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Ceres Milani
District Two Female, 18 Years Old
Day Ten: Pt. I

She's out there somewhere.

She's out there, waiting. Hiding. Anticipating. Waiting for me to find her first, for me to truly begin the Finale. I never expected Katcia to be the proactive one in this situation, which is understandable, but there's no point in hiding out anymore. With only two tributes left, the only thing you can do now is fight.

Fight for your life. For your survival. For your victory.

Victory.

The word resonates in my mind, repeating itself over and over again. Victory – what I've been fighting for. Victory – what I trained. Victory… Victory – what was always so close, yet so far. And now, there's only one more person in the way of that.

Just one more to take care of.

One more person for me to kill.

Whether I wanted to or not, I had to kill in here. Now that I'm here, my killing streak can't be over, either. Killing the male from Ten was one thing, while killing Alamar was another. I had to kill the boy from Ten just to get him out of the way, but Alamar… There were personal reasons behind it.

He killed Audric.

He shattered the Career alliance. He tore it apart, right from the inside out. There was only one person to blame in that situation, and unfortunately, Alamar had to pay for everything he had done. But, for one thing, I didn't expect to feel what I did. I felt redeemed, in a way. I felt satisfied.

I felt like for once, I had done something right.

I did what I wanted to do. I didn't do what my parents wanted me to do, what District Two wanted me to do. Killing Alamar was my choice and my choice only. It was for Audric. It was for Constance. It was for everyone Alamar slaughtered with his own hands, their lives being stripped from them by a monster.

Alamar always was just that, though. A monster. And I can safely say, that despite me killing, I am not turning into him. His kills were out of pure impulsiveness, out of pure morbid tendencies. He had no real justification behind any of them, which raises the question if he ever even had a real reason to volunteer.

No.

I cannot think about him now.

Shaking my head, I get rid of any thoughts regarding Alamar. Regarding Audric or the other allies too, since right now, all that matters is Katcia. She's the only one who's left for me to concern myself with, her sole life standing in the way. Who would have thought that it'd come down to me and Katcia, anyway?

A tribute from District Seven against a Career from District Two. All arrogance and confidence aside, I have to give it to her. If she made it this far – if she was capable of making it as far as me – she's worth something. She might not know how to properly throw a spear, or knock an arrow, or how to hurdle over objects like I learned in the Training Center, but she has a different skillset.

After all, we all have different skillsets.

Perhaps I just overlooked hers. Perhaps I let my bias cloud my vision, making me not pique Katcia as a true competitor. But, now that I see it, she was always the real competition. People like her, that is. Motivated. Determined. Clever. They are always the ones to keep an eye out for – the ones you have to kill early on.

Did killing the boy from Ten really help my chances? No. Did killing Alamar, then? Yes.

And now killing Katcia will help them too.

Beginning to walk forward, I walk aimlessly, not really having any clue as to where Katcia is. From what I can tell, and from what I've explored, the arena is vast. It's large, but it's definitely a complete circle. One foot after the other, I stare forward, squinting my eyes to try to see through the fog.

Without realizing it, the fog's been getting heavier and thicker. There's still the same tint of green to it, the same ominous color from the Bloodbath. Although the Careers – before the whole split – only came across it a few times, we know that it was dangerous. After seeing that one boy, the one from Six, run right through it and die on the spot, we were wary of it.

Could this be the same fog?

Well, no. I'd be dying right now, wouldn't I? Turning around, I try to look at the fog behind me, and once I do, I realize something's off. The fog behind me is a lighter shade of green, more like the one from the Bloodbath that encircled us. As it drifts closer to me, I pick up the pace, nearly turning into a jog now.

I can't help looking back, though. The fog is still there, getting closer and closer, and when I look back in front of me for the first time, I run more quickly. When I reach a mushier part of ground, I can't help but slow down, my foot sinking deeper into it. With more force, I rip each boot out of the ground, still trying to push myself along.

I can't get caught in that.

But, once I feel a sharp pain on the back of my neck, I can't help but flail forward. I fall down to the ground, gripping my hand around the back of my neck, feeling it beginning to bubble over. The fog is on top of me now, not seeping through the suit around my legs. I push myself back, not letting anything get touched by it.

Letting go of my neck, I force myself to stand up, another sharp pain from my fingertips. As I look down, my fingertips on both of my hands are darkening in color, the skin around them swelling. I don't know where the fog is coming from, but I don't have time to wait and find out… I have to run.

I have to go wherever this fog is leading me.

The pain seeps up my arm, going right under the suit now. I resist the urge to itch it or touch it, since it's more-so of a burning sensation. When I begin to smell a funky odor, the first thing I do is drop my backpack. It's slowing me down, and besides, I don't need supplies anymore.

I just need my weapon.

Throwing that to the side, I run a little faster, but not much. When I observe the terrain in front of me closer, I see a familiar sight – the tree from the Cornucopia. I see it through the heavy fog, but it doesn't look like there's anything else around it now.

I'm in a full on sprint now.

Rushing towards the tree, I try to escape the fog, wanting to get this over with. Wanting to get my final kill over with, wanting to see the hovercraft come down to get me… For me to return home. For me to achieve victory.

That's what it's always been about.

To come home. To win.

At the next hill, I stumble a little, not realizing how steep it is. When I crash down onto the ground, my face implants right into the ground, my eyes immediately beginning to burn. I pry myself off the ground, my vision now blurred. The itching starts on my cheeks just like with my neck and arms, and I roll my eyes, wanting to get the blurriness away.

Stop it.

Stop itching. Stop burning. Stop hurting.

Shaking my head again, I put all the pain and discomfort aside. I finally reach the tree, being the only one there. Where is Katcia? Did she get caught up in the fog too? I'd be more convenient for her to be killed off from the fog, but that wouldn't happen. That's not what the Capitol would want.

They want a good show.

They want a bloody fight. They want us to be entertainment.

And if that means for them to force us together in a way like this, then so be it. It's always about them, isn't it? What they want? How they perceive us? Once you enter the arena, the Capitol has full leverage now. Most people don't realize that, but when I volunteered, I did.

That wouldn't stop me, though.

And it still isn't.

In the distance, I see a figure approaching, running almost as fast as I was. She has a weapon in her hand, her arms and legs doing all the work. Once the fog lets go of her, she steps onto this patch of land, looking at the tree and then me. It's Katcia… It's Katcia. We both stand there, and as I slowly lower my arm to grab my machete, I await her next move.

She won't attack me first.

She can't be that type of person.

Or maybe she would. I don't know. I don't really know what she's capable of, do I? I've never seen her in action. I judged solely on her appearance and her allies, which was my mistake. If I was taught one thing at the Training Center, it was to never underestimate anyone.

Whether a Career or not, everyone is more than they appear to be.

When I open my mouth to speak, my tongue feels weird. I move it around, wiping my lips with my hand without the machete. My tongue feels heavy, but I try to speak, only mumbled words coming out. She can't hear me, anyway. Is this a side effect of the fog? To not let me speak? After a cough or two, I try again.

"There you are."

After speaking again, words finally come out. This time, she can hear me, since she perks up and raises her axe. She stands there, her stance showing me that she's ready to fight.

And so am I.

Katcia Elspeth
District Seven Female, 17 Years Old
Day Ten: Pt. II

"And there you are."

"And here I am," she echoes, sliding the machete fully out of her boot now. She grips it with her right hand, drawing my attention to the rash she has on it. The fog got her too, and from what I can tell, it's just as bad as I had it. The rash that spread on my arm, the itchiness and burning sensation that followed it.

Neither of us is at an advantage.

That can't stop me, though. I can't give up.

Keeping my mouth shut, I let Ceres speak next. She's a Career – she probably wants to get right to it. She probably wants to kill me off quickly, to her the sound of the Games announcer saying that she won. I'm just an obstacle in her way, something in her way from winning.

But, you know what?

She's an obstacle in my way. She's not the only one who has something to win for anymore. I have allies to win for – I have friends to win for. I have purpose.

I have meaning.

And for the first time in my life, I want this. I want something, with such a passion that is indescribable. If Ceres thinks that I'd let her stand in my way, then she is mistaken, just like everyone else was when I was reaped. They all thought that I'd be one of the first deaths, perishing right in the Bloodbath. But, here I am.

Here I am in the Finale, up against a Career from District Two.

"I'm not one to waste time, Katcia," Ceres says, her voice sounding hoarse. "You understand that, don't you?"

Nodding my head, I don't want to say anything else to her. The way she speaks to me says enough, the way she's trying to toy with my mind with her words. She takes a step forward, and when I don't move at all, the corner of her mouth twitches. She wants this just as bad as I do, doesn't she?

Of course she does.

We both didn't come this far to just lose… To just die, letting our ambitions and dreams die with us. We have purpose. We have something to fight for, something to defend. I have my allies – Silas, Halley, and Damaris. They are the reason I am here, the only reason I'm continuing to fight.

I'm here for them.

I'm here for us.

"Do you?" Ceres repeats, her voice gaining more control. It's not as shaky and dry as it was at first, an edge present in her voice. It's deeper than I remember. "Prolonging either of our deaths isn't what the Capitol wants."

Deep down, I wish it didn't have to end like this. Killing Evan was one thing, but killing Ceres will be another. Evan attacked my alliance first, threatening the safety of them. Ceres is defending herself – her pride, her District. I'm defending my dead allies, their legacy continuing on in me.

I'm all that's left of them.

But, what about Ceres' allies? Did they mean something to her too? They had to.

She takes another step, and then another. And before I know it, she's making her way towards me, not letting me reply back or comment on anything. With every step, her eyebrows furrow, her eyes locked right on me.

I gulp, bracing myself with the axe. It's heavy in my arms, but I hone in on all of my strength, knowing that this is what counts. I just have to be able to hold my own for a few minutes, then it'll all be over. All I have to do is kill her… I just have to kill her.

I have to kill her.

I don't have a choice.

"I can't die," I say out loud, mostly to myself, just to hear what it sounds like and to hear my voice. Ceres stops, switching the machete from her to right hand to her left hand. "I can't…"

"No one does," Ceres replies, raising her head upwards. She still looks at me, her whole posture seeming condescending. As if she's speaking down to me, her words enlightening me in some way. "But, I can't help you."

Then, Ceres breaks into a full on sprint, directed right at me. I don't think about jumping to the side, so when Ceres grapples me around my stomach, I don't do much except hold on to my axe. When we both fall down to the ground, I swing my axe aimlessly, my fist knocking into her arm.

She stabs the machete down into the ground, missing my head by only a few inches. Before she can rip it out of the ground, I knock the handle of the axe into the side of her neck, managing to get the weight of her off of me for a moment. I squirm out of her grasp, feeling something wrap around my ankle.

I plummet down again, immediately flipping myself over. She feels around on her belt, probably looking for a smaller weapon to deal with, but when she feels nothing, she directs her attention back on me. I push myself back, and once she comes near me, I swing the axe out in front of me.

I can't let her get too close.

That's how I let Evan get away. When he tried to slip away, to attack one of my allies… That's when I killed him. My weapon in his back, his body falling down afterwards. I didn't enough in that situation, and I can't make that same mistake twice.

This is my fight now.

And I know what I have to do.

From this angle on the ground, I can see that Ceres' eyes are bloodshot. The left one is twitching, seeming all puffy, probably from the fog. After pushing myself far enough, I lower my axe, feeling around for some dry dirt. When I find it, I scoop up a handful, letting Ceres come near me now.

When she's close enough, I toss the dirt right into her face. With a grunt, she throws her hands in front of her face, rubbing at her eyes. I manage to stand up, but by the time I am back up, she's already done with her eyes. It still looks like it's hurting, though, and that she's resisting the urge to itch it.

I can use this to my advantage.

"That's not my style," she comments, shaking her head, her hair falling down on the sides. She leaves it there, not wanting to get distracted again. It worked once, so it won't work again. "But, for you, I'll make an exception."

Before I know what she means, she kicks her boot up, mud from the bottom of it and from the ground spraying up at me. It splatters me in the face, and when she brings me down to the ground again, I'm not as fast as I was when reacting. The axe nearly slips out of my hand, but I grab onto it, throwing my left hand into her face. I push on her jaw, not letting her bring the machete down again.

She holds the hand with the machete in the air, trying to pin me down with her other one. When I find the eye that I just threw dirt into with my left hand, I push my fingers into it, the feeling of it nauseating. She snaps her head to the side, and as I look back at my hand, there's blood on it.

And then I see her face. A bloody eye, excruciating redness around it now. With gritted teeth, she sends her hand forward, coming into contact with the bottom of my chin. My head is pushed back, but I still resist, using all of the energy I have left to do so.

I can't… I can't let her do this to me.

She can't kill me.

Then, I feel that there's no weight on top of my arm with the axe. I can't see where the blade is, since she's pushing my head further back, but without thinking it through, I swing my hand to the side. It knocks into her head, pushing her right off of me. She falls to the side, and as I sit up, I see that she's pressing the side of her head with her hand. There's blood on it, dripping from the wound now in the side of her head.

"You…," she says, scrambling to find her machete. It's a few inches in front of her, and just as she reaches for it, I try to leap in front of her, but it doesn't work. She grabs the machete, slicing me right in the ankle – I was too late. Lifting up my foot, I don't put any pressure on it, the metal slicing right through the skin. Reactively, I bring my axe down, only slicing the top part of her hand. She still grasps onto her machete, ignoring anything I do to her.

Yelping in pain, I don't let myself fall down, seeing her still on the ground. She tries to swipe the machete again, but she misses this one, still not being able to get up. She lies there on the ground, the machete pointed right at me. Ceres is only able to see out of one of her eyes, her other hand still clasped around the side of her head.

"You," she says again, her voice almost a whisper. "You don't deserve it…"

Ceres' arm slowly lowers, the wound from her head doing more than I thought it did. There's a pool of blood around her, and as I look down at my own ankle, the grass underneath me is a maroon color. I limp forward, every step I take sending another rush of pain up through my leg, making me yelp again.

The machete slips out of her grasp.

The pressure on my ankle is hurting too much now, and as I drop down next to her, I don't do anything to move out of the way. The machete is not in her hand anymore, and when I try to raise my arm with the axe, I realize I don't have the energy for it anymore. I can't give up now… Not after all of this.

I'm almost there… I can't give up.

"I do," I whisper. "I do deserve it."

We're both laying on the ground now, our eyes staring right into one another's. My wound must have done more to her than I thought, as did hers. I barely feel my ankle anymore, my vision now getting an aftermath effect of her attack on me. She still stares right at me, so I stare back.

There's nothing else to do.

I don't have the energy… But, I have to do something. I have to kill her, don't I? That's the only way I'll win, and right now, she's down… This is my only chance. With every fiber in my body, I pull all of my energy together, feeling my body drift away as every second passes. It seems like I just want to sleep, to close my eyes.

The axe is raised over her neck now, and as she looks at the blade from the corner of her eye, she closes her eyes. Her body twitches once, the blood leaving a stained color on the side of her face. She opens her mouth to speak again, and as much as I don't want to hear it, I let her speak one last time.

"Good game, Katcia," she says, her voice drifting away, getting gradually softer. "Good game…"

With both of my hands, I bring the axe down on her neck, her cannon sounding immediately after. I leave the axe there, letting myself drop back down to the ground. I can't smile, I can't show any sign of satisfaction… There's too much pain, too much of the urge to let my body shut down.

I've done what I could… For my allies... For me...

And now it's time to go home.

"May I present to you the victor of the Sixtieth Annual Hunger Games – Katcia Elspeth of District Seven!"

District Two, Ceres Milani – Placed 2nd

District Seven, Katcia Elspeth – Placed 1st – Victor.

Author's Note:

Ceres Milani: She was a great character (I'm bad with words.) I loved how different she was; serious, confident but not arrogant, and judgmental. She was so critical of everyone, but I think she found her place in the story. She distanced herself from most tributes, except for her little alliance with Audric that didn't even last too long, but I think it was good for her. Obviously, she crossed my mind for victor, but at this point, it felt more right to let Katcia win. It was always up to Ceres and another tribute, so she had a lot going for her. 2nd place isn't awful, though, yeah?

And there you have it!

The victor of Shot in the Dark.

At this point, I save any remaining questions for the Epilogue chapter. There, you will be able to answer any last minute things I'm wondering. Some general comments on the deaths, POVs, or the story in general would be great to read.

Fun fact; This is the first time I had a two-person Finale. I usually prefer a three person one, but whatever, I wanted to change it up. Okay, enough of me rambling. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

On a side-note, it's raining right now. The weather people have said it was supposed to rain and thunderstorm all week, yet it hasn't rained once until today. Don't trust weather people anymore, seriously. They have one job and they lied to me for a few days in a row.

Cashmere67 is done here.