Aslovee Chesed

I don't care about knowing my parents. They have been DOA to me the moment I started to walk. You see, I've been out on the streets my whole life. I don't remember a single moment sleeping on a real bed that was mine. It's funny how memory works. I never met a moment where I realized I was some street kid. Hell, my last name is just one I made up. I just crossed into that belief at one point and never looked back. It's a peculiar feeling. A feeling of accepting fate, but not knowing when that fate was designated. That moment sticks to you and dances on a tightrope between consciousness and dreams.

I never had dreams. It was a "one eye open, one eye shut" mentality for me. I have to make sure no dumb fucker will sneak up on me. Good news is that none of those bone-headed cunts would dream of doing that to me. If I claim an alleyway for the night, those bitch babies would know better than to step on a twig near me, let alone stand around and twiddle their thumbs.

Not sure what I'm doing right now. Nothing has changed for me. I've scourged this arena left and right. Any rooms I've come across are blank; just little spots to hide or rest up. Maybe some crazy things have happened to those little tickets from the other Districts.

I like to think that I have a good instinct. In fact, I've skipped quite a few doors and have decided not to search a few halls. Lo and behold, I heard some other Tributes going down those halls usually followed by a few cannons.

All of these shitheads piss me off. Not because they are stupid assholes, but because none of them feel real. A a Career or two were watching me. I felt their eyes on me. Regardless, those pussies wouldn't know up from down. So I guess I'm stuck.

Hovering through these hallways is getting a little boring. I'm starting to hope that I do come across somebody.

I take that back. I know my limits. I don't want to jump right into battle with any of those ball busters anytime soon. If I were, I hope it's one of those bitches they call "Careers." No matter how much training they have, I have my instincts. I've had to survive everyday in my own personal Games. No time for these fuckers.

As I clutch my twin swords, I'm starting to feel a little more alert. I know a dam is going to burst any minute. Suddenly, a knocking noise is coming from one of the doors on the side of the hallway. I stop at the corner. Something is about to pop out from that sliding metal portal. I take my swords and prod myself forward using the blade to point towards the target.

All noise is blurred away. My vision narrows to this one spot. I feel my breath slow down. Unlike others, I slow my breath during tense increases my cool. Cocking my swords behind me, I'm able to flip them forward and spin them to attack. I prepare myself for battle in an instant. I needed it on the streets. More than ever now.

I get closer to the door.

The knocking plateaus in a constant thump.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

I'm floating at a snail's pace.

Closer and closer.

Then, a bang shakes the door. I buck back, my swords at the ready.

Another bang.

Something's trying to get out.

I reach the door frame.

The metal breaks. It flies open in small sheets hitting the wall in front of it.

A middle-aged man roughly my height with ink-black hair calmly steps out of the room. $He exudes a confidence and assuredness that rivals my own. His back straight as an oak tree, he steps out and lifts himself off the ground.

His eyes are his most interesting feature. His entire eyeball is coated in pitch black. No pupil. No iris. It is an orb of darkness, and it flashes right at me. He smirks at me.

I need to end this now.

I spin my blades forward and thrust them towards his chest.

It plunges through him like a pebble in a pond.

The bitch baby grunts and flails onto his back. Moving backwards, I reach in towards the katana handles. My foot reaches up towards his chest. I push him down to the ground. My hands try to wrestle the swords out of his body. I'm getting pissed off more and more from this. I start to jimmy it out faster and faster. This guy is like quicksand to my trusty steel.

Pressed to the ground, the man coughs up more blood which floats in front of his face In a shaking bubble. His voice croaks open, and he starts to form guttural sounds. As he catches his breath, he trembles further before trying again.

"I thought you wanted to meet me Aslovee. Don't you want to know what happened to Mom?"

I blink.

He's gone.

No smoke. No remnants. My swords simply float an inch above the ground perfectly clean. My reflection bounces off the sword, letting me see my own slightly surprised face. I rarely get surprised, but I must say that, whoever that shit head was, he caught me off guard.

And who is mom? He's too old to be a brother of some sort.

Unless he's someone else.

No. It can't be. Even if it was, how would I know?

An illusion. Of course it was an illusion. The door previously destroyed is fine now. The thrill of the arena must have got to me.

How would the Capitol know who my dad was anyway. I'm sure there are plenty of people that resemble me anyway.

Fuck.

Xavier Thomas

Cyrene is spirited. I will give her that much.

However, me and Monette were happy sitting in this room behind the small ship that could take us to the next arena. With all the buttons and blinking screens, I feel lost in this open space.

Why can't I just go home? We weren't very lucky or fortunate. Most of the time, we scampered for any little thing we could find. My mother and father always tried what they could to feed us. It was tough at times. However, we had what we needed. Nothing was so complicated. I learned all I need to know at thirteen. I had no need for such troubles that the Capitol has. No worrying about clothes or gossip. It was us and nature. Only us and the sun blinking at us while falling below the horizon, as if it was wishing us a good night for more toil in the morning.

And I loved it.

"So let me get this straight," Cyrene says. "Monette is the mute one. And you can't read."

"I've learned a word. Here and there."

"The only word you can read is 'here' and 'there?'"

"That's not what I meant."

"I was kidding," she says. "The point is that we need to get on that ship and find supplies. After that, phase two will happen."

Monette nods.

"You really think we can get through this?" I ask.

"No. But it's our, emphasis on our, only shot."

Cyrene seems clever. However, I'm sure the Capitol has thought up of something like this. Then again, as long as we keep our intentions silent, we may surprise them. "What if they thought of it already?" I ask.

"They probably have. That being said, they couldn't have blanketed everywhere. It is, like I said, our only shot."

I must consider Cyrene. Even with her crazy plan, I think there is the smallest of chances it might work. It is unbelievable, but it can happen.

Even if it doesn't, I would rather die of my own accord than of somebody else's.

"When should we get inside the..."

"Airlock. And we should do it as soon as we figure out how to drive this ship. I'm assuming there has to be something in here to help us. Otherwise, we will do it ourselves."

Monette nods again. She gets up and scurries around. I'm assuming she is searching for some sort of instruction to help us.

"I'm right here with you. I know next to nothing about driving spaceships. It can't be impossible, though."

I look back towards Cyrene. "What makes you think that?"

"There wouldn't be any entertainment if everything was impossible. Want some dried food? A sponsor got it for me."

Why is the world so tough to figure out?

Cadmium Ruse

A few more ours of scavenging for the exit. More dead ends and gripping from the rest of the pack.

Everything about this bullshit is so stupid. This so called anti-Career pack is just a few wannabes who think they have what it takes. They don't know how hard it is to act like a typical Career in my situation. How to be cocky yet smart at the same time.

I'm use to acting. My colleagues, my parents, and everybody else see me as the normal full-of-himself teen that has nothing better to do than prepare for killing.

"See anything yet?" Eva-Marie says behind me.

I'm well in front of them taking point, or whatever the hell it's called. Far enough so I can't just reach behind and strangle her. Close enough to where they can still keep a grasp on the situation. I feel like they are marching me towards slaughter whenever we round a corner.

Everything about this bullshit is so stupid. This so called anti-Career pack. The wandering around. Nothing even matters anymore. I feel angry at the whole world. I want to kill everybody. My materialistic mom. My deadbeat dad. The stupid students at the training center. This trio behind me.

I'm tired of pretending. I want to be myself.

Being myself won't win me anything.

"How about this room?"

The guy from District Seven points at another metal door.

"What makes you think it will be different than the others?" Eva-Marie asks.

"Maybe we should let the experienced guy here open it," I say.

She rolls her eyes. "You've had practice opening the door?"

"I figured if I was going to risk my neck being in front, I can take the goods from the room first."

"Fine. Last one before we get the the airlock."

"Line up to the side," I sat while pointing at the side of the door.

"You're a tactician, too?" She asks.

"A what?"

"Forget it."

Stupid assholes are trying to make me look bad.

I get right next to the door frame. The others are lined up behind me. My hand hovers over the button.

"Ready?" Venus asks.

I press the button.

The metal slides open.

The lightning zooms right at the opposing wall.

Shards of electricity crack around the halls. Aaron shouts as he zooms away from the cannon of light waves. Eva-Marie and Venus do the same. They file around in a curved turn, bursting down the hallway. I follow behind them, the black polyester backpack hung on my shoulders.

The lightning is spreading through the hall faster and faster. It swirls on all sides of the path. Now, a tunnel of electricity wraps around us like a perilous cavern. The hair on my head stands at attention like Peacekeepers in formation. The other three scramble forward. We bounce on our tiptoes with the rubber running shoes laced on our feet. Even then, I feel the heat of the waves start to warm the insides of the padding.

The low hum zips down the walkway. It slows down with the lightning as it starts to reach the end of the long hallway. With my long strides, I catch up with the others. Aaron is in front of me with the girls flying ahead.

I get an idea as we reach the corner.

With the speed of our escape from the swirling rays, we must rebound off the wall at the end to move forward. What if I cut to the inside of Aaron and crash into him? Or I can shove him back towards the lightning.

I have a feeling Eva-Marie would kill me before we made it out of here. Her and Aaron are obviously close.

And with no other way through, I need this alliance to get food and water.

Eva-Marie and Venus stretch out their arms and push off the cold metal. They shred through the air around the corner. I'm not able to cut around on the inside; there is no purchase except for the electrified wall. I don't want to risk full impact with that.

Me and Aaron mimic the girls and bounce off. We barrel down the hallway.

The lightning follows us and keeps crossing over the walls. It leaves bolt patterns in its wake like a snake sneaking through sand. My face warms as one bolt crosses in front of me. I don't slow for even a second. The faster I move, the better.

Thank you, zero gravity. I guess no gravity means no slowing down. One push is all we need to zoom down the next hallway. Rays are chasing even harder. The rays kiss my heels as I leave a trail of connecting bolts on the floor.

The lightning passes me.

It spins faster around the slightly tilted hallway. It's a tunnel of electricity, bursting down towards the next corner.

Just a few more feet.

I feel a few sparks hit my clothed legs. It cuts through the fabric. A white hot sensation flows through my leg. It feels like a chimney poker stabbed its way into my nerves. My leg twitches in mid-air. The lightning is about to consume me.

I didn't even tell my District to go fuck themselves.

Just then, we round one more corner. The roaring him disappears like a ghost.

I turn around. The lightning leaves the area, combing back like a retreating army.

When I turn back to face the group, I see a gleam. A large gold door is shimmering in the light of the hallway. Another keypad is placed next to it. Big letters on it say "airlock" with a blinking coming from the sign. A small window is at my eye-level. Inside appears to have a few television monitors with some fancy buttons built into keyboards. More fancy Capitol equipment for this party.

"Well. Somebody is looking out for us today," Eva-Marie says.

"Now what?" I ask.

Venus and Aaron turn back to me. Eva-Marie stares at the keypad. "I thought you were a goner back there," she says while facing the door.

"Disappointed?" I ask.

She nods her head. "Let's just run over to th-."

If Venus hadn't wrapped her arms around Eva-Marie's middle and threw her aside, the trident would have run right through her face.

Damn it. Another opportunity missed.

A quick curse from a certain fifteen year old girl from District Four, and we turn to see the source of the attack.

Standing at roughly the same distance to the airlock, the Careers are lined up. Minus Slate.

And they are holding a mountain of weapons.

Venus slowly takes her bow off her shoulder. Eva-Marie reaches down for a throwing knife. I guess me and Aaron are going to have to fight off a few axes, maces, and knives with our hands. And a free trident.

I should be glad this group is still intact. Otherwise, we wouldn't stand a chance.

No doubt we barely have one now.

Another epic fight brewing? I apologize for the shorter chapter. I really want to get to halftime, though. Jerome's master plan will be revealed at the Final 12. Why should you care? It's going to affect the Games, of course, As well as the victors role in the next SYOT.

At the moment, I will not post sponsor points because the next scene is going to happen very quickly. Sponsors probably couldn't get their stuff over during a battle.

Question: What will the plan be? Will Cryene and Co. escape? Who is your favorite tribute at the moment? Let me know!