Day Six: Run

Part One:

District Two:

Apollo's POV:

When I first began to start waking up, I felt exhausted. My eyelids were heavy and I couldn't force myself to open them. It wasn't until I didn't feel the familiar warmth of Asita's body that I slowly pried my eyes open. I looked around groggily and quickly realized something was wrong. I couldn't remember going to bed last night, nor did I remember the people's faces that were lit up in the sky. I attempted to sit up, but it was suddenly difficult for my muscles to move the way I wanted them to.

"Cami?" I asked.

She was next to me and was stirring slightly. I noticed Lucian was out cold, as was Leith. The next thing I noticed was that Asita, Jordana, and Valhalla were nowhere to be seen.

"What's going on?" Cami slurred slightly as she looked at me from the ground.

"Quite the interesting question," someone chimed from the doorway.

My head snapped towards the source of the voice and I almost snarled.

Standing in the doorframe was Valhalla with a syringe in each hand. Asita and Jordana were both bound by their hands and feet.

And a syringe was in each of their necks.

"I have been waiting hours for Jordana, Asita, and you to wake up," Valhalla smirked at me.

"Wha-" I began.

"I'm guessing you're looking for some sort of explanation," Valhalla chirped as Jordana began to shift slightly.

"Yes," I growled as I attempted to stand up.

"Nuh uh," Valhalla laughed, "If any of you take even a single step towards me, both Jordana and Asita are going to die. These syringes are filled with a lovely sponsor gift. Well, lovely for me. Deadly for everyone else."

I froze and lowered myself back to my knees. I could hear someone stirring and then someone else let out a loud moan.

"Now that everyone is conscious, or close to being, it would be my pleasure to explain everything to you. Yesterday I was given some sponsor gifts. One of them was a nice vial of full of a sleeping medicine. I simply slipped it into the stew I so kindly made for everyone. It was almost satisfactory watching each one of you drop like flies. In fact, I was so tempted to just kill every one of you then. Eliminate all my competition. However, watching you suffer, Apollo, is far more pleasurable than an easy victory."

Questions began to fly through my mind.

But only word came out.

"Why?"

Valhalla's nonchalant, almost giddy appearance swiftly changed to something darker. "Why? There are just so many reasons 'why', Apollo. I want out of this alliance. I want to make people suffer. I want to relish said people's pain. All of you deserve every misery that could ever be heaped upon you. It's your fault Thomas is dead! So many reasons, but I think these will suffice to satisfy your barbaric mind."

I felt the guilt over Thomas quickly wash over me before I replaced it with anger.

"It was an accident."

"Does that fix anything?" Valhalla said in a chilling, monotone voice.

"Fine," I said desperately as I looked into Asita's terrified eyes, "Then kill me! If it's my fault, take it out on me."

"If only I possessed that amount of mercy," Valhalla replied, "Instead, I'm going to let you feel exactly what I feel. Here is how this is going to work. I am going to give you sixty seconds to tell me who you love more, Asita or Jordana. Frankly, everyone here is sick and tired of this love triangle. Then, depending on your answer, either Asita or Jordana is going to die. You'll get to keep one and the other will be ripped out of your life without you having any power to stop it."

"You can't do this," I almost snarled.

"I really would not tell me what I can and cannot do right now," Valhalla whispered as she pressed her thumbs, ever so slightly, harder against the syringe.

"This is crazy!" Jordana exclaimed angrily.

"I never said I was sane," Valhalla sighed, "Your sixty seconds start now."

My mind began racing. I only got to choose one. I got to keep the one I loved most, and then watch as the other one died, most likely feeling betrayed. I could feel my breath beginning to hitch. I could sense Cami's eyes boring into my back. She would want me to pick Jordana. She would say this is the Hunger Games and we needed to keep the most useful. Sadly, everyone knew my answer. No matter how close I was to Jordana, I only loved one of them. Right when I was about to let the answer leave my lips, Jordana piped up.

"Valhalla, you're a logical woman. Don't we get to plead our cases?"

Valhalla looked at Jordana, and burst out in a gale of high pitched cackles. For the first time since I had met her, I realized Valhalla might be just as crazy as Lucian.

"Go ahead. This should be entertaining. The time limit is paused for right now. After they are done pleading there cases, you have thirty seconds. And if you don't choose, they both die," Vahalla chucked darkly.

Asita began to open her mouth but Jordana beat her to it. "You all know my brother, Cass, is a victor and my mentor. He is the most disgusting, sadistic, arrogant person I've ever met, but he is brutally honest. He told me something before we entered the arena. Something he told me might save my life later on."

Jordana took a deep breath and Valhalla rolled her eyes. "Hurry up. I do not have all day."

"My brother is good friends with a good portion of the Career victors… including Clinton, Asita's district partner's mentor. Clinton told Cas-"

"Don't," Asita spat. "Don't you dare."

"I'm sorry, Asita, but I never promised to fight fair," Jordana paused, "Clinton told Cass that Asita was sleeping with him. She was sleeping with him so that he would direct all of Lyric's sponsor money to her."

The room went completely silent. I felt my stomach churn and my heart began to flutter. It was silent for another few seconds before Lucian burst out into laughter.

"This was far better than I anticipated," Valhalla stated.

"Is that true," I said accusingly to Asita.

"Apo-"

"Is it true!"

Asita breathed in shakily and I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Yes, it is, but Ap-"

"Stop."

"Apollo!"

"I said stop!"

I took a deep breath and glared at her, "We've always been honest with each other, or so I thought. Everything you've ever told me, I've never used it against you. I've never judged you. But this! This is low. This is-"

"Apollo," Asita sobbed, "I'm sorry! I told you I was going to do whatever I had to do! I told you I had to get out of here, for my siblings! Plus, this agreement was made before I even saw the Reapings on television! I had no id-"

"Oh please," I laughed darkly, "You probably planned to seduce some sucker to help you from the beginning. For some stupid reason, I just never thought I was a sucker, nor did I think you could plan something so… underhanded!"

"Apollo. I love you!"

My heart skipped a beat. She had never been able to say that. I knew why. It was because whenever she did, the person seemed to either leave her or they died. And now she was finally saying it, now of all times.

"Thirty seconds, Apollo," Valhalla smiled.

I needed three days to sort this out, not thirty seconds. I couldn't tell if I was being played. I didn't know if, maybe, it had started out as a ploy but now she really did love me. I did know that I still loved her, but what I didn't know was if the person I loved actually existed. My brain swirled in pointless circles as the timer counted down. I looked into both of their eyes one last time. Asita's eyes were desperate, hurt. Jordana's were steady, whole.

"Jordana. I choose Jordana," I answered.

In the end, Jordana was always there. Even if I didn't truly love her, she was always steady. She was always herself and there for me. She was real. Something I needed in the Hunger Games.

Asita let out a shriek and I looked away.

When I looked back, Asita's eyes were clenched shut.

Waiting.

It was Jordana who was now slumped against the wall with shock in her eyes. Valhalla pulled out both of her syringes.

Asita's syringe was full with green ooze, while Jordana's was empty.

"I never said that the one you chose got to live," Valhalla smirked. Then, before I could even process what was going on, she ran out the doorway, laughing as she went.

District Eight:

Asita's POV:

Nothing.

I could feel absolutely nothing.

The world seemed to be in slow motion from the second I saw 'J' begin to form on Apollo's lips. The world seemed to slowly slip away as I felt the needle wriggle, ever so slightly, in my neck. I shut my eyes, awaiting the inevitable pain.

I was the first to wake up from Valhalla's sleeping brew. So, she decided to divulge a small piece of information. She told me that the poison wasn't fast acting. It did immediately send your body into shock, but you didn't die quickly. You felt the fire spread through your veins. You felt as each body part began to burn, burn hotter than I could ever imagine. Then after a day or so, you died.

I realized now that she told me because she thought I would be the one she was killing.

She didn't even consider that I wouldn't be the one chosen.

I felt the needle leave my neck, but I didn't feel an ounce of pain. Laughter bounced off the walls around me and I opened my eyes. To my left, Jordana was slumped against a wall, slowly slipping to the floor.

Suddenly, the slow motion feeling ended and I felt like I was being hit by a train of emotions and events.

Apollo dashed forward and I felt a longing feeling of hope blossom in me.

He ran past me without a single glance.

"Untie them!" he yelled to no one in particular, "Leith, help me chase her down!"

Leith sprinted past me moments later, but I didn't even look after him. I couldn't stop myself from staring at Jordana's face.

Grief was the first emotion that hit me. Again, I told someone I loved them and they left me to die, literally. I understood why he was suddenly so flustered. I even accepted the fact that anyone, including myself, would second guess any previous decisions with that new tid bit of information. But, I still thought in the end he would choose me. The conversations we had, the moments we shared, the kisses we stole… They were real. They were one of the most real things I had ever felt. Kisses used to mean nothing. Fleeting romantic moments, such as a simple caress of the face, were simply part of the job. I was just whatever the buyer wanted me to be for an hour. And that was it.

But, now, it was different. There was nothing ever fake between Apollo and me. It may have started out as a scheme, but I was always attracted to him. I always felt pulled to him. I never, ever, would have chosen someone else above him.

With that last thought, my emotions quickly turned to fury. So what if I didn't tell him about my deal with Clinton! He knew what I did back in District Eight! Why does that change what I did before the Hunger Games? It's the same damn thing. Sex for money. How could he let one piece of information that I didn't tell him, because I felt there was no reason for him to know, change everything we had gone through the past two weeks! All the time we had spent bonding! Just one thing that I did suddenly gave him permission to let me die!

I was ripped away from my thoughts by the feel of the rope binding my hands being cut.

I looked at Cami and Lucian, and noticed they had all of their supplies.

"What are you doing?" I croaked.

"Leaving," Cami smirked, "The Careers are over, dear. Now, I'm getting out of here before I become a target… and I suggest you do the same. Dead-Eye Apollo will be back soon and I have a feeling he won't be very happy with you."

She cut the bonds on my feet and I retorted, "He wouldn't kill me!"

"Are you really that dense?" Cami asked, almost sympathetically. "He just did."

Her words hit me hard and fast and I felt like someone punched me in the gut.

She walked right over Jordana, ignoring her like she was a dead rat, and began to exit the room.

"You wanted this to happen," I accused.

Cami and Lucian both turned toward me with wolfish, almost sickening smiles.

"Damn right we did," Lucian cackled.

Lucian pushed past Cami and she looked at me one last time before she muttered, "I only want what you want. To win."

As she left, I realized the difference between her and me. She wanted to win, but all I wanted was to survive. I would trade all the riches and fame just to simply go home. Even if I did have to go back to my 'job', I would at least be safe and back where I belong.

I stood up shakily and placed my hands on my sides. Cami was right about one thing, Apollo did sentence me to my death. I needed to leave.

I raced across the room and grabbed two backpacks. I dumped out the contents and quickly filled one with food and the other with what left we had of the water. I grabbed a few extra knives and packed all of my medical supplies on top of the water. I threw both backpacks over my shoulder and walked towards the exit.

However, I made the deadly mistake of looking at Jordana again.

I knew she was doomed to die, but this was the Hunger Games. Something could happen. Perhaps she will have gained a flood of sponsors because of her trickery and possible new romance. Maybe they'll be able to send some cure, or something to stop her from dying.

And then what will happen? She and Apollo will steadily grow closer. They'll rely on each other, and she'll become his new confidant. Perhaps they'll get to the point where… where…

I couldn't even finish the thought without a painful stab hit my heart. But this new, imaginary image was branded into my mind. It was simply of them sitting by a campfire with one of his arms around her. Her head was resting on his shoulder and he would then tenderly kiss the top of her head.

For some reason, this image hurt even more than anything that had actually happened.

Anger filled my very being as I spat, "Congratulations, you won. I bet you've been laughing your ass off, knowing what you knew. You were just waiting for the perfect time to royally screw me over."

The response that filled my mind and fed my fury was simply, 'I never promised to fight fair'.

Then, without even a second thought, I yanked my jeweled knife out and rammed it through her gut.

She let out a wheezy moan as I mocked, "I never promised I'd fight fair!"

I'd rather die than let her have him.

The second that thought passed through my mind, I stared down at my bloody hands gripped around the handle of my knife. What… Did I just… Do that?

Then, ironically enough, I heard him yell, "What the hell are you doing!"

Without looking up, I yanked the knife out and took several steps back.

I took a deep breath and looked Apollo right in the eye. He had an almost murderous expression on his face as he snarled at me.

"I'm finishing what Valhalla started," I growled.

"I can't believe you! First you use me and then yo-"

"I never once used you! I told you how I felt since the beginning! You just wanted to believe I was a manipulative, lying bitch!" I shrieked.

He took a step closer and growled, "Stop lying and own up to who you are! You're simply a money grubbing bimbo."

I took a deep breath and took a step towards him, "And you're a wishy-washy, 'to cool to try', loser who can only form his opinions based on what others think!"

Then, he said the one thing he knew would hurt me most.

"Listen, whore."

Whore. The word that I had been branded with. The word that had left the lips of many when I walked by. The word that silently killed me a little bit every time I heard it, but I never showed it. The word he knew would send me reeling. The word I had never heard from someone I had actually cared about.

But, instead of listening, I simply shrieked and tackled him. Apparently, my actions completely and utterly surprised him. He didn't even begin to draw his sword as I sent him hurtling towards the ground. Before he could react, I punched him in the face as hard as I could.

I heard a crack and saw that his nose began to bleed.

Then I did the thing that I knew would hurt him the most.

I slashed his eye patch away and snatched it in my hand.

"You're a blind fool, in more ways than one. Now all of Panem can see it." I hissed as I clutched his token.

He stared at me stunned and I felt a twinge of guilt.

Then the word 'whore' rang through my skull and I punched him again. I stood up and picked up one of my backpacks that had fallen during the assault. I stepped over his moaning form, just like Cami, and exited the room. I looked both ways and realized Leith was nowhere to be seen.

I guess Cami wasn't the only one who realized that the Careers were breaking down.

As I ran away from my old allies, I couldn't help but feel the grief beginning to slip in. I felt a sob catch in my throat, but I made sure to hold it there. I wouldn't waste a single tear on Apollo.

Maybe because, in a sick and twisted way, I was ever so slightly thankful. When I was forced in here, I saw it as an opportunity to show District Eight that I was more than a slut. But, I only proved that they were right. I hid behind Apollo, letting him protect me from every danger that came our way. Sure, I risked my life for Thomas, but that was while Apollo was fighting a dragon!

Whether I won or died, I was going to show them that they were wrong. I was done hiding behind a man, expecting that they would protect me because of my looks or 'charm'. It was time to stop running and face these games as a competitor. A competitor worth respecting.

District Five:

Winnifred's POV:

"I… I don't necessarily understand this," I mumbled, more to myself than anyone.

"Well, we had better try and figure it out," Admyer replied as he walked towards it.

In front of us was a giant tube. It reminded me of the small chamber that raised me up into the bloodbath, except that you could fit my entire house inside of it. It obviously let up, but the entrance was sealed off.

The entire sixth floor was a medical station. Everywhere we went I seemed to find some sort of chemical compound or healing remedy in the works. This was every tributes haven after six days of battling and wounds. It was even built to be completely sterilized. I hadn't run across a single speck of dust.

"This can't be too hard. Every tribute is supposed to figure it out and get to the next floor, hypothetically," Admyer thought aloud.

"Not if the Gamemakers started putting in multiple entrances. Remember that the higher we get, the larger the floors are," I argued.

"True and this is an extremely obvious entrance, which is why they would make it difficult to access."

For the next few minutes we began to debate different methods of entry. Admyer suggested we try to find some sort of explosive and blow it open. I told him that was foolish since we would need power to raise the elevator. I then suggested another idea and he shot it down with a sound argument. It went on for quite a while.

"Okay, let's recap," Admyer huffed right as I was opening my mouth to spout another idea, "We know we need power to operate it. Therefore, there should be some sort of power generator. Maybe even a control console. Why don't we look for that for a bit?"

"Sounds fine to me. You check the left half of the area and I'll check the right," I replied as I walked to my destination.

I began to sift through things on the nearest metal table, looking for a hidden switch or button. These past few days hadn't been bad. Admyer and I got along just fine. We worked well together and we never got into any sort of argument. We did, however, get into disagreements over what we should do. I liked to take a very problem-solving, methodical approach to our plans while Admyer relied more on his gut and instinct. I will admit that his instinct had saved us at least once. He almost begged me not to go down the hallway that was the fastest approach to the destination we were seeking. I agreed just to stop the confrontation. Later, I just knew I heard the sounds of a muttation and tribute emitting from where the corridor was.

The other thing I enjoyed about our alliance was the lack of attachments. I never once had to worry about hurting his feelings or vice versa. We simply said what was on our minds, knowing the other wouldn't take offense to it. I also knew that he would never stab me in the back. If and when we parted ways, it would be very clean and formal, just like the start of our alliance.

"Winnifred, I think I found something," Admyer called.

I jogged over to where he was and peered at the console he was observing. It was previously hidden under several white sheets and pieces of equipment, making it appear to be just another metal lab table.

"I… just take a look at this," he sighed with frustration.

I peered down at the console and automatically knew it was a simple math puzzle. It was telling me that I needed to transfer a certain amount of power and fuel to one generator, while still having enough to keep the generator that was currently on running. With a few simple strokes of the keyboard I told the computer to send half of the resources to the second generator while transferring a third of the second generators resources to the first one. I continued to send the power and fuel between the two generators until they were the exact amount the computer had told me.

When I was done, the screen turned green and blinked… Waiting.

"What now?" Admyer murmured, "You did what it asked."

"I know," I whispered, completely perplexed.

After a minute of trying to switch the screen to anything else but its new state, I realized it was waiting for a command.

"Open entrance to the elevator," I commanded.

The screen turned red and 'NOT RECOGNIZED' flashed across my view.

"List preset commands."

'NOT RECOGNIZED'.

"Allow access to elevator functions."

'NOT RECOGNIZED'.

"Open sesame?" Admyer interrupted.

"Shush," I hissed as 'NOT RECOGNIZED' flashed again.

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood," he sighed as he flopped onto the ground, "I just don't understand why they would want to trap us in here."

Suddenly, Admyer's offhand comment gave me an idea. This door wasn't meant to keep us in. It was meant to keep everything else out.

Everything that might contaminate any and all experiments on this floor.

"Stabilize air conditions within the chamber and elevator."

The screen flashed a brilliant green and I could feel the air begin to shift in the room.

"Winnifred, what are you doing?"

"I said, shush," I repeated.

"Prepare to open outer seal in twenty seconds, close outer seal in thirty seconds, open inner seal in forty seconds, close inner seal in fifty seconds, and raise elevator to floor seven."

The screen flashed green brilliantly and I automatically secured all of our supplies.

"Go to the door, now."

Admyer obeyed without question and jogged to the entrance. I began to walk towards it as well, but quickly turned back to the console.

"Self-destruct main console in two minutes."

With my last order, I ran to the door as it began to open.

"What did you figure out?" Admyer asked as we entered the inner chamber.

"It's simple, this entire floor is sterile. Scientists would not want anything ruining their experiments. That means that they would build two sealed door so that people could pass from entrance to entrance without dragging anything toxic into the environment," I explained.

The outer seal closed and, in ten seconds exactly, the inner seal opened.

"And how did you know that?"

"I read quite a bit back home," I admitted sheepishly, "I don't exactly have a great social life…"

The inner seal shut and the elevator began to move slowly. As we steadily rose, I looked down into the empty, metal room. I felt as if I was entering the Hunger Games again… Just a little more prepared this time. After a minute, the explosion went off.

"Why, exactly, did you do that?" Admyer questioned.

"Simple. I didn't want anyone else to be able to use this entrance," I shrugged.

Admyer emitted a loud guffaw and just stared at me.

"Brilliant," he smiled.

I felt myself blush and stare at the ground.

"Shush."

District Six:

Lucy's POV:

"Don't' hurt yourself," I commented in a painfully sarcastic way.

Lyric simply grunted as he forced himself to stand up.

"We need to get going and find our way up to the next floor," he grunted.

"Lead the way," I grandiosely gestured as I rolled my eyes.

Lyric walked past me and down the hallway. I strolled behind him, looking for something more interesting than this situation. Perhaps a stray piece of framework or a dead mouse.

Frankly, I could care less about Lyric. He is simply a worthless tribute that has done nothing the past six days. However, he is a worthless tribute that Head Gamemaker Lavender told me to protect with my life. For some reason, she saw some small speck of potential in him that the rest of Panem wasn't able to locate.

If I was being honest with myself, I was just bored. I wasn't allowed to kill anyone unless ordered to. What else did that leave me to do in the Hunger Games? Perhaps I could befriend a few stray muttations or knit a sweater for when I get cold. Heck, if she sent me some thread and wool I would force myself to learn how to knit. I would do anything if it didn't involve wandering these almost identical metal hallways waiting for the next order, even though I knew where every entrance and tribute was located.

"Would you mind taking this backpack," he asked without really asking as he shoved it towards me.

I simply let it fall to the ground and grunted, "What, did you become disabled in the past few minutes?"

"I just need a little help," Lyric explained.

"No, you need to put your big boy undies on and take care of your own business. I'm not going to be around forever, so pick up your flipping backpack and deal with the pain." I said each word clearly and enunciated every syllable, talking as I would to a small child.

Heck, I think I wouldn't even talk to a small child like this.

"Fine," he groaned as he bent over and painstakingly picked it up.

Be nice.

Lavender's voice chimed into my brain and I rolled my eyes.

You want him to live? Then he needs to be his own caretaker. I replied mentally.

No, he needs to heal up, and you being a snarky snake doesn't help him.

Oh really? I thought it built character.

I could hear the sound of her clearing her throat and knew I had pissed her off.

Oh well.

If she wanted me to keep Lyric from any more physical harm, fine. However, I would not babysit the brat and spoon feed him every little thing he needed. I would not lower myself in such a way. I'd rather Lavender pull the plug and have me killed.

Rebellion doesn't suit you, Lucy.

It is not rebellion, it is self-respect.

Which, you shouldn't have seeing as you're a muttation.

Really? Then what's your excuse?

That should shut her up for about two minutes.

I glanced at Lyric and sighed. Which was worse company; Lavender, a psychotic control freak who constantly undermined me, or Lyric, a self-wallowing cretin who couldn't even tie his own shoes without complaining or hurting himself?

Frankly, I chose neither. Sometimes, I just wished I could run away from it all…

Hey, i told you i would update again :D

So the hoilday is drawing near and my midterms/finals are next week! Stress city! Plus, the day of my last final, I'm leaving for Seattle for two weeks. So i know this update is shorter than usual but A) i think yall would want an update before new years and B) it has enough drama for two chapters xD

So please tell me what you think and review :D