District Seven)
So many deaths. It's only been a few days and I've already had everything I cared about ripped away from me. My humanity was taken when I killed the District Eight girl in the Bloodbath, half my supplies I lost to Copper and Apollo, and—worst of all—Vida was torn apart by wolves.
I don't even care about going home anymore. When I think of Ava all I can see is the pain in Vida's eyes, and when I think of the forest I can no longer imagine the sound of running water. I slowly take an axe from my belt, and hold it above my head.
It's better this way. Everyone's killed, and nobody deserves to live. I don't want to meet my end like Vida, and I don't want Ava to have to watch me die on somebody else's terms.
I brace myself to bring the axe down on my head, but I'm stopped by the clang of a metallic pot on the blade. I open it to find a small pack of dried fruit, along with a small note that says, "Just hang on, I'll help you win –Kongy"
I let the axe drop to the sandy ground, and I start to cry. I don't want to do this anymore, but I can't finish it by giving up. The only way to let this truly be over is if I take a stand, and finish it myself. Dusting myself off, I pick the axe up, clip it to my belt, and walk towards the Cornucopia. The Careers might be there, and it will be a good start to getting home.
I walk by the thick bushes, and keep one axe at the ready in case somebody jumps me, but nobody does so I put the axe up and keep walking. Not even three steps later I feel the cold prick of a knife pressed to the back of my neck.
"Drop your weapons and turn around slowly. You and I are going to have a little chat."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Autumn: You can't end it now! I don't even know who is threating to kill me? Please don't kill me!
Me: Your life hangs in the number of reviews. Let's hope you live… *evil laugh*
Autumn: Please review!
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