Day Two

Aron Rail, 14

District Six Male

Aron was still not sure about how he felt regarding the car they were in.

So far, it had been like an ordinary car. Akira had driven them to a vending machine last night and gotten two cans of coke. Aron did not want to have it, but he was feeling hot and tired and he opened the can and took a swig, first taking a drop then another until the can was empty. It was then that Akira started drinking too, for she had 'trouble opening it'. Aron had scoffed; what kind of a person has trouble opening a can. She had finally succeeded though, and the coke was gone in a second.

Akira had smacked her lips delightfully, thrown the can like a ball into the garbage bin and hopped back into the car, Aron quietly sliding in next to her. Within a few minutes, Akira was snoring, right by the vending machine, and Aron had just stared at the night sky, determined to not follow her. He had a lot to ponder on, especially about what he should be doing. His eyes had started to droop though, but a cannon in the wind alerted him that something was wrong, and in an instant, he was up, fully conscious.

Somebody had died now, at this time. Admittedly, Aron had no idea what this time was, but he could tell that it was late. Were the Careers out hunting? Had the Five actually designed mutts? He had been secretly hoping that they wouldn't know anything about those, but he was not so sure now. What amazed him the most, however, was how Akira slept on, not even reacting a bit, her snores getting louder and louder. Aron looked past her at the vending machine. Could they find another one like it, but for snacks instead? The coke had not been poisonous, it had been a while since he drank it. Maybe the food would be the same? Aron sighed; that was a little too optimistic for him. He was certain that they wouldn't just put food out there. However, he was thinking about the possibility, and while he wanted to stay up through the night, he didn't even know when he had fallen asleep.

Hence, it was understandable that he was slightly furious with himself when he woke up the next morning.

He was alert almost instantly, looking around whether he was alright. He checked the supplies that they had, he checked whether he was completely fine, and finally he looked at Akira, who was still sleeping, snoring away. Aron sighed in exasperation, leaning back into his seat. The sky was pink, as if dawn had just broken, the sun not really visible in its totality. Would the Careers be up right now? Staying at one place could be dangerous, and who knew for how many hours they'd been there?

"Akira," he muttered, shaking her gently at first. She muttered something about gowns and grabbed his hand. She pulled it to her chest, smiling in her sleep, and it took all of Aron's willpower to not feel embarrassed. He yanked his hand back and Akira's smile turned into a frown. However, she did not wake up.

"Akira!" he said, a little louder now, but she just turned her head the other way. No matter how much Aron shook her, how much he shouted in her ears, how much he threatened to leave her behind, she kept sleeping. He considered driving the car himself. Why should he depend on her anyway? The idea seemed better to him, and with that thought, he got off the car, went to Akira's side, and started pushing her away where he had been. She apparently got annoyed in her sleep, for she moved her hand so forcefully that she literally slapped him.

Aron's hand moved to his cheek in an instant, wincing in pain, shocked at what had just happened. He wanted to hit her now and swear at her but all that came out was, "Bloody gold digger!"

"Gold?"

Akira's eyes flew open at the word, and she sat up straighter, groaning with a stiff back. however, she immediately turned to him, eyes as bright as the mentioned metal, and she grinned.

"Where's gold?"

Aron blinked at her for a second, before grabbing her hand and pulling her out. He was done with her stupidity, and he told her so as well, instructing her to take the other seat and that he would drive. Akira looked offended, but Aron mustered the cruellest glare he could, and she scurried away, doing as he told her to. Aron sighed to himself. Akira was becoming a liability, and while he wanted her to live, he needed to stay alive… and needs were more important than wants. Perhaps, he should dump her the moment he got a chance. That would make things much easier for him.

Aron didn't even realise that she was talking to him, or that he had started driving. A person his age probably wouldn't know how to do it, but he had had to make some escapes through stolen cars. He didn't know exactly what would qualify as a 'safe space' here, but it felt good to be driving, with the wind blowing through his gently, the cool morning air fresh and pleasant. He was also curious about the two buttons that were on the windshield; one red and the other green. He didn't know their purpose, but they looked so out of place that he did not want to try them. Besides, he still did not trust the car. So far it had been like a normal car, and he didn't know whether he actually wanted to leave it or not. It would be really beneficial in running from Careers and mutts. But he didn't know how long they were actually allowed to keep it for? Aron had never felt so clueless in life. He was having trouble making simple decisions, decisions he would make in a heartbeat, like ditching Akira. And yet… it was getting frustrating.

Akira screamed suddenly, and Aron instinctively applied the brakes. The car skidded to a halt, and Aron inhaled sharply. This was not good… not good at all… What the hell did he get himself into?!

For there, right in front of him, stood the Careers.

"Well, well," Nereus smirked, "Here are the mice."

And Aron really felt like a mouse right about now. His hands clutched the wheels tightly, the gears of his brain turning as he considered the possibilities. Going reverse would take time, plus it would divert his focus as well. He could try running over the Careers, but there were many of them, and since the car didn't have a roof or windows, being fancy and all, some of them could strike them and everything would be useless. He had nothing to offer in the scenario of a negotiation, plus the Careers didn't really look in a mood to negotiate anyway.

"A-Aron?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "We're doomed."

And with that, he did the only thing that seemed reasonable of all the options.

Avni Silvan, 17

District Ten Female

Avni couldn't sleep for the whole night.

There were a lot of things to occupy her mind currently. She was really here, in a deathmatch. Jet was gone… He was really gone. Tears had pricked her eyes and had cascaded down her cheeks as she recalled the little boy. He had been the one who had given her the strength to continue, to gear up and to take up the challenge. She wished she was dead instead. She was going to die anyway, if she could save someone as good as her little friend, it would have been a happy thing for her too.

But she had missed the opportunity, and Jet was dead. She sobbed quietly through the night as the group made camp on the pavement itself. She had agreed to keep watch, but mostly so to mourn the demise of her friend. She remembered that she had asked Jet to tag along with her the night of the parade. He had refused, saying he could team up with 'old ladies' like her, and Avni couldn't help but blame herself for it. She could have talked him into it. He would have been safe in their group, with the older kids, all of whom were reluctant to hurt the younger ones. She should have saved him during the bloodbath. She should have done something!

The thought made her bitter about herself. She did not deserve to be alive. She had let her family die, she did not save her friend. She was useless, and the world did not need people like her.

She felt an arm wrap around her, and she leaned back against Rook's shoulder. She had not sensed his presence when he crept up to her, and he did not say a word, but she knew he knew what she felt. He held her tightly, remaining wordless, and another sob escaped her lips. On his part, Rook made no attempt to make her stop crying. Instead, he just laced his fingers with hers, and she squeezed her friend's hand tightly.

They remained silent till dawn, when Rook finally spoke.

"I think you should sleep for a couple of hours."

"I… can't," she whispered shakily, "I don't have it in me. I just- I just-"

She could not bring herself to complete the sentence though. I just want to die. She did not want to appear like a drama queen to her friend, and he seemed to have taken the hint, sighing softly.

"You couldn't have done anything Avni," he muttered, his eyes looking down at their hands, "Nothing at all."

"I don't know. I don't even know how or when he died. Maybe, maybe if I had stayed back at the cornucopia, I could have- I could have saved him…"

"Or maybe you both could have been killed," Rook pointed out.

"I'm destined to die anyway."

"It doesn't have to be that way."

"It will…"

Her voice cracked as she said that, and to her surprise, Rook embraced her tightly, as if he did not want to let go of her at all. His grips tightened on her hand, and she found herself hugging him back. He was her only friend here, the only one who genuinely cared about her. And as he held her, muttering words of comfort and hope in her ears in that extremely compelling voice of his, Avni knew what she had to do.

Rook would not go out like Jet. Rook would win. Rook would go home, back to his family, back to his life. Rook would live even and she was going to ensure that even if it was the last thing she did. Her life was meaningless anyway, but she would play to survive now, survive to help Rook live, and now that was all she cared about. Everyone who came close to her died. But Rook wouldn't, he wouldn't. She would make sure of that.

"If it makes you feel better," Rook said, releasing her gently and smiling in that charming way, "I've lost my family too."

"What?" Avni exclaimed, feeling heartbroken, "I'm really sorry..."

"It's alright, been a long time."

His face had darkened now, his eyes lost in thought as if reminiscing the events long gone, and this time it was Avni who wrapped her arm around him.

"My mother disappeared. My father… I don't know what happened to him."

Something about it didn't feel right. While Rook looked right in her eyes as he said it, the bit about his father felt like a lie. Avni was sure he knew what happened to his father, but she didn't press the subject, for Rook shook his head very slightly, as if he had figured out that she had figured out that he was lying. Avni got why he did that, probably it was dangerous for him or his family if the people in power, whether Capitolites or the Five, found out.

"I'm sorry," she said, and she meant it not only for his loss, but for the circumstances that did not allow him to speak freely of it. She was furious with everything, these barbaric people. She cursed the day her parents thought that settling here would be a good idea. She cursed the day the Five showed up again, and all these emotions made her angrier by the second.

"Avni," Rook said, and his tone was different now, as if he meant business now, "I think, very soon, we should-"

However, before he could finish telling her what they should do, they were startled by the sounds of two cannons exploding in the wind. Avni cried out, her hand immediately going to her heart. That had been so sudden… Were two more people just dead?! It couldn't be happening… children were really killing other children…

Rook was grim as their allies woke up. Josephine quickly reached out for her sword, even as Cairn and Lyanna started looking around rapidly.

"Who? What?" Cairn muttered stupidly, trying to adjust to being suddenly woken up.

"I guess the Careers have started hunting," Rook muttered, "Two cannons at once… we should move."

"We should," Jospehine agreed, "Come on guys. We need to get started."

The alliance hurriedly assembled together like a closely clustered group and started moving together. Avni looked at Rook, asking what he had been talking about earlier, what he wanted to tell her, but he shook his head ever so slightly. Whatever he wanted to say had to wait, the others shouldn't know about it.

As they walked ahead, she reached out for his hand. Not looking at it, he took it gently and squeezed it, and she smiled, reassured that her friend was with her.

If everything went well, he'd be going home.

Nereus Naga, 18

District Four Male

As soon as dawn broke, the Careers decided that they would go hunting.

Nereus had been up the whole night, with Cruxia asleep next to him when he had tried to sleep. His mind was troubled, and he had started pacing the park restlessly. His thoughts were a jumble of events and emotions and it was too hard for him to bear. His father's dead body… Sunil being arrested… Nerida consoling him, giving him the idea that he could volunteer and save Sunil... him training day and night… volunteering for a deathmatch he never wanted to volunteer for… and then the interview night, when Jason broke the news to him, his sister had plotted the ruins of his whole family for some meaningless money and property… and then he recalled how he had killed Ark, poor innocent Ark. He leaned against a tree, tears flowing down his cheeks.

How could he be so stupid and dumb? How could he allow someone to use him so brutally, to destroy him in such a manner? How could Nerida do this to him? His heart still did not want to believe it, but he knew it was true. It was a perfect plan, after all. Get everyone out of the way and inherit the Academy, the school and the hotels. She'd have to share if he were around… and why would she do that? After all, loyalty was for the weak, the stupid and the fools. He was all three of them, and she was none.

He had learnt his lesson though, and that could be perceived as a 'positive' side of the whole thing. He had learnt that cruelty thrived whereas kindness had no place in this selfish world. He was done with being a good boy, now was the time to turn bad, to eliminate everyone mercilessly, and to win for himself… and probably to also talk to Nerida himself, to make her see that she had underestimated him. The thought pained him constantly, every single second, but he let them come to him. This sadness and betrayal would fuel his drive, he would make his anger his greatest strength.

He was desperate now. Desperate to go out and kill everyone, desperate to get home and save himself, and possibly his step father too. He was agitated, and when all the Careers woke up after their nap, he immediately suggested going hunting. They agreed with him and decided Jupiter should watch over the supplies in their absence. Nereus expected a protest from him, any sign of indignation or refusal. Hence, he was astounded when he nodded, looking visibly relieved, and promised everyone that he would not let anyone get away with supplies. Napoleon volunteered to stay back with him, but he said there was no need, and thus the remaining Careers set out to hunt for tributes.

The silence was heavy as they walked. Nereus clutched his trident tightly, as if his life depended on it. Cruxia had her arrows, and Marge had a collection of throwing knives. Nate and Basil brought up the rear, and after a while Nereus noticed that they were whispering something amongst themselves. Nereus did not pay heed to their conversation, however, and walked with the girls, eyes and ears open.

For a long, long time, nothing seemed to be happening at all. It was as if the whole city was dead. He passed cafes and restaurants, posh salons and boutiques, a water park with rides that he had never even heard of, a futuristic building that was apparently a space centre. This was not expanded over a large area, for the arena wasn't the size of the actual Capitol, but it managed to create the illusion that it was vast, and Nereus could appreciate that.

Suddenly, the group stopped. It was time.

The car swerved into sight, and Nereus saw it was that sneaky Six pair. The girl saw him too, and screamed aloud. The guy hastily applied the brakes, startled, when he saw the Careers.

"Well, well," Nereus smirked, "Here are the mice."

The boy was turning pale with each passing second, and the girl just looked terrified. Aron was certainly considering options, too bad he had none. Akira seemed to understand that too, and she asked him something softly. He noticed Aron answering back and Nereus' smirk grew wider.

Yes, the brats had a car. But it was an open roof one, and pretty useless. Aron was only fourteen too, would he have it in him to drive it over them? Nereus did not think so, and his allies seemed to silently agree with him. Cruxia was the first to react, nocking an arrow and taking aim, even as Aron put the car in reverse. He was trying to race out of there, with Akira looking back to see if the way was clear and Aron keeping his eyes on them. Nereus chuckled in a way he had never thought he'd laugh, his sound one of pure evil, as the arrow went flying and the two kids swayed in opposite directions, narrowly missing it. The arrow got stuck in their bag.

Cruxia took aim again, and Nereus knew her target was Akira because Aron was too young, but he was okay with it. She looked like an easy target anyway. The Careers started attacking them and Aron seemed to realise that reversing wasn't going to help. He still kept going back, when Akira shouted out, "Aron I'm going to try the buttons!"

Buttons?

Akira slammed onto the windshield, and it was then that Nereus noticed that there were two coloured dots on there… No, this couldn't be.

"OUT OF THE WAY!" he screamed, but it was too late.

Even as Nate and Basil rolled away, Marge and Cruxia were directly in the line of sight from the headlights of the car, for it were these lights that suddenly turned red, firing laser beams, hitting both the girls square in the chest. The cannons exploded within a couple of seconds.

"NO!" Nereus cried out, even as Aron slammed on the accelerator, moving at an insane speed, and ran over the bodies. He swerved right, and Nereus could not believe that two kids, two stupid kids, had just killed two Careers, one of them his only friend here…

Basil and Nereus started chasing after the car, and Nereus threw his trident at them. However, Aron was so fast that it missed him completely, unable to even complete the trajectory. The boy from Four stood rooted to the spot. They killed Cruxia… the brats killed his friend. They killed two of his allies with a bloody car! His blood was boiling, his breathing was hard, and he screamed at the sky.

"I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL KILL YOU BOTH EVEN IF THAT IS THE LAST THING I DO!"

He was in a furious trance when he got back to the spot. Nate had checked once again whether the girls were really dead, and his downcast face told Nereus everything he needed to know. Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he dropped on his knees beside Cruxia. She looked so shocked… they had been planning to go home together and now she was just… gone.

And despite himself, he allowed himself to weep. He hugged the corpse of his friend and pressed it to his chest, and cried bitterly. He would not let her or Marge's deaths go in vain, not after everything that had happened. Two trained Careers did not deserve this fate.

"I will avenge you," he whispered in Cruxia's ear, "I will avenge you, Cruxia. Thank you. Thank you for being my friend. I will not let you down."

Eulogies:

17th/16th- Cruxia Marshall (killed by Akira Tuktuk): I loved Cruxia so much. She was a true Career, but also a fine woman with a heart. She was realistic and fun to write, and I loved her stands and her dynamic with Nereus. She was a bold girl, who was not afraid to speak her mind, but also somebody who tried to control her rage. Rest in peace, you will be missed.

17th/16th- Margaery Goldman (killed by Akira Tuktuk): Marge was the most chilled out person in the story, and I loved that. I loved how she was tomboyish but that was done in a very natural way. She was skilled and a good character to have in the cast. Thank you Caleb for Marge. Rest in peace girl, you're awesome. And you're awesome too, Caleb! Thanks again for letting me write this! :D

Yeah, so there might be confusion as to why I've not given definite placements to these two. It's because they kind of died simultaneously, so you can record it as 17th/16th or allot them whichever placement you wish to out of these two.

Alliances:

The Hunters: Jupiter, Napoleon, Nereus, Basileus

I'm Playing You: Aron, Akira

This Was Bound To Happen: Kai, Dakota

Sisters: Cat, Nell

Anti-Careers: Josephine, Lyanna, Cairn, Avni, Rook