Oop! Back again?
Another chapter, this time with a few more things that I've been planning to set up/execute for later chapters. I can bet that the disgruntled responses from the last chapter are carrying over to this one, so I do apologise for all the favourites getting killed. Alas, this is a Ben SYOT, there's no room for mercy!
As you may have noticed, the chapters are a little shorter than before. I like to cut chapters down to 3 POV's when there are fewer tributes left, mostly because there are fewer tributes to cycle through. That, and often events that occur only need to span a handful of POV's, compared to the five I did before. Hope you don't mind it!
Thank you to FireflyLlama, Remus98, BamItsTyler, contemporarydancer2 who reviewed! Thanks to everyone, both new and old, who've reached out to me lately. It's been really lovely! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games in any way, shape or form. I only own the arena I have created.
"All mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it."~Rabindranath Tagore
Lewis Coltsfoot, Fifteen, District Twelve Male
My arm throbs painfully.
I don't need to look at the swelling to know it's infected, or at least, heading that way. The parachute's long soaked through, but I washed it in this stream-like water that's dropping from one platform to the next. It's been handy, but without any useful medical supplies, I can't clean the wound or do much else other than wash it, re-wrap it and air it out in between sessions. At least it's stopped bleeding (kind of), but I can tell that the internal damage is there and that it's only going to get worse as I go along.
It's been a mess.
The last day I've stuck to the ruins, licking my wounds and reminding myself of my determination to keep on going. It wasn't easy when Parker died; I was in shock when he did. Now that Dathan and Shura are gone too I have to admit it hasn't been easy. I shed my tears for all three of them during the darkness of the night but I've long since reminded myself that there's no time for that now. I'm a Coltsfoot, the son of a butcher, a worker in the mines despite being so young. There's no room for me to doubt myself or think that I won't be getting back to where I belong.
Instead, I have to plan my revenge.
I know it's not good to hold a grudge, but when someone comes along and decides to murder your allies, there's a certain darkness that settles within you, at least for me. There's anger in my heart; Dathan, Shura, Parker…what did they deserve, really? They should have lived long, fruitful lives, achieving their potential instead of duking it out in here.
Vanity. Izzy. Lenore. Ashton.
Four names swirl around my head, the instigators of the murder of my alliance. All of them have their strengths, but I can bet that all of them have their weaknesses too. Perhaps I won't be able to kill all of them, but the deaths of my allies cannot and will not go in vain.
Vanity, the girl from Two, killed Parker at the bloodbath. She did it without mercy or hesitation. Izzy, stabbing Shura in ways I don't dare myself to imagine. Lenore, the reason why my alliance is dead. She should have sided with us when she had the chance, but she didn't. I get it, Dathan probably was on the pushy side when recruiting her, but if she didn't instigate that argument in the Capitol, none of this would have happened. Ashton, the one who tried to talk to me, the one who tried to convince me to stop. Maybe I should have listened to him, but I know that what's done is done. I can't stand around anymore and regret what's happened. The sadness in my heart from my fallen allies is there, but I cannot let myself be consumed by it.
They'll all pay.
In the Hunger Games, I know that nothing can be achieved without death. I don't want to sit here and plan out people's deaths, but this isn't a matter of choice anymore, hell, it's not really about survival either. It's about justice.
I don't know if one of the four names doomed to die has already fallen. I heard three cannons go off earlier, and I knew it wasn't the doing of the Gamemakers. At this stage in the Games, they're hungry for more action, for more developments in their fractured storylines and their star-studded underdogs.
None of them can see me coming. None of them think I'll survive, but I know for sure that I will.
I will live and get out of this arena, even if I have to crawl my way there. I deserve that. Dathan, Shura and Parker all deserve that. I have to make sure that none of their sacrifices went to waste. With eight of us left, it's only a matter of time before I will see the end of this, so I have to get ready.
Sighing between the crumbling stones of the chapel, I line up the few items I have left.
A bottle, filled with clean water. A dagger, Ashton's. A bloodstained parachute.
"Food," I mutter, lifting my heads to the heavens, desperate for something, anything. "I need food."
There are no animals on this platform. I know that I probably should have moved on by now, but part of me doesn't see the point. I've been stewing in my sadness, and now I'm stewing in determination and anger, a cocktail of resolution lining my stomach and setting it aflame. Despite the few possessions I have, I know that I won't survive for long. Perhaps the Capitol believed in me before, but now that I'm alone and wounded? I get it. Nobody would want to sponsor that. I'll prove them wrong.
As if my thoughts had been spoken aloud, a twinkling sound echoes around the ruins, and I spot the shine of a parachute coming towards me. My body relaxes a moment, purely from a mixture of relief and surprise that someone actually sponsored me. It's only confirmation that I know that I can get through this. I'll prove them all wrong. Luke told me to play this game and I know that I can win it.
Eagerly, I grab the package and rip it open, Luke's note clear on the top of the gift.
Bring it home for Twelve again. The Careers are dead, except for the boy from One. See if you and One want to be allies. ~L
A laugh escapes my mouth and I almost drop my gift.
The Careers are dead!
Fuck yeah! My heart begins beating hard in my ears. With only the boy from One left, he's bound to be injured. Did the Careers turn against each other? So early? It's possible, I guess. Last year they disbanded right after the bloodbath, so whatever happened, it's entirely possible. It seems that my debt to Parker has already been repaid.
I look down at the note again. Why should I ally with a Career? It's odd for me to even consider a strategy like this, but clearly Luke can see something in him that I can't. It makes sense though, all things considered. Between Lenore's alliance and the boy from Nine's, we're the only two tributes without someone to help us. Maybe if the two of us banded together, we could make some headway and I'd get a bodyguard, at least until someone took him out.
I finally look in the box and I sigh in relief.
A large baguette and a chunk of cheese are lying on some translucent paper, with a very tiny pot of something next to it. I can only guess it's some kind of healing salve, but whether or not it will clear my growing infection is unknown. I blow a kiss to the heavens, letting loose another laugh.
They underestimated me, but there's still fight in me yet.
It's time I went Career hunting.
Ashton Metz, Sixteen, District Seven Male
It's time.
There's only eight of us left, and the weight on my chest has been growing and growing to the point where it's almost unbearable. It's almost funny how Izzy, Lenore and I have made it this far because I never thought we could get here. Even so, running backwards and forwards for herbs and berries or setting out our clumsy snares to catch the odd squirrel or rabbit has given me ample time for my thoughts to run around my head.
I know that I should be splintering off from the group, but I haven't found the right moment yet. That, and I can't get over the fact that I'll be betraying Lenore and Izzy. The dagger was clear in its meaning; kill one, if not both of them, but I'm still not sure if I have that in me. With numbers falling, I know that I have to break off at some point. I was prepared for that the moment I got on the train to the Capitol, but actually carrying that out is a completely different story.
I've been nothing but helpful in trying to aid the others where I can. Izzy was unconscious yesterday, but shot up in the middle of the night, leaving Lenore and I to scramble over to check on her. Since then, Lenore and I have both made sure that she's resting, despite Izzy's adamant joking and generally bright demeanour. I have to admit, I've missed it. Lenore's great, but all I can think about is her plunging her dagger into my neck as she did to Dathan, and it's an image I just can't erase. Izzy's cheeriness has been distracting me from that until now.
The salve heals quickly, I know that for sure. Lenore checked Izzy's wounds this morning when she redressed them, and already the wound has partially knitted itself together, scabbing over. Lenore's poking and prodding her now. Izzy's hissing tells me that her injuries are still tender, but whatever that salve was, it's been doing wonders for her ever since. It's not the highest grade, fast-acting stuff, but it's the most we can hope for. If Izzy's careful with herself, she'll be able to fight someone without reopening her wounds by tomorrow, I think. The prospect of that, however, scares me as much as it instils me with hope.
"Hey, Ashton, what ya doin'?"
Izzy's voice distracts me from whittling a piece of kindling. Typically we should be using it for a fire, but I took a piece for myself to try and clear my cloudy thoughts and release the tension from my shoulders. I look up to meet the twinkling brown of Izzy's eyes, her mouth smirking at me as she watches what I'm doing. I've always felt as if there was a shadow of something there like she knows what I'm thinking about. There's more to her than meets the eye; an intelligence beyond what people see that makes me feel like every one of my actions are punishable by death. Maybe that's the impending guilt instead, I don't know.
"Whittling," I answer, smiling gently. "I guess it's something to pass the time."
"I don't blame you," Lenore answers. "There hasn't been much to do other than rest up after everything."
"Yeah," I smile tensely, and while Izzy twitches, I can tell she notices my tone.
"What's on your mind, buddy?" she pipes up. "You know we're here to talk if you're worried about something."
Lenore's blonde head looks up as Izzy speaks, curious. It's clear that she's been focused on Izzy and hasn't noticed my stiff posture or how demure I've become as the day's progressed. What am I supposed to say?
I'm supposed to be killing you. We have to split up now, I'm sorry. I need to be on my own for a while. Leigha's gone and it hurts.
No, none of that sounds right.
None of it fits together in my head, and as the words form themselves in my mouth, they die on my lips. The words that I want to say just don't seem to be the right ones, and I can't seem to express much...but I have to tell them something.
"It's Leigha," I admit, my shoulders slumping. "Before she died, we spoke about home. I feel…"
"Like you're missing something," Izzy prompts. "Like you don't know why you're still here instead of the person that's already gone."
I blink, surprised.
"Yeah, actually," I confess. "I expected Lewis to knock me off the edge of the platform or kill me during the fight. But he was just as hesitant as I was to hurt him. If I had been in Leigha's place, maybe I could have saved her."
Lenore gives me a sad smile, her hands clasped together on her lap.
"At some point, death comes for us all," she reminds me. "Maybe it just wasn't your time yet. Fate has a way of telling us what we should do and when it should be done, just like death decides when it's time for someone's life to end."
"She's right you know," Izzy smiles comfortingly. "I got shanked by Shura, and I'm still alive and kicking. I'd even do a jig, a jump and a dance for ya, but I'm pretty sure Lenore'll kill me herself if I don't settle down, y'know?"
I chuckle at Izzy's words, shaking my head, but Izzy's determined.
"I will!" Izzy remarks incredulously. "I'll turn that frown upside down, lemme tell ya!"
She makes a move to get up, but Lenore is on her in seconds.
"You really should rest," she tells Izzy in earnest but fights a laugh as Izzy proceeds to do an awkward and somewhat comical jig, twitching all the way.
A smile surfaces on my face too, but while it's a genuine smile, I'm running on empty. I really appreciate Lenore and Izzy's support in trying to get me to feel better, and while it's great to talk about my worries and concerns, some of them just can't be revealed. Betraying them is a must. I don't have to hurt them. Maybe I could leave in the night and take their supplies or something. It's an act of betrayal, but without the ruthlessness that comes with murder. I just don't know.
I'm aware of the weight of the dagger in my backpack, and the tension coiled away in my stomach. It's only a matter of time before all of the pent up emotion is let loose, but I don't want it to reflect on Lenore and Izzy. Even with my doubts about Lenore, neither of them deserve it. Even so, the voice of reason whispers away in my head.
Leave them soon. Kill them if you have to.
Barric Roland, Sixteen, District Nine Male
"You have to try this," I tell the others.
Another day of doing almost nothing has left us in the same spot since we've started. I'm confident that the Gamemakers would have moved us around by now, but I guess the action everywhere else has been keeping everyone entertained; either that or Aline's participation in training with Cleve and I today really mesmerised the audience.
I consider today a success; we've stayed away from the other tributes, Cleve has finally had to put a cover on his knife (since he gets a little too close to scoring hits on me now), Aline has been dancing her way around us with her two wooden swords, and we've played target practice with the darts.
Now, grouped around another dying fire as the sun begins to set, I've decided to share out the small bar in our sponsor basket.
I didn't recognise the rectangular package at first, but as soon as I'd opened the wrapper and discarded the crinkling foil beneath it, the sight of chocolate met my eyes. I've had chocolate a few times over the years, usually the day after reaping day or when we had some extra money to spend. It's always been used as a form of celebration in Nine, and since we don't know how long we have left, I might as well break it out now.
"What's that?" Aline asks me curiously, trying to get a good look at what I'm holding.
"Chocolate," I grin, and Cleve straightens up.
"Chocolate?" he asks. "I had that once before, an old lady gave it to us once because it was broken up, but we still ate it."
"I've heard of it before, but I've never had it." Aline hums. "What's it like?"
"Sweet!" Cleve smiles. "It might be Capitol chocolate, the good stuff. We shouldn't have too much."
"We've just got the one bar," I respond. "It's worth eating now, even if it's just for the experience, right?"
Cleve's eyes hold a small twinkle in them, and he nods.
"I'd like some chocolate, please," he says eagerly.
Aline's a little more cautious, but eventually, she nods too.
"It's worth a try."
It blows my mind that Aline's never experienced this before, but it does make sense. Studying her 'martial morality' as she calls it, learning to use the swords, her calm and collected nature; this must have taken time for her to learn to keep herself in check. Who knows how strict her diet might have been? I wonder how long her composure will hold up though. I know she was affected by Geoni's death, but I don't know how much of that she's hidden away or bottled up. If I can make her experience in here just a shade better, then even if I fail in protecting her and Cleve then at least she has one happy memory before…
Before she dies.
For some reason, the idea of Aline or Cleve dying leaves me sick to my stomach. The idea of me dying is a horrible thought in itself. If it comes to that, I'll be there to fight against it with every last breath in me. Just because I have the youngest tributes in the arena with me, it doesn't mean that we're defenceless. It doesn't make us weak or pathetic.
I hand a couple of squares to Cleve, and then to Aline. Cleve is quick to pop the first of the squares into his mouth with a smile, but Aline's more cautious. I break off a piece of my own and let the flavours hang on my tongue as it settles there. The familiar sweetness, combined with the gentle richness of it reminds me of the little things, the moments that make one smile. After what seems like a long moment, Aline takes an experimental bite out of one of her squares and her small face brightens up in a mixture of shock and interest.
"Oh! It's really nice!" she exclaims, before putting a hand over her mouth, calming herself and returning to her quieter nature.
Cleve smiles as he watches her finish the first square, Aline's eyes bright, betraying her enjoyment of the snack. My heart twinges slightly…how much longer do Cleve and Aline have to just be children? How much longer do they have to hope before the Games tries to take their lives?
Their innocence is already gone.
Trumpets blare out over the arena as the day has become dusk, projecting the dead tributes up into the sky. With my hands clasped together, I watch the stars for the faces. With three cannons today, I'd like to know what we're up against going into the final eight.
The girl from Two comes up first. Fierce, decisive, deadly with an axe. I'm grateful she won't be around to cause us trouble any longer. Then come the boy and the girl from Four, one after the other. So the Careers broke up? Or maybe there was something that went down and killed three of them. Either way, the boy from One is the only Career left and he's likely to be injured, which increases our chances of survival.
I let loose a sigh as Cleve and Aline gasp over the sight of the three Careers. Suddenly, the prospect of getting back home is becoming all too real, and with three of the biggest threats taken out, there's even more of a chance that one of us will make it home. I don't mention that there's three of us in an alliance. At such small numbers, an alliance of three is dangerous. Since you account for almost half the tributes, it's more or less logical to break away from the group. I don't plan to do that with Aline and Cleve, but a part of me hopes that Lenore's alliance suffers, at least enough to make a difference in the numbers. The fewer people there are to fight, the easier it will be for us to survive.
The anthem finishes, but the trumpets blare again, and a sense of concern assault my thoughts. It's rare they make an announcement unless they plan to drive us together somehow.
"Congratulations!" the voice of Dallas Cornwall rings out across the glass platforms. "There are only eight of you left, valiantly fighting to be our new victor. We have an announcement – you must make your way to the top of the arena by noon tomorrow, or meet your fate within the abyss below you. Leave nothing behind, or it will be lost."
There's another short fanfare before silence greets us once more. I don't waste a minute, already packing our things.
"Wait, Barric, are we going now?" Cleve asks, suddenly nervous.
"No," I shake my head. "We're not too far from the top of the arena, so we're lucky, but I want to give us enough time to get there tomorrow morning."
"Yes, we mustn't oversleep," Aline agreed. "We have no idea what they might decide to throw at us."
It makes sense that we're being driven into action since we've done close to nothing the entire Games. It's not just us though – it's everyone. All eight of us will be making our way up to the top of the arena, which only means one thing.
Tomorrow we're fighting, ready or not.
No Deaths.
The calm before the storm! Ahhh we are very close to the finale now, and I can't believe that next chapter I'll be killing off some more tributes. No deaths, no alliance changes either, but there's guaranteed action next chapter and it's going to be insane. We really don't have a whole lot of time left and I am both excited and not prepared to see this story come to a close.
Do you think Lewis will be able to avenge his allies? Do you think his infection is serious?
Ashton's second-guessing his ties. Do you think he'll break off or stick with Izzy and Lenore?
Barric, Aline and Cleve: Team Wholesome! Did you like the chocolate moment? What do you think of the announcement?
I don't have much else to say at this point. This chapter was a calming one, the first where I didn't kill someone off in the Games. It was nice to take a moment, but…I'm bored now, so back to it XD
Over and out!
~Mental