Day Four

Rook Karis, 16

District Three Male

He couldn't believe he'd left her behind.

Rook was in the lift, panting hard, a soft violin music playing that just annoyed him. He wondered whether Avni got away from the two boys. His eyes pricked with tears and exhaustion. Surely, she'd be awaiting him in the lobby.

The lift came to a stop with a Ding sound and the doors slid open, Rook walking through them into the dazzling lobby.

He gulped when he saw she wasn't there. Where was she? Nobody was present there…

"Avni!" he called out.

And then a most heart wrenching scream reached him, her voice painful and tired letting out, "GOOOOOO!"

Rook let out a shaky breath, and he was shivering now. This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be… He was about to take off to the stairs for he wanted to see her one last time, but then he heard footsteps climbing down the stairs, very urgent footsteps.

Rook acted impulsively. He dived back into the lift he'd come out from and hastily pushed the button for the top floor, the eleventh storey. As the door slid shut he could hear somebody reach the lobby and he hoped nobody would notice his lift going up. He could have run out of the building but somewhere he knew that would be suicidal for he could never outrun those monsters.

As the violin played in the background, Rook cried. He sank to the carpeted floor and wept, his body trembling in grief. He shoved his fist in his mouth to stop the sound of his wailing, for he had no control on himself to stop it in any other way. Tears trickled down his cheeks till his vision blurred. He left her alone… he left her to die…

When the lift stopped, it was a task to get his body to stand and move out. He staggered to the staircase and ran up to the roof, its walls low and floor made of slippery marble that forced him to slow down.

The cannon exploded.

That sound was like a knife through his heart. He came to a halt, his breath laboured, and he licked his lips. He clenched his fists tightly as he remembered that she sacrificed herself for him, and his nails dug into his skin, drawing warm blood.

He dragged himself to a wall forcefully, panting hard, and looked over it down at the pavement.

Napoleon was sitting there, catching his breath. Rook was right, had he run out on the road he would have been caught immediately. Seeing him there, all relaxed, boiled Rook's blood to no end. He wanted to destroy him, tear him apart, him and his accomplice. He didn't know who killed Avni and he didn't care. He hated them both.

Rook watched as Napoleon just sat there a bit. Then he stood up and stretched even as Basileus came out.

The two Careers talked a bit but Rook couldn't hear them. There was some kind of agreement. Then Napoleon headed inside while Basileus stood at the gate, as if on a lookout.

Rook wondered why they'd done so before recalling that Cairn and Lyanna were locked up in that flat. The thought of it enraged him again. Had those two not decided to hide all four of them could have come out alive. If that stupid Lyanna had not forgotten Josephine's sword, most likely she'd be alive too.

Rook knew there was no chance of him allying with those two even if all three of them survived. They weren't reliable and he wasn't going to let Avni's sacrifice be in vain.

Rook moved to the other side of the roof, the one near the opposite end of the gate, and saw, to his surprise, two people hanging from a rope from the first floor. He was so angry to see the Twelve pair that he was almost tempted to scream that they were getting away. That rope wasn't a rope, it was made out of bed sheets. Lyanna was carrying the backpack and Josephine's sword, the sword whose absence led to their doom, and Cairn had a… jute bag? Rook wondered what was in it. Why would he carry a jute bag?

He saw them reach the ground and sneak out onto the road on the opposite side, away from the Careers. Even if they were to catch them, Basil would have to move around the entire building and Napoleon would have to jump out of the window.

Cairn and Lyanna had escaped while he just watched.

Rook's heart was racing now. All he had was a knife, more of a mini sickle, and no resources. He did not have the courage to check the other flats. Plus, he alone did not have the strength to open their doors. He waited on the roof… and he waited… and waited. Exhausted, he went back to the side the gate was and peeped down. Basileus seemed to be getting restless too as he paced the ground. Rook watched him keenly, when the gate flew open and Napoleon came out running.

"They're ...where!" he cried out. Rook couldn't hear the word, but he assumed it was 'nowhere'.

"Looked every… ….sign of …!"

Basil looked surprised at this. He said something to Napoleon, who just looked astounded. Finally, the two decided that staying there was not fruitful anymore, and they started walking away. Rook watched them go, his blood boiling with each second even as relief discreetly washed over him. Soon, they'd disappeared from sight.

Rook let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Slowly he went back inside and started climbing down the stairs. He had no desire to use the lift, he couldn't tolerate that violin once more. His legs hurt as he descended, the full enormity of all the events hitting him hard at once. Jupiter and Nereus were down. But so was Josephine, poor Josephine. That brave girl. District Twelve had left. He was all alone because Avni… she was gone.

He didn't know how many steps he'd ran down but he came to an abrupt halt as he gasped. Fresh tears started flowing down his cheeks and he staggered over and fell on his knees on the landing.

"No…" he whispered as he saw her corpse. Her chest was completely bloody and Rook's lower lip quivered. He pulled her body towards himself and hugged her, hugged her tightly and cried, cried without bothering about the noise he was making.

"I-I-I'm sorry… I-I…"

She had stood up for him back at the training centre. She saved his life. And what had he done? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

"Th-thank you. Thank… you."

He held her to his chest and cried, his sobs silent now. He wasn't going to let this all go in vain. He was going to win. He would do anything and everything in his power to win now. There were nine more to go…

"I'll win," he whispered, "I'll win and I know you're with me."

Night Four

Akira Tuktuk, 16

District Six Female

Akira felt empty.

She could believe she had killed two people. Yes, she'd been a golddigger all her life, she'd cheated and fooled people for money, she was a petty thief. She used to be a lot of things but not a murderer. And now, even that was added to the list.

She was torn. On one hand there was relief that she was alive and now that she'd done it twice, she could do it a third time. On the other hand she was horrified. She had wiped out two people from existence… two people she didn't even know. Sure, it was self defense but that did not make it easier. What right did she have to take someone's life?

She remained silent the whole time since then unless Aron talked to her. And he didn't do much of that. They had driven around the whole arena, Akira was sure of it, until they found a vending machine that had packets of chips. They stopped the car and walked over to it. After Aron tore it open, he first offered it to her.

"No thanks," she muttered, "I don't feel like eating."

Perhaps she'd expected Aron to talk her into eating, because she was surprised when he simply shrugged and started eating, finishing the packet in a few minutes. Akira hadn't even noticed she'd been gawking at him the whole while until he raised his brows.

"What?"

"Ugh! Nothing!"

And Aron, that stupid boy, took out another packet and started eating. Halfway through the packet, he offered it again.

"Stop staring and just eat."

She fumed at him as he rightfully accused her of staring, but hunger win over astonishment, guilt and relief that she'd felt after she'd heard four more cannons that day. She snatched the packet from him and devoured it in a couple of minutes and sighed.

"Let's go," she said. Aron grabbed a couple of packets more and followed after her, sliding into the driver's seat with Akira beside him.

Akira leaned against the door as Aron set off. Ever since they'd finished off two Careers, Aron had been very keen on not only keeping but also driving the car. He had driven almost the entire time, and Akira had taken over only when he'd been exhausted and she'd had to yell in his ear continuously for him to make him let her do it.

Now though, they were moving forward at a fairly slow speed, and Akira was lost in thought. Was the arena really going to be so good to them? Would they get to keep the car throughout the Games? There were only eleven of them left. Could they really hide in a fancy car all the while?

"What do you think?"

"Hmm?"

Akira heard him but didn't quite register the words. She was still thinking about how attached she felt to this car. It had saved her so many times. And yet she felt repulsed, because this car had made her a murderer, even if that was for self defense.

"Akira!"

"Oh right, sorry," she said, snapping out of her thoughts.

Aron looked at her with a frown. He opened his mouth to say something, and looking into his eyes she felt that those would be words of concern the way he'd uttered back in the Capitol, but he couldn't bring himself to do it again and shut his mouth.

"Are you thirsty?"

Akira very well knew that he meant to ask 'Are you okay?' but that would sound too nice from him and he changed the word. Akira couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"I'm alright," she said, "Not thirsty."

"Right."

Aron straightened in his seat and asked, his eyes right at the road in front of him, "Who do you think they were?"

"No idea," Akira replied honestly. She had absolutely no idea who was gone. Most likely there had either been a bloody confrontation or a deadly mutt and she kind of hoped it was the former. She wondered who had clashed if it was, and whether there were any Careers involved… or gone. The anthem hadn't started yet, and she didn't know if she wanted to see their faces, whoever they were.

"I hope it's the Careers," Aron muttered, "It'll honestly make it easier to get out alive."

"Yeah," Akira murmured softly.

They went silent again and drove on. Aron kept on increasing the speed and Akira frowned. They were literally racing now, and she heard Aron fidget beside her. She opened her eyes and turned to him.

"Aron?"

"This can't be happening. This can't…"

The speed kept on rising and Akira was scared now. Aron's knuckles had turned white now as he tried his best to control the car, hands moving the steering wheel, and Akira screamed as they narrowly avoided crashing into a wall.

"Aron!"

"The brakes have failed."

"WHAT?!"

This couldn't be happening… how…? The car had been absolutely fine! It made no sense!

"I-I don't-"

For the first time since she's seen him, Aron was panicking. All his efforts and attention were concentrated on not crashing and dying.

"Aron, we need to get out."

"I know-!"

"It's not just the brakes!"

"Akira, we can't jump out now. We'll be seriously injured or even die!"

"We'll have to!"

And Akira threw open the door of the car on her side. It was moving really fast, and she was afraid of what would happen if she jumped.

Aron had somehow managed to control the vehicle but now he was moving towards a construction site, a heap of sand right there.

"Drive into that!" Akira cried out.

Aron didn't bother arguing. He swerved the car and it raced towards the heap of sand. Aron opened the door on his side and the wind slapped against their faces, sand blowing into them blinding them right then, but Akira held on.

"Jump as soon as it hits the sand!"

Aron didn't need to be told twice. The car slowed down considerably as it hit the pile and the children dived out. Akira landed on the ground and rolled away as far and as fast as she could, her body hurting from the impact, her knees and elbows bleeding, her face scarred. The car, now empty, kept going into the heap even as Akira shouted, "Aron get away!"

Luckily he did. He was injured himself, but he managed to throw himself far away from the car. Akira watched in horror as the car, their most valuable weapon, exploded into a ball of fire, the sound thundering across the silent arena, the heat threatening to melt her even from a distance. She couldn't believe this had happened. She'd been in that car and it simply blew up!

"Akira!" Aron called out.

"Here!"

She forced herself to drag her body forward, wincing in agony at having to move. Aron too was approaching her, the colour drained from his face, his eyes wide in bewilderment.

"How…?" she managed.

"It must have been programmed that way," Aron whispered hoarsely, "The brakes, they must have been made to fail after the car has covered a certain distance. And there must have been a bomb…"

He swallowed.

"We were riding on a bomb…"

That was too hard to believe. Akira couldn't believe her own stupidity. After all, she'd been the one who'd insisted on using the car. And now they were both injured.

"Let's go," Aron said, watching the huge fire, "Other tributes will be here soon."

Akira took a last look at the fireball and nodded. Together, they scurried away as fast as they could, unable to believe they survived that blast.

Kai Jung, 18

District Nine Male

Kai was finding it hard to believe that they were already in top eleven.

They'd had a fairly decent time till now, other than the Cafe Horseboy thing, and he was glad about it. However, he avoided cafes and restaurants right now and stuck to vending machines, having learnt his lesson the hard way.

They were in an abandoned park right now, sitting on a wooden bench, the cool wind helping dry the sweat from the day. Dakota was lying on the bench, her head on his lap, sleeping. She'd just been sitting earlier and then she suddenly fell down on his lap and started snoring, startling Kai. He didn't remove her head though, and sat there uncomfortably, not wanting to disturb her sleep.

Kai didn't get why he was behaving this way. Back at home, he would've pushed her off onto the ground. However, right now he cared, he cared about her and that was a terrifying thought. No matter what though, he couldn't bring himself to push her off. Plus, she looked at peace when she slept, her face relaxed, and she looked nice when she was feeling chilled out.

He stroked her head a couple of times absently, trying hard not to shift in his place lest he woke her. He leaned back a bit and sighed.

The anthem had played just a while back, right after Dakota fell asleep, and kept sleeping through it. Kai had seen those who'd died and he wouldn't say he was upset. Those people were, after all, some of the biggest hurdles on his path to home. He missed home. He had thought he'd miss his lifestyle the most, but he'd been wrong. While he wished he had the comforts he enjoyed back in Nine, he thought often of his family and his work. Had they replaced him? Kai snorted. Of course they hadn't, Kai was irreplaceable and he was a scary and handsome skeleton; they wouldn't find another like him.

But… But what if he didn't survive? That was certainly a possibility. He didn't want to admit it because he was awesome, but people here could be monstrous. And since he was so amazing, there was a big chance they'd attack him.

The thought made him shudder physically. He let out a sigh, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He stared at the stars above, uncountable and twinkling. He bit his lower lip. As a kid, he always said he was a star on earth, his glow unparalleled, his aura of utmost attraction. He wasn't so sure anymore. While he did believe in himself, he didn't know how him being a star on earth would help his chances. But that thought was for later.

He yawned aloud, feeling exhausted. Then he remembered Dakota was still sleeping so he tried to lower his voice for the next yawn… And then the next. Maybe he needed a nap too, he decided. He shifted a little to ease the stiffness in his body. The movement, however, was enough to wake her up.

"Wha?"

She sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes with her fists, looking half dazed and yawning very widely.

"Slept well?"

"Yeah. Thanks man. Reminded me of home."

"Home?" Kai asked, surprised, "You slept on people's laps?"

Dakota laughed at his question, her voice still sleepy, and while he wanted to get irritated at her for chuckling, her sleepy voice made him drowsy instead. He yawned widely as her head drooped a bit.

"Yeah well, my sister. We often didn't have pillows at home. So she used to sleep in my lap when she was little. Sometimes even now," she yawned again, "Always left my legs stiff but totally worth it."

Kai however, didn't hear her completely. He froze at her words and turned to her, confusion on his face.

"You didn't have pillows?" he asked.

"Hell no," Dakota replied, her voice still drowsy as she yawned, "Those things are expensive. How were we supposed to get them? It was a task to even arrange for food…"

Her voice faltered as she said that, her eyes widening as if she just realised what she'd said. Dakota closed her mouth, her whole frame tensed, and she looked at Kai.

And Kai… he was trembling. Trembling hard as he sat on the bench, staring at the grass on the ground. He was not shivering from cold; it was all due to fury, justified fury.

How could she?! He trusted her with everything. He told her every single thing about himself! And she kept such a big thing a secret from him?! She knew how much he despised poor people for their laziness and lies, she knew how much he valued hard work and a non-complaining attitude, neither of which the poor had. And she still lied…? She could have told him, she could have been honest with him, and he might have had an example of one good poor person. But she ruined that, she proved that he was right about her kind. He had always been right about the proletariat.

Dakota had betrayed him.

"Kai-"

"No," he said, keeping his voice level and trying hard not to shout at her, "No."

"Just listen to me-"

"There's nothing left to listen to. You've lied to me and betrayed my trust."

"Kai-!"

"I'm done here," he said, standing up. He was not sleepy anymore, his brain very much awake, cursing him for being so stupid as to fall for her deceit. "Goodbye."

"Kai wait-"

"Keep the bag," he muttered, keeping himself from growling, "That's what people like you want anyway, don't you? That people who have earned their resources sacrifice them for you? Give them away for free?"

"Kai, that's enough."

"Keep the bag," he repeated, pretending to not have heard her, and he stalked off. Dakota ran after him, calling out his name, her voice edgy. Another tactic to deceive him but he was not being fooled again.

She grabbed his elbow as she yelled, "Wait!"

All this action did was to enrage him even further. He shoved her hard, so hard that she fell on the ground, and he huffed and stormed out of the park, her anguished pleas falling on deaf ears.

Disclaimer: Kai's views about the poor are his. Neither the submitter nor I share his views. We don't intend any disrespect.

Yeah, this is a short chapter, but I wrote the whole thing on my phone and half of it was done at around 3 AM, so excuse the writing.

Next chapter, we'll see what's happening in the Capitol. I know you all want to hear from Twelve, and we'll see them soon. Chronologically, it will be around the same time as events of this chapter.

My friend jms2 has a SYOT open right now titled "The 175th Hunger Games: When Siblings turn into Murderers SYOT". Kindly take a look at it and please submit if you can!

Alliances:

Killers? Killers: Napoleon, Basileus

I'm Playing You: Aron, Akira

Sisters: Cat, Nell

Of Sword And Kerosene: Lyanna, Cairn

Loners: Rook, Kai, Dakota