Chapter 21 Last Man Standing
Bobby Jean "Blight" Oakley, District 7 Male
It was still nighttime when they got to the feast, the sky was dark and they had to rely on the street lights to cast yellowish rings of light on the road which flashed by as they passed. "Feast, up ahead," Sabine noted and slowed down. She shut off her headlights and crept slowly. They came to a secluded clearing otherwise surrounded by dark leafy trees, a small park with a picture-perfect park bench leaning against the wrought metal fence that bordered the greenery. They could even hear the gentle lapping of the waves came from the shore.
"Get low Blight, you don't know where they're hiding."
He shuddered and clutched his stomach as if he felt sick. Call it an omen but he had a bad feeling about the events that were about to transpire. With one hand clutching the side of the window he risked a peep out to see the towering stacks of the boxes of bullets stacked neatly as Claudius Templesmith had promised.
"Which ones do you need?" she whispered.
"The ones labeled 0.22 long rifle," he whispered back, "they're in beige boxes with a green label running across the top with white letters."
They drove at a crawl pace, searching for the boxes he described.
"Ok, I see them." She stalled the car next to the pile and looked around cautiously, wondering if it was a trap and they were going to be ambushed any time.
They waited a while, listening for the crunch of footsteps and the crack of gunshots but there was nothing but the quiet chirping of a few crickets.
Blight hurriedly opened the door, reached a hand out and grabbed a few boxes. Then he slammed the door shut again, breathing heavily from the exhilaration.
He opened his gun and jammed the bullets in and gave it a click. There. Locked and loaded.
"If anyone was here they would be shooting at us before we even loaded up again, but maybe they're just trying to make us get our guard down?" Sabine suggested.
"I dunno, only one way to find out." And with that, Blight yanked open the door, strode out and shot a few rounds in every direction. Sabine gave a shriek and ducked but he ignored her.
He was only greeted with silence. With only the courage of a lion or the utter stupidity of a fool, he sifted through the boxes until he found the ones labeled 'Astra 400'.
"Here," he re-loaded her gun for her and handed it to his trembling ally. "We might actually be the first ones to arrive, now let's get the hell out."
She nodded tersely when suddenly, a rustle in the trees made them both freeze.
"What was that?" she whispered.
"I dunno, but if it's another tribute they'd probably just arrived." They waited for a tribute to burst through the bushes but nothing appeared.
"Sabine stay here, I'll take care of it," he muttered before stalking off. She tried to protest but he ignored her, heart-pounding as he was tired of knowing there were still three tributes out there after his blood and if only he could take one out would mean one less tribute to worry about.
Blight ran into the bushes, heart racing with adrenaline. The branches and shrubs scratched at his arms and face but he barely felt them. How many tributes were left now? Three others. Also, it was a feast meaning the Gamemakers wanted the Game to end, and soon. With every tribute armed with a gun and bullets galore at the feast, it was anybody's game.
Unable to help himself, he thought about Sabine, the only girl left. It would be easy, even for her to just shoot them all down and go home herself. He shook his head and slapped himself in both cheeks, immediately feeling guilty for even thinking of her that way. She was the one who was so adamant about escaping the arena, and she just didn't have the killer instinct in her-he trusted his gut feeling about that.
Seeing nothing that could have been a tribute, Blight stumbled through the thickets on his way back. The grit and stone of the pathway crunched under his feet but he only hurried faster, unwilling to leave his ally defenseless for too long.
When he burst out the clearing the he first thing he saw was Sabine, braced against the back of the car and in the clear light of the shining moon, he saw the tears streaking down her face.
"Don't come any closer, I'll shoot," she sobbed, holding her pistol in both hands.
"Sabine, what?" he gasped in shock. His stomach roiled in protest and he could feel the sour taste of acid in his mouth.
Her eyes popped open. "Blight!" and she pulled the trigger. The shot went wide, way over his shoulder. It was enough for him, and without thinking, he shot her straight through the chest.
Her body slumped back and slid down the car, her mouth open in surprise, red blooming over her chest. "Be-behind you," she stammered weakly.
And then the cannon went off.
Before what happened had a chance to sink in, the sound of footsteps and a chilly voice behind him whispered, "Was it me she was aiming for?"
Blight whirled around to see a boy with dark hair and a deadly, steely look in his eyes approach, weapon in hand.
He looked up. A million thoughts whirled through his head, still reeling over having to kill Sabine before it settled on one. The boy in front of him was going to kill him.
For a moment he was frozen, staring at his opponent. His eyes roamed from his black hair, grim jaw to the weapon in his hand.
"What's with that look, missed me, hombre?"
It was the boy from Four, he thought numbly.
Marlin laughed and lunged, stabbing his fishing spear in Blight's general direction.
He jumped out of the way and fired two shots right into his chest. The other boy recoiled and stumbled back, but otherwise stayed on his feet and glared at him.
Blight's eyes widened and he nearly dropped his gun in surprise. He took a step back. What kinda goddamed witchery is this?
The other boy, grinning manically darted around to the side and hurled another spear at him but Blight ducked, and high on adrenaline, his body began to move instinctively in self-preservation mode. He did a barrel roll and unleased a spray of bullets in the other boy's direction, hitting his arms, legs, torso, and feet but he might as well been spitting watermelon seeds for all it did.
"Stop wasting your time hombre," the boy laughed and spread his arms open wide in a 'come at me' gesture. "In this arena my body is untouchable." The way his voice rose and fell and his pupils dilated until his eyes were almost completely black alerted Blight to the fact he wasn't completely there.
He licked his lips nervously. Why wasn't his attack working?
Blight backed away nervously, afraid of this seemingly invincible enemy.
The boy, smiling in a deranged manner sauntered slowly towards Sabine's body and pried her gun from her lifeless fingers.
Not wanting to wait for him to use it, Blight turned and ran faster than he had ever run in his life. It was pure instinct, he couldn't even feel his legs or his lungs, he was so numb it began to feel like a dream, a very bad dream. Slowly at first, he became aware of a salty taste in his mouth and realized that he must have been crying. He closed his eyes and saw Sabine's, staring at him accusingly and unblinkingly.
Blight let out a scream as he ran. Where, he didn't know, he just had to get as far away from there as possible. He cried, tears falling down his face, body cold and shivering. He had just killed an ally he should have had more trust in.
Marlin didn't seem to bother chasing after him, maybe he wanted to wait for the other tributes to arrive, he didn't know. Blight tripped over something and went sprawling.
Instead of getting up he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and sobbed, wanting more than anything for his ma to hold him and tell him he was alright.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go, he and Sabine were supposed to make it out of the arena and find one of the out-District countries, or even if they had to play it should have been another tribute killing her while he held her hand and comforted her in her last moments.
Never, ever, was it supposed to be like this, him killing her while her last words were only to try and help him. He rocked on the ground crying, just like the victor from last year until his tears ran out and he couldn't catch his breath.
He looked off into the distance and saw the metal claw come down, taking Sabine's limp body.
No. This was all wrong. He took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to block his mind from it. A cold voice whispered to him that he could win. Focus on the Games, he had already killed another tribute, why couldn't he do it again? It dawned on him thar he could actually do it now, he could actually get out alive by being the victor. He started thinking like a strategist, what would the best move be?
Get to high ground.
He turned his head to the distance and noticed tall structures. With a sad furrow between his eyes he got up and staggered towards them.
Nikolaos "Niko" Egret, District 2 Male
Almost there, he could see the stacks of boxes like pyramids illuminated by the streetlights coming closer into view, and then the girl from Six and boy from Seven's car too, doors wide open and empty. Before he could puzzle out where they were hiding a sharp crack and thud caused him to turn his head. He almost let go of the steering wheel in shock.
Marlin gave a deranged sort of laugh and pulled his spear out the window, the cracks spread like a spidar's web from the puncture and he awkwardly knelt on the hood to draw his spear back for another attack.
Niko spun the wheel from side to side and slammed on the brakes in an attempt to shake him off but it was no use. With the windshield completely shattered Marlin crawled in, a queer smile on his face. Niko had seen tributes like this before in previous Games, tributes who have let the Games get into their minds just snapped and gone feral. There was no reasoning with him.
Niko yanked open the door and tried to scramble away just as Marlin's hand grabbed his collar and tumbled out of the car with him. Through the corner of his eye he could see the car driving itself straight over the harbour and into the water where it disappeared with a splash.
Well that's that, he thought deliriously as Marlin overpowered him easily and felt his death grip around his collar pulling him to his feet. Niko's hands desperately tried to push away Marlin's fingers clenched around his throat but Marlin's rage had given strength and he was too weak.
"Bastardo! You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment to make you pay," he snarled.
"I'm not going to just kill you, death is too good for scum like you I'm going to make you suffer until you beg me to kill you!" His grip tightened around Niko's neck.
Niko gasped, his head feeling light and black spots appearing in front of his eyes. He could barely hear Marlin but at the rate he was going Marlin was going to be disappointed if he wanted to play with his kill.
Suddenly Marlin's eyes widened in surprise and Niko felt the grip around his neck slacken. A gurgling noise came from Marlin's mouth as he fell backwards and Niko hit the floor with a thump. He was dimly aware of the sound of a cannon going off somewhere.
He coughed and took a full minute to gulp air rapidly into his lungs. When the haze lifted and his vision stopped swimming he turned to Marlin's body and noticed an arrow sticking out of what was left of his back. There was a sunken depression of exposed flesh and bone, burn marks around the border where skin was barely attached.
What the-
"They had explosive arrows at the feast."
He looked up to see Raven, bow drawn and staring at him expectantly.
"What are you waiting for? I'm right here." He knew Raven couldn't shoot him.
As expected Raven lowered his bow hesitantly.
"I still need you. To help me with the boy from Seven."
Niko got to his feet shakily. "What, the redneck?"
"Yeah. Are you going to help me or what?"
Niko paused and gave him a lopsided grin. Once again he felt a surge of gratitude to the boy he saved his life for the second time in the arena. "Sure."
Raven Everdeen, District 12 Male
The still of the air was broken by the crunching of grass. A hand broke through the bushes and two dark-haired boys stepped out and into the clearing. Boxes and boxes of metal shells and bullets, Raven watched Niko sort through them until he found what he needed.
His eyes swept the area, hardened heart coldly noting the bloodstains on the ground and across the side of the car. He shuddered and turned his head away. He walked to the other side of the towering stacks and warily checked his surroundings. Nothing except for those strange pigeons watching politely for as far as the eye can see. He bent down at the ground, and saw discernible footprints, leading away from the feast and followed it with his eyes to shadowy tall structures off in the distance.
"He's probably over there." Niko pointed with his chin. "Getting to high ground so he has the aerial advantage would be the best thing to do."
They both set off in a brisk walk through the dewy grass, no point putting off the inevitable.
The first gunshot came when he was several feet away from the tall metal rods structures. Raven quickly jumped back and squinted to see the shooter step out, a lanky, fair-haired boy. The boy from Seven. The boy eyed him with grim contempt and pulled the brim of his hat backwards.
Raven skittered back behind the neighbouring tower. As long as the boy was on higher ground, he would have the aerial advantage. He noticed a ladder on the shielded side and began climbing gestured to Niko. He reached the metal platform, the perimeter of some swollen drum with a cone roof. He slid on his belly and crawled forward until he was facing the boy from Seven. The sound of metallic footsteps, padding up from behind, the rustle of clothing and the thud of a body next to him told him that Niko wasn't far behind. His father had told him the old lore that to be sure your shot kills a man, you have to be able to see the white of his eyes.
Although it was dark right now, they were bathed by the light of the moon and Raven could make out the colour of his shirt, the glint of the rifle in his hands, and wide in terror, the whites of his eyes.
Clenching his jaw, he nocked an arrow in his bow and whirled himself to his feet, releasing his shot and dropping back down on his stomach. He heard a small explosion and risked a peek at the damage in front of him. A charred black circle was left behind on the swollen drum on his side.
Pik pik pik
He ducked and heard several bullets land over his head, imbedding themselves on the metal wall behind him.
"Ok, on the count of three we run to opposite sides and start shooting together. He doesn't know we're both up here so the confusion will give us a few extra seconds," Niko hissed.
Raven nodded.
Three!
The two boys jumped to their feet and ran to opposite directions, stopped, and fired straight at Blight.
He ducked out of sight, both Raven's exploding arrows and Niko's artillery hitting the wall where he should have been. The combined attack was enough to puncture the metallic drum, sending a steady stream of water gushing out.
Suddenly, a hacking and soaked Blight got back on his feet and continued his relentless assault. He was good, really good, Raven realized. Even two against one he was holding his own and he quickly realized that even with Capitol-enhanced explosive arrows, he had brought the proverbial sword to a gunfight.
Raven licked his lips and drew three arrows from his quiver, his fingers shaking when he realized that if anybody won, it wouldn't be him.
He heard more gunshots, but realized they came from his own tower, it was Niko shooting rapid-fire. Raven got up hastily to provide support, but an errant bullet his way caused him to swerve to the side to avoid it.
A/N
Still in play:
Niko
Blight
Raven