Chapter Two: Day One, Part Two

74th Hunger Games Arena

Bloodbath.

It had been a complete and utter bloodbath as depicted in the film. Except this was all real. But I had made a decision the night before. I needed a weapon. No matter how much I wanted to run away from the bloodbath with Primrose into the forest, I knew it would only make things much harder if I did.

So while she ran back, I ran forward.

I ran straight into it all. When I reached the Cornucopia, a boy from District 9 I believe tried to tackle me but I side stepped and punched him in the stomach. Quickly, I grabbed a backpack and a weapon.

A sickle.

But once again, the same District 9 boy grabbed me from behind with a knife. I used my free hand to grab his wrist before he could kill me… And a throwing knife struck the boy in the eye… Almost hitting my own eye. And I saw the thrower and scowled.

Clove.

She smirked and winked at me before she threw another. But I used the now dead District 9 boy as a human shield. I heard the next knife land in his back and dropped him before I ran toward the surrounding woods. Toward Primrose. I turned and saw another knife follow me. Quickly, I dodged and continued forward. I found the blonde little girl hiding behind a tree. I grabbed her hand and we ran further into the surrounding woods. After a few minutes of running, I hit something.

Someone.

I held my head from the pain and looked up to see… Foxface. The redhead girl's brown eyes widened and she looked at me as if I was the devil himself. I stood and she did too, trying to back away. I heard footsteps not too far away.

I had a choice. I could kill the girl or we could run or… I made my decision. I pushed Foxface against a tree and said two simple words easy for anyone to understand.

"Shut. Up."

Her wide panicked eyes froze on me but soon she heard the footsteps too. Under the cover of the trees and bushes, we were hidden well enough. So we stayed still with my left hand over her mouth and the tip of my sickle at her throat. We heard laughter from a distance. I recognized them immediately.

Cato and his group.

The Career Pack.

After a minute, the laughter faded and silence followed. But my eyes scanned the forest, looking for any signs of movement or deception. Finally, I turned back to the only threat beside us. She looked terrified. At first, I didn't understand why but finally, it hit me.

She had no weapon.

But I did. And I could kill her here and now. I could end a life. I could end hers. I felt my right hand shake but the tip of the blade pressed further against her throat. But then I heard a sound that made me stop.

A sniffle.

I turned my head to the other tribute with us. Primrose. The blonde little girl's brown eyes were blinking. She was trying to stop herself from crying. But I saw a single tear followed by more. And I grew frustrated… But with myself. If I killed her, the Career pack would still have their essentials later when they took the Cornucopia. But if I didn't, she'd be another threat… I didn't know anything about her except for the fitting name she had. She was quiet, shy, and… tricky. She would be the hardest to kill later if it came to it… But what if I didn't have to kill her…

And then it hit me.

Katniss and Peeta BOTH won. Could three? Could more win? It was risky. It was dangerous… But could I willingly take a life?

"P-please don't…" I heard Primrose whisper…

Slowly, I lowered my hand from Foxface's mouth. The trail of tears hadn't stopped but I could tell her mind was moving a mile a minute. I face palmed and sighed. When I looked back up, her eyes weren't wide. But I could see them searching for something within me.

A lie.

"Why?"

It was such a simple question with many meanings behind it. Why did you let me live? Why didn't you kill me? And foolishly, I couldn't answer a single one of them. Because being in another universe was hard enough. Killing another person was even harder. Finally, I understood the complete anger many felt for the capital…

"Because she's here. Because you don't have a weapon. And because you're useful."

"Am I bait?"

"No."

"Am I your hostage? Because of my knowledge of plants?"

"Yes."

"And if I run?"

"...I suggest you don't."

"...You're trying to protect her."

I said nothing further. I turned to Primrose who watched all of it. She had wiped her red eyes but was still watching me. Looking to me to decide what to do next for all of us. I looked around and sighed again.

Both girls could be the end of me. And if they were, I would have deserved it.

A few things to note, I plan for this story to be ten chapters. I have no idea if I'll continue with the 75th Hunger Games or after because I never planned to continue after this one and I would rather do something different. So for the 75th Hunger Games, feel free to give me any ideas for something different than just Victors returning. Maybe teams? Or some kind of objective? I don't know. Anyway, next chapter: A needed conversation between three tributes.