The 83rd Hunger Games: District 4; Chapter 21
Oh my gosh, major nerd freak out today! I thought I forgot my flash drive (which has my chapters) at school! Thank goodness I didn't though! So anyway… This is the last chapter taking place in the Hunger Games! It's got to be one of my favorites because of all the action! Yay! And I just want to say that I am touched by the reviews I received. You guys are amazing. And though this story may be coming to an end…well, maybe it isn't. More on that later though. Read on!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games that is Suzanne Collins. Just Elyce's story came from my mind.
Previously in Chapter 20 of the 83rd Hunger Games:
Elyce read the note Zack gave her. Lane found her then was killed. Elyce doesn't know how he died. Now she is out to get Larkin and Kyle.
Chapter 21
Once I'm walking you can't stop me. I leave my supplies where they are. I won't need them again because I'm ending this tonight. With my bows in one hand, arrow quiver on my back and knifes on my belt and hidden in my boots I march to victory or death. 5 miles later I'm on the edge of the forest, looking out at the Cornucopia basking in the dim light of the midnight's almost full moon.
Filled with the newfound confidence that I can win, I fearlessly step out of the safety of my hidden spot in the woods and onto the beach. "Come out come out wherever you are District 2!" I call out playfully with a Career amount of cockiness and arrogance.
Suddenly I hear the whistling of something flying in the air past my ear. I see an arrow land in the sand in front of me. They were aiming at the back of my neck. "Ha, nice shot," I taunt, picking up the arrow, adding it to my quiver and walking to the water. "But did you forget? Archery is mine and Katniss's specialty." That will anger them. Katniss killed that boy, Cato from their District, 9 years ago. That's when I see Kyle emerge from the woods in front of me.
Here's a little fact about me: I can run, but I suck at it. I'm not fast whatsoever and I can't run for a long time. There's no such thing as fight or flight for me, only fight. That's why I'm a fighter. Or in this case, a swimmer.
"Catch me if you can!" I scream at Kyle, diving into the water and hoping my arrows don't fall out of my sheath. I can't afford to lose any now. But if I'm lucky I'll only need 2.
Less than a minute later I scramble onto the sandy island of the Cornucopia. Quickly I grab a wet arrow and try to dry it on the sand. I nock the arrow then pull it back and look for Kyle. There, in the water, I just saw his black hair and deep red jacket. I release the arrow without a second thought. It misses him by about 2 inches. I curse in my head. Nice time for your shaky aim to finally get to you Elyce.
I remove another dripping arrow and shoot it at Kyle. The arrow lands in his back and he flails around in the blood stained water before finally sinking out of sight. I guess he wasn't a strong enough swimmer to keep up with pain. A cannon goes off for Kyle.
I'm knocked to the ground suddenly. Larkin, it's the only other tribute with me. She must have snuck up on me when I was shooting the arrows. With Larkin being so small it should be easy to throw her off me but she's too fast. She pins me on my stomach.
"Never thought it'd come down to me and a bitchy District 4 girl," Larkin hisses in my ear.
"My name is Elyce," I growl back.
"Whatever, you're not even a Career anyway, why should I give a damn?" I stay silent this time. She knew? How could she know? How did she even find out? "Oh yes, slut, I knew you weren't a Career from the moment you started cuddling up to Zack."
"If you're such a Career why haven't you killed me already?" I ask innocently.
Larkin grabs a fistful of my hair and yanks my neck back. "You see this?" she asks, holding her wrist in front of my face. It's the one with the emerald butterfly bracelet. "Watch." Larkin starts fiddling with the gems that make up the butterfly's wings. She rips them off and throws them carelessly at the sand. Then she rips off the butterfly completely. What is the purpose of destroying your district token? Has she gone crazy like some tributes do near the end?
Larkin takes the mutilated silver charm away from my sight. In a few seconds she's holding a knife in front of my face. Its blade glints evilly in the moonlight.
"Cheater," I whisper. Her bracelet held a hidden weapon and somehow she managed to sneak it past the Gamemakers.
Larkin laughs manically. "Yes, yes I am. But what can they do about it now? 'Win at all costs' my aunt Clove always told me."
"It's a shame she's dead now," I say. "And it's too bad she never told you District 4 girls have tricks too."
Just as I feel Larkin about to shove her forbidden knife in my neck I knock it out of her hand. It sails through the air and lands in the water where it sinks into the dark depths. Larkin gets off of me and runs after the knife. I jump in after her.
The waves engulf me and I open my eyes, searching in the blurry water for the knife. There's a big brownish-red blob; that must be Larkin. I swim deeper and see something about 7 feet deeper that's darker than the rest of the grainy sand ground. The knife. I need air but I have to go get the blade. As I go down farther into the water my ears begin hurting from the pressure. Ignore it Elyce.
Larkin is nowhere in sight. Oh god, my bow and arrows are both on the land. How could I be so stupid? When I come up Larkin will just shoot me. My fingers grasp the knife and I kick up to the surface quickly, my lungs feeling ready to burst. But I can't surface in the same spot. I swim as fast as I can to a different part of the island, gasping for breath when I can finally come up for air. As I expected, Larkin has my bow. She's looking down at the water with her back to me.
"Oh Larkin, over here," I call, throwing the knife. She turns around just as it enters her side, not her heart. Well knife throwing never was my specialty. Larkin rips out the knife, blood pouring from her waist and darkening the sand. She falls like most people do when they are about to die in the Hunger Games.
The District 2 girl smiles like the Career she is; the Career she was created to be; the Career she has become. She trained and trained only to be taken down by me, a mere District 4 girl who had barely picked up a weapon before the Games. And the thing that was supposed to help the District 2 girl ends up being her ultimate downfall.
"I killed Lane," says Larkin, still grinning insanely. And those are the last words she speaks as her eyes glaze over and a cannon fires.
Yep, forever a Career.
Congratulations to Elyce Annya of District 4, the victor of the 83rd Hunger Games! And no this story is NOT done yet! Reviews are greatly appreciated!