Idon'twannadieIdon'twannadieIdon'twannadie
My thoughts race like crazy as I continue in an uninterrupted mad dash through the dark, snow coated forest. The screams of my "allies" and the roars and cries of various mutts turn my surroundings into an orchestra of pain and fear. Unsurprisingly though, my loud frantic breathing is louder than any and all of the things going on around me. Unfortunately this means I can't tell if anything is around me or not. As I dash I hold onto my shoulder; re-opened due to a bird slicing through it while I wasn't paying attention.
To put tonight's events lightly… stuff did not go the way we anticipated
My eyes darted around myself as I dash through the forest with the most faint idea where I was going. All I knew was one thing.
We had been ambushed.
I take cover behind a tree as the growls seem to become more and more distant. Despite the sounds of immediate danger seeming far away, the yells and shouts of my "allies'' were still close to the point where it felt like they were all surrounding me and simply yelling in my ears. I mean, I know they are AROUND me but they're all further off. The moment I heard the call of what may as well have been several HUNDRED birds circling us, my instincts took over and I couldn't do anything but get as far away as possible. It couldn't have been very long after that when I could hear the yells and screams of my friends as well as the loud calls from the birds. Despite my attempts at a get away however, I was being still chased down by these mad birds. As I made my mad dash they'd begun to quickly strik me in various parts of my body. My right shoulder, the place where I was struck with a knife during the Cornucopia Bloodbath, was the first to go. The pain still stings horribly, but it was far worse the moment it happened. It only got worse once the birds starting targeting my legs. At what seemed to be the speed of light, another bird swooped down and struck the left side of one of my ankles which immediately knocked me to my feet. Initially this damaged my leg badly enough to a point where I could barely even stand. I began desperately limping away as the loud caws of the birds seemed to circle me. As they opened up fresh wounds in my body, memories of a similar scene from Day 3 were reopened in my mind. Memories of watching all my friends get cut down relentlessly as I tried desperately to figure out how to bring them to safety.
Today was different though. I had no friends to count on and the closest people I could even remotely consider friends, I had abandoned. By the time I'd gotten to my feet, I realized I was out of options. I forced myself onto my legs and limped away from the spot where I had fallen. I was prepared to get stabbed hundreds of more times until I eventually bled out, and yet nothing happened as I desperately limped away. I looked around me and found that the birds had stopped attacking me and the screams had begun to die down. I had taken a deep breath and figured that maybe it stopped.
That was when the second wave began. Through the tree's, I caught the figures of two tributes bursting through the trees. Right behind them, a giant boar making a mad dash in their direction. With my mobility damaged immensely all I could do was clutch my shoulder and watch as more mutts tore through the forest. My mind began to race as I wondered why we were being attacked by so many creatures. This had to have been the gamemakers doing, but what were they after us and why so aggressively at that? Well looking at the situation now, the reason seems a little too obvious.
They now also know their plan.
Ya know, when I heard that the 5 and 9 tributes planned to blow up the arena I was honestly confident that nothing was going to come from it but seeing as the Gamemakers are desperately trying to get rid of all of us maybe they were really onto something. My mind can't focus on this for too long however. From the darkness of the forest comes Bran and Zina who bust through the tree's, fear clearly painted across their faces as they dash right past me. Neither of them even stop to help me or really do anything to acknowledge my existence which is really unfortunate as a wolf mutt also comes bursting out of the forest right off of their trail.
"Not good!" I shout in horror as it charges right in my direction. I've fought one of these wolf mutts before but with a hurt shoulder and a limp there's no way in HELL I'll make it out of this one unscathed. I try and ignore the pain of my leg and follow the other two. This is very painful and the moment my left leg touches the floor I'm ready to give up. But it's either this or I actually die which I'm not ready for. I run as fast as my legs can take me away from the wolf, but as far as I can tell this is not enough. I've been dashing for maybe half a minute before the wolf is running right next to me. I turn a corner and dash in a different direction altogether to get him off my back. The wolf thankfully continues running in the direction of Bran and Zina, ignoring me altogether. I back myself into a tree, hoping that this can prevent me from getting snuck up on from behind. I also consider climbing up the tree but with my leg already hurting plus the way I just ran on it like that wouldn't make it worse… Well, making it worse…
More screams echo across the sky as I hear other sounds such as the roars of creatures. A choir of pain. Something you'd probably only get to hear if you're a Hunger Games tribute like me. Unfortunately, I happened to get front row seats to the suffering. I cover my ears, praying that maybe it'd be enough to block out the sounds going on all around me. It's for naught however. The loud yells and mutt sounds are too loud to block out. All I can do is try and get out of the area. However with the pain in my leg, I know I won't be able to get far unfortunately. It'd be better for me to let it heal as long as possible. However with all the mutts running around attacking I may as well be just awaiting death over here. With little other option however, I chose to stay put in my place and hope for the best.
Once again the screams get louder as my "allies" panic and run around in desperation. As if they were a group of gnats, they seem to almost run around me and their desperate yells circle me. I can hear Volva desperately calling Konnas name with no answer. Bran is also shouting Zina's name but with both a touch of desperation and sorrow.
"Zina get up! Please! No you can't be-,"
The whole situation quickly begins to be almost too much for me. I put my hands over my ears and close my eyes trying to block out everything in the outside world. I know I'm in clear danger but at this point there's nothing I can do. All I can do is sit and beg for it all to end quickly. In fact, I begin to do just that unconsciously. I focused on the other things surrounding me. The air in itself was soothing. Compared to the unforgiving cold of the previous night, today had been a calm warm day. My mind slowly begins to feel at ease until all my thoughts have completely faltered.
I find myself beaming up towards the read afternoon sky. Beside me are Alma and Momma who both tower over me, forming protection around me. But that security never has time to set in. Immediately I noticed the looks of grief on their faces. My mother collapses to her knees in anguish and begins sobbing on the big, grey box that contains Pappa. I begin to look around and gaze upon the faces of my extended family. Faces who today, I hardly even recognize. Their faces are blended together in my mind, and all I see are dark figures surrounding me and my family. They chant and sing songs about hope and moving; and yet I feel as if I don't understand a word they are saying.
My mind begins to feel scattered. In front of me lay my father yet the only thing I can feel is embarrassment. The people around me sing as if it's supposed to help my family. They stare as if they were expecting me to cry. They stare and stare, and that's all they do. All of it disgusts me. I cling onto Alma which grabs his attention. He looks down at me and gives me a pitiful smile.
"It's gonna be okay Alt." He pats me on the head. I look away from him and towards the grey box. I feel my thoughts scattering again, but my thoughts are interrupted by Alma.
"It's okay to cry you know." I hear him say to me. For a few seconds my brain just stops. Those weren't words I anticipated hearing and in response, I give my brother a look of disgust.
My eyes open again. I remember my brother for a moment and pause. I really didn't want to die before I could catch right back up to him again. After all, we both set out to get home since we never had the opportunity to say goodbye to our Mom. I sit up on my legs and begin jogging forward. I don't know where to go, I just need to be somewhere and that place should definitely not be here. I sprint past all of the trees blocking my direction. I hurriedly dash forward, my mind no longer caring what's behind me or where my allies are. The only thing I care about is the safety. Unfortunately given that could be anywhere, I just keep moving forward.
Eventually though I come across a large pond. I don't really know where I am but it's a good resting place. I unzip my backpack and grab my water container to refill it with water from the pond. After getting myself a drink I sit down on the shore. The cries and growls have grown further since I started running. I wasn't really thinking, but I assume I'd ran for at least 5 minutes. But still, I'm surprised I covered a distance so long that the action had become far removed from me.
But alas, a loud animal yell makes me retract that statement. My first course of action is to hop into the pond despite my inability to swim. But in all fairness, I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do. I don't wanna die here. But I'm cornered otherwise. As I move further into the pond though, I'm greeted not by a mut but instead, by Bran who bursts out of the trees and faceplants onto the grass in front of the pond. He rolls onto the shore of the pond right in front of me. I hurriedly manuver towards him.
"B-Bran!" I yell, still a bit panicked. But he waves me away.
"Get away! It's coming!" He shouts. Right on cue, a mutt bursts through the forest trees. It stops for a brief moment before setting its sights on Bran. Seeing this only drives me towards Bran though. I don't wanna die, sure, but I also don't wanna see anyone else get hurt anymore. Furiously I make my way out of the pond with the strength I have left and make it to the shore where I put myself between Bran and the Mutt. The mutt, something like a bear or a giant wolf (or both honestly) simply stares me down with a sense of anger. I don't really know what to do I mean I don't have any weapons on me. I didn't think this through. I'm out of breath and options and for some reason I've just put myself in front of a creature that was made solely to kill people like me. Even while I'm shaking, terribly cold and horrifically afraid I still find my ability to laugh and myself. I'm a fucking idiot.
"What the hell are you doing Altar! Get away! We're both going to die at this rate!" Bran begins to get on his feet.
"I know but…" I pause, swallowing my saliva and letting the gravity of this situation hit me.
I mean, he's right.
"I don't wanna watch you die. I have to do something, ANYTHING!" I cry out. I dash at the mutt but in response it uses it's claws to push me back to where I stand. I'm knocked down, but I didn't get hurt it seems. I stand back up and try again.
"Please. I'm tired. I don't wanna anyone to get hurt anymore. I've seen enough" I yell and scream at the mutt, who very visibly does not understand a single word of my rant.
"Byke! Troy! Monica! My older brother! Those other assholes! You've ripped them from me! I've had enough! I'm tired! Let me go!" I feel tears swelling around my eyelids before I begin to sob and sob and sob. I'm so sick of this. Why? Why are the Hunger Games a thing. Why are people entertained by our suffering. Why am I still here? I've seen enough. It's all so unfair. I break down sobbing, completely incapable of fighting the mutt anymore as I cry and cry on the ground. The mutt seemingly let's me have my moment though, as it ignores me and simply manuvers around me and my crying mess to deal with Bran. As it goes around me, I shout out.
"Stop! No! Please!" I yell. Before anything can happen though, Bran runs up to me and hugs me. He comforts me for a brief minute.
"I'm still really sorry we dragged you into this, kid. Start running and don't look back. Of everyone here, you deserve this the least. Now go! Go!" He yells as the mutt bites into his bag, dragging him back and towards the pond. He doesn't yell or scream as it drags him down into the depths of the pond, leaving me shocked, horrified… and yet again, alone.
I begin to exhale rapidly as I take all of it in. Despite my efforts, I got absolutely nowhere. Bran… he was kind… he's dead now. He's dead. He's dead like Byke and Troy…
"He's dead… he's dead. He's dead. He's head he's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead!" I start telling and screaming, clutching my head and collapsing to the floor yet again. And after all that, I faint, tired… tired…