Day Five:
Part Two:
Blake Coleman(17)- D12 Male:
I was running, running as fast as I could. "Avena!" I yelled, trying to catch up. "Avena wait!"
"JUST GO AWAY!" She yelled, not stopping for even a heartbeat. I crashed through the trees, trying to reach her. She simply kept running. I internally groaned.
Putting on a burst of speed, I leapt forward and tackled her to the ground. She thrashed in my arms, screaming and punching wherever she could. She fought against me, but I pinned her to the ground. Now, let me say, I'm not the biggest guy out there. I have fragile bones and not much muscle. Holding a writhing girl on the ground was a little beyond my reach. However, I managed barely to hold her down.
"AVENA STOP!" I yelled. And then, suddenly, she was crying. She was still thrashing, but now, she was sobbing. Pained, agonized, sobbing. Slowly, she stopped struggling against me, and simply lay her head on the ground. I pulled us up and hugged her, resting her head against my shoulder. I didn't ask anything. I knew the reason of her cries.
Eva's loss had hit her hard. After her death, Avena had shut off completely, not saying a word. Then, today, we'd been attacked by some mutts, and Avena had completely lost it. Remembering the way she'd cut up the mutts was horrifying. We'd simply been sitting, trying to gather our wits, when she'd taken off.
I don't even know how far we'd run. All I knew was that now, we were in a completely unknown section of the arena, with no clue of our surroundings, and I was holding a writhing, crying girl. Wasn't my situation completely normal?
"I couldn't do it…" Avena cried against my shirt. "I couldn't protect her." She lifted her head to look at me. Her eyes were shiny and puffy with tears. Her face was red, the tears streaking the dirt on her face. Her hair was a mess, from all the thrashing and struggling. "I promised to protect her, and I couldn't do it…" her voice broke.
"Hey, Avena," I said, making her look at me and her head dipped low. "You couldn't possibly have done anything. You tried, okay? You tried to save her. That trap was going to get its victim. Neither of us could've saved her." I said softly.
She pushed me back. "I don't care what you say, Blake. You never were part of this alliance. I know you're not the least bit fazed by Eva's death!" She screamed, her tone turning quickly to enraged. I took a step back in shock. What was she saying!? I was utterly shocked by Eva's death.
"The only reason you were in this alliance was because of Eva. And now she's gone!" Avena cried, shoving me back further. "JUST GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! I don't want to be your ally, okay!?" She yelled, succumbing to tears once more.
My mouth dropped open in shock. Avena was breaking the alliance? Was she crazy? "Avena, just stop and think, you're not thinking straight! I know Eva's death was hard on you, but you-"She cut e off by slapping me straight across my face. I retreated, holding my stinging cheek. "What the hell!?" I demanded.
"JUST GO! I don't want to see your face! You're a no-good jerk, and I never wanted to be your ally! I was, because Eva wanted me to! And now she's gone, so I no longer need to be! JUST LEAVE!" She yelled.
I stood up straight, hardening my jaw. If she wanted this, so be it. This alliance wasn't going to benefit me anyways. Sure, Avena was a fighter, but she was pretty unpredictable and unstable. She could go completely nuts and attack me too. I couldn't risk my life for a girl who didn't even want to be my ally.
"Fine. I'll leave. But before I go, let me just remind you, that if it hadn't been for me, you're have been a puddle of goo, mixing with lava. Eva's death hit me hard too, but I sucked it up. Because Avena, this is the Hunger Games, and people die. Only one of us is making it out alive, and the sooner you accept that, the freaking better." I spat. Without another word, turned on my heels and started walking off. I could hear Avena break down into sobs once more, but I kept walking.
I'd only gotten about twenty yards away, when I heard screaming. Avena's screams.
I turned immediately, my eyes wide. Avena was screaming for help. I started running towards the sound of her voice, but I stopped. Why should I run in to save her? She'd broken the alliance. I had nothing to do with her now. Going in there meant risking my own life. She wasn't something that was worth my life.
Her screams grew louder and more terrified. True, I didn't care much about people. It took time to get me to be attached to people. I cared about my survival, and this threatened it. To get back to my family, I needed to have a cold heart and an emotionless tactic. However, I wasn't a cruel person. I couldn't simply back off when someone needed help. And Avena's screams wretched my heart. They were so agonizing, I'd never heard something quite so miserable.
Without thinking more, I took off towards her voice. I was screaming her name, but her screams were louder than mine.
I crashed into a clearing, and almost ran back the other way.
The clearing was covered in a mass of bugs. Some came at me, and when they settled onto my skin, I could feel them rip a bit of flesh off. Carnivorous bugs, that's what they were. But the bugs didn't terrify me all that much. It was the scene in front of me that did.
Avena was on her knees, and she was covered in the bugs. The covered her whole body and I could hear her screaming as she tried to swat them off. There was blood everywhere. Blood covering the grass, blood on the rocks, everywhere. The bugs simply wouldn't come off Avena. She was going crazy, swatting and slapping herself in an attempt to get the horrible bugs off, but the more she kept hitting them, the more they seemed to surround her.
I was petrified in terror, but another blood-curling scream from Avena, and it snapped me back to reality. "AVENA!" I yelled, running forward. The bugs bit at my flesh, but I ignored it. If they were this carnivorous, and Avena had that many covering her… God, I didn't even want to think about it. I simply needed to get her out of here.
I ripped at the bugs, sweeping them off her arms and legs. Some kept coming back, but their concentration was dwindling. It was as if someone had told them that it was enough. They either crawled or flew away, as I swept more off. When I'd gotten all the bugs off of Avena, she collapsed into y arms.
I almost threw up. Avena's sight was beyond terrible.
Her whole body was a moving mass of raw flesh. Her skin had been completely eaten away by those bugs, and I could tell they'd taken quite a lot of flesh too. Everything was blood, that's all I saw of her. The flesh on her cheeks had been ripped off by the bugs. I don't know how her eyes had gone unscathed, but it didn't matter. I almost recoiled at the pure disgusting sight of the girl I was holding, when she lurched. She turned to her side and opened her mouth, screaming some more. However, her screams sounded… guttural, like the ones of an animal. Something fell out of her mouth, and I immediately understood why.
A bug. That's what had fallen from her mouth. If that carnivorous thing had been inside her mouth…
I turned around and really threw up. I emptied everything inside my stomach onto the grass. I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. Avena's tongue had been eaten away by that bug… She was worse than an Avox… I'd never encountered something so grotesque…
I wiped my mouth and turned back to where Avena lay, completely still on the ground. In her hand was clutched her dagger. I shakily crawled over to her and lifted her head onto my lap. Her hair was missing in areas where it had been ripped out. "Avena I…" I didn't even know what to say. How could I say anything? The whole situation had stolen my words.
Avena raised a shaking hand, the dagger almost falling out. She slowly pushed the dagger into my hand. I looked at her, my eyes asking her silently what she was doing. She grunted, now no longer being able to speak. She took my hand and placed the tip of the dagger on her chest. My eyes grew even wider as I realized what she was asking me to do.
She was asking me to kill her, to end her suffering
"Avena I can't!" I protested. She grunted again, and now, I could see her tears. Before I knew it, tears were running down my cheeks as well. Her eyes only conveyed one word.
Please.
I was really crying now. Sure, I could tell myself all I wanted that I didn't care too much about people. And to some extent, that was true. But I couldn't kill someone. I wasn't made of that material. And as much as I hated it, I cared about Avena. And now, she had been skinned and her flesh had been eaten off by some bugs. And I was needed to end it for her. She tapped the dagger again, telling me to hurry it up.
"Avena… I'm so sorry…" my voice broke, as I leaned down and pressed my forehead against her bloodied one. She closed her eyes, her breath trickling my neck. I shut my eyes tight, letting out a final sob.
I sunk the dagger into her chest.
I pulled my head back, now crying harder than ever. I didn't even care that I was crying on national television where everyone could see me. All I knew was, I'd just stabbed my ally in the heart. I looked at Avena, at her ruined face, her closed eyes.
I caught a hint of a relieved smile crossing her features, just before the cannon blew.
Boom.
Regina Anna Pasternack(18)-D1 Female:
I retreated, as he came through the door. I wracked my brain for his name. "Absalom?" I asked, my voice small and terrified. He frowned. "I'm gonna guess it's Regina Anna?" He asked the same way. I shook y head. "Ginny." I corrected. He seemed a little surprised that I would be worried about what he called me in this situation, but I disliked it when people called me Regina Anna. I liked things the way I wanted them, in a proper organized manner. I liked Ginny, and I wanted people to call me that.
"Goddamn, I didn't think I'd meet you of all people." He grunted. I'd begun to think he'd simply go away, but he lifted up his massive axe. "Well, at least it'll be kinda easy." He said. He came at me, and I panicked. I raised my hands above my face and screamed "WAIT!"
To my surprise, he did. He stopped, and when I looked at it, I could see his surprised expression. "Please, please just let me go, please…" I cried. Tears of fear ran down my cheeks. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to die at all. I wanted to go back. "This is the Games, Ginny. No one shows any mercy. I want to go back home just as much as anyone else, and killing you takes me one step closer." He said, his voice steely. He readied his weapon again, when I screamed. Out of sheer desperation, I threw myself at the ground in front of his feet, sobbing. All I knew was that I wanted to stay alive. I didn't want to die so soon. If I had to beg for mercy, so be it.
"Please, Absalom, I beg of you, please, let me go…" I cried. He retreated staggering a bit. His expression was shocked. "What the hell are you doing!?" He asked, backing away. "Get up!"
I shook my head. "Please, if I have to beg for mercy, I don't care, but please let me go. You can take all my supplies, even my weapons. Just please, spare my life, please…." I begged.
For a moment, there was only silence, and my sobs. I heard shuffling and looked up to see Absalom steady his stance. "God, why me?" he lamented. He glared at me. "I can't kill someone so weak and miserable. I wanna jam my axe into you right now, but I'm no monster. I can't kill someone when they're begging for mercy at my feet. Get up, and get back. I'm not hurting you." He said, sounding reluctant.
A sob of joy escaped my throat. I couldn't believe I had actually avoided this! I was going to live! I had extended my chances of making it back home! Absalom stepped forward and I crawled back. He picked up my bag. I looked at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "What, you didn't think I'd leave everything, did you? I'm no monster, but I'm not an idiot either. I'm taking your supplies." He said.
My eyes widened. Sure, in a moment of desperation, I had told him he could, but that didn't mean he took all my supplies. I could feel my breathing getting heavier as he shuffled through my bag. It was strange, what panic made someone do. Under the influence of panic, I'd run away from Nova. The whole situation had gotten to me. I was breaking under the pressure of these games.
Absalom was apparently satisfied with what he'd found, because he zipped the bag and nodded at me. Without a word, he turned to leave. As I watched him walk away, panic engulfed me. I couldn't survive without any supplies! Those were my only chance! He may have not killed me, but he was leaving me for dead! Not knowing what else to do, I did the first thing that came to my mind.
I slid out the knife I kept in my sock and ran forward. Just as he was turning, I buried my knife in his back, just beside his right shoulder.
He let out a cry and crumpled to his knees. "You SHIT FACE!" He yelled, clutching his shoulder. I raised my knife again, this time aiming for his heart, and brought it down. However, in a swift motion, he caught my wrist, sending the knife clattering away. My expression turned to one of horror, as he stood up, holding his axe in his left hand, his eyes red from anger.
He raised the axe and embedded it my shoulder. I screamed a scream that was quite possibly the loudest I'd ever heard, and collapsed. Absalom yanked his axe out, leading to another scream. "I SPARED YOUR EFFIN' LIFE!" He yelled. I was in too much pain to respond. My shoulder felt like it was on fire, and every nerve in my body screamed. Absalom raised his axe again.
"HEY!" A voice yelled out. I looked towards the door, and could barely make out a form.
Almiro stood in the doorway, looking both shocked and enraged.
He drew his sword and ran at Absalom, but the latter was fast. He grabbed his bag and leapt out the nearest window. Almiro looked out after him, but decided against it as he knelt down beside me.
"Regina, it's alright. The wound isn't that deep…" he said, even though I knew he was lying. The axe hadn't hit any vital organs, but I knew how people died from blood loss. And no one was equipped with the means to help me out.
"Almiro, I need to tell you something." I whispered. I'd been holding it all in since that day. The day of the launch. The day I'd overheard those two people. Almiro leaned closer, nodding. "On the night of the launch…" and everything came tumbling out. Everything I'd heard, everything I'd seen. I emptied it all, and by the end, I was crying again. I hated seeming so weak, especially in front of my district partner. I was in so much pain, and there was no way anyone was going to help me. I didn't want to die like this, not crying like a weakling in front of my partner.
"Regina-"
"Leave me alone." I told him. He looked shocked. "What?"
" I said leave me alone! I don't want to die in front of someone else, completely helpless and weak. Just go." I ordered. He waited a few moments, before nodding. He didn't say anything as he walked away.
I turned around and wiped my tears. I needed to find something here that would act as a splinter for my hand. I knew I was going to die from bleeding, but at least I could try to delay my death. I'd sent Almiro away, because I didn't want to be living at his mercy, weak and helpless, needing someone else's help to survive. I was independent and if I was going to live, it would be because I had it in me. I got to my feet, but I was weak. I collapsed against a wall, and the strangest thing happened.
The whole wall gave away, as though it had been made of paper. I got up and looked at it, to see that it had revealed some kind of opening. There was nothing that I could see; it seemed to be a never ending tunnel that stretched on for miles. What was this?
I was seeing stars now, but curiosity got the better of me. I started walking into the tunnel, and the darkness seemed to surround me on all sides. My footsteps were weak, and I was staggering. My eyesight was spotted with red. The tunnel seemed to be made of cool rock.
I kept walking. I had no idea where this tunnel was leading, but I wanted to get to the end.
I had no idea how much time had passed, but finally, I started to see the streaks of light. My legs gave away and I fell. I could see the opening of the tunnel in front of me, but now, my eyesight was going dark.
I leaned my head against the floor of the cave and passed out.
Thaddeus Sheen- Gamemaker/ Head of traps and Mutts:
"What the hell is going on!?" Bruce exclaimed, running over to where Thaddeus sat. "Thaddeus, where did she go?"
Thaddeus stared at the screen, perplexed. "Sir, I don't know! She simply disappeared! The tracker was in her shoulder, and when that boy dug his axe in, it hit the tracker. I had no idea where she went!" he exclaimed, typing furiously. This couldn't be possible, he couldn't lose Regina.
Thaddeus had figured out that she'd been the one who'd been with Kay on that night. He knew she knew the code. He needed her if he was going to stop the Parasite. But the girl had simply disappeared from the arena. He had no idea how, but they were no longer mapping her. her tracker had malfunctioned, but the monitor which showed the tribute's locations from the overhead view of the arena was also not showing her name.
"Sir, she's gone from the arena!" Someone else cried. Bruce banged his wrist against the table. "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?" He demanded. Thaddeus had never seen him quite so angry. He turned sharply to face him. "Thaddeus, blow her cannon." He ordered. "But sir, we don't know if she's dead…" he answered, refusing to show the panic that he felt. He couldn't let Bruce know.
"I DON'T CARE!" The Head Gamemaker yelled. "The people need to know something! If she was in the arena, the overhead camera would map her. She's gone, but the people can't know that, so BLOW IT!" he yelled. Deciding against arguing, Thaddeus turned around and got to work. Within moments, the cannon blew for the girl from One.
Bruce exhaled, but he was far from calm. "How could this happen!? How could she find a escape route!? NO ONE had escaped from the arena before!" he yelled, rounding on Thaddeus. "Sir, I'm in charge of the creation of the mutts. That's it. I don't even decide when to implement them, and I definitely don't look over the creation of the arena." He countered. Bruce seemed too angry to even tell him off.
"WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE ARENA!?" He yelled. No one said anything. "Don't make me get out the records. Who is it!?"
A small wiry young man raised his hand, shaking from fear. Bruce turned to him with a glare that could melt through someone. Before anyone could react, he swept out a gun from his pocket, and shot the man in the head.
"Alistair!" A girl cried, holding the man's limp body. Thaddeus turned to Rayne with wide eyes, shocked into silence from what he'd just seen. "Her brother…" Rayne whispered.
"We can't have such moaning and groaning, you understand!?" Bruce yelled. Without so much as blinking, he put a bullet in the girl's head too. She collapsed next to her brother, her blood splattering against the wall. Bruce sighed and shook his head.
"Pathetic. If anyone messes something up again, they'll end up no better than them, you understand? Now, you," he turned to another man, who flinched. "Send the Peacekeepers to where she disappeared.. Have them stand outside the arena, and if they see her, tell them to empty their whole guns into her head, you got it?" he ordered. The man nodded and set to work.
Thaddeus slowly backed up from the room. "Hey, Thaddeus, where're you going?" Bruce asked, not seeming even the tiniest bit fazed from just having killed two people. "I need a moment." Thaddeus said simply. With that, he turned and ran out, not caring what he looked like.
He simply ran to his room and closed the door, not even locking it. His mind was clouded by fear and panic. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He sank to his knees. Regina had been the only way they could have stopped the Parasite, and now she was gone. The guilt of failure and helplessness crashed down on him.
He didn't even hear the door open, but suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Kimi standing above him, looking concerned. He stood up to face her, his hands shaking. He was never like this, he was stoic and unemotional. But the situation had broken him. "Rayne told me wher you could've gone. She wasn't allowed to come, not after you took off. Thaddeus, what happened?" she asked.
"Regina, the girl who'd heard the combination, we lost her." He said, his voice weak. Kimi gasped. "She's dead!?"
Thaddeus shook his head. "No, we don't know that. But she made it out of the arena in some sort of chink in the force field, and now we don't know where she is. She probably bled to death, and even if the peacekeepers find her, they'll kill her!" he yelled. "Kimi, she was our only way of stopping the Parasite! Now we're helpless! And it's all my fault! I should've been more careful should've helped her in some way!" He was losing it, and he knew it himself. Kimi took his face and made him look at her.
"Thaddeus, calm the eff down. Look at me." She ordered. Thaddeus forced himself to calm his breathing and looked at her. "None of this is your fault. And just clear your mind and think. There must be some other way. We're not giving up on this, okay? Just think. I know you'll come up with something." She reassured.
She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. He rested his forehead on her shoulder and she stroked his hair comfortingly. He took deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Panicking wouldn't help in their situation.
After a few moments, he pulled away. He sighed and closed his eyes, now much calmer than before. Kimi let out a small laugh. "Even the big brave Gamemaker needs a hug now and then." She said. Thaddeus, surprising even himself, smiled. "Thanks Kimi." He said, looking back at her. She returned his smile and patted his shoulder.
"I know you'll think of something Thaddeus. I know you will." She said.
Raymond Tate(12)- D5 Male:
I dodged Dwayne's first strike and swung at him. He leapt out of the way. Lisette stayed out of the fight, for which I was thankful. Dwayne swung again, narrowly missing me. I swerved around his spear and brought down my knife.
It grazed his shoulder and he recoiled, clutching it. I stepped back, panting. "This doesn't feel right." He said, grunting. I almost laughed. "We're in the Games. Nothing is right." I growled. He looked at me, somewhat shocked. He probably hadn't expected something quite so rebellious and unnerving coming from a twelve year old.
He stabbed his spear at me, and I jumped away just in time. The spear found its target in the tree next to me, and stuck there. Seizing my opportunity, I slashed at Dwayne. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it. I cried out in pain and brought up my other hand, but he knocked it away. He was taller than me and stronger. I kicked him in his knee and staggered away from him as he yanked out his spear.
He swung again, aiming for my stomach. I lurched back, bending down so that it would miss. I had lost one knife, but I still had another. I met his next strike with it. I locked it onto the spearhead, holding his blow at a standstill. My eyes were going red from exursion and fatigue. Dwayne was sweating and bleeding. We both were tired and exhausted, but neither of us were giving up.
I kicked him again, this time in his chest. However, it didn't do any damage. He simply came at me again. I ducked his swing and slashed.
We fell into a deadly dance. He swung, I ducked. I slashed he blocked. We were in a dance of death. One mistake meant death.
I stabbed at his stomach with my dagger, and he blocked it. Suddenly, someone hit me in the back of my knees, causing me to fall. I felt someone take my hands behind my back in a deadlock, and tilted my head up to see Lisette glaring down at me.
Dwayne wiped some blood off of his mouth and stepped up. He held out his spear and glared too. "I know you don't deserve this. But if I have to go home, you have to die. I'm sorry Raymond." He said. He walked forward and lifted his spear.
I wasn't going down without a fight. I smashed my head against his leg, sending him reeling back. I shot to my feet and swung Lisette forward. I grabbed her by her hair and smashed her head into a tree. She fell, clutching her head, which was now bleeding.
I ran to Dwayne, and before he could get up, I punched him square in the jaw. He fell to his side again, giving me enough time to take out a knife. I slashed it across his chest.
The wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to injure him. He yelled in pain and recoiled, the face of death clear on his eyes. I raised my knife to end it, but stopped.
What was I doing? I was actually about to take another life. I couldn't do this. I wouldn't become a mindless killer, not for the Capitol.
I backed away, and Dwayne looked at me strangely. He'd probably been expecting death. "I'm not killing anyone else. I'm not going to be haunted by another one. Every time I close my eyes, I see Siobhan's face. I don't know if you know what it feels like, Dwayne, but killing someone kills you too. Their faces haunt you day and night. I'm not killing myself again."
Not even waiting to see their reactions, I swept up my bags and ran off in another direction.
Once sufficiently away, I stopped to catch my breath. I'd lost one of my biggest knives, but I didn't care. It had been one of the knives I hadn't coated with poison. I still had my other two. I'd specifically chosen the knives without poison.
As I was placing the knives back in my belt, however, I froze. I looked at the blade of the smaller knife I'd taken out during the battle. I hadn't seen which one I was taking. I loked at my own reflection in the blade.
Which was coated in poison.
My breathing was ragged. I couldn't believe this. I covered my mouth. This poison was slow, so he wouldn't die immediately. It would take a long time, but it would happen. Tears stung my eyes.
I had tried in every way to save his life.
But I'd handed him a slow death anyway.
~.~.~.~
A/N: HAHAHAHA BETCHA DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING!
Right. I know. I'm evil. Sorry this update was late guys. I've been trying, but thanks for bearing with me! This chapter was immensely interesting to write, NO JOKE.
Okay, to clarify, Regina isn't technically dead. She found a way out of the arena and fainted. Jst saying.
Also, 400 REVIEWS ARE YOU GUYS SERIOUS OMG WHAT THIS IS AMAZING YAZZZZ. SHOUT OUT TO AGENTWRITER FOR BEING MY 400TH REVIEWER!
But, and I'm really really sorry if I sound like a git, but I've noticed the amount of reviews dwindling. I swear, I still love you guys so much, but is it my writing? Is the story getting boring? Is it the lack of deaths? Please tell me, and I promise I will try to improve! But still, I love you guys I mean I never ever EVER thought I'd get 400 anythings on anything, and this story crossed that many reviews and I'm going crazy.
Eulogies:
Avena Larson: Okay, this was terrible. I know her death was terrible, but I really loved her character. She was detailed, realisic and interesting. She was my spitfire tribute and I loved her relation with Eva and how she came to (somewhat) like Blake too. She was a character I loved writing and tried to develop as best I could. It was sadly her time to go. She will be missed.
Regina Anna Pasternack: Now, yes, I know Regina isn't technicall dead, but she's gone from the Games and has no further role in the story, so I felt the need to put this. She was one of the most interesting characters I'd recieved. She was different, unique and fascinating. I again, tried to develop her as much as possible, but I sadly didn't see how I could do that any further. I didn't want to do injustice to her chracter by giving her an unjustified death, so I thought this up. I hope I did her justice. She will also be missed.
Death list:
Almiro
Siobhan-18th- killed by Raymond Tate
Lawson
Anna
Kyle
Bellona-22nd-killed by Absalom Sawyer
Eva-16th-killed by Gamemaker trap
Blake
Avena-15th- Killed by Blake Coleman
Colt
Nova
Dwayne
April-23rd-killed by Bellona Irving
Otto-21st-killed by Kyle Daniels
Lisette
Frankie-Leigh
Absalom
Raymond
Nick
Regina Anna-14th- made it out of the arena; kill credited to Absalom Sawyer
Isaac-24th-killed by Lawson Dean
Gigabyte-20th-killed by Dwayne McCane
Hartley-19th-killed by mutts
Ruben-17th-Killed by Anna Austen
Until next time then...