Celine Minos(Head Game Maker)
Ma'am last night's events bring our Mutt total up to Sixty-six percent, at this rate we won't have any left to surprise the audience with later."
"I'm well aware of the situation Gregor and I certainly don't need your constant reminders."
"Apologies ma'am, I was just trying to keep you apprised of the situation."
Why do all of my assistance have to be this stupid? I mean really if YOU can see what's going on what are the chances I've missed it, though I suppose in their own little self-absorbed world their doing me a favor by constantly reminding me of such mundane and easily spotted things.
"Dalton how close are the tributes to tripping the final set of mutts?"
"Which tributes ma'am?"
"Whichever ones are closest to the trip zone for the last set of mutts!" Why must I be surrounded by buffoons, especially now?
"One-moment ma'am...It looks like the pair from Eight and Twelve are closest, but the boy from Ten isn't that far off either."
Hmm three of them right in the kill zone, oh think of the delicious carnage these little beauties could unleash on three unsuspecting targets, such a master stroke would be must see t.v., provided Tyranna doesn't take my head for my troubles, she's been very insistent on having the tributes do most of the killing this year, and with two mutt related deaths already I doubt she'd be happy if I added three more to the list.
"Would you like me to activate the mutts, ma'am?"
"No just move them to standby, and dial the lethality down to fifteen percent, I want them to herd something for me."
"Herd what ma'am?"
Now that's the question isn't it? I doubt it'll do much good to move the girls toward real danger they'd never last in a straight up fight and the boy's an infuriating little problem in of himself. He's too strong for anyone short of the careers or the team of Eight and Four and both of them would make short work of him in a fight, no I need something that'll maximize the chaos without skipping on entertainment, if only…
"Now that would be a fun little game to play."
"Ma'am?"
"Have them move the girls toward the maintenance tunnel, the one where the girl from Nine is being held." Yes, yes this is exactly what the games need, a little jolt in the arm.
"To the tunnel or did you want them fighting the career's using the tunnel?
"No fighting, not yet at least. Just make sure they get there without them crossing paths with the career's."
"Yes, ma'am. Moving the mutts to standby, placing cannons on alert."
Why would he think we'll need cannons, I just got through telling him I didn't want them killing the girls only moving them into place. Why does everyone who works for me insist on trying my patience like this?
"You'd best make sure those cannons aren't needed Dalton, I'd hate to see what the President does to you if another mutt takes a kill this early."
It's a hollow threat, I know full well she'd hold me responsible if it happens, but he doesn't need to know that and fear is a hell of a motivator in a situation like this.
It only takes a moment before the once tranquil and docile control room erupts in a firestorm of activity and movement as everyone scrambles to put my little masterpiece into play, I just hope they don't screw it up, that's one conversation I'd like to avoid having with the President if I can.
Ruby Wolfe-17(D12F)
I can't shake the feeling that something is off and it's driving me crazy. For the first time since the games started it's not raining and the wind isn't howling and for some reason something feels wrong, as wrong as anything I've ever felt.
"Are you ok Ruby?"
"Hmm..I don't know, something just feels..weird."
"What do you mean?"
"I just have this feeling and I can't shake it like something's about to go very wrong very fast."
"You think it has something to do with Aaron?"
"I don't know, maybe? But I can't help feeling if he'd planned to do something he'd have done it before he left, he was right there, he had the perfect opportunity and he just left."
"True, but you can't put it past him to make a move like that, especially if he thinks it'll help his chances of winning."
I know she's right but for some reason I don't think this has anything to do with Aaron, I've been wrong before sure but this doesn't feel like that, it feels like something else, something more malevolent. Well I guess whatever it is will reveal itself in due time, after all nothing in the Hunger Games stays calm for very long.
"It's probably nothing, so what do we have to eat?"
"Well we have some bread and I think we have a little-salted pork left…...Do you hear that?"
"Here what, Laci what do you here?"
"Nothing, and that's the problem. A few moment ago the area was filled with the sound of birds, but now I can hear my own heartbeat."
She's right, when we woke up the air was filled with the sweet sound of music, but now it's as quiet as a tomb.
"Do you have the knives Laci?"
"Ya, here."
She carefully passes me two of the long serrated blades while quietly slipping one of the short daggers into her off hand so she could sling her bag back over her shoulder. As soon as she's got it situated I move her back to mine, giving us a full view of the area and makes it that much easier for the two of us to avoid being taken by surprise.
I catch a slight movement out of the corner of my eye but whatever it is is gone long before I can get a clear look at whatever it is. Before long my vision is filled with neon Esq glowing streaks as more and more mutts dart around the area, moving in a way zigzagging way that make it almost impossible for me to get a clear picture of the area.
"Ruby, we need to get the rest of our supplies out of the pavilion."
"We can't."
"Why not, it's right there?!"
"Because, the pavilions already been cut off. We're trapped out in the open."
I hear her take a sharp and unease breath as I begin to slowly make my way toward the open expanse of the main park pathway, Laci's back pressed as deep into mine as she can go without knocking me over. It takes a few minutes but we manage to make it out as the first mutt lands gingerly before me not two feet to my right.
I act on instinct as I drive the tip of my left blade into the exposed front side of the bright yellow beast. I strike home and am rewarded with the shrill shriek of a dying mutt as a viscous white goo runs down the length of my blade and pools in sickening globs on the ground below.
The shrill shrieks of the dying mutt seem to drive off the others giving us a moment to catch our breath and our first real chance to look at the carcass of the one I'd just killed.
"What the hell is that thing Ruby?!" It almost looks like a toy, or what I imagine a twisted version of one would look like. It's a bright neon yellow except for a brown spot on its stomach with a long tail and wiry arms and legs, a wide childlike grin covers a face that only moments ago was howling like a demon.
"It almost looks like, a stuffed monkey?!"
"Why the hell would a stuffed animal be attacking us?"
"I don't know, but I don't think it's a good idea for us to stand around and find out."
Even now more of the fuzzy terrors are closing in on us as an assortment of lions, tigers, and bears mingle with almost every other animal imaginable, and some I can't even begin to place and their closing in on us fast.
"Laci, we're going to have to make a run for it."
"Where?!"
"I don't know, just follow me ok?"
I feel her head move in affirmation even as the first hints of fear force their way out in the form of a strangled but audible sob. I quickly slip the other knife through my belt before reaching my hand around and lacing my fingers into hers. Offering a gentle squeeze of assurance I take a deep breath before screaming out.
"NOW!"
We take off at a dead sprint, barreling off in the only direction available, the one that leads straight back to the carousel. Every time I try to turn down another path a wall of neon fur blocks our path and forces us back onto the main road. Before long the painted beauty of the carousel comes into view the blood stains of the bloodbath still visible on the cold concrete surrounding the area.
"Ruby we need to get out of this, fast!"
"I know but where do we go, all of the paths are blocked!"
"There, we can hide inside that tunnel."
I spy the area she's thinking of, and while it's certainly defensible I doubt we'll be able to get over the fence without being overtaken by the throng, still we're preciously short of options.
"Ok, go, go, go!"
We dart over to the fence and I quickly boost her up and over the top before quickly scampering over myself just before the mass of neon fur comes crashing into it with the earth shattering force of a tsunami.
We take a moment to catch our breath as the mass of vicious fluff continue to crash against the fence which for the most part seems to be holding steady. My breaths come in raspy gulps as I do whatever I can to force precious air into my oxygen starved lungs.
"Laci, are you...are you ok?"
"I think so, but where are we?"
"I don't know, but there's only one way for us to go so let's find out." I force myself to my feet as she makes her way cautiously toward the door, a look of terrified exhaustion etched on her youthful face as we push the door open and venture into the inky darkness before us.
Yuri Monroe-18(D9F)
The faint noise of rustling in the distance wakes me from my uneasy slumber and forces up the dreaded thoughts of the torture to come, I can't believe how quick the day goes when all I have to look forward to is the stinging kiss of Precious's blade.
"Please god just let it end, just let me die!"
I feel the faint mist of tears forming in the corner of my bloodshot swollen eyes as the pater of approaching footsteps draws closer and before long the faint whisper of voices fills the empty warrens of my soul as it reverberates across the expanse of my cell.
"I'm telling you something has to be in here, why else would it be chained off like this?"
I don't recognize the voice. A whole new sense of dread starts to course through me before a stunning realization dawns on me, I don't recognize the voice. The chances of them helping are slim but at the very least whoever it is might take pity on me and finally release me from this torment. I mean really what do I have to lose?
"Hello...Hello."
My first calls are so hoarse I doubt anyone beyond the room could hear them, and the harder I try to add volume the quieter and more strained they become. I scream and holler as loud as I can, but none of them breaks the sticky silence that surrounds me.
"Come on Laci there's nothing here, let's head back out and wait for the mutts to give up."
"Not yet, I'm sure there's something worth finding in here."
"Suite yourself but I'm heading back outside, it's too dark in here."
Sensing my chance at release is slipping away i dig as deep as I can and force myself as hard against the ground as I can and manage to pull the pipe I'm attached to clean off the wall sending a roaring cascade of water rushing out over me.
"Wait Ruby did you hear that?"
"It sounds like, water."
"It's coming from in here."
My saviors push against the door but it hardly moves, a few more well-placed shoves manages to dislodge the lock and my prison is flooded with an eerie glow as sunlight flashes over me for the first time in days. As the two figures make their way into the room I do everything I can to draw their attention toward me and luckily the shorter of the two turns toward me and lets out a shrill scream as her eyes lock with mine.
"Ruby, what the hell is that?!"
"Help me..please."
It only takes a second before the two of them have me cut loose as they gingerly pull me to my feet and lead me out of the darkness and into the warm embrace of the sun. No sooner have we exited the tunnel then the brightness causes me to double over in pain as the shorter of the girls lets out another scream as she gets her first sight of the 'artwork' Precious has spent so long decorating my body with.
"My god, what the hell happened to you?"
"Precious, she 'decorated' me, she...she carved me up like meat."
I feel the two of them run their hands across the swirling scars that decorate my back before one of them finds the delicately drawn paw prints that run the length of my tender swollen spine and before long their hands are running over the jagged slices that cover my formally smooth legs.
"Good god Ruby, how could someone do this to another human being?"
"I don't know Laci, but whoever it is I don't intend to be here when they get back."
"We can't just leave her here like this, she needs help."
"We can't take her with us Laci. She'll just slow us down and we can't afford that, not with those mutts stalking us."
"Still we can't leave her here to die."
"So what do you suggest?"
"The mutts have left for now, so if we give her one of the empty bottles and a knife maybe she can make it on her own."
"Laci all that'll do is give us one more enemy to kill. If you really want to help just slit her throat and be done with it."
"No, I won't come after either of you, I promise."
"See Ruby."
"How can we trust her?"
"Because I'm already dead. All I have left is to sink something, hell anything into Precious I want to to watch the life ebb out of her like she tried to do to me."
The taller of the two who I guess is Ruby takes a moment before nodding toward the smaller one who quickly hands me a knife and a small empty bottle before turning back to her ally and making a quick retreat over the fence and back into the maze of the park.
Relieved and grateful for my second chance I quietly fill the bottle up in the geyser I created in my former cell before retreating into the shadows to wait. Regardless of how it turns out I'm going to make Precious pay for doing this to me, or at the very least deprive her of my screams as she finishes her 'master piece'. As I settle in to wait I take a small slow swig of water and find myself relaxing for the first time since the games started, win or lose my nightmare is about to end.
Jinx Freight-17(D6F)
I can't believe how easy this has been, I mean I expected Mikels to be naive but this is beyond even my wildest dreams, he's almost starved for affection, or the kind I'm offering at least. All I've had to do is flutter my eyes and kiss him a bit and he practically melted into me, and the fact that I enjoy it makes it that much better.
"Jinx you look...so beautiful in this light."
"Thank you babe, but it's the glow of being with someone as amazing as you that really brings it out."
He flows up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist before nuzzling my neck and peppering it with a soft trail of kisses down to the small of my partially exposed back the only patch of skin he leaves untouched is covered by the sports bra that doubles as my upper undergarment and sleep attire.
Giggling at the touch of his lips he spins me around and pulls me into a inexperienced but passionate kiss that what it lacking in forum it more than makes up for in enthusiasm. I return his kiss and before long I feel the tips of his fingers running up under the elastic of my bra and gently brushing the soft skin of my lower breast. With a playful giggle I swat his hand away before offering it a soft kiss in apology.
"My my you're certainly eager to play today aren't you?"
"How could I not be? I'd be a fool to want anything but the beauty gracing my presence, filling my eyes with a beauty I haven't seen since I left the oceans of Four behind."
He's so cute, dense but cute. However I'm not quite ready to give him his ultimate prize, after all once I do that I'm going to have to kill him, and while I have no problem with that I'd rather use him up before I discard him. Running my finger over the faint outline of his abs I lean in and plant a series of sensual kisses on his chest before I work my way up and decorate his neck with a series of love bites, marking him as unmistakably mine.
"Mikelis I'd love nothing more than to give you everything you deserve and more, but wouldn't it be better to save your reward for closer to the end."
"What do you mean?"
"Well you get all the benefits of me except for the grand prize already, so why not enjoy then for a while and enjoy the big show once the field narrows down a bit?"
"I didn't think of it like that...ok I'll wait, for now that is."
With that sexually charged promise hanging over us he snatches another kiss before moving off to get dressed, leaving me to contemplate my next move as I follow suit and dress for the day ahead. For better or worse I'm committed to this ploy, I just hope Mikelis can kill off a few of the heavy hitters before he outlives his usefulness, or at least bring in some decent sponsors, after all with what I'm giving up it's the least he can do for me.
"Come on Jinx, let's see whose day we can ruin, shall we?"
"Of course baby, whatever you want." I offer a playful smirk as he picks up his spear and we venture off into the chaotic mass of the steadily awaking park. Hopefully we're on our way to remove the first of many obstacles standing between me and victory, and if not at least I don't have to hide in the shadows anymore, it's time to put my one weapon, my body to good use. I just hope the sponsors are watching because I'm about to give Panem a show it'll never forget.
Terr Thesik-18(D8M)
I'm starting to wonder if there are any other tributes left in the games, I mean really we should have accidentally stumbled across someone by now, but nooo. Hell, outside of that creepy mutt that killed Hematite we haven't seen anything!
"You know Terr I'm starting to wonder if we missed a shit ton of cannons at some point."
"I know what you mean Joyce, I know what you mean."
An uneasy silence falls over us as we both silently contemplate what it would me if we really are the last two standing and how much longer the Capital will let us go on like we are. I reach over my shoulder nervously run my finger along the pommel of the Greatsword Hematite was kind enough to 'gift' to me when he died. I may not be trained with it but if it came down to a fight with Joyce I'll need every advantage I can get, and keeping someone so deadly as far away as I can certainly qualify as an advantage.
"So which way do we go now Terr?"
"Well left takes us back on the loop back toward the base, and right leads us toward the massive wheel in the center of the park."
"Well we know no one's back that way so we might as well head for the center."
"You're the boss, my lady."
"Will you be serious for once Terr, please?"
"Sorry, just trying to ease some of the tension."
"It's ok, I'm just not the joking type is all. So shall we?"
I motion for her to lead the way as we trek down one of the few uncharted areas left in the park and make our way toward the looming specter of the slow-moving wheel in the center of the park. It takes a little while and I see more than a few landmarks I make mental note of for when we have to make our way back out of the maze the center of the arena has proven to be.
"Terr why are you staring at everything, do you see something?"
"No, I'm just trying to remember some of the distinct rides so I can find our way out after we're done looking."
"Hmm that's not a bad idea, way to think ahead Terr."
My response dies on my lips as we turn the corner and run smack into a very angry-looking Precious and a rather annoyed looking Anjelica, their swords at the ready, gleaming in the morning sun.
"Well well what do we have here Anjelica?"
"Looks like we found one traitor while searching for another."
"Right you are Anjelica, right you are. So which one do you want?"
"I'll take Joyce, we have a score to settle."
"Ok, that means I get the dimwit from Eight. I love crushing outer tributes, there's something so satisfying about killing someone who wants to live as badly as they do."
"The only ones dying today are you two. Joyce next time I complain about not running into anyone, punch me?"
"Will do, you ready for this Terr?"
"I've been ready for this since the games started."
Precious lets out a primal snarl as she lunges at me katana in hand to deliver a low slash that I only just manage to avoid. I rip my sword out of its scabbard in time to parry her nest two strikes while Joyce dances around the uneven and impatient flares of Anjelica's scimitar.
"Come on Precious, you're going to have to do better than that if you want to kill me."
"I haven't even started to fight, you haven't seen anything yet."
A/N: Well that takes care of the first part of Day 3, what did everyone think? :D Now then on to questions.
1. What did you think of the chapter?
2. Favorite POV?
3. What did you think of the new Mutts?
4. Which of the Mutts is your favorite?
5. Which group do you think will survive the showdown?
I'm also going to put a poll up on my profile to see if you'd prefer to have a chapter or two for family interviews in the top 8 or just keep pushing on toward the end, so don't forget to VOTE :D
Other than that I hope you all enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it and as always please review and let me know what you think :) Other than that I hope to see you all at the next update :D
Death Order/Cause/Place
24- Corise Crawford- Killed by Precious
23- Freya Morgan- Killed by Anjelica
22- Day Amanak- Killed by Precious
21- Dela Yavli- Killed by Hematite
20- Leone Dander- Killed by Joyce
19- Acacia Fawn- Killed by Terr
18- Angelia Quixon- Killed by Jute
17- Jute Skyland- Killed by Kelvin
16- Shoddy Kerseymere- Killed by Aaron
15- Reno Shaber- Killed by Mikelis
14- Emorte Maydon- Attacked by Joyce/Hematite and finished off by Precious
13- Hematite Lucas- Bitten by Mutt and finished off by Joyce
12- Benton Circuit- Killed by Mutt
Kill Total
3- Precious
2- Joyce
1- Mikelis
1- Aaron
1- Kelvin
1- Jute
1- Terr
1- Hematite
1- Anjelica
1-Mutt