Chapter 9 Day 2

'Once we're back at the cornucopia we can decide to further explore the other corners of the arena.'

Everyone had agreed to Alec's suggestion. They wrapped up their camp and started marching. Since it was daylight it was easier to navigate the environment. The paths seemed clearer and even the trees didn't block as much light as they had seemed to yesterday. There was an artificial breeze and the sound of wind. They had walked down the cobblestone path and through the cornfield. It had bloomed into a more vast terrain of black grass and rock formations that sometimes were high enough to cast shadows.

There was banter. Kaelie talked about how things were in district 1, about how her parents worked in the diamond polishing quarters. Sebastian talked about how fishing went in district 4. How he had been way better at working with nets and how much he had hoped to be in an aquatic arena. Meliorn and Alec tracked down trails. They weren't always in tune with each other but Alec learned quite fast, and soon they were able to navigate through the area without walking in circles.

Aline was the most quiet one. Not that she didn't want to be part of any conversation. It was more as if she was deliberately keeping her thoughts and experiences to herself, even when a few of them tried to pry some information from her. Like how things were at home since she lived in a house in the victor's village and how training with her mother went. She only replied minimally. People that weren't family weren't allowed in the house and peacekeepers guarded the area from jealous and prying eyes. Aline didn't seem to like the conclusion Lydia had paraphrased but Aline didn't correct her on it. It was as if she knew about some things that the others didn't and she wasn't willing to share. Maybe she had been able to talk with Magnus Bane at the party; Or her mother had trained her with some inside knowledge that only victors were able to access. Alec couldn't figure her out.

They took a break every so often. It felt as if they had been walking for a few hours now. They were supposed to reach the cornucopia soon. There was something in the air. Alec could feel it. The wound on his ribs was healing okay. He didn't feel it sting anymore but he wasn't sure. He didn't like to check the mark when everyone was around. When he finally did after relieving himself of a full bladder, he lifted his shirt. The carved mark had turned really dark, almost black at certain edges. It would probably peel eventually. The ridges would probably be the first to go. He picked at it. The slight tearing made him grit his teeth. The exposed skin looked pink and freshly second degree burnt. It was healing well. He decided to leave it like that.

His attention was drawn back to the group. They were preparing to leave. The sky was changing to grey. Clouds were forming. It was subtle enough to almost not be noticed since the sun was still shining brightly.

Nothing prepared them for what they saw next. Lydia almost tripped as she made her way quickly to take another look. Where before the cornucopia had overlooked and cast a shadow upon the dead black grass, there was now an enormous cavity. The sinkhole had swallowed up the whole cornucopia. Any of the supplies that it still had held were now gone. There was a cold traction. The wind was swallowed in. It was massive. Alec felt bold and dared to take a few steps forward. He wasn't afraid of heights. But staring into the cold black hole was nothing but unsettling. It was as if any light was devoured into that void. He felt a chill run down his spine.

"Impressive, it is as if the launching room has never even existed." Said Aline. She didn't approach the sinkhole at all. She was even guarded. Alec understood. Something was not right. The gamemakers were planning on doing something. It inspired the same feeling of dread as when they had entered the crumbling house.

Meliorn approached and picked up one of the carved rotten apples. When the apple disappeared from view into the darkness there was no sound of impact. The hole lead to nothingness. Alec and Meliorn shared a glance.

"There is another chest here." They all looked at Sebastian. He had found a chest and was dragging it out from underneath the root of a broken tree. Intrigued, Alec went over to see. It was identical to the chest they had found in the first house. But this time it was locked. The lock in question was made of metal and was rusty and corroded.

Sebastian inspected it closely. "It doesn't look trapped. Can you pass me a shovel ?" Lydia searched her backpack to look for one of the small shovels that had come from the pumpkins.

"Wait," said Aline but Sebastian had already broken the lock. They all turned toward her surprised. "There is something moving in the herbs."

She was unable to finish her sentence as the roaring sound of wind elevated into the air. The sky became grey. Clouds covered the sun. A whirlwind sucked in the breeze between leaves to get absorbed by the sinkhole. They covered their eyes as the wind whipped around and threatened to make them lose their balance. The chest broke open.

Lydia's scream froze Alec in place. They poured out like water from an overfull jar. There were so many of them you couldn't count. All scurrying out of the chest as if to invade the whole wide world. Spiders. Hundreds and hundreds of spiders. Alec couldn't move. He was petrified with fear. His whole body was going into shutdown. He was staring into the distance; not registering correctly what was happening. He could feel them. Over his feet, his legs, even in between his clothing, on his skin. He didn't know they could make sound but they did. Hundreds and hundreds of spiders did make sound.

Their hairy bodies; they itched; bit him; crawled over. He didn't dare to scream like Kaelie. What if they got into his mouth ? He didn't dare to run like Lydia. What if they followed him around ? Another scream. The ground rumbled. He wondered if he was going to faint, his whole body was shaking.

He thought he heard his name being shouted. The blood in his face retracted. He was going to die. He was going to lose his mind. If he wasn't going to piss himself first.

It was monstrous; its eight eyes; its mandibles; the hairs on its legs. He felt his cheeks grow wet of tears. His whole body was tense muscle and rusted bones. The ground didn't tremble. The sound of its joints creaked as it hoisted itself up from the void. Its see-through spit, from the gaping mouth, wetted the area around them. His heart was quivering. It moved; the others moved. It was as if the spiderlings decided to contain him; trap him. He couldn't remember how to move.

He felt a hand around his forearm. He couldn't look away. His eyes were out of control. He was crying. Kaelie was crying. Aline was shouting in his ears. He couldn't hear her. He knew it took effort to drag him away. But his legs didn't cooperate. Lydia ran away safely, she was out of sight.

He felt himself cower with every step. His knees gave out. He fell onto the ground. The monstrosity moved like a predator preying on its next victim. Aline dragged Alec over the floor. The spiders nicked his skin as some of them were squashed by his weight. She was still shouting but he couldn't hear her. He felt the terror seep into his bones. He was going to pass out. He was breathless. Aline ran over to Meliorn. She helped him up. It was Kaelie who was seized. The fang sunk all the way through her leg. Her screaming became screams of pain. Alec still felt bites cover his body. But most spiders had fallen off. He grabbed toward the dead grass. She was going to die. He couldn't let himself be like that, he had to get a grip. He tried to get back on his feet. He couldn't, they were trembling too much. He shook his head. He felt his whole body itch.

It sprayed venom. Aline and Sebastian avoided it by ducking. Alec could only watch. He couldn't get up. Sebastian threw himself at the mandible. Kaelie screamed as it moved around to get rid of its attacker. Sebastian was raging and stabbing the limb. Kaelie fell on the ground. A leg wrapped itself around Sebastian to throw him off its face. Kaelie got up, screaming his name. Her leg was coated in blood and her robe was torn. Sebastian stabbed the leg with another knife and the Monstrosity shrieked and wavered. He jumped off the spider when its leg was overtaken by convulsions. He helped Kaelie to run.

Alec felt himself recoil and tried to crawl away. His back met a tree. The giant spider moved toward the two tributes; Sebastian was seized. He was firmly holding Kaelie by the arm. Aline ran over to help them. Kaelie screamed and shoved Sebastian off her. Alec couldn't believe his eyes. Aline stopped running for a moment before she grabbed Kaelie and helped her to get away. The spider enclosed Sebastian with its other legs and mandibles. The fangs pierced his abdomen and brought the body to its mouth. The scream died out as its owner broke into pieces mauled by mandibles and legs. Having found a victim and fresh blood, the spider started retreating. All of its small children took a 180 degree turn and scurried their way toward the hell pit where they had partially come from. The spider disappeared, taking Sebastian's remains with it.

Alec trembled. He still felt as if the tiny spiders were still crawling over him. His heart was pounding in his temples and the whole world seemed to have disappeared in front of his eyes. He still wondered if he was going to pass out. He hugged himself. He tried to brush off any remaining spiders on his arms; but there were none. His nerves were jolting and he knew he had cried. He closed his eyes: The screams; The sensation; The sound. It echoed back in his ears. He looked up. Kaelie was crying, clutching her leg. Aline wasn't helping her. No-one was helping her; Meliorn was sitting at the root of the trees; His expression was avoidance. Aline looked tense. Her breathing was more regular and calm. Alec looked back at Kaelie. She was trying to desperately ask for the syringe in Lydia's backpack. Rain started to fall.

Alec felt the cuts, the bites, they were oozing. Some of the wounds would heal easily, others would take some days. Aline's facial expression was hard, closed off. She was keeping her thoughts and emotions to herself. Alec closed his eyes. Sebastian's smile floated before his eyes. How they had shared a joke at the training centre and earlier this evening. Alec became angry. Rage overcoming fear, fury overcoming grief. When he got up he didn't feel his legs tremble. He felt his whole body ache but it didn't stop him.

Kaelie stopped crying. She stopped talking all together. She looked at him in fear. He strode over to her. Aline took a few step backwards, letting it all play out. Kaelie stood up. She was limping. The rain poured down harder. It wetted them all. The ground started to smell of burnt ashes and wet grass.

"How could you ?" he spat; his face contorted in an expression of ire he had yet to remember ever having had. "How could you ? He tried to save your life." He flexed his hand, trying to find a grip on reality. The blood in his veins was boiling.

She pursed her lips, trying to master her own anger. "It was him or me. I had to make a choice." Her tone of voice was cutting and disdainful.

He balled his fists. He had never been pushed like this, never had felt this compulsion before. Never had he felt anything like this. Betrayed. They all had been betrayed. Where his body had felt cold of fear only a few minutes ago, it was now set ablaze in fire and revenge.

"You shoved him off you, I was there to save you both." Aline sounded just as angry. Just as upset. Alec noticed she had her knife in hand.

"I didn't," Kaelie lied. She had taken a few steps backwards. "It was him or me. He made the bad decision to go hand-to-hand combat with that thing. I didn't push him to do anything."

Alec heard Aline snap her own mouth shut in disbelief. And Alec felt angry; so, so angry. He felt himself sweat. "You killed him. You betrayed him. You betrayed us."

The girl shifted from one foot to the other. Her hand was going to her belt of daggers. Her facial expression was arrogant, petty. It rendered Alec furious. "It was him or me; you would all have done the same."

Alec felt himself snarl internally. Never. He would have never done the same. And then it hit him: The realisation there was only one way forward from this, only one rightful way forward from this. Ha. It was logical even. "I can't let you live."

Kaelie's face sagged and anger adorned her facial features. She took a few other steps backwards and unsheathed a dagger. "Excuse me ?" she asked as if she hadn't heard him the first time.

Disloyalty meant punishment. Betrayal meant death. Traitors deserve execution.

"I can't let you live." He repeated. He didn't feel as upset. He didn't feel as angry. It felt coherent. They couldn't have someone like this in their alliance. He couldn't let her get away with this.

She tried to make a run for it. He grabbed Aline's knife and was on Kaelie mere seconds after. He dodged a thrust of her dagger. But he was taller than her. If she hadn't been injured, he wouldn't have been stronger than her. They would have been equal. He didn't wait he didn't let it play out. He sunk the blade deep into her throat. Her eyes glazed, her body fell flat. Her mouth coated with blood and her struggling stopped.

The canon didn't fire once. It fired twice.