Day Two, already?
Well, it looks like I'll be killing off a couple of our dear tributes yet again in this chapter. For those who don't already know, this fic is made to be completed, however, it's really important I make the development of the characters seem real and that nothing really moves all too fast. Let me know if you think I'm taking kangaroo jumps, okay?
Tia reminded me that faces in the sky are shown in order of District, not death. I was dumb and forgot, so I will make sure that's edited ASAP!
Thanks to symphorophilia, Remus98, contemporarydancer2, BamItsTyler and Alecxias who reviewed!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games in any way, shape, or form. I only own the arena I have created.
"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." ~Anton Chekhov
Orion Trent, Eighteen, District Four Male
My only piece of home turns over and over in my hands.
I've been spinning this piece of wood obsessively over and over all morning, more or less ignoring the others while we've been packing our bags full of the cornucopia's supplies. We're planning on splitting the supplies (which can easily last us a couple of weeks) into two locations in case anyone decides to claim the cornucopia for themselves while we're gone. Yes, this was my district partner's idea.
Aisha's more or less thought of everything.
I think Aisha's a good leader. Sure, she can be a little micro-managing and intense, but it's only because she wants to win the Games so badly. I get it, I really do. I mean, all of us want to live to go back home. So many people have lavish lifestyles and live in happiness but for me…I don't get any of that. I've been lost in my head ever since I left Four, battling over emotions that aren't even there.
I need a sense of purpose.
Aisha said she wants to show her parents that she's the better twin. That's something to aspire to, a goal, an ending to reach for. She comes across as quite prepared and collected, and she's not afraid to put her point across or expect people to do something. She's a natural-born leader. She has her whole family and all of her friends waiting for her back at home. What's really waiting for me though? Dead parents, a burnt down-home and an uncle that doesn't know what to do with me – what kind of a life is that? Yes, I can get through this on my determination alone, but if there's no end goal or anything to go back to, is all of it even worth it? If I can't end up achieving happiness like everyone else, how am I any better than someone with no purpose who has no intention of finding one?
"Cheer up, Orion, the arena hasn't burnt down yet."
It's Aisha.
"Hello," I respond politely. "I've just been thinking, but I'm fine. Don't worry too much about me."
Aisha scoffs.
"You're thinking about your piece of driftwood again," she tells me bluntly. "Don't dwell on it. You're never going to be able to focus on the future if you're stuck staring at a piece of old wood."
She's got a point, as much as I don't really want to admit it. I look up at her, slotting my token back into the pocket of my bodysuit. Her sharp eyes watch me carefully, her hair slightly messy, but her expression the same pointed prepared mask that's ready for almost anything. She truly is a fearless warrior. I doubt I'll ever be like her.
"Right, yes of course," I acknowledge, quickly changing the subject. I'm not in the mood to talk about the fire. "So, what's our next step? The bloodbath's over and we've spent the morning sorting out supplies. Where are we taking them?"
"We'll find somewhere secure," Aisha reassures me. She says it with so much confidence that I automatically believe it. She's probably got somewhere in mind already. "I think it'll surprise the other tributes. We don't need to burrow down if we take the supplies with us. Nobody needs to keep watch either."
"So how does this improve our chances of winning?" I question.
"It doesn't really," she shrugs. "But if someone takes our supplies, then we're done for. If we take some with us, at least we'll have something to keep us going. Plus, most of the tributes don't like going near the cornucopia. It's worth it for all of us to get hunting while we can, otherwise, they'll have a head start on us."
Again, she makes a good case, and I'm inclined to agree with her. I cast my eyes across our payette to the others in our alliance. Landon is picking through supplies boredly, while Vanity and Austin are checking the perimeter, talking as they walk. Aisha seems to notice this as well, following my gaze and narrowing her eyes.
"They're weirdly close," she mutters, nodding to Austin and Vanity. "I remember them training together in the Capitol. They're from different Districts, but they're sticking together a lot."
"I guess they just have a lot in common," I shrug, unbothered.
We're all part of the same alliance, and all of us have our own demons to fight, so why not have someone at your side to talk you through them? Aisha and I do that, and so do the others. Both Austin and Vanity seem like perfectly nice people. I know that's not the way to think, but I'm not exactly wrong. They've never given me any reason to think of them as people I'd want out of this alliance, even if I know I'll have to fight them at some stage.
You'll never win against them.
"I don't like it," Aisha sighs, her face settling into a frown. "When the time comes and the Career pack breaks up, I don't want them pairing together against me."
"I don't think you need to worry about that," I reason. "We're district partners. I'll help calm them down if they get too eager."
"Ugh, Orion!" Aisha exclaims lightly. "Don't you get it? If a fight breaks out in our alliance, we're toast. Landon will probably side with the other two. We're supposed to be leading a team to victory while figuring out who we can take out first, not having tea and cake with them while we get backstabbed."
"I'm sorry, that was foolish of me."
I go fall silent and back down, unsure of what else to say. What else can be said about all of this? Even if Vanity and Austin are close, then it doesn't mean that they're going to just turn on us at any moment. Sure they'll likely attack us when the number of tributes is low, but that's the same as any Hunger Games. I'm prepared for that. We're all prepared for that. Aisha's concerned, and that's completely reasonable. However, it's not like Vanity or Austin have really done anything wrong.
The silence draws out a little longer before it becomes too uncomfortable for me to bear.
Leaving Aisha to her thoughts, I head over to the supplies, beginning to haul some bags on to my shoulders.
If this continues, the road ahead will be a long and bumpy one.
Vanity Genot, Seventeen, District Two Female
I've long been over this.
I'm not here to wait for things to happen, I'm here to get this over and done with. We should be out there right now, searching, getting tributes out of our way as quickly as possible. Yet, here we are, Austin and I, patrolling the edge of the payette, mere metres from the foggy abyss below us. Our state of inaction is painful.
"We need to be ready," I inform Austin. "We don't have time to pack everything up. What's she playing at?"
Aisha's method of leadership is well, questionable. That, and I don't like her. Her attitude is over-confident, yet also static. She's prepared to fight, but she isn't actually doing anything useful. It's flat out pointless, and if she isn't aware of the fact I shoot her death glares on the regular, then she needs to get on board the Vanity's over this shit train.
"Why so tense?" Austin asks, raising an eyebrow. "I know this kinda sucks, but other than hunting we don't have much else to do right now."
"I don't know," I mutter. "I just have this feeling like something's going to go wrong."
"You and I both," Austin sighs and slows to a stop. "I want to be clear on something, Vanity, and I know you're the only one here who'll tell it to me straight."
"Okay," I stop as well, rolling my shoulders and meeting his blue-eyed gaze. "Hit me with it."
"Should I trust you?"
He does hit me with it.
It's kinda nice to be asked up front, with no hidden agendas or fake niceties. That's why Austin's my favourite ally here, aside from maybe Landon, if he sorts himself out. For a second, the question hangs in the air between us, and it's almost obvious to me that Austin's been considering where he stands in this alliance over the last few hours. I'm not here to make false promises though. Get in. Get out. That's my aim, that's my goal.
"No," I tell him simply. "You shouldn't trust me. You shouldn't trust anyone."
Austin's expression doesn't change much, but he seems a little put out by what I've said.
"Still, I'm the best you've got," I shoot him a smirk, swinging one of my bolas to and fro in an almost playful fashion.
Austin holds out for barely a moment before he matches my expression and unrolls a piece of paper from his pocket.
It's a note from his mentors.
Don't trust the others. Their mentors see you as a threat.
No surprises there. It's kind of an obvious reality, especially in Austin's case. He's definitely a contender, and his skewering stunt at the bloodbath probably got him a lot of attention. I wouldn't be surprised if the mentors from Two and Four are conspiring to get rid of him in any way possible.
Unfortunately for them, I don't play by anyone's rules besides my own.
"Let me guess, you want an alliance inside of an alliance?" I question.
"Yeah, I guess I do," Austin responds, playing it off as joking, but his look is a serious one.
"Okay, sure. Done and dusted."
"Wait, just like that?"
I look back at him.
"What, are you expecting a pinky swear or something?" I scoff. "You and Landon are the best chance I've got. I make my decisions quickly. Plus, I'd take you over Aisha any day. Come on, let's go back to the others. We might as well help them to get a move on."
The lightness in the air is a welcome one. With all of this worry and seriousness, I've really pushed myself to my limit to prepare for the Games. I've been so dedicated that a part of me has forgotten to slow down for once and really appreciate the cool breeze and the faint sounds of birds that soar around us. It's a comforting moment, as brief as it is. It's the calm before the storm.
It's the second of silence before the glass begins to crack.
I don't notice it at first, but a low rumble, followed by a shudder, is all I need for my blood to freeze.
There's something wrong.
The glass begins to crack under my feet, first slinking its way to my left but then zigzagging over to my right, running underneath my body as my walk turns into a run.
"Austin!"
He's with me in less than a second, his strides matching mine as the sound of breaking glass echoes like thunder around us. The air feels supercharged, like a dangerously live wire, just aching to let loose rampaging bursts of chaotic destruction. How could they do this so soon? Was it the lack of bloodbath deaths? Or perhaps they need to spur on the action by making us jump through yet another set of hoops? I don't even have time to consider this, because I meet Landon, Aisha and Orion at the cornucopia, scooping up a couple of heavy packs and yelling at them to run.
They don't need telling.
Aisha, Orion and Austin are all quick on their feet, speeding ahead of me as I run close behind them, the sharp pain of the heavy backpacks cutting deep into my shoulders. Such pain is easily ignored, but I'm aware of Landon's heavy breathing behind me, just praying that all of us will make it from the middle of the payette to a place of safety. Aisha makes the jump first, with Orion, Austin and myself quick to follow. Ushering them up the steps, I turn around just as the glass holding the cornucopia shatters. Landon makes a desperate leap from the falling ground.
He won't make it.
I don't hesitate to drop my bags on the stairs, diving halfway down the steps I just sped up, the ridges of the glass hitting my ribs painfully as I manage to grab Landon's hand just as he falls, his weight pulling me downwards.
"Austin!" I scream, feeling my body slide towards Landon as he yells out in horror, sliding over the edge and hanging in thin air, heavy packs draped from his shoulders.
For a second, I feel that this could be the end, holding on to Landon, watching as the foggy abyss below claims us forever. This moment passes as heavy weight clamps down on my thighs, with four more hands grabbing my ankles and feet. I wince again, knowing that bruises are probably forming right now, but I don't care. Having Landon's expertise will only prove useful in the days to come and a few bruises aren't going to be the end of anyone.
"Landon, drop the packs."
An order from Aisha flies over my head, and for once, I'm happy to hear her authoritative tone say something I agree with. Landon, looking pale and hanging on to my aching arm for dear life, shrugs off the two packs one by one. Suddenly, a cool feeling spreads across my muscles – the weight has lessened to a somewhat manageable throb as both of my hands hold on to Landon with all the strength of my smallest muscles and aching bones.
More cracking can be heard around us, and I note a scream of terror, followed by one of pain, come from my right.
The raining glass comes shortly after.
It doesn't fall directly on us, thankfully, but some of the multi-coloured payettes have also shattered, resulting in a rainbow of deadly projectiles that fly downwards.
It all happens so fast; I hear a small whoosh above my head as a faded yellow shard flies several inches in front of me and lands directly in Landon's eye.
His body shudders as he lets out a blood-curdling scream, the sharp shard sinking into his face, the dark red of his blood dribbling against the pale hue of the glass shard. He goes limp, letting go of my arm. I try to hold on to him despite knowing it's useless, feeling the burn of fiction across my palms as I scramble to grab fistfuls of his bodysuit, but to no avail. The soft, stretchy material falls through my fingertips and all I can do is watch in horror as Landon Caruso falls from my arms, deep into the fog below.
Deep into the abyss.
Forever.
Aisha Cain, Eighteen District Four Female
As Landon's cannon fires, my throat throws out a yell of fury and desperation.
NO!
How could we have lost three allies so soon, to events arguably beyond our control? My heart is burning and my breath is smoke in my lungs as I release Vanity, standing up and cursing over and over. Austin pulls Vanity back, who is trembling a little in shock but is quick to pull herself together. She gives Austin and Orion a shaky nod as she lets out a ragged breath. She was so close to death she probably could have tasted its cold smile on her tongue. She'll need a minute.
It was certainly a heart attack for all of us, and in my growing anger, I can't focus on anything except the sound of hissing from the red-haired girl from Eight, sprawled across the glass of the platform next to us, nursing a broken, glass mangled leg. She fell beside us only a moment ago, but I'd valued Landon's life above her own, and with a broken leg, she wouldn't get far anyway.
My lips settle into a thin line.
It's not the best way to go, but even I can tell that she'll soon be bleeding out, and someone's going to have to get over what just happened to kill the girl. It's not like I know her (she's better off dead at this point), and it's not like I have any reason to keep her alive.
A sense of guilt wells up in my heart, creating a cocktail of shame and flame, a molotov of poison that licks the pit of stomach hungrily. I can taste the acid on my tongue as I approach her, taking a throwing star from my pouch and preparing to throw it.
It takes a moment for Eight to see me through her obvious pain, but her face hardens.
"I'd ask you not to kill me," she breathes painfully. "But-"
"-there's no chance of that." I finish, confirming her imminent death, my voice no louder than a mere whisper. "Last words. Do you have any?"
"Cumin," the girl whispers. "I'm sorry. I love you. I'm so sorry, Cumin, I'm so sorry…"
Her body begins to move as she sobs, from pain or loss, I don't know. Despite her spitfire attitude at the interviews, all that's left of this girl is a wounded, crying mess. It's painfully pathetic, pitiful in practice. It touches my heart but I wish this feeling away, judging my distance from her and the angle of my hand, before flicking my wrist and sending the razor-sharp star into her throat, slicing it open.
It doesn't take long for her to die, but I force myself to watch.
She's someone I don't want to forget.
Boom.
Looting someone's body for supplies is perhaps one of the most heartless things I could do, but I do it anyway, rooting through her pockets and the small backpack she has. Her supplies are virtually nothing; a ball of twine, some iodine and an empty water bottle. There's a half-eaten stack of crackers too, some of the crumbs tumbling to the bottom of the back as my sharp eyes look for anything else. There's nothing other than my bloodied throwing star.
Everything has its uses.
Only Orion and Austin are watching me when I return, Vanity sitting calmly on the stairs, looking out across the other payettes. Whatever time she's had, she's returned to the Vanity we all know. A shock is a shock and she covered up her concerns well. I've no doubt that her emotions are likely to be raging on the inside, but if there was any evidence of this, she doesn't show it.
Wiping the star on my arena outfit, I slot it back into my pouch, calming myself down as I come to terms with our situation. We're going to have to be more careful going forward. Our strategy has to change now that we're three Careers down.
"We've got to play smart," I tell them all. "We've got t-"
"So we're not even acknowledging that Landon just died?" Austin raises an eyebrow. "Really? Can't we take a few minutes to process this?"
"We can't afford to," I point out, crossing my arms. "I get it, Landon died. It's shit, but we can't just sit here and wait for what happens next. We need to get moving. The faster we kill the other tributes, the faster one of us can get out of here alive."
The faster I can get out of here alive.
"This can't be happening," Austin huffs. Underneath his cold exterior, his eyes dart to Vanity with concern. Almost on command, the girl speaks up.
"He's gone," she says tightly. "I guess Aisha's right. We move on."
"You guess?" I scoff, narrowing my eyes. "We're moving, like it or not. I know you just lost your district partner, and I'm sorry, but remember who's in charge here."
Vanity stands up and sighs, patting herself down and hauling the backpacks on to her shoulders. Her angular face tilts to one side as she fixes me with a piercing, yet resilient glare before answering.
"For how much longer?"
I don't respond to this. It feels like a taunt as if she's begging me to start on her, to fight against her. While I wouldn't mind tossing the bitch off the side of our platform, I need her more than I want to admit, at least for now. We're down to four Careers. We want to wait a little longer before we turn on each other, that's for sure. I meet her eyes, not daring to tear them away or to blink. Even with the cool breeze tickling them, I fight to meet her gaze until it's her that eventually blinks.
Austin and Orion look at each other; Orion looks hesitant, Austin frosty.
For a second, there's a feeling in the air that I don't quite like. It's a tension that I don't want to experience quite yet. It's a dangerous feeling, one of distrust and paranoia. Now that Landon's out of the way, it's a clear two against two if things get ugly. Somehow I don't know if I'm quite ready for that yet. The Career pack is supposed to be a threat, a group of trained warriors to cut down the other tributes, working together to win the Games.
How are we supposed to dominate this if we turn on each other?
Filla Amirylis, Fifteen, District Twelve Female
How can I help Shion to not lose sight of the future?
Shion's been morose, and even my own sunny optimism is weathering a storm.
It's kind of difficult to stay sane when you're drawing pictures in the sand with a semi-mute pyromaniac. I don't mind it; it's very enjoyable! My crude drawings are enough to get through to Shion and when that doesn't work, a gentle touch, a flickering flame and a winning smile seem to stir him on. He doesn't seem to communicate any other way, so the two of us have just spent hours drawing in the sand, telling each other fragments of our lives. Shion pretends he doesn't care about my drawings, but there is a curiosity somewhere in there. I, however, like to look over his pictures about himself. He seems to like it too.
It would be somewhat hilarious for the two of us to get to the final two just drawing for days on end, but so far, so good, right?
Well, wrong.
Thanks to the Eight girl's scream and the arena distraction, we are sitting a few platforms above the Careers, a small but complicated maze of staircases and payettes between us, partially obscuring them from view. I admit that we need to move, but Shion's insistent on staying put, drawing more of our pictures. I've since resigned to this while keeping an ear out for any sounds from the Careers. There's some tension there, I can see that, and that makes my spirits soar. Fancy that; some of the strongest competitors in the games, mere moments from eliminating each other.
I hate to think about it, but I hope they get started soon.
The Careers won't stop themselves from killing us when they get the chance, so hopeful eliminations are perfectly acceptable, right? It's valid for me to be positive, even if it ends up as a somewhat negative ending for somebody else.
The pack's voices rise again, enough that if I strain my ears, then I can hear what they're saying.
"Which direction are we heading, Aisha?" the boy from Four asks, easing the tension by changing the current topic of conversation.
"I say that we head upwards if we can, at least for now," his district partner, Aisha, decides. She must be their leader. "We're bound to find someone if we make a move now."
I take this as a cue to begin making a move, packing our small backpack and meagre possessions. We should get away from the Careers without any trouble! A majority of the things at the bloodbath probably would have been worth getting but at the risk of my life. I'm thankful I got a few dried foods and some water. I tug on Shion's arm, but he yanks it away from me, drawing again.
"Shion, come on," I beg him under my breath. I look on the bright side, but there are no sides to look on if you're dead. "Come on, we have to go."
Shion yanks his arm away as I reach for him again, causing me to stumble forwards, the contents on my backpack rattling loudly. I let out a sound of shock that's louder than I want it to be. I freeze, holding my breath with all my might.
No response. Nothing. I guess we really are lucky aft-
My nose tingles, and I don't even process what I'm doing before I sneeze, pretty loudly.
The sound immediately reverberates throughout the surrounding area and almost every part of me tenses in horror. I can only hold on to the desperate hope that the Careers somehow didn't hear that.
I'm wrong.
"What was that?" Aisha questions, her head darting upwards.
The other Careers seem alert as well, looking around. I hope to remain hidden, but the girl from Two's gaze settles on my quivering form and my desperate attempts to drag Shion away from view.
"There!" she calls, picking up one of her tomahawks.
I dart away from the edge, hoping that they're too late, or that we'll be able to hide and outrun them. Shion, seemingly having noticed what's actually going on, begins to hurry up the stairs before me, heading to a new payette with a stone house and some kind of dilapidated well. He wastes no time here, however, immediately searching for the next staircase up. Quickly I put two and two together. Shion's smarter than he seems, but he's doing his best to find a way out of here.
I can hear the Careers and their voices calling to each other as they begin to make their way up the maze of stairs to follow us; they're not letting up until they find us, since they're so close.
That won't stop us from getting away though!
As Shion leads the way to the next staircase, I follow after him, determination in my heart. We'll get away from the Careers, that's for sure. I'll be fine, as I always have been.
Confident with this outlook, I keep a small smile across my lips.
Nobody's catching us that easily.
Landon Caruso, Eighteen, District Two Male – Okay, so Landon was very Dollhouse to me, living with his perfect family in their little house and fake smiling all the way. Honestly, there were times when I figured that Landon could fake it until he made it and then leave his family in the dust, but that wasn't the arc I envisioned for him. All of those years of resentment and mistreatment were bubbling away all this time, but besides that, I thought it would be cool if Landon died here, to signify that the Caruso family weren't perfect no matter much they tried to be. Between Austin and Vanity, Aisha and Orion, he just didn't seem to fit in anymore. Thanks to Jalen Kun for sending him in! Glass shard to the eye. Placed 18th.
Cassia Foster, Fifteen, District Eight Female – Cassia definitely had a lot of potential in her and I genuinely could have had plans to allow her to stick around until about top 12. I originally considered getting her to ally with Filla, only for Filla to get too close and for Cassia to lash out over Cumin and her Mother, killing Filla and becoming more twisted. With Shion in the mix though, I just didn't see that happening, so she kind of fell short and ended up dying to the Careers here. Thank you for sending her in KittyMae98! She was a brilliant tribute, but in the end, I think it was a spot of bad luck and her fiery persona that ended in her death. Slashed in the throat by Aisha Cain. Placed 17th.
Alliances:
Careers: Austin, Vanity, Aisha, Orion
Wholesome, right?!: Shion, Filla
Smol Protection: Aline, Barric, Cleve
Got Wood?: Shura, Dathan, Lewis
Honestly idk: Izzy, Leigha, Ashton, Lenore
Kills:
Austin - II
Vanity - I
Aisha - II
Orion - I
Morgana (DECEASED) - I
Arena - I
Wow, another two tributes are out of the running, hm? This time we got a little bit of arena action, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Orion's a thinker, do you think he'll stick with Aisha or ending up turning on her later down the line?
Vanity's done with all of this! What do you think about her and Austin's mini alliance? Landon's death?
Aisha's furious that she's losing allies and rightly so. How do you think she treated Cassia?
Filla's got to get running! Do you think that the Careers will catch up to her and Shion overnight?
Another chapter, with plenty of action. Yes, yes, I'm sure you want the tributes to have some decent fights, but don't you worry, those will be coming up soon. As the numbers dwindle, the big players start making moves and…well you'll see.
Over and out!
~Mental