So, I was going to update on New Year's Eve, but I have plans for that whole day, so here it is, three days early!
Chapter 24
Violet POV
"There. See it?"
I squint, resting my hand on an oak tree. A black goose, waddling in circles. It's a good five, maybe six yards away. I point at it and turn to Bethany.
Bethany's arm brushes against mine. She holds back her trident, taking careful aim. With a small grunt, she releases it. It whizzes through the air and rips through the goose's neck. It honks one last time then topples over. A clean kill.
Sometimes Bethany can scare the hell out of me like that. She's so sweet and funny and sarcastic, but strong and capable of killing someone easily when she's got enough bloodlust. Jace Hale enters my mind and I remember his violent death.
"Now I see why you got a ten," I say.
"That was just pure luck."
"Why are you so self-deprecating?"
"I'm not self-deprecating. I'm modest."
"Modest about everything," I say, resting my forehead on hers. "You have no idea how annoying that is."
"Why's that?"
"You should be proud of something you're good at. Or something you're lucky enough to have." Our noses are touching.
"Like how I have you? Should I brag about that?" Her breath is on my lips, then she gives me tiny kisses on the corner of my mouth.
"That's a good start." I turn her face gently with my hands and kiss her. Her lips linger on mine. "But," I continue. "we need to focus right now. Starting with the goose."
"Right... I guess my trident's a little more important, too." We start walking out in the open.
"Just a little bit more." I joke lightly.
"No need to be sarcastic," she replies.
"There's always some reason to be sarcastic."
"Aw, I'm sorry, I must have offended you, seeing that sarcasm is your service to the world." She gives me a big, crooked smile.
Bethany picks up her trident and cleans it with her shirt. I examine the goose.
"No poison leaking out of it, looks like it's okay to eat."
"Good. We have lunch."
Thank God for sponsors. Bethany gains a lot, since she's from District Four. Even I have a couple, not counting Mitzey. But we've been gaining more and more sponsor gifts since I came out. Perhaps they see us as star-crossed lovers. Hey, the same thing happened to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Tributes have been copying that angle ever since. But what we have is real. I'm sure of it.
"Hello?"
"What" I ask.
"You were spacing out again." She grins mischievously. "Thinking of something?"
"Ha ha. I was actually thinking about our sponsors. How we got so many."
"Oh, that. They love star-crossed lovers. But we are a little different from that."
"Just a bit." I say. She giggles.
Suddenly, Harry Donnolly's voice fills the arena.
"Hello! As you know, we are in Day 10 of the 713th Annual Hunger Games. There are six tributes remaining. They are Silver Aarons of District One. Vera Alexander of District Two. Bethany Crow of Four. Heath Lakeland of Six. And Flame Hart and Violet James of Seven. I am reminding you that explosives have been set in the arena and will go off any second. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
"Huh?" I say.
"Explosives. Wasn't that in the 700th Hunger Games?" Bethany asks. "It was definitely a Quell..."
"Where would they plant explosives?" I ask.
"Hey, if there's a will, a Gamemaker always finds a way. We just need to be on the lookout and to be on our-"
BOOM!
A large boulder explodes, sending smaller rocks flying everywhere. They roll over to my feet. We look at each other in shock.
"-Toes," Bethany finishes.
Another rock explodes and the debris almost hits Bethany but I pull her out of the way just in time.
All of a sudden, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Explosives echo in the air, from all over the arena. And it's loud.
"Come on!" I shout.
"The goose!" she shouts back. Hastily, I stuff the goose into her new blue backpack.
There's another explosion, this time, it's from the ground. We stumble from the vibration of the ground as dirt flies up, covering us.
We sprint back into the forest, which is now going down in ruins. As we run, everything is a green blur, speckled with orange. Fake trees explode and the others catch fire.
I unwillingly slow down and Bethany notices. She tugs at my hand, wordlessly urging me on. But I'm quickly losing strength. Nonetheless, I push on.
We pass by a pond and Bethany skids to a halt.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing, it's a stupid idea. I was going to say we can hide underwater, but you can't swim..." I notice the water bubbling.
"Look out!" I pull her away from the pond. Water shoots into the air like a geyser. We keep running but then I trip over something.
"Ow." I notice it's a body. "He's dead. Maybe his cannon went off during an explosion."
"It's Silver. What was he doing here?" asks Bethany.
"No time for that." I leap up, grab Bethany's hand and we start sprinting out of the forest.
We make it out, leaving the forest in ruins. Many of the trees collapse and continue to burn.
"I don't think they're going to get Silver's body now," I huff.
"I think they're after me. The Careers," she pants.
"Why?"
"Betrayed them, stole supplies and killed their leader, remember?"
"You killed Wish?"
She nods. "I never told you that?"
"No... I love you even more now!" I exclaim.
She smirks. "Hey, the caves are up ahead! But..."
I set my eyes on the caves and those too, are in ruins. But then I set my eyes on something else. Another body.
"No..." I let go of Bethany and run ahead. A feeling of dread grows bigger as I get closer to the body. I leap down next to the body skinning my knees.
I can hardly recognize him. His body is covered in blood and is twitching violently. His breathing is labored. I look down in horror and see a growing puddle of blood where his leg should be.
"Oh no," Bethany gasps, who I didn't even notice catch up with me.
All I recognize is the blue eyes and the shaggy blond hair.
I shake him. "Can you hear me?" I ask.
"V-Violet," Flame stutters. "My knife-backpack..."
"Bethany," I say.
"On it." She grabs the backpack.
"T-take all of it," Flame gasps. "Beth- you take c-care of Violet."
"Done," Bethany says solemnly.
"V-Violet, thank you for b-being my only real friend..."
"Flame..." I say. Tears spring in my eyes and almost blind my vision. My once-enemy, my ally, my friend, almost like a brother, dying in front of me.
"Go on..." His body goes limp.
"Violet, let's go!"
I get up slowly looking at Flame. Then we sprint west. In the distance, I hear a faint boom, and know that it's Flame's cannon.
WAHHHHHHHHH! I hated having to kill off Flame! But it's the Hunger Games, and there can only be one winner so... (wipes tear) Okay, I'm good. I'm good.
Alive
Vera Alexander, District 2
Bethany Crow, District 4
Heath Lakeland, District 6
Violet James, District 7
Dead
Silver Aarons, District 1: Killed during explosions
Wish Sparks, District 1: Throat slit by Bethany Crow
Taylor Clark, District 2: Beheaded by Violet James
Riley Samuels, District 3: Stabbed in the neck with a knife by Wish Sparks
Electra Embers, District 3: Choked by Caleb Caldwell
Matthew Waters, District 4: Accidentally ate nightlock
Daniel Jones, District 5: Stepped off plate before Games started; disintergrated
Elaine Greene, District 5: Stabbed in chest with a sword by Silver Aarons
Alexandria Sandstorm, District 6: Killed by Wish Sparks in Bloodbath (Death not shown)
Flame Hart, District 7: Hit by an explosion, got leg torn off
Zach Upwood, District 8: Drowned in flash flood when dam broke
Gabriella Tannar, District 8: Killed by Wish Sparks in Bloodbath (death not shown)
Nathan Hawkley, District 9: Neck snapped by Flame Hart in Bloodbath
Xia Fields, District 9: Stabbed in stomach with Wish Sparks' knife by Riley Samuels
Peter Martinez, District 10: Beheaded by Taylor Clark in Bloodbath (death not shown)
Ophelie Walker, District 10: Beheaded by Taylor Clark in Bloodbath (death not shown)
Caleb Caldwell, District 11: Drowned in flash flood when dam broke
Kalliope Caldwell, District 11: Knife to the forehead by Vera Alexander
Jace Hale, District 12: Stabbed twice in back with a trident by Bethany Crow
Melody Kane, District 12: Knife in the back by Violet James during Bloodbath
Mark Raymonds, District 13: Killed by Matthew Waters (death not shown)
Evangeline Harr, District 13: Killed by Vera Alexander in Bloodbath (death not shown)
Songs for Chapter:
~Blow by Ke$ha (only song by her I like)
~Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars (Can't stop listening to it!)
~LDD