The Scarecrow Walks
Chapter 34 - Night 3
Lindsey Clarke
~18~
District 8
I'm a mess. I can see it all before me; Slane's dried blood that covers me in head to toe, my once silky black hair now scraggly and tattered with dirt and blood, even my vacant expression as I stare down at the tranquil surface of the water. It's all in the reflection of the cool liquid, a pond that I have somehow managed to drag myself towards in the midst of my stupor-like state. I look like I've been through a slaughterhouse, and fittingly, it feels like my sense of self has been slaughtered in the process.
It's been half a day since I scathed only within an inch of the cold embrace of death, where my supposed fate was to end up as some twisted kid's gruesome experiment. Truly, I have no words to describe how I'm feeling, as my mind struggles to conjure a string of coherent thoughts. Instead, the same thing keeps on ringing in my head, the deranged screams that came from Slane as he was torn to shreds by whatever lingers in the fog beyond the arena. I have no way of knowing exactly what happened to him within that opaque fog, all I have is the remnants of his insides coating my itchy skin. No human should be able to make tormented screams like that, and despite the kind of person Slane was - I'm still coming to terms that it was I, that pushed him into that fate.
He's dead now, I heard his cannon, and it was all a result of that single action I made. I am the reason that someone's life is no more… yet I feel absolutely no remorse. It's strange really, as horrific as it was, and as terrified as I felt when my body was sprayed with all types of innards and ruby red blood, I still am unable to conjure any sympathy for the boy that wanted to dissect me. The most I feel is guilt that I don't have those emotions, but the guilt I feel is in no way directed at him.
I suppose if anything, I'm mostly just disturbed by how visceral it was. I thought I saw it all at the bloodbath, but what happened to Slane was truly haunting, both the mystery to it, and the evidence that clings to my body in this moment.
"But he deserved it," I croak, my mouth suddenly feeling dry as I speak for the first time since I released that ragged shriek. The words feel weak leaving my lips, but their meaning is stronger than anything I've ever felt before. He did deserve what happened to him, both him and Nokia. What is it with me attracting these deranged individuals? These absolutely psychotic people that are either obsessive, malicious, or both? Before the games, I never would've purposely wished harm upon another person. Even during the Capitol, when Nokia wouldn't leave me alone and spent all of his time harassing me… I still wouldn't have wished for his death.
"At least not until that interview," I remind myself, as I continue to stare down at my reflection in the still water. For a second, I see myself for what I was that night, and how beautiful I looked in my outfit. I never thought all that highly of myself before, but that night I looked unrecognisable. It doesn't take long for my daydream to fade, as the reflection begins showing me the reality of my situation once more.
"What are you waiting for? Wash yourself," I mutter, trying to will myself to step into the shallow pond and bathe my body, expelling the crimson from my clothes and limbs, and leaving what had happened behind me. Except, it wouldn't be that simple. Even if I was to emerge spotless and cleansed, it doesn't remove what has happened from my memory, it doesn't change anything - I am now a murderer, and I can never take that back.
I sigh, as I slowly move my body that has been standing still for a period of time that I have lost track of. The blood has long since dried, and has now left me feeling itchy and filthy, with a moderate level of discomfort as my crusty clothes crack with the slightest of movements. Taking off my shoes and socks, I numbly stare at the clear water, seeing the shallow ground beneath made up by a series of slippery rocks. I never did learn how to swim back in Eight, but thankfully it's not deep enough to drown in unintentionally.
Without a word, and still fully clothed with the exception for my feet, I take the necessary steps forward to submerge my lower body into the surprisingly refreshing water. I let out a relieved sigh through my nostrils, as I sink into the cool pool of water, seeing the cloud of blood that immediately begins to drift from the surface of my skin. The sensation is almost euphoric, and as I allow my body to sink further into the water, the horrors from the previous night begin to drift away. I may have caused someone's death, but as a result, I'm still here to experience something as relieving as this moment.
"You didn't just survive, Lindsey," a small voice inside of my head reminds me. "You won."
That's right, I won that encounter. Little old me, kind and thoughtful Lindsey who wouldn't hurt a fly, fought for her life and won the battle. Before the games I never would've given myself a chance among monsters such as Malik or Thanatos, in fact nobody else would have given me a second thought either. But that Lindsey is gone now, she died as soon as she entered this pond.
It's upon this realisation that I suddenly feel something other than the utter emptiness within me following that traumatic experience. I quickly stand up in the pond, as my throat gasps for air upon emerging from the water. I don't know how long I spent under the water with my thoughts, but at this point it doesn't matter. It's almost as if I've experienced an epiphany, as a new determination swells up within my chest. I breathe heavily as the droplets of water fall from my body, and as I look down, I notice the considerable cleanliness I have emerged with.
The old Lindsey is gone, washed away within the water of the pond with all the apprehensions and doubts I held before. If I want to survive this thing, I need to learn to adapt, and winning that battle was the first step. Accepting it and moving on is the second, and in order to do that… I must leave my old self in the now murky depths of this pond water.
As I step out of the water, I feel as if I'm a new person entirely. No longer does the Lindsey Clarke who held such childish and romanticised perceptions of the world walk this earth, but rather a new and invigorated Lindsey, one that has come to accept what it will take to win this thing.
"But that's just it," I remind myself, as my eyes wander over to where Slane's leftover supplies rest nearby the pond I had dragged them towards. "I may have won the battle, but I haven't won the war."
There are still sixteen additional tributes left excluding myself, each one of them is an individual battle that I must overcome in order to come out on top. I mustn't get complacent now after successfully defending myself once.
I find myself slipping my socks and boots on once more, allowing the surprisingly warm air of the misty forest to dry me naturally. In the mean time, I make my way over to the supplies I have now found myself in the possession of thanks to Slane's demise. Feeling refreshed once more and thoroughly motivated, my eyes light up as they scan over the supplies, my mind only just now beginning to understand what I have acquired. The first major thing is food, enough to get me by for the foreseeable future, and all of which appears to be packaged and untouched leaving no worry for potential poison.
A small smile graces my lips as I pick up the power glove that Yelena had developed during training. Slane hadn't worked out how to use it in time, and wasn't able to utilise it to its full extent which was certainly in my favour, however Yelena had never detailed to myself on how to use it properly either, meaning I would have to experiment how to get it working.
"At least I know what it's meant to do," I assure myself, as I carefully place it in the bag Slane had carried it in. Perhaps it was destiny for the glove to fall into my hands following Yelena's death, we had been allies after all, I'm sure she would be happy knowing that I had inherited it.
Finally, my eyes linger on the various ropes and strings that Slane had been harbouring, before my mouth begins to curl into a smile. I cackle softly as I pick up one of the ropes, in disbelief at my sudden change of luck. Slane had no doubt been carrying these items to use to restrain me for his experiment, or whoever was unlucky enough to follow after me assuming I died or that he was finished with me.
What Slane likely didn't attain them for, was for what their original purpose was - a trapping set. Trapping had been my one specialty back in the Capitol, I have all sorts of knowledge on the various knots and intricacies of rope techniques there are, and that translated into the trapping station very effectively. I was able to scrape a score of six by showing the Gamemakers my trapping techniques, and although I may not have the full supplies at my disposal that I may need for a lethal trap, I can certainly incapacitate a tribute in the very least with what Slane has managed to grab from the Cornucopia.
"But then again, who said I need Capitol supplies to make a trap deadly?" I mutter softly, feeling my eyes begin to wander a short distance away. I can't help but smile as my vision lands on the bush filled to the brim with Deathcore berries, the very berries Slane had prevented me from collecting prior to knocking me unconscious. That run in with Slane is proving to be more and more advantageous by the minute.
This time, as I pick the berries off of the bush, I find myself humming calmly as I stuff the berries into my pockets. There is no sense of uneasiness anymore, no that died alongside the old me. Now, there is only a desire, a desire to seize the second chance I've been given, and to prove that I'm no longer the damsel to these freaks that attack me anymore. Berry juice or not, I'll make anyone who thinks they can follow up Nokia and Slane live to regret it… or die trying.
Ophiuchus "Ophi" Sandsea
~17~
District 4
I've never thought there'd be a moment where I didn't appreciate the sun. I've lived for years out on the ocean, day after day in the blistering District 4 heat as I'd embark on my daily fishing duties. My body was built for the sunlight, the rays on my skin and the heat in the air, as the fresh and salty breeze filled with ocean droplets would provide that occasional refreshing cool down. The suns rays are nothing new to me, they're normally a reminder of home.
In an arena where night fall is nothing but dreaded, with the sunrise the only thing to anticipate for the several hours of blue-hued darkness, it's almost impossible to consider a moment would appear where even for a short while, that I would want the sun to disappear. Well, that moment has sure arrived.
My mouth feels parched as I lead the way, with numerous beads of sweat trickling from my face and tickling my skin as they fall. Today has to be one of the hottest days I've experienced in this arena, with no shelter from the trees of the forests or even the Cornucopia over my head. The sun beats down on us in a scorching fashion, and if it weren't for my previous conditioning in weather like this, I would certainly be struggling.
I peer back behind me momentarily to catch a glimpse of how the others that are with me are handling the heat. Cinder seems to be doing the best, having lived in the exact same warm climate that I have myself, and as a result she hardly lets on that she's having any issues aside from the beads of sweat and dry lips she continues to moisten with her tongue.
Alex surprisingly isn't faring too badly either. I never expected much from the kid, but aside from the sweating and panting he quite visibly expresses, his face is scrunched up in a look of pure determination, almost as if he was trying to prove he isn't to be taken for someone weak. From what I've heard, District 10 can be quite warm as well during most parts of the year, so he too may be no stranger to the heat.
Lastly, Vienna is probably the person to be struggling the most right now, despite how much she tries to mask her discomfort. Her body is soaked in sweat, whilst her tired eyes and excessive panting suggest her body is screaming for a break. Despite each of us grabbing a water bottle before departing, Vienna has almost gone through the majority of her bottle as she once again goes for another swig of the crystal clear liquid. Regardless of this all, I can't help but feel impressed by how she pushes on and refuses to give in, she certainly is full of determination.
"Perhaps it's because she was allocated as the leader of this group?" I think to myself with a humoured smile. That isn't far from the realm of possibility, I'm sure any form of leadership would come with the desire to prove oneself, and Vienna clearly is committed to doing just that.
It's an interesting group that I've been paired up with overall, because although I'm quite familiar with Cinder by this point, my interactions with the other two have been rather limited. My time has mostly been spent alongside Adonis if anyone, the person I've related to the most and has appeared to be the most approachable. He is the one person that has made joining the Careers tolerable other than Cinder, and although I do like him, I wouldn't be willing to trade positions with him right now.
I can't help but shudder at the thought of the company he's having to spend time with in the current moment. A seemingly unhinged and volatile version of Thanatos that has grown increasingly concerning in recent days. A pompous and bloodthirsty Malik who almost appears subservient to one person only. And finally, the person who Malik seems to bend the knee for, the overtly serious and quick to anger Andromache.
I shake my head at the thought of that group, internally thankful that I am nowhere near them right now. I do pity any tribute they may encounter, the Capitol must be starved for action by now and I suspect the Gamemakers won't make it easy to escape.
"Granted, we might be the ones to encounter a tribute first," I remind myself, as the four of us enter a threshold of particularly thick and smoky air. The smell of burnt wood begins to invade my nostrils, with the visibility of the area drastically decreasing as we step into the vicinity of the barn remains.
A couple of the others begin to cough into their fists as we slowly approach, each of us silent otherwise in the case that anybody else is around investigating the area. Embers begin to float through the air as we get closer to the clearing, the only sounds audible being a haunting breeze that assaults us with smoke. Before too long, the four of us finally exit the wheat stalks, stepping out into a clearing of land where the barn once stood. What remains is a charred pile of ash and the almost incinerated skeleton of the barn, which has since fallen into crumpled heap amongst the embers and charcoal.
Littered around the barns remains, are small piles of burnt rags and straw, all of which are placed sporadically in smouldering heaps. From what looks like was once the opening of the barn, are a series of shoe prints and disheveled dirt, although one thing stands out to me that simply sends shivers down my spine.
"What on earth…?" Vienna breathes, as she suddenly appears by my side, her eyes wide as she shields her mouth and nose with one arm, and clutches onto her spear with the other. She takes a few steps ahead of me, her head scanning the area as the eery wind begins to pick up with a howl. I suddenly feel the presence of Cinder alongside me, as she breathes heavily following the conclusion of our rather lengthy hike. One glance at her face is all I need to see that not only is she thoroughly confused by the scene, but also seemingly unsettled.
"Well it looks like we're too late to… whatever caused all of this. I knew the culprits wouldn't stick around, there's nothing here but ash!" Cinder complains, kicking up some dirt from the ground in mild frustration.
"Hold on now, we weren't sent here in the hopes of finding any tributes," I remind Cinder in as reassuring a tone as possible.
"That's right," Vienna speaks up softly, her gaze focusing back on us upon having concluded surveying the immediate area. "The other group is the one trying to find tributes that might be escaping from this area. All we are doing is seeing if we can find any indication as to what direction they may have gone."
Cinder pauses for a moment, before pursing her lips and rolling her eyes in frustration.
"Hmph, maybe I should've volunteered to be apart of the other group after all," Cinder murmurs, as she swings her machete around impatiently. It's no surprise that Cinder isn't too pleased at the lack of action she is receiving so far. For the most part, she has been keeping an eye on our hostage situation, a responsibility she has put upon herself as she claims it was 'her idea, so she should see it through'. This is the first time she's left the Cornucopia since the start of the games in fact, and for someone as competitive as Cinder can be, it's a surprise she hadn't gotten restless earlier.
Alas, here she is in the group trying to find intel rather than going on the offensive, the exact type of thing she is neither suited for nor itching to be apart of. However, it would seem her watch over the boy from Ten is still to be prioritised over her own personal goals - something I can't help but respect her for. It's certainly a far cry from the girl I first met on the train, dare I say a more mature version? It almost seems like this responsibility for our hostage has changed her outlook on things.
Speaking of Alex, the tall boy from Ten has wandered a little closer to the scalding rubble that used to be a barn, as he intently stares down at the ground with what appears to be genuine focus. Alex's face remains still at first, before he frowns at something he appears to see, proceeding to kneel down and trace his finger along a patch of ground.
"Something wrong Alex?" Vienna asks softly, appearing to have also spotted Alex's investigative actions.
"Looks like you've spotted something," I speak up, as Alex's head snaps towards Vienna and I whilst we make our way towards where he has knelt down.
"Oh, uh… I think I've got something," Alex mutters apprehensively, the boy clearly not feeling very confident in himself.
"Oooh, Alex helping us out? Please, do tell," Cinder pipes up, her mouth curled into a grin as she suddenly springs by my side. Alex bites his lip for a moment, before looking away from us and back at the floor.
"Back in Ten, we sometimes have coyotes attacking our livestock, usually the smaller animals that they can drag away," Alex informs us, as he goes back to running his fingers across a series of grooves in the dirt.
"Right… but how does that help?" I question, at a loss for how animal attacks back in Ten are relevant to the current issue.
"Let him explain, assface," Cinder scolds me, before swatting my arm as punishment and causing me to inhale through my teeth. Alex doesn't appear too deterred by the comment however, as he continues to examine the ground before him.
"Whenever that happens, there are often tracks left behind similar to the ones here," Alex explains, pointing to the uneven surface of the ground, that has clearly been disturbed by some sort of scuffle. "These aren't just footsteps, you can actively see the claw marks of someone's fingers who was being dragged off. Someone was attacked here, it may not be identical to the animals tracks, but it's close enough to be the same story."
"Well that helps us to understand a bit more of what happened here," Vienna comments as her eyes follow the frantic claw marks.
"That's not all though," Alex breathes, recapturing all of our attentions. Alex grimaces as he points a short distance from us, to where the tracks begin to lead away from the barn. "There's a blood trail as well, and it leads us in that direction."
The heads of the two girls, as well as my own, turn in the direction that Alex points, our eyes following the evident disruption that the ground has revealed to us. Sure enough, there are stains of copper coloured blood, having long dried up in the sweltering heat of both the roaring fire the night prior, and now the humid air that we suck down our throats. The splotches appear to grow thicker the further away the trail gets, implying that whomever this person was, bled more profusely the more they were dragged away.
"Well, looks like we have a lead. Hopefully this leads us to whoever was bleeding, or better yet, the attacker," Vienna says with a shortness of her breath, proceeding to wipe the sweat off of her brow, yet appearing quite pleased by the progress our group has made. Her eyes lock back on to Alex, who diverts his eyes bashfully. "Well done Alex," Vienna smiles.
Although I'm unsure of whether or not it's due to the incessant heat, or simply the unexpected praise from Vienna, I can't help but notice that Alex's face burns bright red upon hearing her words.
"I-It's nothing really," Alex mumbles, before Cinder scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"Take the damn compliment! See, I knew you could be useful - I bet none of the other group could track like that," Cinder cackles.
"We get it Cinder, Alex has his benefits. But we still need to actually find a tribute from this information," I speak up, causing her to scowl at me as I interrupt her gloating.
"Alex," Vienna says softly, drawing all three of our attentions her way. Once Alex's gaze lands on Vienna, she stares at him firmly, with a newfound determination I have been yet to see from Vienna. "Do you think you can keep tracking them?"
Alex lowers his gaze for a moment, biting his lip somewhat doubtfully before kneeling down and tracing a finger through the dried blood.
"There's no telling," he responds quietly, before looking back up at her and rubbing the tips of his fingers together as if to feel the consistency of the blood. "Some time has passed, so there's no guarantee all the tracks have remained intact. But… I can certainly try."
"Well then," I interject, smiling encouragingly at Alex as his eyes lock on to me. "Lead the way then."
Nera Abbadelli
~17~
District 10
Spirits had been rather high this morning amongst the three of us. Upon all of us being awake and getting prepared, there was a sense of determination and even mild excitement at the idea of enacting our mission. For me, it was the prospect of confirming Alex's presence amongst the Careers, as well as a successful retrieval of him. For Didgit, the potential opportunity to claim her vengeance and avenge the young boy she had called an ally. For Amazon, she was no longer alone in her desire to take out the big threats of the games, which if I had to guess - she's been alone in pursuing for a long time now.
That was this morning though, and as quickly as the weather can adjust from a comfortable warm to a sweltering hot like it has today, human emotions can alter just as quickly. Whether it be nerves at what approaches, or quite simply an intent focus on the surroundings, the fact is that tensions in our group have significantly increased as this daunting task approaches.
It is I that follows at the back of our trio, with my eyes laid firmly on the two girls in front of me as they tread carefully with every step. Didgit takes up the middle, her hands gripping her spear so tightly that her fingers have begun to turn white due to the lack of circulation. Her face, one that had been full of laughter and smiles only a few hours ago, has completely drained of colour as she stares ahead with a stony expression. Perhaps reality has finally caught up to the girl from Three, that we were once again venturing into the belly of the beast, with a very good chance that some of us might not make it out alive… if any of us at all.
Amazon on the other hand, appears to be the most relaxed of the three of us, as she leads our party of three with a slight bend to her knees in the chance that she needs to spring into action. The scowl I have so often seen Amazon possess has finally returned, having not appeared since I first showed my face to the two girls. It's almost as if she wears that scowl as a mask, a deterrence for when danger is near.
With that being said, I've still never seen someone from an outer-district as confident in themselves as Amazon appears to be. For all our sake, I hope her confidence is warranted.
It's as I think this, that Amazon's scowl suddenly shifts to an expression of alert, as she promptly stops in her tracks and holds up the hand that doesn't grip her axe, in an effort to signal us to stop. Didgit, having not been too far behind Amazon, almost crashes into the girl from Seven, gasping as she suddenly needs to balance herself. I myself stop not too far behind Didgit, needing to stifle a chuckle at Didgit's near miss with setting off the walking time bomb that is Amazon.
"What was that for?" Didgit whispers, sounding slightly irritated by the sudden action. Amazon swiftly whisks around, flashing Didgit with a dangerous glare that causes the girl from Three to back down sheepishly.
"If you want to be of help, pay attention Didgit. If it wasn't for me you'd have walked right on out into the enemy territory, not to mention in full view," Amazon lectures her, like an older sister telling off her younger sibling. Didgit however, doesn't acknowledge her own clumsiness of almost walking into Amazon, but rather darkens her expression with an overwhelming sense of seriousness.
"Enemy territory… that must mean…" Didgit mutters, her eyes resting ahead beyond Amazon's position.
"Yeah, we're here," I speak up, my grip tightening on the hilt of my sword. The two of us join up at Amazon's sides, before we all gradually approach the clearing that peeks at us through the trees of the northern apple forest. The sunlight is bright at first, concealing the details of the landscape as my eyes begin to adjust from the shade of the forest to the exposed land ahead. Although the trees and bushes that litter the forest block off much of the view, there are still enough gaps that provide good look-outs to Cornucopia Hill, whilst simultaneously providing the cover that we need to hide temporarily.
"It's not good enough to stay still in though, we can't linger in this position for too long," I remind myself, before I kneel behind a bush that separates me from being exposed to the scene of the bloodbath. I take a deep breath, having not seen this location for a few days, and somewhat afraid of what we might find beyond our cover. As I close my eyes for a second in preparation for my observation, I can't help but see flashes of the bloodbath imprinted in my memory. The scene of bodies littering the hill, with red blood staining the lush green grass no matter where I look. The image of tributes caught up in altercations, with viscous expressions as they attacked one another with deadly blades of iron. And of course, how could I forget the horrific view of that bitch Cinder, toppling over Alex and preparing to bring down her hammer on his skull.
I breathe sharply as I remember hearing the thud it made as it collided into his cranium, as I fled the scene with boiling tears brimming in my eyes. I was so certain he was dead, yet he is still vacant from the night sky every evening since. Somehow, someway, he remains alive - but that time is running out, I'm sure of it.
"Are you okay, Nera?" Didgit's usually enthusiastic voice speaks up softly, snapping me out of my train of thought. My eyes meet hers, as she looks at me with what I can only guess is concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"It's nothing," I deny, lowering my gaze in order to prevent my moment of vulnerability from being too obvious. "This place, it's just… bad memories."
Didgit provides me with an understanding nod, as she bites her lower lip empathetically.
"I get what you mean," she sighs, her demeanour tensing up rather quickly. "I don't like the memories this place conjures either."
I open my mouth momentarily, before closing it as the guilt begins to flow through me. What is wrong with me? Here I am acting like the victim, when Didgit's the one who lost her ally in cold blood. Alex may be in danger, but he is still alive in the very least. They've kept him alive for a reason, and I doubt he's experiencing unwarranted levels of torture if the Careers are serious about their chances of winning.
Although the Careers have often claimed the spots of favouritism from the Capitol audience, there are things that they can do to effectively lower their support from the audience. Cannibalism of course is the most frowned upon act that can end a tributes fanbase, with sexual assault coming in at a close second. It's always confused me as to how the Capitol audience can be so fond of murder, yet be mostly resentful towards the prior two acts, at least until I figured it out the older I got. They like the competition of killing one another, but there is no competition in heinous acts such as cannibalism or sexual assault. I'm sure some of the more depraved Capitol watchers enjoy watching such unsavoury acts unfold during the games, but for the majority of the Capitol audience, I suppose even they have their limits.
One of the things that is generally known to be distasteful to the audience, is excessive torture that turns sadistic. You do get the odd psychotic tribute that goes nuts and does it because they can, but typically Career tributes don't like to tarnish their image by doing such a thing. They may have tried to get information out of Alex, but if they've kept him alive for this long, he's either proved himself to be useful, or they're hoping he will do so in the coming days.
"Are you two ready to see what we're up against?" Amazon speaks up, as she readies herself to peer out from her position.
"Let's do it," I insist, forcing myself to be prepared.
"Alright. Be careful when looking out, it's a lot easier for them to spot the three of us together than one of us alone," Amazon reminds us, causing the two of us to nod. Upon hearing out her statement, I carefully push aside some of the bush that conceals my face, revealing the view of Cornucopia Hill to me. My eyes quickly adjust to the brightness of the afternoon sun, revealing the golden horn shining in the bright light.
My eyes dart around for a moment, scanning the hill in its entirety, as well as the opening of the Cornucopia that happens to face us. The hillside still looks very green, although my spine tingles with a chill as I notice the various splotches of brown that occupy the ground of the hill, that could only be the remnants of dried blood. All of the lesser supplies that had once been strewn around the hill for tributes to scoop up have now since been collected, likely added to what I can see as a giant pile of supplies remaining in the Cornucopia.
As I continue to scan the area over again and again, there is one particularly obvious fact that becomes more apparent by the moment. The Cornucopia is completely vacant of tributes. It doesn't take long for either of the others to notice, as Didgit is quick to speak up.
"Where are they?" She questions with a frown, appearing particularly confused about the lack of people around. "I don't think anyone's there."
"Don't be hasty now," Amazon warns her, as she straightens up. "There could be a couple of them insi - hey!"
I don't hear the rest of Amazon's sentence, as she cries out in surprise as soon as I leap to my feet. Immediately, I burst out of the tree line making a mad dash for the abandoned Cornucopia. Both of my allies cry out to me from behind, their panicked voices growing further away with every sprinted step I take. My feet thud against the grass, my breaths slowly becoming ragged as I reach the slope that turns into the hill.
All caution and awareness has completely left my body, all rationality that had me grounded now having faded away. Alex has to be here somewhere, whether he's chained up in the Cornucopia, or even if there's simply proof that he was here. I need it.
"I… can't… sit… back…" I insist through gritted teeth, every word spoken through heavy pants as my body screams at me to keep on going. Now is the perfect opportunity, there are clearly no Careers around, and even if there are one or two - I have back up now.
However, as quickly as I think that thought, I suddenly become aware that Didgit's calls for me to stop have become nothing but a mere echo from the distance, her position now far from me, too far in the event that there is a Career I must face head on as I approach the Cornucopia closer with every step.
"No, it doesn't matter. I don't need help for only one Career. I can take them on, I know I can," I insist to myself, as my determination grows stronger by the second. With that thought in mind, I keep powering on with my charge towards the golden structure. It feels just like it did during the bloodbath, as I raced towards the Cornucopia in an effort to claim my weapon. Now, as I grip that weapon, and as I am mere moments away from reaching the glorious structure, I ready myself to retrieve my ally, or anything that can lead to said retrieval.
At least… that's what I had in mind.
I cry out as I feel a sudden heavy force crash into my back, dragging me to the ground and taking the air out of my lungs as it falls on top of me. I land with a pained grunt, needing to scrunch my face up as I collide with the ground. I feel my body skid a few inches across the well-treaded grass at the top of the hill, before I become aware of my body being crushed by whatever flew into me. Whatever it is, it quickly begins to move, before they pin my wrists down to prevent me from moving any further.
"A tribute? A Career?" I question internally with a panic, as I begin to squirm in order to shift my attacker off of my body. It only takes a few seconds for the attacker to resist my attempts verbally.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" A familiar voice scolds me, causing my eyes to widen. The weight of the person quickly shifts, before flipping me over so that they can glare at me furiously. Amazon's eyes bare down on me with anger, abruptly snapping me out of my irrational heroics and bringing some common sense crashing back down on me.
"I…I," I stammer, at a loss for words at the actions I just performed.
"You're a real idiot you know that? You were about to die," Amazon lectures me, as she gets off of my body and stands over me with her axe gripped by her side. Suddenly, Didgit's heavy panting becomes audible, as she reaches us after presumably chasing after the both of us.
"Are you crazy Nera?" Didgit cries out weakly, both the sprint and the concern clearly having taken it out of her.
"I-I'm sorry. I saw the area was empty… I didn't think," I apologise guiltily, before looking up at Amazon. "But, how was I about to die? There isn't anyone here," I question, looking back in the direction of the Cornucopia, seeing that it is indeed vacant of tributes and filled with nothing but a bounty of loot. Amazon raises a frustrated eyebrow at me, before her face softens slightly, sighing sympathetically.
"I know you're desperate to get your district partner back Nera, or just any leads on him in general… but just think about it. Do you really think the Careers would just leave their supplies unguarded?" Amazon speaks up, as she folds her arms.
"N-no, I suppose not," I mumble, as Amazon helps me to my feet. Amazon nods, before taking a few steps closer to the Cornucopia.
"If you had taken just a few more moments to observe the situation like Didgit and I did, maybe you would've seen what we saw too," Amazon suggests, stopping in her tracks with her back turned to me. My face scrunches up in confusion for a moment, as my eyes follow where Amazon points to.
"See it? See what-?"
I barely manage to get my sentence out, before I spot exactly what Amazon is talking about. A wire. Multiple wires in fact, so thin that they almost look like singular strands of spider web, almost invisible upon a first glance. I approach them cautiously, kneeling down and examining one in closer details. They all seem to stretch around the Cornucopia as some sort of border, covering several heights that prevent jumping over or ducking underneath.
"How could you see these? They're almost invisible, let alone from the distance we were at," I breathe, the consequences of if Amazon hadn't stopped me in time beginning to dawn on me.
"I saw the wooden posts they have set up that they're connected to," Amazon responds, pointing towards the closest one. Sure enough, there are several posts, all of which form a circle around the perimeter of the Cornucopia.
"I recognise this trapping method, Kirby and I saw it at the trapping station," Didgit speaks up, as she too kneels close to the wires. "The wires themselves are incredibly tough metal and are hard to cut through without time to do so. Running into these at the speed you were would've sliced right through your body."
"Oh my god," I utter, my heart thumping at my close call with death.
"But that's not all. You see those small beads of liquid?" Didgit inquires, leading me to look closer and indeed spot small droplets that rest on one of the wires. Didgit continues, her words causing me sweat even more. "It looks like these were all soaked in some sort of poison, so that even if you didn't walk into the wires that hard and only received a minor cut, the wires would still poison you."
"You're lucky that you're too slow against me," Amazon jests, her anger seemingly having subsided as she playfully punches my arm to taunt me. Leave it to Amazon to use this as a way to expand upon her own ego.
"Getting past these wires will take too long seeing as we don't know when they'll return, and clearly there's nobody here to fight, not even Alex - I think we should find a nice vantage point to set up in so that we can keep an eye on them," Didgit recommends, prompting Amazon to nod her head in agreement. Sighing, I take one last look inside the Cornucopia from the position I stand in, before begrudgingly nodding my head as well.
"I suppose you're right," I murmur, watching as Didgit and Amazon begin to set off in a different direction from where we came. Groaning, I lean down for a moment, before picking up my sword which I had dropped when Amazon managed to stop me from running into the deadly wires. Examining it for a moment, I see my reflection in the unblemished surface of the shiny metal blade. I look weary, dirty, but most of all - disappointed. As I stare for a moment, the small embers of determination that had momentarily been extinguished following my close call with death, begin to reignite again.
"I'll find you Alex," I whisper, looking up from the blade, and taking off after my allies. "I'll find you, and repay you for saving me. Just hold out a little while longer."
Burton Hansen
~14~
District 9
I need to get out of here.
It's been close to twenty-four hours since the incident. The blue moon, the scarecrow mutts, the burning barn. All of it still remains engraved in my memory, so much so that I have remained restless since it happened. I've constantly been on the move since the early hours of this morning, danger flocking to my every location all thanks to the events that unfolded.
It all started during the attack of course, I thought the two of us had been safe, Amaryllis and I. We had already known the danger of the arena at night due to that unnatural phenomenon, and I in all my foolishness had thought that an enclosed structure would've kept us safe for the time being.
"How was I so stupid? No one is ever safe during the Hunger Games," I grumble to myself, shaking my head regretfully. In hindsight, we should've sought higher ground. It would've gone against what we were going for during the day - concealing ourselves in the fields of wheat - but at night, we would've been hidden by darkness even if we had taken refuge on the roof of the barn. Instead, we were a pair of trapped mice, as the cats circled us from outside and busted their way in.
It was the fire that we had going which saved my life. I had been getting overwhelmed, just as Amaryllis had succumbed to, with the scarecrows attempting to dig their branch claws into my flesh and drag me away into the abyss of night. It was a moment of desperation in which I grabbed one of the half burnt logs of firewood from the flames, igniting the straw of the scarecrows and discovering their weakness in the process.
I managed to dispatch the few that were around me, but by that point it was too late. All I saw of Amaryllis was her horrified face as she was dragged off into the night, never for me to see again. Even after attempting to pursue her, there were just too many scarecrows. All I could do, was set the rest of the place on fire, in order to destroy the mutts that lingered.
It would be a little later on that I would hear her cannon go off. It was beyond the time of night where they showed the faces of the dead in the sky, but I am certain it was her. What reason would she still be alive for? How could she have possibly survived? Perhaps the pessimist in me is bringing that conclusion to the forefront… or maybe it's just my history. I, Burton Hansen, the bullied loser that always ran his mouth back in Nine, who finally took a chance on someone and made a friend - only to condemn them to death for even daring to associate with me. The universe tends to have a cruel way of messing with me, and as it seems, whenever something goes my way, it gets snatched right up only to be abolished right before my eyes.
"Shut up," I think sternly to myself, feeling my forehead crease slightly in annoyance. It was Amaryllis that was the victim of this situation, certainly not myself. To feel sorry for myself and wallow in self-pity is not only selfish, but disrespectful to Amaryllis. It's not as if I ever got anywhere by feeling sorry for myself either, striving to change and adapt to my situation is what got me through the hardships I've experienced. How is it any different here?
Because of what I experienced last night, I now have been able to adopt a strategy that will keep me safe should I remain in this portion of the arena. As I look up, I see the sun beginning to dip low over the horizon, the light it shines barely managing to illuminate the now rapidly darkening arena. It's right about now that most of the other tributes would likely be holding themselves up, hiding from the terrors that come out as soon as that azure blue orb rises into the early evening sky. Amaryllis and I had done the same thing two nights in a row, only for that very strategy to fail abysmally.
Things are different now. I may be without an ally anymore, but I've found a different ally in the form of something elemental. That of course, is fire. See, while most tributes have nothing but blades to protect themselves from the mutts at night - items in which we discovered the hard way have no affect against the mutts in this domain - I instead know their weakness, the fact that fire can definitely destroy them, and in the very least deter them from attacking me.
So theoretically, as long as I wander the wheat fields with the self-made flaming torch that I hold out ahead of me, I should be in no danger from the scarecrows, nor the other tributes that are being kept at bay by whatever else roams the arena at night. As long as I stay in the wheat section of the arena, I shouldn't encounter anything else that could be more fire resistant. If only Amaryllis and I had discovered this a little earlier…
However, regardless of the fact that I have now identified a counter to the dangerous mutts of the night - at least the ones from this location - I still feel nothing but a yearning to leave the wheat fields. How can I stay in a place that will only remind me of how I failed to save a friend, someone who had relied on me enough to become an ally? I have been wandering aimlessly since the previous night, but now seems like the time to get the hell out of here, and find somewhere where I can situate myself for a prolonged period of time without the visual memory of what has happened.
"Wha-?" I suddenly mutter, my surprise cutting my one word short as I squint at the sight ahead of me. After roaming for hours through stalks of wheat higher than my head, the unmistakable sight of light creeping in from a clearing ahead has suddenly become visible as of a result of the torch I carry. Approaching cautiously, I feel goosebumps beginning to line my skin as I steadily make my towards the obscured clearing, only illuminated by the barely visible sun that continues to lower beyond the horizon. Looking up, I notice that there is no building that rises up from the clearing, meaning it is not the home of one of the other barns that had been spread throughout this sector of the arena.
Just as I am about to reach the clearing, I stop myself for a moment, breathing deeply as I prepare myself for what I may find. More scarecrow mutts? I have fire on my side. More tributes? I have the element of surprise. I'll be fine, I know I can do this. Without another thought, I slowly brush aside the stalks of wheat that are in my way, only for my blood to run cold at the sight before me.
It is indeed a clearing, with a dusty, dirt ground that has become cracked and dry from the lack of use. A couple bales of hay litter the area, but none are in the way of what I see directly in the centre of the clearing. A wooden post sticks out of the ground, with another smaller plank that rests horizontal near the top of it, almost like a crucifix. The lone silhouette of a scarecrow rests strapped up against the post, although I am unable to identify what exactly restrains it. The scarecrow faces away from me at the moment, but additionally, the blue moon is yet to rise, presumably having not yet brought the mutt to life.
"I should set it on fire, before it animates," I encourage myself, clenching my jaw as I swallow nervously. Why am I so nervous? It's not even alive yet, plus I've killed enough of these things to be a veteran now… why is this one so unsettling? It feels different, chilling in fact; something isn't quite right about this particular scarecrow. Is it because it rests in solitude, all on its own rather than the groups the other scarecrows had appeared in?
The reality of the situation comes to light not too long after my trepidation reaches its climax, as the reason for my apprehension becomes very apparent upon circling around the eerie figure. I feel my stomach drop as my blood runs cold, with my limbs freezing me in place only a short distance away from what I thought to be a scarecrow mutt. I feel my eyes bulging as my mouth opens and closes in horror, my gaze washing over the now illuminated face - thanks to my torch - of none other than Amaryllis.
"No," I hear myself utter, my voice sounding distant as my ears are filled with a ringing that drowns out the evening ambience. It's as if even now I am in denial, but no matter how many times I try to doubt it, the fact that Amaryllis rests nailed onto the post before me is indisputable. I desperately try to think of how this came to be, I was certain I heard her cannon last night, she should have been lifted out of the arena by a hovercraft by now.
"What's going on?" I think to myself, as I find the strength in my legs to reluctantly step towards her, getting a closer look at the state she is in. "Was that another persons cannon?"
Her head lulls forward without any support, her once tanned face now pale as can be, with various scratches and blood trails littering her delicate skin. Her lips look cracked and dry, whilst any exposed skin on her body now looks considerably sunburned after presumably spending all day on this post.
Her eyes remain closed, although I am unable to tell if it's due to being unconscious or dead, however the biggest concern is still yet to come. I gasp in horror as I examine the rest of her body, most of which is covered by blood soaked rags that once used to be her arena outfit. From the palms of her hands, all the way through out her upper arms, abdomen, the sides of her stomachs, and then her legs, what look like metal rods have been stabbed through her flesh and into the wooden pole she is raised on. Furthermore, exposed parts of her shoulders and arms appear to have parts of her skin and flesh removed, almost as if there have been birds landing on the poles and picking away at her.
It seems as if she herself has been turned into a scarecrow, one that has been left to bake in the sun as a meal for the crows.
I feel my stomach beginning to churn, the temptation to vomit becoming almost too overwhelming as the light continues to flicker against her body. However, the sickness I feel is nothing compared to the downright terror I experience, as both the illumination and the heat of the torch seem to stir what I suspected to be a dead Amaryllis. I gasp in surprise as I stagger back a few steps, seeing Amaryllis feebly raise her head and reveal her now sunken eyes and vacant expression. My heart beats a million miles an hour, as Amaryllis releases a haunting groan, one that is filled with both pain and utmost confusion. Her glassy eyes blink weakly, before they finally land on me, although she doesn't appear to register that it's me immediately.
"Burton?" She eventually croaks, her voice void of emotion and sounding as if she had just woke up from years of slumber. I open my mouth to respond, however nothing comes out as I watch her continue to squint at me. "Why are you here? Are you dead as well?"
I watch her in disbelief for a moment, before I slowly raise the torch again, revealing her entire figure once more, no longer wrapped in darkness. I take a deep breath, preparing myself to take on what appears to be a confronting conversation.
"No… no I'm not dead Amaryllis," I respond softly, as I force myself to step closer to her in an effort to be more comforting. She appears to not be in the right frame of mind, although I certainly can't blame her. "I'm not dead, and neither are you."
"Oh?" Amaryllis frowns, as her eyes wander down to her body, clearly fixating on all the metal rods that keep her hoisted in place. "I feel like I should be… I thought… I was… in hell."
Her words begin to trail off slightly, as if her conscience is in a constant state of slipping in between awake and unconscious. I can't help but bite my lower lip at her words, the idea of what she has been through making me feel nothing but guilt.
"You're still in the arena, and you're never going to hell - I won't allow it," I insist, apprehensively raising my hand to Amaryllis's cheek and raising it in order to support her neck. Amaryllis appears to force herself to become more alert for a moment, locking her eyes onto me before beginning to cackle at my words, taking me by surprise.
"Ha… you're funny Burton… I don't know why you always had to act… so serious," Amaryllis breathes between her weak laughter. I can't help but allow my face to fall in confusion, struggling to comprehend what she means.
"She must be under some sort of hysteria after what she's been through, nobody should be acting like this under her circumstances," I theorise, continuing to frown at her behaviour. It's when I do this, that she leans her face harder into my hand, so that I'm now properly cupping her cheek.
"This arena… it is hell. If you want to save me from hell… there's only one thing… you can do," she says hoarsely, a trail of tears beginning to flow from her eyes, washing away the grime and dried blood that clings to her face.
As her words hit me, I feel my body tense up at the implication she's giving. It's clear as day what she's hinting at me to do, yet despite her willingness, I still don't know if I can bring myself to do it. I watch over her for a moment in silence, examining every detail that I could use to find my solution. The truth is - there's no way Amaryllis can survive. The injuries she has sustained are far too severe, nor do I have the resources to sufficiently treat her. Clearly the metal rods she has been stabbed with haven't punctured anything fatal, almost as if they were meticulously placed to keep her alive, but by now the blood loss should still be too great for recovery.
Even if I were to get her down from here, she would only prove to be a liability to me. As painful as it is to say, there's simply no other way of looking at it. As my eyes gaze over her legs, even I can tell that there's little to no chance she'd be able to walk on her own, she'd completely rely on me.
However, on top of these factors, there's one more thing that just continues to irk me, one little question that I can't shake from the back of my mind. How is she still alive? Honestly, Amaryllis should be long dead by now. She should have lost too much blood, and beyond that she should have succumbed to dehydration. The only reasoning I can draw for her to still be alive is…
"They've kept her alive on purpose," I mutter under my breath, Amaryllis appearing either too delirious, or too weakened to take notice of my words. There has to have been some greater power keeping her from dying, and I'm willing to bet my life that the greater power I refer to is none other than the Gamemakers. But why? Why bother to keep her alive? And why use the scarecrows to lead me in the direction of her?
As soon as I ask myself this, the answer finally hits me. I feel as if I've been punched in the stomach as the realisation sinks in, my eyes bulging as I begin breathing heavily. They've kept her alive… because they want me to finish her off.
I can't help but grimace as I continue watching over Amaryllis, her small frame feebly moving with every raspy breath she takes. There's not even a point in asking why the Gamemaker's are wanting me to kill my district partner, it doesn't take a genius to decipher that intention. They simply want drama, action, tragedy, and what is more tragic than a tribute being forced to kill their own ally?
"I'll do it," I speak up assertively, wanting to stamp out any potential reluctance that may continue to linger within my mind. Amaryllis slowly looks up, her eyes finding me with apparent difficulty.
"Do what?" Amaryllis questions softly, appearing to be rather confused. "Burton? What are you doing here? Are you dead too?"
My heart sinks as I hear her words, a repetition from the way she had greeted me before. It would seem as if in her delirious state, she's having trouble recollecting her recent memory. I can't help but allow a tear to escape my eye, as Amaryllis's breathing grows more shallow and congested, her face periodically wincing due to the pain and discomfort she must be experiencing. I have to do this now, I can't let her live in this miserable state any longer… it would be cruel of me to do so.
"I'm sorry, Amaryllis," I whisper, as my right hand grips onto the one weapon I have that can give her a quick death, that being my karambit. "I failed you, I'm the reason you've ended up in this position," I continue.
I step up close to her, with her barely responding to my presence as she struggles to stay conscious. I slowly put the blade up to her throat, making sure that it's in a position that can cleanly slice through it.
"Please, forgive me," I whisper through clenched teeth, with it taking my all to keep the tears from flowing heavily. With those words, I swipe my arm quickly, which causes a brief, and visceral sound as I slash through her windpipe. Amaryllis's eyes don't even respond as the blood begins to pour, in fact she gives no indication that she even realised her throat has been slit, until her head slowly lulls forward with the eerily ragged sound of her final breaths bubbling through the fountain of blood that flows steadily from her throat. As I hear her cannon fire into the evening sky, I can't help but wonder if she could even feel her throat being ripped open - because I myself feel something I've never felt before.
Emptiness.
Andromache Poyner
~18~
District 2
"Damn it Thanatos, we don't have time for this. It's already night time!" I cry out, panting heavily as the day of hunting begins to take its toll on me. Apparently, this isn't the case for Thanatos, as he continues to storm on ahead with what appears to be an entirely frenzied determination. Although I usually have pretty good influence over the loose cannon that is Thanatos, this time he doesn't seem to be listening to me in the slightest, with my warnings of the dangers of nightfall falling on deaf ears as he continues to march on forward.
"No," Thanatos growls, as the three of myself, Adonis and Malik desperately try to keep up with him. "Not this time. We're too close to let them slip away."
I bite my lip as I curse under my breath, knowing there's no way I'm changing his mind unless I physically alter his direction - as if I have the strength to achieve such a feat. Even if Adonis and Malik were to do so, I know deep down that it would only lead to unnecessary fighting, which is the last thing we need in our already highly tense alliance.
Despite my reluctance, I do somewhat understand Thanatos' frustrations. Alongside Cinder, he is the only one of us so far not to get a kill, and somehow I can sense the insecurity dripping from him. Additionally, a second cannon for the day has just fired mere moments ago, one of two cannons whom we don't know who was fired for, as the faces are yet to appear in the sky. If the most recent kill does have to do with whoever was hiding in the wheat fields - the perpetrator being who we have been hunting for all day - clearly Thanatos doesn't approve of the idea of letting them slip away again, even if it's in our best interest.
"Dude, we've looked all day and we've found nobody. What makes you think you've suddenly locked onto their location?" Malik questions impatiently from the back, which somehow causes Thanatos to abruptly stop. He peers back at the three of us in frustration, as we come to a steady stop and catch up to him.
"Do I really need to explain everything I do to you people?" Thanatos retorts sternly, prompting Adonis to fold his arms.
"Well when you've been acting erratically as you have, yes an explanation would be appreciated," Adonis snaps back, slightly taking me by surprise at his sudden attitude shift. Adonis has always been level-headed, but I suppose after a day of hunting in the blistering heat with no results, a lack of patience can even get to someone as calm as him. Thanatos grunts, before turning back in the direction he had been running.
"You smell it, don't you?" Thanatos questions, instantly bringing all of our attention to the harsh scent that lingers in the air.
"Yeah… smoke?" Malik mutters, tilting his head as he takes out the axe he had strapped to his back.
"The arsonist that set the barn on fire, do you reckon they might've set something alight again?" I speak up, looking directly at Adonis for his input. He looks back at me with a face of determination, his mouth a thin line as he nods his head.
"Probably. But we only have a small window of time," he responds, before taking out his spear in preparation for a fight.
"Which direction though?" I ask with concern, causing Thanatos to put a hand on his hip.
"Duh? The way I was headed. That's the way the wind is coming from, and I can definitely smell the smoke in the breeze," Thanatos insists.
"We don't even need that to confirm their position," Malik scoffs, prompting a glare out of Thanatos.
"And why would that be?"
Malik responds by pointing up ahead above the stalks of wheat, which greets us with the sight of a small orange glow illuminating the night sky, a glow that can only be explained by a large fire.
"Run," I command, overtaking Thanatos and leading the way. "Don't let them escape!"
Just like that, what has felt like an aimless day filled with dead-end after dead-end, we have finally identified what could be our first piece of action since the bloodbath. The smell of smoke begins to grow stronger as we close in on the location of the fire, with the tension and determination emanating between us growing considerably with every step we take. After a few moments of running however, I quickly become distracted by noises coming from my right.
"Voices," I whisper to the other three, directing a hand signal towards the direction that I hear the sounds coming from. Additionally, I hear a set of footsteps thudding against the ground, as well as the distinctive crackling of stalks being pushed out of the way.
"Do you think it's the arsonist?" Adonis questions, as he listens carefully to the noises.
"No idea, it sounds like a group of tributes. Let's ambush anyway," Malik suggests, as he places a hand on my shoulder in order for me to pay direct attention to him.
"I hate to say it, but I agree," Thanatos speaks up, frowning at the idea of Malik suggesting a good idea.
"Alright, let's go. We don't know how many there are, but the four of us should be able to handle them," I insist, before changing up my direction slightly towards the unsuspecting tributes. Within a matter of moments, the four of us reach the group of tributes, prompting me to raise my sais up as I leap out at the tribute in front. They gasp in surprise, raising their machete to block my sais from being thrust towards their chest. I grunt for a moment, preparing to leap back and attack again, before the identity of the person suddenly registers in my mind.
The rather pissed off face of Cinder scowls at me, as Vienna, Alex and Ophiuchus all come to a stop before slamming into her.
"Hey what the hell!?" Cinder cries out, justifiably annoyed that I just tried to take her life. As she says this, the other three manage to catch up to me, leaping onto the small path clearing with their weapons all poised.
"Oh," Malik utters, sounding thoroughly disappointed. "It's you guys."
"Damn right it is, the fuck did you attack me for?" Cinder questions with a frown.
"Sorry, we thought you guys were the ones that set the fire. We were trying to ambush you," I admit, accepting my fault.
"Well you've got to do a hell of a lot better than that if you want to ambush someone," Cinder laughs scornfully, as she lowers her machete. "I could hear you approaching from a mile away. You're not exactly subtle."
"Hey, we're exhausted alright, give us a break," Adonis sighs, rubbing his eyes.
"Um guys? Shouldn't we be checking out the fire?" Ophiuchus speaks up, causing my eyes to widen.
"Right, let's go before we lose them," I command, before proceeding to lead the way for the now entire Career pack.
"Why are you lot out here? Weren't you meant to investigate ages away from here?" Malik asks, genuine curiosity evident in his tone. Cinder simply smiles in response, as her eyes remain focused on the path ahead.
"We have Alex to thank for that, he led us in this direction using the tracks we found," she praised the boy from Ten, who lowers his head as if to avoid the limelight.
"Oh did he now?" Thanatos mutters, sounding less than convinced of Alex's role in the other groups findings.
"Yes he did, and as our groups leader, I can say he did very well," Vienna speaks up softly, defending Alex from Thanatos's verbal doubt.
"Hmph, whatever," Malik grunts, surprisingly backing down from Vienna's words of confirmation. I haven't seen Malik back down often amongst this group of Careers, but it seems different with Vienna. Perhaps he does indeed feel indebted to her for saving his life after all.
"I see the clearing," Ophiuchus breathes, as the opening of the brightly lit clearing comes into view. Without so much as a second thought, all of us continue to charge forward, before bursting out into what is almost an empty clearing. The first thing of note is the fire, which has ignited an almost complete ring around the clearing with the exception of a few gaps, one of which we found ourselves entering through. The heat coming off of the flames is pretty intense, however thankfully the clearing is spacious enough to avoid close proximity with the fire itself.
With all of the commotion going on, it is almost easy to miss what is situated in the dead centre of the clearing. I hear a gasp or two from behind me, whilst my own body shudders at what I notice ahead of me. A tribute nailed to a wooden post by countless metal rods, her throat dripping with the last drops of blood that must have been in her body following the very obvious throat slashing she has received.
Before her stands a male tribute, one that I don't recognise all that well, but one that I can tell belongs to District 9 due to the number stitched onto his back. If I recall correctly, and base my judgement on his appearance, the boy was one of the younger tributes of this years batch, in fact both he and his district partner were on the younger side. That's when it occurs to me, that I recognise the lifeless face of the dead tribute, to be none other than the District 9 girl. His own district partner.
It's as if all of us have ceased our movement in shock, as we take in the scene before us. It's hard to comprehend, however it is indisputable that the culprit of this kill was indeed the boy from Nine. He faces away from us, continuing to stare up at the lifeless body of his district partner, with a flaming torch in his left hand, and a blood soaked right hand that grips onto an equally blood tarnished karambit.
"Dude… what the fuck?" Ophiuchus suddenly pipes up, prompting the boy to slowly turn around to finally face us. Unlike many of the other tributes that I had faced on the day of the bloodbath, this boy is immediately different. Despite being faced with the entire Career pack, he stares blankly at us without a hint of fear. His face is void of emotion, his eyes appearing drained as he scans over every one of us.
"I thought the fire might attract you," the boy responds quietly, his tone barely audible over the roaring and crackling of the fire that surrounds us. The eight of us stare blankly at him, at a complete loss for how he could remain so calm. It doesn't take long for an uneasy feeling to grow within me, the idea that he would lure us here on purpose becoming a sudden possibility.
"But why?" I question internally, as my grip on my sais tightens.
"You killed your own district partner? I didn't think a twerp like you was capable of that," Malik speaks up, sounding rather impressed. The boy closes his eyes for a brief moment, before reopening them, not showing much more of a response than that.
"Only out of necessity," the boy responds sounding particularly deadpan. "It was a mercy killing."
"You expect us to believe that?" Cinder scoffs, stepping forward as she wields her machete around carelessly. "She's stabbed to a fucking wooden post."
"Exactly the way I found her," the boy replies chillingly, lowering his gaze slightly.
"What's your name kid?" Thanatos barks, drawing the eyes of the District 9 boy.
"Burton - not that you'd care," Burton reveals, causing Thanatos to grit his teeth.
"Well you little smart ass, I do care because it's you that's been lighting shit on fire and putting us on this wild goose chase. That ends now," Thanatos growls, as Burton stares blankly at him.
"I agree," Burton shrugs, causing Thanatos to express evident confusion. "That's why I drew you here."
"What do you mean?" I speak up, stepping closer alongside Cinder, as the other Careers begin to draw their weapons. Burton finally turns his attention to me, although nothing changes on his face as he takes in who I am.
"These games are moving too slowly," Burton responds, as he turns his gaze away from me, and back up to his district partner. "That's why they took Amaryllis away, put her through unimaginable pain, and gave me no other choice put to end her suffering."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Vienna speaks up, although this does little to stir emotion within Burton.
"Funny that you say that. Perhaps if tributes had been dying quicker, the Gamemakers wouldn't have felt the need to make me do this," Burton responds bluntly, causing Vienna to recoil slightly.
"Are you seriously blaming us for her death? For not killing fast enough? Maybe you're the sick one," Cinder hisses.
"It was simply an observation… although, that is what most of you volunteered for these games to do, isn't it? To kill…" Burton responds coldly, prompting Thanatos to step forward.
"Damn right, and that's what I'm about to do right now!" he spits, wielding his haladie with clear intention to strike.
"Have you forgotten what I said?" Burton shakes his head, as he looks towards the largest section of the clearings perimeter without the raging fire. "I drew you here."
Before any of us even have the time to respond, the atmosphere around the area becomes an unmistakable hue of blue, prompting all of us to look up at the sky to see that the blue moon has risen once more. The sunset is no longer visible over the horizon, pure darkness now having replaced it to shroud the arena in the blue moonlight. Even the fiery orange from the raging blaze does little to overcome the blue, leaving me with a panicked sensation within the depths of my chest.
"Looks like I timed it right, even if I had to buy time with all that talk," Burton says calmly, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Maybe this will get the ball rolling in this slow game. Now then, farewell."
Burton - rather speedily - scurries away through a small gap in the fire, disappearing into the wheat fields once more before any of us can even react. Although Malik attempts to surge forward in an effort to chase him, I can't help but slap my hand on his shoulder in an effort to stop him.
"Don't! Forget about him," I instruct, causing Thanatos to look at me furiously.
"Why!? We just managed to track that little shit down!" Thanatos protests with a roar.
"Because we have bigger problems on our hands," I bark back, before I point towards the largest gap in the fire. Thanatos follows my finger to where the rest of us are staring at in horror, as countless shadows begin to stumble out into the clearing. I squint my eyes, peering at the figures as I try to make out what they are.
"Scarecrows?" Adonis questions, as the first few begin to stagger slowly towards us, only to be followed by innumerable more entering the clearing behind them.
"Back away, they're growing in numbers," I order, as everyone but Thanatos apprehensively takes a few steps back.
"Are you serious? Y'all are letting a few scarecrows freak you out?" Thanatos scoffs, before readying his haladie. "They're not even fast. Here, watch!"
Thanatos suddenly steps up to the closest scarecrow, which sticks its scraggly branch for an arm out and attempts to dig its claws into Thanatos. Instead, Thanatos manages to sidestep the mutt with relative ease, before decapitating it with a lazy swing of his haladie. Thanatos looks at us smugly for a moment, before the headless body of the scarecrow leaps forward and manages to sink its claws into Thanatos's forearm.
"Ouch, what the-?" Thanatos grunts, before hacking the arm off of the scarecrow and kicking the rest of the body away. In response, the scarecrow gets up again, joining its brethren who have now caught up as they shuffle slowly towards Thanatos. It's at this moment, that we all realise what we're up against.
"T-they don't die," Alex stammers, as we all begin to look at one another in horror.
"If our weapon's don't work…" Vienna utters, trailing off as she looks at her spear in concern.
"We have to retreat," I insist, my legs tensing as I prepare to lead the way out.
"Um, Andromache? I hate to break this to you," Malik speaks up, as he looks down beside himself at me. "But we're kind of surrounded."
As I rapidly turn around to get a sense of my surroundings, I realise that Malik is indeed right; every potential opening now has varying amounts of scarecrows flooding in. Burton must've known that the scarecrows are the mutts in this section of the arena, meaning he must of lured us here to trap us. That kid is smarter than I suspected, yet I can't recall a single thing about him from the Capitol.
"What do we do? Andromache? Adonis? You're our leaders aren't you?" Ophiuchus speaks up, as he pokes away a few scarecrows with his spear. I desperately look around as I try to find a solution, but the more I do so, the more helpless the situation feels.
Shit. Shit. SHIT.
~Eulogies~
17th: Amaryllis Kane / 13 / District 9 Female - Throat slashed as a mercy killing by Burton Hansen (D9M)
So Amaryllis wasn't one of the most prominent tributes of the bunch, and I'm sure for most reading that she would have fallen at the back of most people's memories and interest. I did like Amaryllis, but admittedly there wasn't a whole lot going on with her by the time she was eliminated. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a large presence with her personality or character traits, and there was no way I would've achieved that with her unless I drastically changed her character, which isn't something I like to do unless it makes sense. She was a younger tribute, and a seemingly normal one at that, which of course isn't inherently bad, but usually is destined to fall behind more engaging characters. She was also a rather sullen person with a lot of internalised anger, and it's hard to imagine being shipped off to her death would've improved her outlook on life any more than where it already was at. With her lack of survival and physical skill, Amaryllis simply was never destined to last very long. Of course, I could've made that happen with my author powers, but honestly, with all the other things I have planned with other characters, I just couldn't think of what I wanted to do with Amaryllis, and ultimately she took the role of an early death. However, I certainly appreciated her being there and bringing a younger perspective to the roster. Most people avoid submitting younger tributes, so I was thankful that she helped fill that quota. Additionally, despite it being brief, I thoroughly enjoyed having her open up to Burton despite being so closed off, and I thought their short-lived friendship was really sweet. They both fulfilled that missing companionship in each other's lives for a moment, and now her death is going to influence Burton heavily, having lost the one person he took a chance on. In what ways that may be, we will have to find out. Thank you to Audmirable for submitting her!
Author's Note:
And after another few months, I have returned! I do apologise to those reading that this has taken so long, I was very focused on my final semester of uni, which has taken the brunt of my time. I know it's a slow process, but I always intend to finish this, so don't you worry about that. With this chapter, we mark another death, this time claiming the life of poor Amaryllis who had been dragged away by the scarecrow mutts. As it turns out, she had been turned into somewhat of a living scarecrow herself, being left to wait for someone else to find her - who ultimately turned out to be Burton. Be sure to let me know your thoughts, I would love to see them!
Things are about to start getting really hectic in the arena, and I do promise that the deaths will begin to pick up! Most of who remains are pretty significant characters, meaning some major players might be eliminated soon…
The next chapter will focus on Day 4, and will be named Long Live The King. That's all from me for now, I hope you enjoyed, and keep an eye out for the next chapter (which hopefully shouldn't be as long a wait).
~Reign
Kill List
District 1 / Vienna Lathing - 1 Kill
District 1 / Adonis Lockheart - 1 Kill
District 2 / Andromache Poyner - 1 Kill
District 4 / Ophiuchus Sandsea - 1 Kill
District 7 / Malik Durbe - 1 Kill
District 8 / Lindsey Clarke - 1 Kill (Indirect)
District 9 / Burton Hansen - 1 Kill
District 12 / Zander Hoxley - 1 Kill
Remaining Tributes
Boy-Girl : 16/24
District 1: Adonis Lockheart, 17 / Vienna Lathing, 18
District 2: Thanatos Elegia, 18 / Andromache Poyner, 18
District 3: Didgit Lancaster, 18
District 4: Ophiuchus Sandsea, 17 / Cinder Halloway, 16
District 5: [ELIMINATED]
District 6: Lucille Fforde, 16
District 7: Malik Durbe, 17 / Amazon Abiodun, 18
District 8: Lindsey Clarke, 18
District 9: Burton Hansen, 14
District 10: Alex Turner, 16 / Nera Abbadelli, 17
District 11: Loretta Kavanagh, 14
District 12: Zander Hoxley, 16