Day Ten

Jon Arrowsmith

I wake up to a buzzing sound in my ears. I don't know where I am, or why I'm neck deep in freezing water, or why I'm in pain.

Then I remember.

But what day is it? Last thing I remember was day... 8? Maybe 7?

I don't know what day it is.

I think I've been asleep for a while. I'm covered in cuts, gashes, and bruises. My hair is covered with dry blood.

But, believe it or not, I'm still alive.

I wonder how many of us are left. I hear something and turn around.

A girl. Her skin is chocolate brown, her hair tangled and frizzy. She runs towards me and I close my eyes, preparing for death. But she doesn't kill me; She drags me out of the water onto the dusty grey shore. She says one thing but I can't quite hear. I share at her.

"Who are you?!" She says again.

"Jon." I mumble.

"How long have you been in there. You were going to die!"

"Uh... eighth day."

"Eighth? Well, this is the tenth day."

"H...how many tributes are... left?" She frowns at me.

"Seven including us. But there should be eight. The dam* capital." I really want to go back to sleep. I start to close my eyes but the girl slaps me. "Don't you dare close your eyes. You'll die! Now come on, you're not safe here. We have to go." She helps me up and takes me to a small boat. "Don't take this wrong though. I'm not going to be your ally, kid. I just can't let you die right now. As soon as we get to the caves, you're on your own." I try to nod but pain shoots through my chest and I stop. She rows the boat for what seems like eternity, and then stops at a huge, stone island covered with caves. She pulls me off the boat and helps me to the shore. "Now go, before I change my mind." I stumble away into a cave and she slowly walks away into a cave, almist as if she knows where she's going. I think I remember that she had an ally.

I wonder if she died.

I think I'll just lie down and go to sleep now. I'm so tired, and it hurts so, so much. I can feel myself dying, slowly. Starvation, dehydration, blood loss... I'm dying through and through.

I close my eyes.

NO! I will NOT die yet! Richard. I can't lose sight of why I must win.

Richard.

I can't die yet. I weakly stand up and keep walking through the maze of caves until I see a faint yellow light. The girl is there. So is another girl, who she's fighting with.

This is a trap.

They're pushing us all into the caves, But they all end in one place. Were being pushed together.

Amina Hambley

The district two girl snarls at me and holds her sword ready.

"Awww, too bad You wasted your last weapon trying to kill me." She points to her ribs, where I threw my knife yesterday. It is wrapped with a bandage. Now, obviously, it wasn't my last weapon. After all, three knives, minus one knife, equals two knives. But I'm too smart to tell her right yet. "And now you get to die, kust like your little midget friend. Eva? Yes, she died." I growl at her.

"Don't you dare." She lunges at me and I punch her in the gut.

"Agh!" She grunts. I slam my fist at her nose and she starts bleeding. "You little..." she grabs my neck and pushes me onto the floor, slamming my head down hard. Raising her sword, she shouts "to victory!" But as she falls on top of my, about to stab me, I grab a knife from my pack and hurl it into her chest. She screams as she falls onto the ground. "No! Sawyer, Sawyer help me!" But of course, he doesn't come. Why would he? She starts to cry, But I feel no pity for her dying, wretched form. She pretty much killed my best friend. She is a murderer.

"Now you know how Eva felt when you tried to kill her!" I shout.

"It's all I ever knew how to do. Killing was all... I ever... was meant to do. I was born to... die." Her eyes glaze over and she falls simply to the ground. BOOM! I walk away, knowing that because of me, the feast will be tonight.

Sawyer Pace

I hear a cannon BOOM and immediately my stomach twists. It was Charlotte. I know it was Charlotte, I can feel it in my bones.

I still love her.

I always did.

That's why I made her leave, because I loved her. But the last thing she said to me was that she hated me.

Six of us left. The feast will be tonight, no doubt, I could be out of here tonight if things go well. If not, it could still be days before I'm Victor.

I'll make sure it's tonight.

I mentally go over who's still alive.

Its possible Charlotte isn't dead after all, so one of these tributes is dead.

The little kid, Stream.

That other kid... Jon? I think.

The thief girl.

Annoying girls friend.

Charlotte.

And Cleone.

One of them is dead.

How are the two little kids and the annoying girl still alive?

Well, they won't be for long.

The only real threats are Kate Reyes, Cleone, and, though I hate to admit it, Amina Hambley.

She's better than I like to think.

I could be Victor tonight.

I could go home in just a few days.

But hone to what? Suddenly it occurs to me that with Charlotte gone I'll have no one. No one at all.

But I still must win, because if I don't, my life will have been for nothing.

Stream Wrena

BOOM! I jump when I hear the cannon and my heart start to race.

There are only six of us left, I've made it to the final six. Me, the little girl with the back brace.

I could actually win. I could live, go home, Be the youngest victor. Of course, I know I won't actually win, simply because of who I am. I'm alive because my friends died for me.

Not because I'm strong.

I wander through the dark, foreboding caves for what seems like hours. The truth is, I'm lost. The caves are a maze that all lead to one place. But that one place is where, most likely, I will die, unless I get out of here. I'm so afraid. I didn't know one could be this afraid, But I am. I'm not ready to die.

Just like Gwen, Just like Muffy, Just like Shae. I'm not ready. Ten days.

Ten days ago, twenty four of us Were thrown into this arena. Ten days ago, my friends were alive, even Shae.

But ten days ago, I didn't know it was possible to love a friend a such as I loved Gwen, or feel pain- whether the pain of a burn or the pain of losing someone. I didn't know what it was like to actually live. I will win in their names; all of the good, kind people who have died.

Shae, Muffy, Gwen, Chloe, Parson, Cliff, David... all of them.

Every.

Single.

One.

"TRIBUTES! TONIGHT WILL BE THE FEAST! THE ITEM YOU NEED MOST- WHATEVER IT MAY BE- WILL BE THERE FOR YOU. COME TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN AT MIDNIGHT, OR YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF DEAD IN A MATTER OF SECONDS!" A voice blades through the loudspeakers.

I can only hope that tonight will end these games.

Though, in truth, I doubt it.

After all, we can't all die in one night.

Kate Reyes

I listen to the announcement with a cold sense of closure; tonight could end it all, tonight I could die, or live.

Or, tonight I could still be stuck in here. We could still have days left in the arena.

I've become a murderer in this arena, I'm not that thieving, clever girl I was.

My best friend died, my 'mother' tried to kill me, I killed innocent children, and I killed heartless monsters.

But, though all that is true, I could be safe- tonight.

Amina Hambley

Stream Wrena

Sawyer Pace

Jon Arrowsmith

Charlotte Lace

Cleone Sirena Bay

One of them is dead.

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But the thing is, I can't even imagine going home at this point. Not after my mother as mutt. Not after... everything. But I want to go home, so I will.

Because If anyone has been lucky in these games, Its me.

Alright, were almost there! Next chapter is the feast.

Again, please submit up to three characters to my next SYOT before it fills up.

Its doing pretty well, so I would hurry.

Also, regrettably, I can't do reservations since it isn't first come first serve, so please find time to make a tribute. Okay, please please please review!