Day Two:
Atlas Aureliano, District Two
''You good, man?'' I turn, asking Zeppelin. Yesterday he went the entire night without sleep, insisting that he should keep watch. I decided to trust him and nothing happened to me, which I'm thankful for. Searching out the scene, I notice that all of the corpses are gone – great, now there's no more of that disgusting stench. Turning back, looking at his heavy-lidded eyes, I say, ''You don't look so hot.''
He waves me off, rolling his head from side-to-side. ''Um, sorry about last night,'' I apologize. ''The way I reacted, after seeing Sigrid's face in the sky, wasn't acceptable... I just thought that it was a sham being played by the Gamemakers, but I've gotten over it. My acidic tone and sarcasm wasn't... I-I'm sorry.''
Looking at me with caring eyes, I mark him off as a solicitous type of guy. He seems genuine, but he's just so quiet and always hangs in the shadows – it's like he doesn't even wanna be here, so why is he?
Crouching upwards, I march over to a set of crates laid out on the metal tables, taking out a bag of grapes. ''Here,'' I smile, flicking one in his direction. He catches it, both hands sticking out, and slowly bites down on the fruit. ''You look hungry.''
I stand in silence, watching him eat, his sitting silhouette reaching the very front of the Cornucopia. Walking past him, I drop the entire bag in his lap, not trying to look him in the eyes. The connection just isn't clicking between him and I. We've gotta get along if we're gonna properly defend the remaining equipment and weapons.
Chime!
Both Zeppelin and I prop our heads forward, staring up at the morning sky. A sponsor gift comes landing near my feet, a covered bowl with a note attached to it.
''You must be starving with all of that dry food there. Here, enjoy this omelet that I made just for you. It's got all sorts of things in it, and I'm sure it'll fill you up just right.''
''~ Love Cassidey, xoxo''
''It's an omelet,'' I say, telling him, even though he didn't ask. I just have a feeling that he's curious. ''I'll split half with you, if you'd like?''
Remaining quiet, he sighs. I just don't understand him. You just can't figure this guy out without discovering some piece of arcane information. ''Dude, I mean—'' I try to budge, feeling myself becoming a burden.
''Hop off my nuts, please!'' he barks, sitting up in a quick bounce. ''Just... Why are you trying to talk to me? Let the quiet air stay quiet, I'm not in the mood.''
''But you're never in the mood,'' I counter. ''Seriously, what's up with you? I'm being real with you here, I just wanna talk and get to know you. How are we supposed to function if you've been avoiding speech with me ever since we first met?'' he goes quiet. ''You seem so sad for some reason, like, what's good with you?''
Walking forward and taking a seat next to him, I continue. ''Is it because of that little girl? You know it had to be done... We can't control who we run into, but we do control who lives and who dies – it's tough, I know, but don't let it knock you down.''
''You don't need to keep yourself isolated and hidden all the time,'' I say. ''You've got allies and people who want to talk to you, people who will need you later on, people who wanna lean a head on your shoulder at times, so why do you resent us?''
''...Because I'm supposed to,'' he finally admits – and his answer is exactly what I was expecting. No Career's supposed to open up and feel remorse for another tribute, or show any type of weakness whatsoever. We're supposed to be strong, vicious, and cold – that's our label – but not all of us can project that stereotype properly.
I give him a warm smile, nodding. ''I get it, really. You're afraid that if you let everyone settle in with you comfortably, they'll start depending and leaning towards you. And... you don't want that, because you've gotta win, am I right?''
He nods his head. A small laugh escapes my lips and I exhale outwards. ''You don't have to be afraid of that,'' I comfort him. ''Sooner or later, something's gonna happen and you'll be the only person some of us are gonna look towards for safety. You can fight and ignore it all you want, but that feeling's gonna haunt you someday.''
His eyes shine in the barely-lit light, brimming with acceptance. He knows that I'm right. Ripping the omelet in half, I hand it to him. He rests back and leans on a table leg, lifting one leg up and resting his elbow on it.
''I can help you,'' I offer. ''You don't have to be alone all the time.''
Beckett Leighton, District Five
''I still think we should've returned to the cornucopia,'' Kaster gestures, holding both arms behind his head. ''I mean, who knows what else we could've managed to escape with?''
''Maybe something decent,'' I respond, ''but if we stayed, we also might not be breathing still. I don't think it would have been worth it because of the various potential outcomes, but that's just my opinion.''
''Maybe you're right,'' Kaster sighs. ''It's true, though. One of us could have gotten into trouble and the other three would have gone in after them, resulting in something catastrophic – that's always a possibility in these Games. Makes me sick just thinking about placing your allies in danger.''
''Don't think like that,'' Bree smiles, leading us in our struts. ''Besides, we're safe now. I don't know where we are, but it looks like a kingdom of some sort...''
I scan the area, nodding my head in agreement. There are streets in every corner that we turn, like a normal District or something. The only difference is that this kingdom is ten times more luxurious than any District that I could imagine; I don't even think that the Capitol compares to this.
Each building is made of legitimate crystals, the windows looking as if they're constructed of stained glass – they probably are. It's really beautiful.
''This place...'' Poet says, looking around, stunned. ''It's unimaginable! No way would I ever, in my life, think of something like this. The Gamemaker's are creative this year.''
''Creatively deadly,'' Bree mentions. ''Never be too careful. Don't let the beauty of this city distract you from—''
She suddenly stops in her tracks, I only realize this when I bump into Kaster, who bumps into Poet, who bumps into Bree. A giant shadow casts over me, leaving me confused for a brief moment, until I regain my posture.
''G-G-G...'' her teeth chatter.
''Huh?'' I say, noticing that all of them are silent for some reason. Then I look up, flabbergasted, as I see a giant, nude human being. The creature is abnormally shaped, with its body being quite larger than its head to the point where it looks like a tennis ball is located on the center of a skyscraper. It has a masculine body shape, muscles popping out at every corner. The giant's mouth is wide with an enormous number of small, squared teeth, frightening me to the core.
''GIANT!'' I scream, finishing her word for her, stuttering backwards with each step, falling to the floor and digging my fingernails into the street's iron floor. I'm unprepared when it steps over the other three and touches me, poking me with its pinky finger – which is larger than my entire body...
He grabs me, lifting me up into the air without squeezing my body, and I can't stop screaming. The others look up at me, horrified, when the colossal giant swings its arm down, grabs them in its free hand, and squeezes them together, all three of them being pressed uncomfortably close to one another.
''Come... t-to... my ho... muh!'' the giant tries, showing no clear form of verbal communication. Its speech pattern is extremely distorted, making it hard to understand what it's trying to say, but we all nod in appreciation that we're not dead yet, trying not to upset the beast.
He runs, shaking us wildly in his hands, until we reach its home. To my surprise, we're brought to a garden. But the garden's much larger than anything either of us have ever seen, and in the center is his home: a massive tree with a cabin on top.
''You... you fowr... st-stay heyaa...'' he commands, his words sounding like a threat. ''If you move, you will... b-be... pwunishid...''
None of us say anything, we just stay silent. I notice Bree next to me, looking sick, her face suddenly draining of color and all blood circulating away from her brain. ''Wait a minute,'' she says, noticing something important. ''Guys, we gotta go, or else we're all dead.''
''What are you talking about?'' Kaster asks.
''Kaster, look around! You too, Poet!'' she points. ''Do you recognize these plants? We learned about them back during the training days, when we first formed this alliance – over there is Wolfsbane'' she points, '' and over there is Henbane, along with all other types of plants that could be just as deadly, or even worse!''
''Oh, my God,'' Poet squeals.
''We're basically in a poisonous greenhouse!'' Bree informs. ''We need to leave, right now!''
She gets up, ready to run, but just as she grabs Poet's hand, flinging him up to his feet, the giant jumps out from his cabin, rumbling the ground viciously when he lands. ''I TOWLD YOUU NOT TO... MOVE!'' he roars. Bree immediately begins dragging Poet away, yelling for Kaster and I to follow.
I quickly jolt forwards, grabbing the machete that fell from Poet's bag, and run, leaving his backpack behind. Turning around, I spot Kaster standing there, immovable. ''KASTER, LET'S GO!'' I shout at him.
He finally snaps back into reality and looks at me, wasting no time catching up with the rest of us. The giant's steps make us all bounce roughly. We're blessed that the plants that Bree warned us about are too large and spaced out for us to touch or be near to.
Ironically, the giant, just as I think that, grabs the two specific plants that Bree pointed out, and throws it at us. The whirling sound of the plants is way too loud for any of us to ignore. I close my eyes, waiting for the impact to hit, when Bree suddenly runs back, her bravery controlling her, and pushes Kaster and I away, taking the hit for us.
''Woahhhhh,'' she says, swaying back and forth, avoiding being trapped under the plants. She begins laughing for no reason at all. ''I feel weirrddd... WOW! Am I flying? The clouds are so warm and puffy, I can't believe that I'm actually doing this!''
But in reality, she's on the floor, just holding her arms at her sides and drooling on the floor. The giant inches closer to her and, despite all three of us being inept of reaching her quick enough, we all grab her somehow, the adrenaline kicking in, and toss her over our shoulders, running with the strong will of wanting to survive.
''HEY!'' We all hear, and it's a completely different voice this time. Nobody dares to look back except for me, and what I see makes me believe that I'm just dreaming, that none of this is real. A male with long blonde hair and a woman with snow-white hair and blue eyes appear from a crafted portal, grab the giant by the ear, and begin scolding it. The giant's at the mercy of these humans, pleading for forgiveness, saying something about how they have a higher power and that it'll never disobey them again.
The two higher figures look down at me, holding their arms out together for some reason. ''GO, GO, GO!'' is all I can manage before choking, the dryness of my mouth making it difficult to swallow.
When we leave the greenhouse, we end up in a completely different environment than before. We reach a cave exit of some sort, where mountains upon mountains topple each other, water dripping from every open area. Near the end of the mountains, another city-like area is located. I shake my head, unable to make sense of what's going on or where we are.
A flying saucer zooms past a mountain, doing flips and tricks in the air for no apparent reason. I bite down, clenching my fist.
''What do those two plants do?'' I ask.
''Henbane makes you hallucinate,'' Kaster answers, seemingly upset.
''And Wolfsbane is a drug that makes you e-extremely sl-sleepy, but once you fall asleep, it k-kills you,'' Poet chimes in.
I regret what I said earlier about not turning back so much. ''Wheeee!'' Bree says on top of me and Kaster. We should've gone back, because then we wouldn't have an ally hallucinating and being drugged in the matter of who knows when!
''When does Wolfsbane usually kick in?''
''Seconds to minutes,'' Poet cries, feeling angry with himself. My head begins throbbing when I hear his words, not being able to believe it. ''But the man back at the station told me that on rare occasions, some people may be able to go days without falling asleep. We just need to keep her awake. The good thing is that she didn't consume it.''
''And if she did?''
''She'd fall into a deep sleep within a few hours and never wake up,'' he looks down, tears falling from his eyes. ''It's all my fault,'' he blames himself. ''If I just moved on my own, without her helping me, we would have been able to get out of there quicker, before the giant had a chance to attack, but I stopped her..!''
''It's not your fault,'' I smile, helping Kaster place her down, listening to her stutter, spit falling down her cheeks from the corners of her mouth and onto the ground. Kaster wipes her face, using his shirt as a source of material since we don't have anything in our bags that'll help all too much. ''You were in shock just like the rest of us – only she was prepared, and she helped save us. It's no one's fault besides those damn Gamemakers'; they did this to us.''
But you're wrong, my mind says. I squint my eyes shut, placing my hands over my ears when I turn around, being abused by my own thoughts in front of everyone – this has never happened before, it's always when I'm alone,but now... It's not their fault, not the Gamemakers' fault, not anyone else's fault, and you know that...
It's yours, because you're weak. You're better off dead, coward!
And maybe I truly am.
Loralei Tenaris, District Eight
For now, all I can do is wait.
Ever since Clarence's death, things have been strange for me – more difficult, to say the least. I mean, I told him that I would last longer than he would, but it's much more quiet now. Just knowing that I won't have anymore banter with him makes me shutter.
He let me down.
But forget him, I survived and he didn't. I just need to move on. Quite literally, though. Something's been chasing after me for a while now, and maybe it's not just something; somethings, probably, because I hear multiple feet stomping.
There's nowhere to go, unfortunately. I'm stuck in a dead-end, reaching into my backpack for my blowgun and a knife. I've only got three darts, which probably isn't sufficient enough to take out however many of them there are – and what's even worse is that I'm not an expert with this weapon. I may be decent, but if one of my shots misses, then what?
I concentrate as the approaching foot stomps grow louder, sending an eerie, repeating wave of echoes through the walls. Truly, I have no idea where I'm at. It was storming at one point and then lightning struck, blinding me, and I felt myself falling into some type of hole. I've been trudging ever since, but still, I haven't found anything.
My palms become slippery, I feel, the sweat making it hard for me to hold onto my knife properly. A shadow creeps up on me, and when I look forward, I see a group of humanoid-like creatures just staring at me. There's no gender to these creatures, I believe, as I see no genitals on any of these naked things. They're a decent size, though, towering over me by just a few inches.
Holding my knife in front of me, ready to defend myself if I need to – no, when I need to. They approach closer, and what they say shocks me.
''Earth dweller, it is quite a fancy to meet you,'' one of them, the leader, I think, says. ''You've entered our home, I see. We'd love for you to stay, but we kindly ask that you must leave. Or else things might get out of order. You understand, don't you?''
I babble in my speech, unable to manage a sentence. They all laugh at the same time, in unison. ''You must be thirsty. Here,'' the same one says, slamming its arm into the ground, puncturing through the rough gravel. A flow of water introduces itself. ''Have some.''
Running right to the side of these creatures, I fall to my knees and take out an empty plastic bottle, filling it up with the water as quickly as I can, hoping that it'll be enough to last me a few more days.
''Thank you...'' I hesitate, not sure what I'm getting myself into. They look down at me, and the one in the middle's arm shoots up and destroys the ceiling above us. Staring up, I watch the crumbling rocks land near me, splashing in the water and forcing me to jump back.
''Get out,'' they command, all at the same time, their voices sounding like something off of a horror film. Fortunately for me, the rocks pile up together, giving me an easy chance at escape. Running with all of my energy, I take off on the rock-stairs, revealing myself to the outside world. It's a meadow...
''What the hell?'' I look around, perplexed, realizing that I was underground for so long. That explains the darkness and dirt everywhere, but how is that these guys' home? Something's not right, I think, my stomach feeling queasy.
''Please us!'' the mutts scream, pushing me forward and out of the hole. Peering up, I stare into the eyes of another girl, and her ally standing right behind her. This is all starting to make sense now. The Gamemaker's want plot, they want something interesting to happen – a fight, if you want to be upfront.
''Shit,'' the first girl says, holding up her sickle, the weapon glinting in the bright light. ''What do you want?''
''It's not what I want,'' I say, getting up and wiping my mouth. ''It's what they want.''
Her eyebrows fall slowly, looking upset. Lips quivering, she forces her backpack off of her and throws it onto the floor. ''I see... So, what do you wanna do?''
''I wanna go home,'' I answer, poising my knife in front of me and placing my blowgun into my skirt. Save that for later, I tell myself – if there even is a later. ''But what I want doesn't matter. We could just walk away from this, you know?''
''We could, but we'd both die shortly after,'' she mutters.
''Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.'' And with that, we charge at each other. Unexpectedly, she swings her sickle at my neck, making me suck in my stomach and fall backwards. Blood trickles down the side of my cheek, but I don't feel it – I've never felt it.
She's extremely proficient with her weapon, which I wasn't expecting. It's more of her swinging and me dodging, unable to make my move. My arm, uncontrollably, jolts up and I catch the tip of the sickle with the blade of my knife, and elbow her in the stomach, pushing some distance between the two of us as she gets back to catch her breath.
More mutts come out of the ground, encircling the three of us, making it look like a fighting ring. I try my best to suppress a laugh, but it manages to escape.
''Something funny?'' she asks.
''It's just these Gamemakers and how badly they want blood,'' I shrug. ''Kinda lame, if you ask me.'' She nods curtly, not saying a single word after that. I look behind me, keeping a close eye on the second girl. She's got a knife in her hand, but she's not moving.
The girl who I turned my back on screams, suddenly in front of me now, and scratches her sickle across my chest. I feel my shirt tear, and once again the blood tickles my skin. She lunges at me while I'm distracted, fist reaching out in the form of a punch, but I step away at the last possible second and grab her arm, twisting it with all the strength I can muster.
She lets out an ear-piercing scream, so close to me that I wince with the sensitivity of my ears. I give a cursory glance behind her, watching the other girl sprint at me, her weapon raised. I look down for a second, not realizing what I just observed, until I look back up. ''Oh, shit!''
Pushing the girl away from me, I send her flying into her ally. She catches her, but barely manages to push the knife away from her skull. ''What are your names?'' I ask.
''Ceres,'' the one I just kicked says, ''and that's Cathodette.''
I nod, watching them closely. Ceres tells Cathodette to come closer to her, whispering something in her ear, and I prepare myself for whatever is about to happen. Slinging my backpack to the side now, knowing that it'll only hold me back, I sigh deeply.
The two of them inch closer but then soon direct themselves to different sides, circling around me. Running at the same time, they both attack – one of them goes for my upper body, while the other goes for my lower. I feel Cathodette's arms wrap around my waist, dragging me to the ground, but I elbow her in the face, causing her to yell.
She quickly drops her knife and covers her face with both hands. Ceres and I are one-on-one again, and I can only block, playing the defensive game as she stares at me angrily, taking the offensive role with her weapon. Making direct eye-contact with her, I keep her preoccupied with my looks, fighting with a stony face and seeming like I won't do anything.
She doesn't expect me to drop my body to the floor, so when I do, she trips forward, swinging way too far ahead, and falls to the ground. Rolling the dice and taking my chances, I force my body onto hers, stabbing my knife into her forearm and digging it deep. As she squeals on the floor, shaking and screaming, I notice a large piece of paper in her skirt. Wanting to reach in and grab it, thinking that it's something useful, I resist the urge and turn back to the other tribute.
''CERES!'' Cathodette screams, lying on the ground in withering pain. Taking out my blowgun, I place a dart into the hole and blow, wasting no time. The dart flies through the air and cuts into her shoulder. Her anguish-filled shriek fills the air, and I take out my knife, nearing her in order to get the job done.
I was hoping for the dart to hit her in the head, but the shaking in my hands caused me to lean more to the left and downward. That's okay, though, I just need to finish this quickly so that I can get the burden out of the way. She lies on the floor soundless, her body quivering with pain. Tugging her by her shirt, I bring her up to her knees and place my knife on her throat.
Then, something makes me buckle down. I turn around, noticing an already bloody knife penetrating the back of me knee. I look up, blinking rapidly. Though I can't feel the pain, I can't fucking move!
''You don't look so scared,'' Ceres says, panting.
My heart thuds against my chest slowly, making me feel at calm. ''Honestly, I have nothing to fear.''
''You bleed but you don't scream,'' she notices. ''You're tough, and I can respect that. I'm sorry I have to do this, though. It's the twisted fate that the Gamemakers have set for us; they control our destiny now.''
''There's no such thing as fate,'' I frown. ''You can change what happens in your life with one move, though you don't know where it'll lead you. Some people go with the flow, but I like to shake it up.''
''We could have been great friends if it weren't for these Games,'' she informs me. ''I would've liked that.
Without a second word, I accept what's coming to me. My leg's too weak to move, and the sickle's coming way too quickly for me to avoid. It lands in my throat, but I don't feel anything. The only thing that feels uncomfortable is my insufficient amount of oxygen that's slowly leaving my body.
Darkness edges at the corner of my vision, and everything goes blurry.
I might be dying, but hey, I survived longer than Clarence. That, I can say, is an accomplishment. I kept true to my word.
Ocelot Harrien, District Twelve
The cannon shot through the air wakes me up.
Only question is, who was it? My eyes open from my sleep, and it takes me a moment to remember everything that happened. Yesterday, seven people died, Ceres being one of them. Today, one person has died so far. It seems as if people are dropping like flies.
Rubbing my hands against my eyes, I reach for my bag, looking to take out a stick of beef jerky. I managed to escape with a bag and that was it – running into the cornucopia wasn't an option for me, and statistically speaking, sixty percent of tributes who dive in deep get killed.
No weapon, no sleeping bags, no nothing besides some food, a water bottle, and an long pair of pants. The pants aren't thick, but they'll keep me warm, which I can appreciate.
Let's see now, how many tributes are left? Sixteen, I believe. I scratch my head, the thought of death being unnerving. I miss the Capitol so much, how it felt like home, how graciously the people there treated me, how well I got along with every Capitolite that I spoke to. If only I could reside there permanently and they would have just replaced me with another kid from Twelve – it's the obviously more preferable choice than being in here, praying that I don't die a gruesome death every night.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that the Gamemakers, if bored, will push us all to our deaths eventually. That's the day I'm dreading. Who knows, though? They could get bored later on tonight if only one death occurs and make their own miniature Bloodbath. Anything's possible in here.
I'm just happy that Ceres doesn't have to go through this. ''Man...'' I sigh, rubbing my head. She came from that vile, repugnant District just like I did, but we were both different. Granted, she did get on my nerves at times, but she didn't bully me like everyone else did, she didn't spit at me for loving the Capitol like everyone else did, and she didn't judge me like everyone else did.
...And I kinda miss her, but there's no room in a place like this for someone so innocent. I just... I feel guilty. What if you stayed back and had grabbed her before her death? You didn't even see who her killer was, you just ran.
Really... If I had just turned around, maybe we both could've survived, or maybe I would've sacrificed myself. I don't know, but was leaving her the best thing to do? We both might have ended up dead, and the District would've been knocked out of the Games early – again. My goals in life could have been destroyed.
Ugh! Life's so dang complicated! I've never experienced problems such as this before! ''Why did I have to be thrown in here?!'' the words slip out, and I quickly bring both hands up to cover my mouth.
The one thing that makes me wish that she was still alive is the comfort that I'd be receiving from her. Just knowing that death is constantly hanging over my head... that requires some encouragement to continue.
But hey, the Capitol's encouraging me. I know that they'll help me win these Games, they love me, don't they? I love them, so I would hope that they return the same feeling. And, only one of us goes home, which means that alliances should only be short-term. The long-run play is what I'm heading for.
This cave that I'm in isn't as dark as it was before when I first entered it. I saw a light at the top, which scared me to death, but I didn't pay it any attention. It was better to leave it alone rather than to be curious like a horror movies' main-character – the smarter option, if you ask me.
I should probably get moving, though. Being inactive is the one thing that these people hate, and it makes you more vulnerable to being attacked, so...
Reaching for my bag again, I feel something sharp poke my finger tip. Blood seeps from my finger and lands on the floor. Turning to my bag, I see a dagger lying next to me – just a dagger, and a small parachute sticking to it. I pick it up, looking around in search for some type of hint that there's a camera around.
It's impossible to find those things, but I look up into the air, the place where I think most cameras would be located, and say, ''Thank you so much!'' My heart's telling me that someone from the Capitol sent it, and I can never repay my gratitude to them unless I get out of this Arena.
And despite my size and my age, I still have a chance.
This weapon gives me the boost that I need – I not only have defense now, but also offense.
Blush Belfleur, District One
''Who do you think died?'' I ask Adonis, curious to hear his response.
''Does it really matter?'' he answers my question by asking me a question. Damn, I hate when people do that. ''It's just another tribute out of the competition that'll help us get home.''
''Us?''
''Me.'' he corrects.
''What if it's Emil? You know, what if Clarice and Avery got all upset and shit and decided to kill him?''
''That would be unfortunate,'' he shrugs, taking a bite out of a dry apple. ''But I doubt that happened. The kid's too smart to let them team up on him – he'd have seen it coming from a mile away and ran.''
''That's disgusting,'' I point out, pushing his answer to the side. ''That apple's dry as fuck.''
''Your opinion,'' he states, swallowing, ''is irrelevant.''
Chime! Both of us immediately look at each other, then, almost simultaneously, we look up into the sky. Sponsor! We stop for a moment, trying to search out the items falling in the darkness that surrounds us. The black before us all of a sudden becomes velvet in quality, like the air's been thickened somehow.
Stars appear above us, speckled and cloudless, making the item falling easier to see. I look downward at the path I knew was rocky by the feel under my sandals while Adonis grabs the sponsor gift.
''It's for you,'' he hands it to me. District One Female reads on the note attached, the letters glowing red in the dark. ''What is it?''
''I don't know,'' I feel around the item. Or items, I should say. I hold the sponsor gift up, using both hands, admiring the constellations above and trying to figure out what exactly these things are. I pull my arm back, withdrawing rope from the parachute, and my other arm holds a bottle of some sort. There's a purple-ish black liquid in it, and on the bottle is a menacing death skull with a smile.
And in a little packet next to it, I touch what feels like pills inside, reading 'No Cure'. Oh... ''It's poison and polyester rope,'' I smile, wiggling my eyebrows. ''This'll come in handy.''
''Whatever you say,'' he ignores me, looking up at the sky.
''Aw, is little Adonis jealous that his better, more attractive District Partner is getting all the love and he's getting absolutely nothing?'' I tease, crossing my path in front of him. ''Does it hurt your feelings?''
Chime!
''Nope,'' he says, a cocky smile complacent on his face. He doesn't even look up to see what it is, but instead reaches into the air like a know-it-all bastard and grips a newly received javelin by the grip. I inspect his weapon, comparing it to the one that he already has, and it's much better looking. This one's got two sides for attacking – the front, where the spearhead is usually located, is split into two different blades, allowing for double the pain if he kills another tribute, and at the end is where the spearhead is located, this one way larger and pointier than a regular one, but usually the shaft's there. ''I'm quite happy, actually.''
''Oh, shut up,'' I get in his face, barking at him. ''You're still nothing compared to me.'' I place both hands on my waist, staring him in the eye, waiting for a response. ''Are you just not gonna answer me? What's wrong with you?''
''I've gotten used to you,'' he laughs. ''You're just fun to be around now, instead of irritating. Besides, you please me.''
''Really, now? In what ways?'' I flirt, my voice deepening.
''That's... none of your business,'' he responds.
''Really?'' I get closer, pressing a hand on his shoulder and leaning into his chest. ''And you expect me to just let that slide and not find out?''
''Actually—'' I stop him in his tracks, placing my mouth on his neck. I know that once I kiss his neck that his resistance will crumble. After a few delicate touches of my warm lips, I know that he'll do my bidding, and once that's all said and done, he'll be mine.
''Chill,'' he says, pulling back, and I almost laugh because of the way he says it, his voice turning me on.
Holding his hands, I whisper in his ear, ''Don't pull away, I know that you want this.'' The gentle movement of my warm breath in his ear makes him listen, and I chuckle seductively.
''But,'' he tries, unable to concentrate.
''But what?'' I pause. ''But your family? Your sister, and how she hates me, right? What's she thinking right now? You think they're upset with you or something? You've been wanting me since the beginning, don't let the thought of them ruin this moment. Push them to the deepest depths of your mind and forget about them for thirty minutes.''
''...Nothing, forget about it,'' he concludes, and I smile. I feel his warmth get closer again, and this time it's him taking charge. He brushes my hair back from my shoulders and my mind goes blank. He cups my face in his hands and gives me what he knows I desire. Not even the Anthem and the face in the sky can pull us apart at this point.
There's only one wish left, and we both know it's just a matter of time before it's granted.
I just love getting what I want. Boys are so simple to play.
17th - Loralei Tenaris, District Eight
Brooke, Loralei was my wild card in this story. She was so tough to capture, I'm not gonna lie. This is definitely the toughest tribute you've ever submitted to me, and probably your most difficult tribute out of all that you've made. She was so complicated, always contradicting herself at one point, and then becoming something completely different. She was legit the female Emil, except way more difficult to write for. She was fun, though, for sure. Her and Clarence having their little arguments and shit, the way she usually thought, and even her rare gift/curse, however you'd see it, with not being able to feel pain. I'd say that was a good thing for her, as she could barely even feel her death, which made her seem like a hard character who didn't have anything to fear. Unfortunately, I didn't have many plans left for her. Watch as I say this, a ton of shit starts flooding into my mind and I regret this decision. But, I know you're not around this website anymore, so I'll just text this to you as soon as I can, unless you come back for some reason and read this. I wanted her to go out by a Career's hand at first, preferably Atlas', but then I thought having a fighting ring with her, Cathodette and Ceres would be interesting, so there's that. But still, she was a great tribute, I loved her, and she's at peace now. It just wasn't her time to change the world, and she would have changed it a hella lot if she was Victor, I bet.
A/N: Ayee! So, this chapter was interesting, for me, at least, if not for y'all. Everything that happened here was important, whether or not you realize it. Someone you suspect to die in this chapter might not later on, and someone you are suspecting to die will. Or vice versa, to be honest, who knows? I wanted to leave this chapter off on something interesting, with everyone having a POV that showed something happening, or gave a hint of it. Adonis and Blush's little relationship, Kaster, Poet, Beck, and Bree's situation, Ceres claiming her first kill and Cathodette having more of a reason to be frightened, and Ocelot, the underdog, gaining some protection. So, we'll see where this leads. I gotta warn y'all, though, I have absolutely nothing planned for next chapter. Legit, next chapter is the only chapter where I've had no ideas for because that's gonna be my only no deaths chapter of these Games, and it'll take me some time to plan that out. And I'll need this little break because I have every other death planned out in my mind, but I don't know how to distribute it per chapter. Like, I've got major deaths planned, but don't know if I want eight people dying in one chapter, or draw it out and make like two for four chapters, you feel? That's just an example, though. I don't really want to drag this story out, so I'll have to come to a decision soon.
Besides that, there's not really anything else to say, besides the usual, that is. Proofreading has been lazy, as usual, but I hope whatever mistakes there are in this chapter aren't too unbearable. And, just in case I'm not able to say it later this week and update, Happy New Years, and I hope nothing but the best for all of you and hope all your dreams come true! That's all for now, I'll see you guys next chapter, bye! ^-^