Day Fourteen: Blood
Part One:
District One:
Cami's POV:
That isn't right either.
I chucked away another piece of wood and began to fiddle with a new plank. I scraped my knife down the side and began to whittle away at the material.
Why did that whore have to die right when I actually needed her?
This was my tenth attempt at making a proper splint. I had spent hours on each one trying to make it fit my leg properly, but each time I screwed something essential up. Asita was the one who knew all about first aid. I had only seen a picture of a splint and a couple tributes from previous games use one. Of course, they had access to better materials besides large wooden planks that were the size of my entire leg!
On the bright side, my sprained ankle was healing. The difference a day of inactivity made was enormous, but I knew I wasn't going to be given many of those. If I was going to be able to fight when it was necessary to survive, I needed to make this.
"It… looked so simple," I mumbled to myself as I frustratingly chipped away at the lumber.
I continued to angrily carve into the timber as my mind wandered. Why hadn't my father ever deemed it vital to explain to me how to make a splint? For someone who was so insistent on versatility in combat being the key to winning the Hunger Games; he sure wasn't nagging me to be versatile in other areas! His ego was probably too inflated to even consider the idea that his precious prodigy would ever be physically hurt.
What an idiot.
Sadly, I can't say that I was much smarter. It's not like I ever suggested "Hey dad, let's go over the basics of vegetation" or "You know what would be a fun thing to learn… the miracle of modern medicine!"
No, with us it was always fight, brawl, and spar. All he ever imagined was me going into the arena and slaughtering the tributes to kingdom come! While all I ever thought about was a less direct approach but, ultimately, doing the same when the time came.
"We never thought I would be sitting here in pain while the other tributes continue to carve their path to victory!" I growled frustratingly as I slammed the object down onto the ground next to me.
I could just picture my family's faces as they watched me. My dad was probably so disappointed in me. It was almost as if I could see him shaking his head and smashing his fist into the table. My older brother, Kyle, was probably nervously watching. Maybe he was washing dishes or working out in the garden… Anything to keep his mind away from what was going on. Then there was Brianna. Her sniveling nose and teary eyes popped into my mind. We had always hated each other, but she was such a drama queen. Even though we couldn't stand the thought of each other, she totally would be a huge cry baby about this and make a scene just because I was her sister.
As the disgust filtered itself in my mind, I stopped myself for a second. Why was I condemning such a normal action? Normally, families were supposed to be upset and worried when their sibling or child was stuck in this game. Why was her reaction so vile to me and my father's so understandable? Perhaps it was because I could understand it better.
When Brianna's name was called out before I volunteered several weeks ago, I snickered. I cherished the expression on her face and even contemplated waiting another year to volunteer. I thought about what if Miss Princess was trapped in here, but I didn't think about how it would affect me. Would I have really been rolling my eyes and giggling at her pain? Would I have realized she was my sister and would seeing her in pain hurt me as well?
I suppose I didn't know and I wouldn't ever be able to find out. All I knew was that, even though I despised her, she was still my sister. She was blood and I didn't want to see her dead… Just out of my life.
Her reaction suddenly made sense while I began to question my father's. Why wouldn't he be worried about me? Why would he just stand by and be angry that I wasn't performing up to par?
Because he doesn't view you as a daughter.
The shock of the answer jerked at my spine and I found myself gasping aloud. It was completely true. After my mother died, he was so overcome with grief he put all his focus on me. My brother was too old to be molded and he despised my sister. He trained me to not only fight but to feel and act exactly like him.
He viewed me as an extension of himself, not as a daughter or a person. If I failed, it was as if he had failed just like he failed my mother. If I died, he wouldn't be saddened to lose me. He would be furious at me for not winning and bringing glory home.
I felt a sob choke out of my throat at the realization that the only person I had ever loved didn't feel the same. The grief permeated my pores like a fine perfume and lingered thickly. In my mind, I could see my father's expression darken even more at the sight of me crying. I could hear a hole being punched into a wall as he stormed out of the house. Brianna would flinch and Kyle would shrug it off. They had realized a long time ago that father had never loved them.
It took me until near death to even ponder that question.
For the first time, my siblings were much stronger than I could be.
"No," I whispered as I picked up the wooden plank again, "I'm not giving up. I'm getting out of here for me. No one else! This victory is for me and me alone!"
I chiseled away at the wood as I fought through the tears. I mattered… I was more than a tool or Career. I was a human being who could go on to do… things. I didn't know what things, but that didn't matter. All I needed to know was that I had a future to start. A future that could involve birthdays, weddings, and parties. A future filled with the happiness and joy I had never known.
All I had to do was be the last one standing.
Suddenly, an echoed scream bounced into the room. It was shrill and high. It sounded as if someone was being gutted and strewn throughout the arena. As it continued, I began to chip away slightly faster at the soon-to-be splint. That wasn't going to be me. I wasn't going to die. My blood wasn't going to run freely across the ground.
I was going to fight.
District Three:
Valhalla's POV:
I trailed my blood into the ballroom as I let my last shriek die out. I smeared it across the large doors as I closed them. I continued to lead the trail to the powder room before leaving one last smudge across that entrance as well. I left the door slightly ajar as I wrapped the open wound on my arm. I hissed at the pain as I applied as much pressure as I could take to stop the bleeding.
Someone would be here soon… No one could resist such an easy prey.
I slipped farther back in the room and slid down a column. I held the spool of wire as I crouched in the shadows and waited.
The anticipation sent jitters through me, and I could feel my whole body shaking. After I had seen Asita's face on the death toll, I couldn't get the glee to leave me. Just the thought of Hawk's oh so sad face as he gazed down on a dying Asita was tantalizing. The pleasure it gave me to know I could wreak havoc on someone's emotions so thoroughly through death created a strange craving for more.
I wanted to be the one who was the cause of death for every single tribute left alive. I wanted all of them to know that they died because I wanted them to. Even Admyer would know. When he died, he would look back and know that I could have easily ended his life earlier. I just chose for him to leave this planet in a different way. At the end of the day, I was the mastermind of these games. I wanted to be the one in control. I wanted to torture every last one of them.
I could not help but chuckle slightly as I heard two sets of footsteps approaching. This was all too easy. It was as if blood said to them "Weakness! Come kill me1 I'm dying! Just follow the trail!"
The door opened and I heard a voice say, "No, it has to be the girl from District Ten. Only she would shriek like that. Cami and Valhalla both wouldn't do anything to lead us right to them."
"Whatever you say, Ruth," Leith sighed, "I'm just saying we've heard that girl scream before. It wasn't nearly that high."
"Did we hear her scream when she was, I don't know, being torn apart!" Ruth snapped back, "God, look at this."
"I can't."
"It's an expression. I'm still very aware that you physically can't!"
I peered around the corner and observed as Ruth followed the traces of blood. Leith walked towards the large window as he wandered near the center of the room. He seemed to be making a sweep of the area, which meant he still had some sense of sight.
It was to be expected. My most dangerous and acidic chemicals had been used on Oceana. This left me with only my combustible materials and, as of yesterday, I had used almost all of the explosive extracts. I still had a few tricks up my sleeve, but most of them did not involve chemicals. I was just going to have to rely on wit and basic traps like the many that came before me.
"It leads in here," Ruth called out as she began to enter the room.
I waited with bated breath as she stepped further into the room. After several seconds, I stood up and yanked the spool. The door slammed shut and I swiftly began to wrap it around the column. I could hear her yells of indignation and feel her tugging at the door through the wire. I managed to hold on with the leverage of the column.
"Ruth?" Leith called out.
With one final loop, I pulled out a knife. I cut the wire and tied it firmly to the column. Before I moved, I watched the door. Ruth continued to pull and bang against it, but it barely budged. She wasn't getting out of my trap anytime soon.
Granted, no one ever did.
Without a second thought, I banished her from my mind. I set my sights on Leith and smiled. This was going to be fun… A memory to treasure.
"She will not be interrupting us, Leith," I called out as I stepped away from the pillar.
His head snapped towards my voice, and he squinted his eyes furiously. I waved my entire arm in the light streaming in from the window before I hopped back in the shadows.
"I knew it was you," he growled.
He raised his spear and continued to look in the direction I had been. I glided around the room as he approached the column.
"Not over there," I giggled as he spun around.
He slowly began to back away towards the window.
"I never thought I would get the chance to kill a blind person. It is very intriguing to slay someone missing a very vital sense."
"You're not going to get that chance."
"Oh, am I not?" I asked as I continued to move around the room, "Should we take a look at my record? I convinced one tribute he should not even try because he had no chance. I poisoned Jordana while effectively ending the Career alliance. I caused Apollo to go practically insane for revenge. I made a trap that caused Asita to die a rather long and slow death while her ally watched. Oh… Did I forget to mention I damaged your vision and dissolved Oceana's expression from her very own skull?"
Leith growled as he chucked his spear in my general direction blindly.
I walked away from it easily and watched as he pulled it back with the chain attached to end.
"I think I am going to kill you quite slowly. Maybe not physically, but I think not knowing when I will strike will seem long enough. Tormenting you will be quite the amusement. Then, once you're dead, I'm going to dissect Ruth. I can knock her unconscious without having to even enter the room."
He chucked his spear again, this time slightly closer. I laughed as it clanged against the ground. I was unstoppable… Untouchable.
I was the orchid mantis and they were just a colony of ants.
"I cannot wait to see you bleed."
District Four:
Leith's POV:
Valhalla's laugh rang throughout the room. I would occasionally see an arm or leg slip into the sunlight… Or, at least, the shape of one. The way her voice echoed throughout the room made it extremely hard to tell where she was. I felt as if she was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
She had me cornered.
Anxiety began to settle as I realized I was alone for the first time since I lost my sight. Ruth wasn't here to guide me or help me through this. She wasn't here to tell me where to go or what to do. I only had myself.
I tried to quell the panic as I tried to be rational. As long as Valhalla thought I was suffering she would keep me alive. If she felt that I was trapped she was going to take her sweet time in killing me. I strained to hear if Ruth was struggling. The soft echo of footsteps padded lightly across the ground, but no yelling or banging. I didn't know if Valhalla had already knocked her unconscious during the time she had been silent or if Ruth was looking for another way out.
Whichever it was, I couldn't prolong the fight in hopes that she would join me. This was my fight and mine alone.
I walked more towards the center of the room and tried to peer into the depths of the shadows. It was like I was trying to find a small fish in the dark abyss that you would find in the deeper parts of the ocean. I suddenly saw a small movement and threw my spear. It flew into the darkness and thudded against the ground. I dragged it back and continued to look around.
"Leith!" a voice screamed.
I tensed, recognizing Ruth's voice startling close. I spun around and saw nothing. However, I felt pain sear my side as something sharp was dug into it. I yelled in agony as I clutched it, and a small shadow scurried back into the blackness.
"Ruth?" I called out.
"Watch out!"
I spun around in a full circle, but saw nothing again. A high pitched cackle sprang through the air.
"I knew you were feeble minded, but are you really that slow?" Valhalla asked in a condescending tone.
I realized with a sinking feeling that Ruth hadn't escaped. Valhalla was just mimicking her voice... Almost perfectly.
"Don't worry, Leith," another voiced spoke demurely.
I tensed at the sound of a tone that sounded frighteningly similar to Oceana.
"I wasn't able to see minutes before my death and I turned out fine… Right?"
Another cackle vibrated through the air at the end of the statement. However, something about her sentence made me think. I wasn't able to see, which was what I was still relying on. If I wanted to win this battle, I couldn't be attempting to notice faint shadows and hope to hit her. I had to use what I still had.
I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and tried to focus solely on listening. I gripped my spear tightly as the sound of silence unnerved me further. Every fiber of my body was telling me to open my eyes and look around. It was telling me that what I was doing was going to kill me.
Suddenly, a soft slap against the floor met my ears. I turned towards it and heard a quiet mishmash of machinery. Before I could ready my spear, I heard a slightly louder buzz. A small whirl of electricity sparked into the air and I jumped back.
I continued to hop around as more sparks cracked through the air.
"Dance for me Leith," Valhalla giggled in glee, "Dance!"
My side began to ache and this time a small spark hit my foot. I could feel a slight jolt shoot up my leg but nothing more. She was still just toying with me. I still had time.
As I danced around the minor bolts of electricity, I tried to listen for the source. She was moving around the room, possibly now darting through the light. She was getting closer and closer. She was lowering her defenses drastically, believing me to be inept. All of her focus was on what I was doing and feeling… Not on what I may be thinking and observing.
The electricity stopped as I heard her say, "You look so calm. Are you coming to terms with your imminent death?"
I heaved my spear at where I was sure she was. It connected with a pillar, but I heard her jump back slightly.
"We cannot have that… Can we?"
She suddenly was dead silent again, and I felt the terror sink in. I forced myself to my knees and listened carefully. Not a sound could be heard except for the sickening silence. My heart's pace quickened. Suddenly, I heard a small scuffle rapidly approach, and I opened my eyes. I brought my arm back and rammed my fist into something solid. Valhalla went stumbling back but she drove her knife straight through my forearm.
I howled in agony as I dove towards her. She shuffled back, but I managed to grab her leg. I pulled her towards me desperately as she wriggled. I flung her small body to my left and tried to situate myself on top of her. As she slid in front of me, I felt her other foot ram straight into my jaw. The pain was excruciating and I fell to my side as the throbbing practically halted all thoughts.
"Commendable try," she panted, "but I win. I always win."
I listened as she backed up, and I heard the loud buzzing of building electricity. I frantically grabbed my spear and hurled it. Right as it left my hands, an arch of lightening hit me and I was sent flying backwards. As I hit the ground, I heard a light gasp and something else thumped against the ground.
Tingling and small pricks raced through my entire body. I forced myself onto my knees and felt my legs twitch spastically underneath me. I crawled forward until I felt my chain. I pulled on it and felt it yank on something solid. A small shriek met my ears and I smiled as I crawled forward excitedly.
I had snared her.
As I made my way towards her, I couldn't help but cheer inwardly. Not only was I about to murder Oceana's killer, but I had managed to win. I had proven that I could still be the victor of the 226th Hunger Games. I didn't need my sight. I didn't need Ruth. All I needed was me.
I still had a chance.
As I found her small foot with my hand, I discovered that I couldn't move at all anymore. Fire blossomed from my chest and erupted through my entire body. I managed to raise my shaky hand to my chest and felt something warm and sticky. I could feel the blood cascading down my arm in rivers. I wheezed as I learned that I couldn't breathe. The tip of something sharp met my searching fingers.
I felt someone behind me grab my shoulder as I began to slip to the ground.
"I'm sorry. You were just too much of a threat."
District Twelve:
Ruth's POV:
Leith slipped to the floor and a cannon shot was fired. It continued to ring in my ears long after the sound had faded. I used my foot to push him to the ground and pulled the sword from the trunk of his body. Blood began to travel outwardly from his corpse vigorously and I had to push down the vomit that was rising in my throat.
I had killed someone. I was a killer.
"Brava," Valhalla clapped.
I looked up to see that Valhalla had crawled away from where she had previously been. She was now slouched against a pillar and was looking at me smugly. Leith's spear was still lodged in her calf.
"You not only backstabbed your ally, but you backstabbed me as well."
She yelped as she pulled something out and slid it across the floor. The bloody throwing knife hit my foot and I unsteadily reached for it. I wiped the blood off on Leith's back and held it firmly.
"How does it feel? To be a murderer?" Valhalla taunted.
When I didn't respond she smirked, "Good, right? That is why you prepared for this… To kill people."
I tried to open my mouth to argue, but I couldn't. That was why I had worked so hard. The reason I spent so many hours on teaching myself hand-to-hand combat wasn't to protect myself. It was to come in here and kill Careers… It was to do exactly what I had just done.
"Answer me this, how did you escape?"
"You aren't as smart as you think," I whispered as I stepped away from Leith's corpse, "You tied the wire to the doorknob, but it ran across the entire door. When I was able to open the door slightly, it pulled the wire tightly against the entry. I managed to slip this knife in between the door and the frame. I eventually was able to cut the wire. Then, I snuck up behind you and stabbed you in the back with it right after Leith speared you."
"Interesting… I did not even think about that…"
"One mistake and you die, right?" I replied with little expression.
"I do not make mistakes," Valhalla hissed.
"Oh really," I laughed without humor, "You mean like how you messed around instead of running Leith through quickly and then dealing with me. In this case, I'd call that a mistake."
"It was a misjudgment."
"Call it whatever you like," I mumbled as I pressed my hand to my head.
When I had raced out of that room and saw Leith throw that spear… I knew what I had to do. I knew that every single tribute left, injured or not, was a threat. I had no choice now but to kill. I had to dig deep and play the games the way they were supposed to be played.
Leith had every intention of killing Valhalla. He was willing to kill any tribute he came across without batting an eyelash. He was a Career.
"Are you attempting to convince yourself that you were right in killing him? Perhaps that there was some morally grey area that you can place it in? At the end of the day, you are a murderer just like me. Never forget that, Ruth."
Her sharp words dug into me and I looked at her in fury. She had no right to preach to me. As the anger welled inside of me, I gripped it frantically. I held the feeling in place and refused to let it leave. I rode the emotion and forced it to spread to the ends of every corner of my body.
"You're going to die," I growled, "You do realize that, don't you?"
"I do not fear death," Valhalla stated, "I am above that."
"That's right," I sneered, "The almighty Valhalla who doesn't care about anyone or anything. The sociopath who feels no emotions whatsoever."
"You forgot about brilliant mastermind," she smirked.
"No, what I forgot was a girl who brings nothing but misery wherever she goes."
"That is appropriate and notable, I suppose."
"For someone who claims to be so intelligent, you seem to be fairly unobservant. Would you like to hear why?" I barked as I moved closer.
"Do tell," she replied in a tone that said she couldn't care less if I did or didn't.
"I listened as you rambled on and on about all of your 'conquests'. It formed a pattern: Devon and me… Leith and Oceana… Apollo and Jordana…. Asita and her allu," I listed as I paced around the room.
"What pattern is that? That everyone I kill is a buffoon?" she asked as she began to remove the spear slowly from her leg.
"Every single one of your targets was happy," I jabbed, "They had someone they cared for and were loved. You just couldn't stand it."
Valhalla's expression darkened considerably as she scowled at me.
I continued, "Every time you saw one of us laugh with each other it was like a stab in your heart. Each time we smiled it reminded you of just how alone you were. It was like a blatant slap in the face saying that no one could ever understand or love a sociopath like you."
"Shut your mouth," Valhalla growled.
The fury began to feel satisfied as I saw the tinge of hurt cleverly hidden inside of her expression.
"What? You can't take what you dish out? Face it, the reason you broke Devon was because you were broken. You poisoned Jordana because you are poison! You drove Apollo mad because you're insane! You killed Asita because you are just as dead inside!"
"I told you to stop!" Valhalla screeched.
I noticed her arm move back behind her and I looked up. Right as the chandelier began to swing, I rolled forward. The chandelier crashed to the ground where I had been previously standing. I looked up and saw Valhalla staring daggers into my soul. I used her fury to escalate my own rage as I tossed my sword to the side. As she began to charge her glove, I gripped my throwing knife and pounced on top of her. I smashed her hand into ground with my knee and felt something crack underneath it. She cried out in anguish as she tried to flail away from me.
I held her to the pillar by her neck as I shouted, "I won't stop! You're a disease, Valhalla. You're just as evil as Lucian! All you want to see is others suffer because you do! You believe that because you can't love that no one should be able to! You feed off of others pain!"
She struggled and I softened my grip. Even though she claimed to not be scared, I could see the terror in her eyes. She had no more schemes. She wasn't in control anymore. Before my wrath could dissipate, I moved my hand to the top of her head.
"This tongue has hurt and destroyed so many people," I snarled, "Maybe I should cut it out."
My heart began to beat faster once I realized what I was about to do. I rammed my knee into her stomach and forced her jaw open. She whipped her head back and forth and began to screech. I kneed her in the chest and watched as the breath exited her tiny frame. I reached in and firmly grasped her tongue. Without any hesitation, I let the hatred for this girl who had broken my best friend take over my arm. I wrenched my knife into her mouth. I sliced off a large piece of her tongue and witnessed it wriggle out of her mouth. I watched as it fell to the ground and kept my eyes away from her face.
"Drown in your blood, bitch," I spat.
A guttural gargle that no human should ever make or hear responded to me. I looked farther away as blood began to splat against the floor and pushed myself off of her. I tried to process what I had just done as Valhalla continued to make that horrible bubbling noise. This time the bile could not be contained and I vomited on the floor.
"She deserved it," I whispered as I wiped my mouth, "If anyone deserved this death, it was her. She confessed what she had done from her own mouth and you heard her."
I collected my sword from the ground, as well as Leith's spear and backpack. I gazed quickly around the room and spotted a small knapsack by the spool of wire. I walked over to it and picked both up. As I began to leave, I remembered Valhalla's glove that conducted electricity.
I made my way towards her and avoided looking at her face. Blood was now running down her body and her clothes were stained in it. I fiddled frenziedly with the piece of technology until I found some sort of button near the cuff. The glove retracted and became a small bracelet. I removed it from her wrist hysterically and bolted towards the exit. Once I reached it, I stood there. I was unable to stop listening to her death and open the door. I heard it slowly become quieter and quieter until almost no noise was audible.
Suddenly, another cannon fire rang out and I knew it was over.
As I opened the door and left the room, I forced myself to hold onto the old me. I cocooned myself in my hatred and bitterness. I had murdered two people in a matter of minutes.
I had painted the floor red with their blood.
… Yes, I did just kill two tributes in one chapter. Yes, I did have a very twisted and sudden ending for it. Yes, I am prepared for everyone to be shocked and mourn.
Eulogies.
Leith: You were one of the strongest and biggest threats in these games. You had so much potential and drive. You truly showed how determined and scary you were in this last fight. I'll miss the atmosphere you brought to this story, even if no one else does.
Valhalla: This was a tough one. You started off as a sociopathic villain with no remorse and no feelings. You were supposed to be this huge villain that everyone hated and just cause mayhem. Then you quickly became this real, human villain. You were still awful, but everyone, including me, understood why. We could relate to you as well as enjoy your tactics. You were so morally grey, yet still a villain and a truly loved tribute. You will be greatly missed and remembered as another one of my best creations.
All I can say is that things really picked up this chapter. We are down to five tributes. I know things are catapulting forward, but I can promise you that every crescendo and decrescendo that happens in this story has a purpose. Things might slow down in the next few chapters or they could escalate even further. Part of the beauty is in the tension of not knowing.
Please drop a review, if you can, as I know that this chapter left everyone (including me) with a lot to process. Two crucial characters dying in back to back chapters, as well as another prominent character, is a lot to download and compute.
See you later,
Europa
