this has been without a doubt my favorite chapter to write so far, I hope you like it
I gave my hand for you to hold
I gave my love that you went and sold
Exchanged our song for another
Can't blame this sad flame that once glowed like no other
Kinley Mathers - District Six Female
Mere seconds after the sun crested over the arena I'm ambushed by a flock of what I thought were typical pigeons. I was very wrong. The birds have razor sharp beaks and continually swoop down to gouge some of my skin out. I scramble for my knives and take one in each hand. I fling the metal blades quickly and they each find the throat of a bird.
My fingers struggle to find my gear. Everything is scattered, I was not prepared for this. I quickly lash on my throwing knife vest and throw my backpack on my shoulder. The cannister holding my feast stays secure on the backpack. I received a map, not exactly the most helpful thing, but it's better than how lost I've felt in the arena. Yet it's no help in this situation. When I reach to roll up my backpack a particularly large bird dive bombs into my hand. It takes off part of my pinky.
The pain is immediate and blood starts spurting from the nub that was my pinky. I rip a knife from my vest and quickly stab the bird in the neck, killing it instantly. My eyes water with tears of pain as I stand up swinging a knife around wildly. Forget my sleeping bag, it's not worth another part of my finger.
I decide to head south away from the cornucopia and the center of the arena. My legs pump wildly as I sprint, but the birds only seem to be more vicious. I'll swing and take off a wing but then two more will fill its space. Small nicks of pain cover my body and I feel the slick heat of blood oozing down my legs and neck. Adrenaline keeps my mind off the missing pinky knuckle but I know it's in extreme pain too.
Then it dawns on me why these damn mutts are attacking me. They're trying to herd me somewhere. I hold still and take a few tentative steps in every direction. When I take a few steps north the birds seem to offer the slightest respite. The birds are pushing me to someone. When I calmly walk north the birds mostly leave me alone. Yes, they're omnipresent but they're not trying to kill me. I take the time to quickly chug as much water as I can and eat an apple for energy. I pull out a bandage and wrap my finger the best I can. I'm just glad it's on my left hand. I can still throw.
Eventually the birds spurn me to walk faster and faster until I'm just running. They fly right by my head threatening me. They taunt me, 'if you slow down for even a second we will end you.' I'm reminded of the power of those who put me in here.
It's only a few minutes until I reach the cornucopia, though the birds keep pushing me towards the giant library on the western end. I obey their wishes, not that I have a choice. Even as I walk through the door the birds follow me in direct me to the elevator. I push the button and the door immediately opens. A single bird follows me into the elevator and uses its beak to hit the top floor button. As soon as I start to rise the bird dies and falls to the floor.
My stomach churns as my nerves start to act up. It's just like the bloodbath. I'm rising on a pedestal to fight for my life. Except this time I don't know who is waiting for me. Is it Aurora with her bow strung ready to shoot? Is it Caius cracking his knuckles ready to crush me with his giant fists? Or is it some random unlucky tribute who made it this far on sheer dumb luck.
It doesn't matter. I'll kill them.
The elevator comes to a halt and my stomach flips one last time as the doors fling open. I don't immediately see anyone so I take the time to take my backpack off and grab two knives, I'm ready for whoever is waiting for me.
Another ding gets my attention. The elevator next to me opens, light footsteps echo in the room. I inhale slowly and step out of my elevator.
"You?" I say incredulous. Aquamarine Rizzoni stands before me holding a pair of knives. She gives me a cruel smile with venomous eyes.
"I was hoping it was you. I know your secret Kinley. No amount of poison or knife throwing will take me down." My body immediately bursts into a cold sweat. She knows. I try to play it cool as I reply.
"Isn't it a little late for that Aquamarine? My secrets will die with you."
"No they won't." Another voice, a man's voice, comes from behind a bookshelf. Ripley Harker steps out, a giant sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Aquamarine laughs.
"This is perfect. The exact two people I was looking for. It's about time I got to take you out." She twirls her knives in each hand quickly, but with ease. This really is a game to her. Ripley and I slowly walk together, an unspoken bond against any career bringing us together. Though I'll kill him if I have to.
My ears pound with blood and my heart feels like it might beat out of my chest. But I tamp down my nerve and hone in on my target. I have a total of nine throwing knives without the three I lost in the mutt attack, more than Aqua.
"Let's get this over with." I say and fling a knife at Aquamarine's head. She swipes her blades knocks it out of the air and charges at me. Ripley jumps forward and swings his sword at her, she meets it with a flash of metal. They both jump back like animals waiting for prey. I take a few steps forward and the three of us form a deadly triangle.
"Come on!" Aquamarine yells loudly. "This is good television!"
You say you'd stand even if this would all fall
You're yearning, yielded when you hit the wall
I shut your ears, tried to make you hear my call
But you were long gone, no hope in a sunless dawn
Aquamarine Rizzoni - District One Female
"Come on!" I yell at my opponents. "This is good television!" Ripley looks confident and strong, as does Kinley. But, he's the bigger threat. I pounce with my knives. I rake at his torso but his shield holds strong and both my blades glance off the metal with no effort. I drop to the floor and spin my legs out to try and knock him on the ground like I saw Caius do at the feast. He steps back at just the right time.
He yells as his sword arcs down towards me. I twist to the side and avoid the blade then I curl up and spring back on my feet. Out of my peripherals I see Kinley bring her arm back, so I jump over a bookshelf as a throwing knife expertly flies through the air and digs itself into the wood.
"Dammit" She curses loud enough for me to hear. I reach my arm around and yank it from the wood. She throws another, but it meets the same fate as the first knife. It feels good to have something I can throw. I shove the book shelf to the ground and fling the blade back at her. She drops to the ground to avoid the knife.
I rush her quickly as she tries to get up and I kick her as hard as I can in the head. It snaps back and her nose starts oozing blood. I go to stomp on her face but she grabs my foot and twists it, forcing me to the ground with her. The initial impact of the fall takes the air from my lungs but I ignore it and try to stab her with one of my knives. She slides away on the smooth floor and I miss.
Suddenly I'm being lifted into the air by a strong arm. Ripley throws me as hard as he can into the elevator. My head smashes against the cold metal and I start seeing stars, white dots flash across my vision as the room seems to spin. I blink them away as quickly as possible. My senses come to me enough so that I dive out of the way of his massive sword.
Though I stumble for a few steps I reach a couch and fling myself over it, using it as cover. A knife whistles through the air and embeds itself in the couch and pokes through to the side I'm hiding behind. I take a few precious seconds and center myself. How is this happening. They're worse than me. I am the best.
Ripley flips the couch over and hovers over me with his sword. He swings at me again, I hold my daggers up like an 'x' and block though the force from his swing still wracks my whole body. He's so strong. But I'm quick.
I release my daggers and he falls forward slightly, I swipe my blade at his legs getting a clean cut across both his shins. He grunts in pain. I scramble backwards until I hit a wall. I use it to prop myself up. Another knife soars through the air, but I don't react quick enough. It cuts deep into my side. Grunting, I pull the blade from my side and throw it back at Kinley, but my aim is off and she easily side steps it.
With a scream Ripley comes careening into me lifts me off the ground. He runs me into three different bookcases before he runs out of momentum and throws me against a desk. I think something cracks in my chest but I ignore it and stand up. He charges me again, but this time I'm prepared. I use the desk to vault myself over his head and I drag my knife across his back as I fall. He screams in pain before turning around to face me.
Yet another blade flies through the air at me. I knock it away with one of my knives. How many does this bitch still have? It doesn't matter. Once I'm done with Ripley she's a mere afterthought.
His giant sword cleaves through the air at me. I barely sidestep the blade and try to reply with my own strike by I can't get to his body. His superior reach keeps me at bay.
That's it. If I can get in close enough he won't be able to swing.
Ripley takes a few more strikes at me that I expertly duck and weave around. I wait for the perfect moment. He makes a long horizontal swing and I duck underneath it and get very close to him. He tries to bring his sword in but I'm too close and he can't. I twirl under his arm and drag my blade across his wrist before stabbing his thigh. The blade gets stuck but I take my other and spin around his back. His blade arches behind him but I'm too low and it goes over my head embedding itself in the wooden pillar we've fought up against.
I tuck under his arm again and see him face to face. Sweat drips down his brow and his whole body seems taut with stress. He grabs my hair and yanks my head back. I go to stab him in the chest but he grabs my wrist and twists my arm. A horrible pop comes from my shoulder as I lose control over my arm, he ripped it from it's socket. My knife clatters to the floor.
Fearful, I go to turn around but he grabs my shoulder and slams me into the wall before I can flee. He takes his shield in his dominant hand and bashes it as hard as he can against my head. The initial impact sends my head smashing into the wall. My vision blurs as flashes of black take over. He smashes me again. My nose makes an awful cracking noise.
My mind clings to one thought as the pain ripples through me.
How is this possible.
So far away
Could not find your way back
Walked down the path
Where feet slipped through the cracks
Ripley Harker - District Five Male
I hold my shield in both hands and smash it against Aquamarine's head over and over and over. She starts bleeding from her nose and her mouth, and eventually even her eyes start leaking blood. She moans in pain the first few times but after the sixth bash she goes silent. But that doesn't stop me. My sense of control is nonexistent and all the anger I've held my entire life manifests itself in each attack.
"Aaaahhh!" I keep hitting her with the shield. I'm pretty sure I hear her head crack. I'm screaming so hard my head rings. Somewhere in there I start crying. I'm not sure why. Her forehead slowly but surely starts to cave in and I distinctly hear parts of her skull shatter.
~BOOM~
I swing more time for good measure. Finally after what feels like an hour her cannon booms and I drop my shield, exhausted.
Aquamarine Rizzoni, the girl who scored an 11, who volunteered to kill innocent children for the dream of glory, the once beautiful blue haired tribute is dead.
My breath doesn't return to me and I backpedal a few steps dropping my hands to my knees as I force air into my lungs. She's dead. Aquamarine is dead. I don't believe it. If it wasn't for her bloody broken corpse in front of me I wouldn't believe it. I did it. I killed her.
A sense of peace rushes over me. It's finally done. She's gone. I wipe the tears from my face and let myself drift back to home for a few brief seconds. I have to remind myself why I keep fighting. Why I murdered a small boy in cold blood and why I crushed Aquamarine's body and face beyond recognition.
I glance at her. She use to be beautiful, undeniably so. But now she's far past identification. Her body could belong to any thin, blue haired, girl in the world. Yet it doesn't. It belongs to her. My breath comes to me in a few seconds and then the pain starts to seep in.
My body aches in pain. She may be dead be she certainly left a huge toll on me. On top of the wounds from the feast courtesy of Adrian I have countless new cuts and nicks all over. My rotary cuff is cut to the bone almost and my back is soaked with blood. I pull her knife from my thigh and that too starts to seep blood. How I manage to stand up is beyond me, though I do feel a little light headed.
That's when I see Kinley. She stands by the elevator with a knife in each hand and one still attached to her vest. I forgot about her. Her face is unreadable, save for her eyes which shine with terror and awe. It would seem none of us thought I was capable of finally ending it. Of ending her.
"Come on. Let's do this." I say haggardly. After Aqua this girl should be nothing. She flicks her wrist and a knife comes flying at me. I bring my shield up to block but I'm too slow and the blade digs into my left shoulder. Without thinking I yank it out and throw it across the room. She gulps and grabs the last vest on her knife. She only has two left.
I slowly approach her knowing she won't throw her last two weapons at me. Each step is labored as I lumber back and forth but I close the gap quickly. Then I realize I don't have my sword. My brain struggles to remember where I left it. That's right it got stuck. Doesn't matter.
With my shield in hand I punch at her. She's quick and skids around me. Just like Aquamarine, she's speedy. I'm so tired of trying to kill agile girls with knives. But I'll do what I have to.
Kinley stabs at me but I fling my shield arm up and her knife glances off the impenetrable metal. She tries this a few more times before realizing it's not going to work. I go to punch her again but I stumble forward my head rolling in pain and fall.
She takes a few steps back as I pick myself up off the floor. I jab at her once I'm back on my feet but it's sloppy and she very easily dodges me. My body aches to rest. To sit down and take a break. But I can't when she's still here.
Keep fighting! I scream at myself.
My head reels and I place one hand up against a wall to stabilize myself as the room spins around. There's one Kinley then three and then none. My stomach clenches and I heave up the pieces of bread and water I had for breakfast. I brace myself as I fall backwards and manage to stay standing. I blink the spinning from my eyes and focus to find that Kinley isn't in front of me.
Pain erupts from the back of both of my knees and I immediately fall to the ground. Kinley wasn't in front of me, she was behind. I roll onto my back and she steps on my shield twisting my arm at an unnatural angle until she takes it from my grasp and flings it across the room. It clatters too far away for hope. I try to bend my knees but the tendons that control them are cut clean through and my lower legs stay limp.
Kinley stands over me with pity in her eyes. "I'm sorry Ripley. That was one hell of a fight though." She pushes the elevator button. I try to drag myself over to the doors but they open too quickly and my bloodied wrist prevents me from moving more than a few inches. The door closes.
My breathing is labored and I stare out the window instead of inspecting any of my life ending wounds. The sun is bright and warms my body. Clouds of dark smoke billow outside the window and seconds later the smell of fire reaches my nose.
This is a fitting end. I close my eyes as smoke starts to fill the room. It knocks me unconscious before the fire reaches this floor. I don't feel any pain as the fumes shut down my brain.
It's peaceful. I'm sorry mom. I tried, and I love you. I hope you're proud.
And I never ever thought I'd hear these words be said
Now I lay here in an unmade bed
Empty stomach's unable to be fed
Your ego swallowed you and from there you fled
Maximus Treiglad - District Three Male
Being at the cornucopia is certainly interesting. I once feared this area of the arena for the predators that would stalk the area. Yet now I am the predator. I modified half my acid jars with strips of cloth that I could light on fire if I needed to. They would create a small but very strong fire. I just keep thinking that I want to be as prepared as possible for whatever might come my way.
I regularly wake up before Caius and let him sleep in. Today was no exception, save for about a half hour after sunrise a tribute being chased by flock of birds enters the eastern end of Thompson Library, the side facing the cornucopia. Whoever they are doesn't seem to notice me watching them. The game makers are up to something. My heart starts to race, but I quickly calm down using logic. They clearly don't want me involved, or I'd be attacked by mutts.
My thoughts get interrupted as maybe a minute after the first figure gets pushed inside a second one equally as surrounded by birds walks through the same door. Both looked lean, like girls. Too short to be Rio or Adrian and too thin to be Ripley. It's obviously not Caius or myself. Which means that a combination of Aurora, Kinley, and Aquamarine are in there fighting.
What an opportunity. I debate waking Caius but decide against it. I can handle this. I need to show the sponsors that I'm willing to play. I grab a few of my bottles, a box of matches, as well as my rigged battery. I go through the same set of doors that the previous two went in and walk into the open area. A glass staircase leads up to floors of books, maybe six or seven floors easily discernable. The pair elevators each ding on their way up to the top floor from the looks of it.
I act without thinking about the consequences and without thinking about humanity. I steady my breath and light a match then light my four jars with cloth fuses. My jaw trembles as thoughts of death invade my mind. I steel myself and steady my hands.
With all my might I fling the first jar onto the floor above me into a wooden bookcase. It's immediately engulfed in flames. A cannon sounds, telling me that whatever is happening on the top floor is coming to an end. I throw another against the help desk on this floor, it bursts into fire. I go to the western exit and throw a vial there, blocking the exit with flames. I throw the last as high as I can against the wooden wall.
I take a step back and enjoy my handiwork. The ground floor of Thompson Library and soon the whole building will be consumed with fire. My fire. Maybe a minute after I've thrown the last Molotov cocktail of sorts the heat becomes too intense and I leave out the only available exit. As I leave the elevator starts dinging on it's way back down.
I work quickly setting up the ignition mechanism on my battery bomb. But I realize that I've left the string in my backpack at the cornucopia. I don't have enough time to get it so I rip my shirt off and, though it takes a few tries, I get a long piece of thread from the fabric. I quickly tie it around the ignition hammer. It's not the 50 yards I was hoping for, but it'll work. The thread is long enough for me to go around a pillar 10 feet away. With a yank it'll blow.
My heart pounds with fear. What if they don't come out this door? What if it doesn't blow? What if it's Aquamarine and she sees me?
What if?
The door starts to open and I hear the tribute breathing heavily. Without thinking I pull the string and immediately hear the small explosion from the bomb. A feminine scream bellows through the arena. I peer around the column and see Kinley Mathers on the ground moaning. The left side of her face is disfigured and her left arm is missing up to the elbow, but the slow rise and fall of her chest tells me she's still alive. Even if only barely.
The speed with which she recovers surprises me. It takes her maybe 30 seconds, that I spent staring at her, to stand up. She looks like she wants to fight, but she doesn't she turns and runs away from me. I could pursue her.
~BOOM~
It's not Kinley's cannon. She keeps running, more like stumbling away from me. I guess there was another person inside Thompson, or someone somewhere else in the arena met their fate. It doesn't matter. That's two deaths closer to home.
I stand by a statue about 50 yards in front of Thompson and watch as it's engulfed in flames. Eventually Caius joins me in watching the building burn.
"What happened." He asks still shaking the sleep from his eyes.
"I happened."
How do you soften
The thought of carrying coffins?
We were so alive
Only to see us wither and die
the lyrics are from Coffins by my favorite band ever (aside from Pentatonix) misterwives
8th - Aquamarine Rizzoni killed by Ripley Harker
7th - Ripley Harker killed by smoke inhalation by Maximus Treiglad
wow. so the queen is finally dead. since she was the strongest career, and so easy/fun to write she made it pretty far but I think we all knew that she wouldn't win. I'll miss her only because her voice was so ridiculous. I did love her confidence though
Ripley... god, there's no way to express how much I loved this guy. he was my second favorite character in the whole batch, he had this silent strength that manifested itself in so many different ways, coupled with an awesome backstory made him one of the stars of this whole ordeal. however he was still partially blinded by his anger and in the end that is what did him in.
stay tuned guys, things are only heating up. only three chapters until the final showdown. any victor guesses?