Apologies about another day off- I have laryngitis so I was at the GP. Anyway, chapter a day then missing out a couple isn't so bad, I suppose. Sorry anyways though :P
By the way, to American readers, a fringe is the equivalent of bangs... I think that's what they are...
POVS THIS CHAPTER
Cora Cooper, District 6 Female
Jerry Oldfield, District 11 Male
Cobain Renard, District 8 Male
Phlox Astridei, District 3 Female
CORA COOPER, DISTRICT 6 FEMALE
The first thing that occurs to me as I awaken is pain. All over my body, piercing into every pore... It's not agony or anything, nothing as severe as that. It's just an aching, throbbing pain that makes me groan.
Groggily, I sit up and glance around with bleary eyes. As I sit up I moan again; my whole body feels like it's made of lead. What happened? Most of my memories are slightly hazy, but I can remember faces and... and ants? Where'd ants come from? With a slight shiver, I shake my legs and arms out to rid them of pins and needles. Then, I begin to look around properly.
I'm in a cavern of about four metres square, with a flat roof. There's an odd glow coming from the other side of the room and I'm not really sure what it is... How did I get here? I can't honestly remember anything from the last twenty four hours. It's an oddly compact cavern... Like a square box. It's only then that I gasp.
Small spikes are sticking out of the walls and the ceiling, about three inches in length. They gleam in the strange light of the cavern, and it's only then that I look for the source of the strange, blue light.
On the other side of the room, there is a small table with seven... are they gems? They look like huge diamonds, the sort of thing they get from District 1. With a frown, I get up and make to walk over to them, but I step onto something soft. There is a grunt of pain.
Looking down, I spot Jerry lying on the floor, seemingly fast asleep. It was his hand who I trod on and, immediately, I feel a pang of fear. What have they got us here for? What do they want? There is a sick feeling in my stomach; I can't see a door. This is some sort of puzzle, I think. Another thing for the Capitol's entertainment.
Well, we're fucked, then. And not in a good way.
I lean down to shake Jerry awake, and slowly, his dark eyes open to look into mine. Immediately he groans and rubs his head.
"Shit, Cora, is that you?" he asks in a hoarse voice, and the whites of his eyes glint in the blue light. I nod slowly at him and extend my hand to help him up, and he takes it gratefully. Once he's up, he steps forwards, looking around in the cavern.
Alia and Julia are here too, I notice, and I wake them up too. Both have severe headaches, apparently, and neither look too happy to be woken up. However I pull them up anyway and, when they see where we are, they become quickly alert.
"What're we in here for?" says Alia quietly, and there is a twinge of nervousness in her voice. I feel somebody grabbing my hand and, looking down, I spot the little twelve year old from District 12 looking up at me with fear in her grey eyes. Squeezing her hand reassuringly, I walk over to the gemstones, pulling her along with me.
Alia looks at them in wonder. She runs her small hands over the table, feeling the hard, cool stone. I just watch her. However, as her hands get nearer and nearer to the gemstones, I can't help but feel a little foreboding. Grabbing her, I pull her backwards away from them. She opens her mouth to say something, but then the crackly tones of a transmitted voice stops us. Julia opens her mouth to say something, but Jerry shushes her. It's the voice of Claudius Templesmith, the Hunger Games announcer. There's a speaker somewhere in this room, and it's coming from there.
"Welcome to a little... challenge. You four are the unfortunates who have been chosen." I can almost see the leer on the Capitol man's face as he says these words, and I ball my fists angrily. It takes everything in me not to reach up and smash the speaker.
"What do you mean?" Jerry says, and although his voice is confident, it trembles a little. I glance at him, but there's nothing on his face to betray fear.
"Funny you should ask," the voice says in a rather sarcastic tone. "Can you see those seven gemstones over by the wall there?"
"Yes."
"In order to escape this cavern, you need to find the three gemstones that, when touched, will open up a trapdoor for you to escape through. However, there is a twist. Each one of you must have a correct gemstone to leave. Picking up any of the uncorrect five... Will electrocute you until your heart stops. At least one of you does not get out of here alive- there are only three gemstones that will free you, and there are four of you..."
We are all staring at each other in horror as the voice continues. I can feel my heart thumping hard against my chest- my God, this is a trap alright. Biting my lip, I stare at the others. They mean for us to betray each other during this, I can feel it in my bones. They want us to sabotage each other; only three get out alive? So that means either I, or one of my allies, is going to die in here.
"Oh yes, and don't delay," the voice makes me jump as I was not expecting it. Composing myself, I take a deep breath and listen to the rest of the message. "The walls will be slowly closing in. After three minutes, they will crush whoever is left in here to death. Begin."
Then, there is a low rumble and the sound of dragging as the walls begin to slowly come in towards us. Those deadly sharp spikes getting closer and closer... For a few seconds I just stare at my allies, trying to work out who is going to betray me and who is not...
Suddenly, as one, we all sprint over to the table and crowd around it, staring in horror at the gemstones. Four of them will kill us, three of them will let us go... Which of the four of us will be the one squished to death? Or, we could all pick the wrong ones and die... Shit, shit, shit!
Taking a deep breath, Alia hitches her breath as she leans forward, reaching her hand out... I feel my heart thumping faster and faster as her hand grows ever nearer to the gemstone, a look of terror on her face...
Then, she grips it and lets out a sharp squeal as she does so... But nothing happens. Slowly, a look of relief comes onto her face, as a trap door opens beneath her and she vanishes back into the labyrinth. Although I'm pleased that my young, sweet ally got to safety, I can't help but curse her. Only two safe gemstones left now.
The walls are closing in closer and closer, the deadly sharp spikes getting closer and closer... The room, once about four metres square, is only about three metres square now if that... I gulp as the razor sharp spikes come closer and closer to us.
Julia is the next to lean forwards and attempt to grab one- I don't know why, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Electrocution or being squished to death aren't exactly easy things to choose between... However, as Julia grips a gemstone and a trap door opens for her, I feel the pressure getting deeper and deeper.
It's only me and Jerry left now. Either one, or both of us, is going to die.
JERRY OLDFIELD, DISTRICT 11 MALE
I watch Cora closely; there is a spark of terror in her dark eyes. Honestly, it's strange to have her as my opponent now. Either one or both of us is going to die, but I can't help but cling to the instinctive hope that it will be her rather than me. I feel a pang of guilt.
"Cora, I'm sorry..." I whisper to her, and she gives me a rather cold look. The look you give an enemy- it's rather strange for kind, gentle Cora to be giving me a look like that. Not the most pleasant feeling in the world.
"Nothing to be sorry for." she says in a voice much gentler than her eyes. I'm not quite sure which part of her to believe. Slowly, we both glance towards the table with the gemstones, and I feel my heart pumping even faster against my ribcage. I swallow.
Shutting my eyes, I reach out towards a gemstone and wait for the feeling of electrocution to run through me... The gemstone feels funny, with a rough, slightly bumpy surface. I can practically feel the energy coming off it as I grip it in my hand...
But nothing is electrocuting me. And I feel absolute horror as I feel myself dropping away. Looking at Cora with wide eyes, I see the terror in her face and, twisting around, I realise that it's not only me who is dropping away... The table is dropping away with me, along with the gemstones. That means... that means...
Cora is going to be crushed to death.
"NO!" I scream out, agonised, and I hear her echoing my scream as she realises what is going to happen to her. Again and again she screams, as I find myself in a tunnel in the labyrinth that I vaguely recognise beside Alia and Julia who are both looking melancholy. Seeing me, and the look of disgust and horror on my face, Julia reaches out... I won't let her die!
Leaping to my feet, I begin to bang on the ceiling, screaming her name again and again as loudly as I can.
"CORA! CORA!"
But it's no use. There is the sound of metal on metal as the spikes begin to jam together around her, and then there is the disgusting, terrible sound of ripping flesh. Her screams get even louder and louder as I bang on the ceiling, screaming her name, trying to reach her.
The sound of ripping flesh is so terrible, and I can hear the blood splattering on the floor as the spikes begin to rip through her.
"NO! NO, PLEASE!" Cora screams, and soon her shrieks are reduced to sobs and howls as she loses the ability to even make words with whatever is left of her throat. Then, there is a clang as the walls hit each other, the spikes hit each other...
Boom!
I just stare upwards in absolute horror. How... how could this have happened? Hot, wet tears begin to dribble down my cheeks as I hear Julia and Alia's terrified sobs behind me. Cora. No. She can't be dead, she just can't be.
She'll be riddled with holes now, not much left of her body. She's... my God, I can't believe the Games could even be that brutal and disgusting. Could they even show it on the television? Wouldn't they have to censor it or something? My... my God.
Cora. I can't believe it. And I as good as killed her...
I sink to my knees.
COBAIN RENARD, DISTRICT 8 MALE
"Alright, so we need to get wire from the Cornucopia?" Thorn says, frowning. Ever since the cannon this morning we've all been on our toes; who was it? Who did it? There hasn't been a death in a couple of days, so I guess it was slightly lucky. If the Capitol doesn't get enough deaths, they begin to get bored... And a bored Capitol is not what we need when we're trying to survive.
Matthis nods, pursing his lips. He's been working all night on it, refusing to let me or Thorn do anything. Honestly, you have to wonder how he hasn't fallen asleep yet. There are huge black rings around his eyes, and his lips are bleeding from how hard he's been biting them. His nails are nibbled down to stubs. And yet, he still won't tell us the extent of his plan.
"I need enough wire to create a very large circuit. And it's possible there won't be enough." he admits, running his hands through his hair. He seems to have aged in the last twenty four hours alone- he's more like a little old man than anything else. Thorn and I exchange an amused look.
Rummaging in my pack, I pull out a couple of crackers. Most of our food from the Cornucopia has gone off, so we're lucky to still have all this dried stuff. I throw a cracker to both of them and bite into my own- it's disgustingly dry. However, we cannot waste water. My stomach growls, and they both burst into laughter.
I scowl. It's not my fault I'm not exactly used to not having enough food, being a Victor's son.
"Stick it up your ass." I say, rolling my eyes. There isn't much venom there though, really- I can't blame them. Grinning, I take another bite of the cracker.
"I think 'Polly Wanna Cracker'." smirks Thorn, doing her impression of a parrot voice. I laugh and scoop up a handful of pebbles to throw at her, but stop at the last moment, making her chuckle. I turn back to Matthis.
"There will probably be a feast soon," I tell him, gritting my teeth. The idea of a feast is both a curse and a blessing; it's entirely probable there will be deaths, but we need that wire. Then again, there could be enough wire in the Cornucopia.
It's just highly improbable.
"And if there's a feast, Sponsors might give us wire." I continue. Although I highly doubt we're going to get Sponsors any time soon, since we haven't really done much in the way of killing people. We need to find a way to do something and fast.
"Cobain, sing." Matthis commands, pushing his fringe out of his eyes. For a few moments I just stare at him, eyebrows raised. Then, I shake my head. The entire nation has already sung, and a shitload of good that got us. Then again, who knows? Maybe my singing got us these watches.
"Matthis, do a little dance." I reply shortly, and he laughs. Rolling his eyes, he shoots me one of his rather lopsided smiles.
"Alright, alright," he says. Then, he takes a deep breath. "Well, I don't know what else we can really do, unless you want me to make another alarm clock..."
We both turn towards Thorn, wanting another idea. Even though her ideas tend to be the most irrational and occasionally stupid, neither of us have anything. Usually she would have said something by now though, being her. I like her chattiness, and her inability to shut up. She kind of fills in for my usual lack of talking... It's strange, here in the Games, I've talked to people a lot more. Been more open. I'm just thinking this, when I realise that Thorn is very close to me.
Extremely close in fact. Her face is mere centimetres away from mine. And, before I can say anything, her lips meet mine. My eyes wide open, I stare cross-eyed at her as she continues kissing me. Her eyes are shut.
After a few moments of feeling shocked and rather intimidated by her kiss, I find myself warming up to it. It actually isn't too bad, and I actually begin to respond. Eventually, she pulls away and gives me a warm look.
I just stare back, shell-shocked.
"I'm going to try and find some water," she says, and walks out of the cavern with a little sway to her hips. I just stare after her, eyes wide. My hair must be frizzing to the extreme- I must look like I've been electrocuted. Before she exits, however, she mutters under her breath, "That's how to bloody well get sponsors."
Matthis and I are completely silent for a few moments after she leaves the cavern. Very slowly, I turn round to face him. There is an equally shocked look on his own face as mine.
"Did that actually just happen?" I ask and, with a curse, realise that my voice is about ten octaves higher than usual.
"I... I don't know."
PHLOX ASTRIDEI, DISTRICT 3 FEMALE
I sit by the Cornucopia on my own. All of the other Careers have gone off to hunt the tributes, and I'm alone... Actually, it's rather surprising they've trusted me alone with all the supplies. I could just take off and go and find Sceptor or somebody else who I like.
After a few moments, movement by the door on the left of the labyrinth makes me turn towards it, heart beating fast. Who could it be? Deep in my heart I know who it is, but I grip an axe in one hand and a machete in the other as I advance towards the door... A dark figure moves out of the shadows at the sight of me, and a smirk comes onto my face. It's exactly who I expected.
"Hello, Sceptor."
He moves out of the shadows, and I take all of him in: his crazy hazel eyes, his long, curly dark hair and the dried blood smeared all over his face and clothes... The picture of a madman. So why is it so funny that I think he's absolutely beautiful, since I'm something of a madwoman myself? He grins at me.
"I didn't know if the other Careers would still be here." he says quietly, walking towards the Cornucopia. I follow him, weapons by my sides. But I do not let go- I'm not stupid enough to trust him. Not quite that stupid.
"They're off. Hunting you." I shoot him a slightly nervous glance. What if they come back and find us together? They'll kill the both of us, and I don't think I stand much chance against James, Norelle or Damascus. Maybe I could take Emmeline, maybe I couldn't. I'm not going to underestimate her.
"Fanastic. I'm starving. Is there any food left?" he does not mention the meat he gave us. I can't help but feel a little angry- I pretended to faint so he could make a clean getaway! Alright, it slightly blew back in my face, but...
"I pretended to faint so you could get away," I snarl, stepping in front of him. His cold, rather empty eyes stare straight into mine. "Got anything to say? Anything at all? I saved your life."
For a few seconds he just stares at me, then he brings his face in very close to mine. His forehead presses against mine as he gazes deep into my eyes. His hands find mine, and my weapons clatter to the floor. How could anyone have this damned effect on me? So stupid, Phlox, so fucking stupid... Then, I find the words coming out of me before I can even control them.
"Take me with you, Sep. I think I might just love you."
We are silent for a couple of moments. He doesn't look at me, then he steps away, shaking his head. I feel a pang in my heart. "We're in a Games to kill each other, Phlox," he says, in a slightly cool tone. "Push your feelings aside. How old are you... thirteen?"
"Fourteen. Fifteen in two weeks." I shoot back at him, trying to contain my anger. So he's going to label me by age is he, God damn him?! He gives me an apologetic look and steps forwards to push a strand of hair out of my face.
"Exactly. If you win these Games, you're going to grow up and find yourself a husband in District 3. We're both just kids. God..." he takes a step backwards and, taking a deep breath, cries out to the entire cavern. "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!"
I step forwards to shush him, but he's laughing. The manic look is back in his eyes again as he turns to me and, before I know it, he's kissing me. He tastes like fresh blood and that delicious meat that was apparently "poisoned", and I never want to stop kissing him. When we finally move apart, he gives me a small smile.
"You can come with me if you want." he says in a small voice. Very, very slowly and tentatively, he extends his hand. It's smothered in dried blood, almost completely red. I reach out my hand and take his.
Bit of a romantic comedy horror, this story... Jeez, I need a cigarette after writing this. And I don't even smoke!
Review s'il vous plait (yep, I'm being French. I failed my french test today because I didn't study... oops...)