Final 8. We're in the final 8. Maybe we can win this! I glance over at Caspian, who's sitting upright, holding his sword close to his body. We were lucky yesterday, lucky the Careers turned on Satin before they turned on us. We managed to get away, to the relative safety of this lake shore. We both want to sleep, but both of us are too scared. Who's left now? There's us two, Jasper from 1, Gabbro and Gneiss from 2, the girl from 7 with the axe, Rowen I think. And Fibre from 8. I think the other one is from 9 or 10, though I'm not sure.
I yawn. I'm really tired, and Caspian says I can sleep, but I don't know if I can.
"You OK?" he asks, anxious. We are actually quite good friends, even here.
"Fine, just fine." I say, smiling.
He stands up. "I'm going to fish at the lake, you can wait here if you want too."
I shake my head. "I'm coming too; I don't want to be alone now."
I jump up, and we walk over to the lake, where the sun is beginning to poke its way above the horizon.
We fish for a while, before I tell Caspian that I'm going to have a seat on the sand. I rest there, watching him fish. I feel happier than I have been for ages.
Rustle.
A bush rustles out of the corner of my eye. I jump up, knife in hand. Caspian doesn't hear, and stays where he is, fishing. I begin to approach the bush, holding my knife in front of me when something small shoots out. My first thought is mutt, but it is human shaped, and carrying an axe. Rowen. She knocks into me, and I fall to the floor. I'm going to die.
She raises the axe up, and I hear Caspian shout. She glances over - recognises him as the higher scorer - and slams the axe into his neck.
He shatters into millions of pieces. I don't scream. I just need to go. Now. Now. I need to go. I pull my bones up and sprint away. I need to find somewhere to hide. Maybe Caspian will be there. I need to go, go. He'll be there. I need to go. The screams seem to be following me, chasing me over the rocks and fallen hands of palm trees. I see a small crevice on my right, a gap calling hope. I dive into it, and put my hands over my ears to silence the sound of the shattered screaming. They are swirling in front of me. I close my eyes too. I can't see them, or hear them. They're not here. I start to rock back and forth.
One thought is running through my head.
I need to hide. I need to hide. I need to hide. I need to hide. I need to hide. I need to hide. I need to hide.
