Chapter 37: Day 9 – Fire and Ice
Ky Luke (D3M) POV: Forest
I don't sleep much, so the first hint of day and I am completely awake. With dreams haunted by the memory of when Jayke died 2 years ago in the final two I am happy to be awake. I keep remembering his face, his blood staining the green grass red. His opponents knife plunging deep into his stomach. He was the best friend I ever had and the Hunger Games took him. I keep wondering what would happen if I died in here, would I be reunited with him? Is there some kind of next life? Or is there just emptiness…
I think this arena is making me go insane… I can't wait to get out of here, even if it is in a wooden box.
I pack up my sleeping bag quietly so that I don't wake up Electra. We organised a temporary alliance last night, but it won't hold out for much longer so it would be easier to split up and hope it doesn't come down to the two of us. Dawn is only just breaking through the trees, hopefully not enough to wake up Electra.
Once I am all packed I head towards the Junk Yard section that I have passed numerous times but never been in. I keep thinking about it and have been curious about what wonders it could hold. Plus with three of us left, it could be a good place to find a weapon of some kind…
When I make it to the junk yard I don't get very far into the mechanic jungle before I realise what is happening around me. Everything in the junk yard is – well its working. There is electricity running through all of it. Part of me was telling myself to get out of there, but my curiosity got the better of me. I walk towards an old automobile of some kind and begin to feel the electricity pulse through it. Its not normal for something to feel like that, the closer I get to it the more I start to feel it pulse through me too. I am close enough to touch it now.
Slowly, I reach out and place one hand on the top of the machine.
The reaction is instant. A pulse of electricity bursts through me, filling me entirely. I feel pain everywhere for a few seconds, but it goes as fast as it came. My heart that was beating vigorously a second ago slows down. A vision of Jayke fills my mind, but it's not the usual bloody one. He is smiling a sad smile, watching over me as I die. I feel life being sucked out of me as the electricity fades.
Then, I feel nothing.
Electra Ivie (D3) POV: Forest
BOOM!
I wake up quickly, immediately recognising the sound of a cannon.
My eyes are blurred with the shock of the bright day but my mind is racing. I think a million thoughts in a minute. Was it Ky? Was it Luke? My mind reels through a number of confusing conclusions. It even starts calculating. Thinking back to the training days, all the study I did of the two of them that is forever stored in my photographic memory. If they got into a fight, who would win? Luke has the rage and aggression, as well as the strength to use it. However, Ky is smart. Very smart. He could think his way out of anything. Couldn't he?
I'm not entirely sure who I want to be left. I mean, if I was to lose I would want Ky to win but I don't want to face him down in the final two…
My answer comes soon. Even though it is morning, the Capitol shows The Fallen. Ky's face fills the sky and I feel a mix of emotions. Sadness, grief, loneliness and that nagging relief that pulls at my mind.
Suddenly, the ground beneath me collapses, just like it did when we got our powers, and I am sucked into an underground tunnel.
President Chacen POV:
A bloodthirsty smile is plastered on my face. This is exactly who I wanted in the top 2. I guess I should commend Malice on her ability to give me what I want. Now, it is up to the tributes. I can use either of these tributes for my own benefit.
"Put them in the caves." I announce.
The tributes are sucked upwards from their tubes and given very temporary knockout gas. The moment that the tributes are in their individual caves things get hectic. The area between them is an acre of grassland, bordered with fencing which has an invisible shield connected to it so none of the tributes can escape.
Malice, dressed in a long white dress, stands on a pedestal with a white light shining down on her. Excitement is evident in her eyes and a big smile is plastered onto her face. I walk over and stand in front of her, staring her down. She looks to sure of herself, to certain that this will go to plan. That kind of confidence could lead to her missing small mistakes. I can't have that, the games must be perfect.
"Don't screw this up." I snarl at her.
Her smile faltered and the excitement in her eyes flickers. Most of it returns quickly, but I have definitely knocked her down.
I turn towards the monitor, showing the two tributes waking up. First there is a flicker, then a hologram of Malice appears in their caves.
Here we go.
Electra Ivie (D3) POV:
I wake up hazy with a beautiful woman standing in front of me. With heavy makeup, a glowing spray tan and long hair with rainbow streaks she is easily recognisable as the Head Gamemaker.
"Congratulations, Tribute, on making into to the final two. You may have noticed that for the Grand Finale we have confiscated your powers. Winning these games will require raw skill. We have talked to your Mentors and have given them the opportunity to send you up to 5 things all under a certain budget. You will stay in this cave for 20minutes to get yourself prepared and use any of the gifts your mentor sends. After the 20minutes you may leave through the entrance to meet your fellow finalist. May the odds be ever in your favour."
The hologram disappears and I smile to myself. If Willow knows me well, she will know what to get me.
A parachute lands next to me with my gifts in it. I slowly unwrap it and smile.
Two knives, a pack of long matches, a conducting wire and a muesli bar. I eat the muesli bar and get to work, setting up my final weapon.
Luke Cole (D7) POV:
Electra won't stand a chance against me. My gifts include two axes, a muesli bar, an apple and a knife. I eat the apple and save the muesli bar for later. Then, I get ready for the grand finale. I stretch, I jog on the spot, I prepare myself.
"Attention Tributes. You may now leave your caves and enter the battlefield and the other persons cave. May the odds be ever in your favour." I run out of the cave, an axe in each hand and the knife in my belt.
When I get out she, like me is just leaving her cave. We jog towards each other; she is my last obstacle before I get home. I pick up the pace, when we are 50m from each other she stops and holds her knife in front of her body defensively.
I throw my first axe, she ducks swiftly under it like a professional. It distracts her and I run at her with my second axe in hand. She swiftly dodges to the side, completely avoiding the blade of my axe. As I stumble past her she sticks out her knife and swipes it across my back. Its not deep, but I feel blood pour down my back.
I quickly spin back around to face her; anger fills me when I find her tearing up. If hurting other people upset her so much she shouldn't be here in the final two. I pull out my second axe and throw it straight towards her. She smoothly turns to the side and almost dodges it, but the axe clips her arm. Her gash is deeper then mine, but much smaller so they bleed about the same amount.
She cries out and I take her moments of weakness as an opportunity. I run towards her and tackle her to the ground. I put her into a position so I am on top of her pinning her down. I pull my knife out of my belt and hold it to her throat while she struggles to get away.
"You ready to end this?" I snarl at her.
She smirks and says smugly "Not yet."
Electra Ivie (D3) POV:
I pull my second knife out my holster with my free hand, which strikes against the match, which sets the conducting wire on fire that is wrapped around the knife. So basically, I pull out a flaming knife from my belt. At first he is shocked, then his eyes fill with pain as I press the flaming knife to his cheek. He screams and leaps away from me, but I chase him down, knife extended in front of me.
I swipe at him, a cut down his arm. Swipe again, wound on his shoulder. Swipe again, gash across his chest. He falls to his knees screaming. Yelling. His screams are torture to me, but I know it's making the capitol happy. I let him sit and as the oxygen surrounds each cut they start to spark, then every cut I made with this knife on his body is on fire, his skin blistering red. He screams in pain and I can practically hear the Capitol applause.
All because of the wire. The genius wire. It not only conducts fire and electricity, but it leaves traces of the wire behind so the fire or electricity is still running through it. Oxygen activates the fire and electricity, so basically there is no escaping the pain until it's burned itself out.
Luke is lying on the floor, writhing in pain. I walk over to him slowly and sadly.
He killed Ky. He deserves it. Put him out of his pain. You are doing this for him.
I kneel down at his side and hover the flaming knife over his heart.
"Now I am ready to end this." I thrust the knife on an angle sideways under his ribs.
Straight into his heart so the traces go into his bloodstream. It pumps around the body, and as it does, the fire spreads. It consumes his body and after a moment of convulsing, his body goes limp.
BOOM!
Words are announced across the speakers, but I don't hear them. A hovercraft drops a ladder down and, without thinking, I grab onto it. I am frozen, attached to the ladder getting pulled up. Even if there wasn't an electric current holding me here I don't think I would be able to move.
They are dead. They are all dead. And I am alive.
It doesn't feel real. It feels like when I get to the top of this ladder there will be a whole other challenge waiting. I should be happy, I get to go home. But I can't feel happiness. I can't feel anything. I am just empty and numb. Nothing more.
Authors note:
So the grand finale! The arena is done, yayyyy! PLEASE REVIEW! I would love any feedback!
I don't think I am going to post everything after this. Maybe just the Victors interview and then like a when she gets home thing, then this will be all over :(