The 67th Annual Hunger Games Pt.3

Merliah's POV

The moment that I rose up from the darkness I was blinded by the light so I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the sun allowing me my first look around and I saw a desert wasteland and immediately felt the heat from the sun overhead threatening to burn my tanned skin off my bones so I opened the jacket and locked my eyes with the cornucopia seeing the earthy floor beneath it was cracked from the dry heat of the sun which told me that water was going to be hard to come by but not impossible with the right tools and sponsors and that we were surrounded by large rocky hills with small gaps between these hills along with wilted palm trees, scruffy bushes and stone boulders which is about all I could make out from where I stood.

As the countdown made its way past 20 seconds I noticed the knives, swords and spears in the mouth of the cornucopia but I knew that was a blood bath so I looked around and saw some backpacks on the outer skirts of the clearing and set my sights on one that I could run to and make a quick get away with hoping that it had the tools that I needed and when the gong sounded I immediately jumped off my podium and took off at a sprint running towards the bag wrapping my hand around the strap and continued running without stopping as I ran from the bloodbath happening behind me not even looking back to see who was being killed and who was the one killing knowing it was likely the career pack.

I continued to run not stopping no matter how much my legs ached and my feet burned as I put as much distance between me and the cornucopia as I could before I finally slowed down taking a few deep breaths to calm down my racing heart before I checked my surroundings seeing I was in a clump of palm trees with long yellow grass that I didn't dare venture into since who knows what was hiding in there but I couldn't see anyone or anything meaning I was safe for now.

However I was already feeling the heat and knew dehydration would come a lot quicker which meant I needed water and that it was at the top of my priority list so I checked the bag while I continued walking seeing some rope, a tarp and a small trowel and a thin piece of cloth meaning I could work with this as there was still ways to find water in even the driest and hottest places if you knew how and lucky I had spent so much time on the survival stations during training.

I immediately began searching the skies for any wildlife while keeping my eyes out for any wet run off areas as both of these meant water nearby but came up empty and the sun was setting so I decided to stop in a small rocky alcove area and set up camp for the night wedging myself in a space that wouldn't be so easily spotted by passerby's feeling tired, thirsty and hungry but I had survived day which is less than I can say for 4 people as I watched the anthem play that night and the faces of Dawson from District 12, Lillian from District 12, Valerio from District 11 and Wolver from District 7, all died in the bloodbath no doubt but that number wasn't as high as it had been in years previous meaning there was still 19 people out there including Trevor and the careers.

I woke up early having barely slept as every little noise in the night alerted me and had me panicking especially since I didn't have a weapon and I trekked off heading further up the rocky cliff to get to high ground which would allow me to look at my surroundings in hopes to spot water but as as I looked around I couldn't see any signs of circling birds or water sources but at the top of the hill I was on I felt the ground wasn't as hard and there was a bit more vegetation up here which meant there had to be water somewhere.

I moved along the rocks carefully turning over small rocks looking for damp spots and used the trowel to dig into the earth feeling it less clay like and waited but no water pooled into the hole I made and I let out a frustrated groan licking my lips definitely feeling the extent of nearly 24hrs without water before sitting back pulling my knees to my chest since why did I think this was easy, obviously this wasn't a normal desert and I wasn't going to find water, I should have gone into the cornucopia and grabbed some since undoubtedly there was some there and no doubt the career pack had taken it all by now.

I laid back feeling light headed and seriously thought that I should give up but just as soon as that thought entered my mind I heard the soft chime and looked up seeing a parachute coming down towards me, I jumped to my feet and ran over to it opening it and let out a relieved sigh when I saw a bottle of water and instantly unscrewed the cap and drank some to quench my thirst before I saw the note.

Don't give up Lia – F, I smiled a little as I read the note pocketing it as I nodded my head stuffing the bottle into my bag placing it back onto my shoulder before I began walking back down towards where I had set up camp but jumped when I heard a cannon go off and instantly ducked down like it was right next to me but I didn't hear anything else and frowned really regretting not grabbing a weapon as I was seriously defenseless.

I quickly realized that I was fine and felt extremely stupid for reacting that way but quickly set off rushing down the path back to the rocky alcove finding the two boulders that I had set up camp behind but the moment I rounded one my eyes fell on someone and I yelped falling back holding my hands up.

"Merliah?" I turned back and my eyes widened when I saw it was Trevor but I didn't let up my panicked stance. "I'm not going to hurt you, I watched you play dolls with my sister" he held up his hand and I gingerly took it still wary as you could never trust anyone in this game.

"How did you find me?" I asked him hoping that didn't sound as harsh as it did to my own ears but if he found me then I wanted to know where I went wrong.

"I didn't, I found the camp and was wondering whose it was before you came around" I looked down at the tarp I had left up...so that was my mistake. "Have you found water?" he asked me and I regarded him carefully before nodding my head.

"I got a sponsor gift, have you?" he shook his head and I frowned pulling my bag off and reached into my bag pulling the bottle out and handed it to him and he smiled.

"Thanks" he took it off me and drank some to quench his thirst. "Any weapons?" I shook my head regarding the spear in his hands. "Here" he reached into his belt and pulled out a small knife. "Seems fair since you gave me some water"

"Thank you" I said taking it then looked down at my camp and began packing it up since if he found me who know who else had. "What happened to the career pack?" I asked as he began helping me roll it up.

"They attacked me when I went in for the spear, took a knife in the calf just to get it hence the extra knife" he nodded at the knife that was now looped in my belt.

"So much for being a career district then" I shrugged with a laugh.

"I heard them mention you, you're a threat to them"

"I'm a threat?" I questioned since how on earth did they see me as a threat.

"You're not with them, they saw you throw those knives back at the training center" I frowned looking down at the ground.

"How lucky for me then" I joked but felt a tiny bit of fear since that news was problematic.

"Maybe we should stick together?" he suggested and I hesitated for a second before I nodded my head since it wouldn't be the worst thing for right now.

"Do you know where the career pack is, are they hanging close to the cornucopia?" I asked as we started walking.

"Not really, 1 and 2 don't seem like their as tight as years previous and they're mostly walking the perimeters hoping to run into other tributes" he replied and I nodded before we fell into a quiet silence since talking would most likely give up our position and alert anyone to us way before we'd see them but as we walked I could hear a soft hissing noise that had me looking around anxiously.

"Do you hear that?" I asked Trevor turning to him as I stopped and looked around seeing the tall yellow grass on either side of the path we were walking along.

"Look out!" he suddenly yelled and I jumped when he swung his spear down at the spot I was standing and cut a neon bright snake in half which squirted its brightly matching neon venom up and I jumped back even further almost falling back into the grass but quickly found my footing waving my arms to balance myself from falling in. "What the hell was that?" Trevor asked as he frowned bending down poking at it with his spear.

"It has to be poisonous, anything that brightly colored usually is especially in snakes, I don't recognize the species but I'm almost 99% sure we should stay out of the grass"

"No kidding" he replied and I noticed a splash of venom on the sleeve of his jacket so I pulled out the water bottle.

"Here wash that off, we don't know if it's still poisonous by skin contact too" he nodded taking the bottle and used the rest to wash his jacket and spear so that there was no risk of getting poisoned before we continued walking back towards the cornucopia but I jumped when another cannon boomed and frowned.

"Well that's one more down" Trevor laughed but I just frowned shaking my head since I didn't find that sound funny at all but didn't say anything as we continued walking keeping my eyes and ears open for any hissing or tributes as both meant death.

When we made it back to the cliff's we scouted out the area first in case anyone had set up traps as I remembered Finnick's games but it all seemed clear so I nodded at Trevor and we crept forward making it to the mouth of the cornucopia and I smiled when I saw a discarded spear knocked off the rack and almost hidden behind it, this must have been missed by the other tributes so I picked it up and swung it around testing it's weight, it was a little heavy then the ones I was used to but it'll do in pinch.

"Augustus killed the rest of the water bottles and there isn't any food" Trevor told me and I looked up noticing the sun setting.

"We should go, I really don't like being here" he nodded and we set off heading for the high cliffs but as we walked back towards the paths I could've sworn I heard the sound of a snapping branch which made me look up at the trees.

"What?" Trevor asked looking up to.

"I could've sworn I heard a tree branch snapping" I replied looking around anxiously. "We should keep moving" I suggested and he nodded his head but just as we started walking I felt something fall straight on top of me.

"Merliah!" I heard Trevor call out but I fought back throwing my arms back knocking my attacker off the top of me and my eyes widened seeing the girl from District 7 glaring at me with two knives. "Duck!" I dropped to the ground as Trevor threw his spear but she ducked out of the way running towards me and I quickly grabbed my knife.

"You don't have to do this!" I begged her but she came at me and we collided with our bodies crashing to the ground and I felt one of her knives cut through the fabric of my jacket and nick the skin of my upper arm as we rolled around until she was knocked off me by Trevor and I immediately sat up scrambling for one of the knives that had been dropped during our tussle and right as she kicked Trevor back I took aim and threw it watching it hit dead smack in the center of her chest and she turned her eyes towards me as my eyes widened watching her drop and the sound of a cannon going off signaled her death...her murder...that I...I had committed.

"Merliah, are you okay?" I heard Trevor ask me but I couldn't take my eyes off her body, I killed her...I killed someone. "We have to go, come on" he grabbed my arm and started pulling me away from the scene at a fast pace that he was practically having to drag me before my feet finally cooperated and I fell into pace with him as we ran all the way up the cliff side where I had tried to dig for water.

The moment we reached the top I fell to my knees staring down at the ground as the reality of what just happened fully sunk in, I was a murderer...I took someone's life from them and the look in her eyes as she realised was going to haunt my dreams, I've watched Finnick go through it...he told me that he'd see the faces of the people he'd had to kill in his games and it tortured him...I never wanted that.

"Merliah, I know what your thinking but it's the Games"

"I killed her" I breathed out, stating it more to myself before I finally looked up at him. "I killed someone"

"You did what you had to do, she was trying to kill us" I frowned lowering my eyes back to the ground as I pulled my knees up to my chest and he walked over sitting next to me. "You better let me take a look at that, the last thing we need if you getting an infection" he nodded towards the cut in my jacket, I nodded and peeled it off without a word and he used the last of our water to splash water off it and I had to bite the inside of my cheek from the pain as he wrapped the piece of cloth from my bag around the wound to keep it clean.

We sat in silence for what felt like a couple hours at least both staring off into the distance just keeping an eye out for anymore sneak attacks or signs of the other tributes before I started feeling my mouth go dry and stood up heading over to where I had previous dug holes yesterday but they were still empty which was concerning considering the bottle was now empty.

I let out a sigh as I moved back over to where Trevor had still been keeping watch and sat down beside him behind a boulder falling into easy conversation whispering about home and all the things we missed as it started getting dark and I grabbed out the trap and placed it around my shoulders as the temperature started to cool since while it was scorching hot in the day time, it was quite cool at night and I was starving.

"Man I would kill for some seaweed rolls right now" I joked and he laughed.

"You and me both, although maybe not the ones Nori makes" he adds and we both laughed nodding our heads since Nori's always had way too much seaweed and not enough...everything and came off really salty in the end, a soft bell chime cut off our laughter and I looked up seeing a parachute coming down so I stood up and moved towards it opening it and smiled when I saw two bottles of water and a piece of bread.

Be more careful, eyes open – F, I smiled at Finnick's words looking up nodding my head before I approached Trevor breaking the piece of bread in half and handing it to him with one of the water bottles.

"It might not be seaweed rolls but it'll do" he nodded immediately biting into it and moaning out in pleasure.

"Food never tasted so good" I smiled biting into mine right as another cannon went off almost ruining my appetite if I wasn't so hungry, that was 8 dead in two days. "I'll take first watch if you want to get some sleep" he said after we finished eating and I hesitated before letting out a sigh nodding my head given I was exhausted but as I laid down they immediately began the fallen tributes anthem and I watched the fallen faces come up in the sky, the boy from 3, the girl from 5, the girl was 6 before the girl from 7 came up and I felt a tear slip out of my eyes from the loss of life, all young and gone too soon and I was responsible for one of those deaths.

I laid down on the tarp pulling some of it over my body to protect myself from the cold with my spear in one hand while I tried to drift off but it wasn't as easy when you knew you were being hunted and that the person sitting next to you could turn on you at any moment but eventually I must have because the next thing I knew I was waking up and it was hotter than it was yesterday so I sat up reaching for my water immediately and drinking some before I looked around and noticed Trevor was gone making my eyes widen as I looked for my bag finding it where I left it and my spear was still beside me so I relaxed since maybe he just went to pee or something so I started packing up the tarp and stuffing it into my bag when I heard a cannon go off making me jump and heard voices so I dived behind the boulder to hide.

"Have you been bitten?" I cowered in fear recognizing Augustus' voice.

"No I swear" a girl protested, his district partner Elixia. "Its probably heat stroke" they seemed to accept this and I heard them walk right past where I was hiding.

"So do you think that girly 4 is around here, after you stabbed him he probably went running to her" the boy from 2 asked.

"I don't know but when we find her we'll kill her just like we did her partner" I heard Augustus reply and I turned into the rock as if it would hide me more as I listened to their retreating footsteps feeling the tears rolling down my face from fear and the knowledge on who the cannon belonged to without needing to see it.

"I'm sorry Nori, I...I tried" I whispered when I knew they were gone but didn't dare move from fear, Trevor was dead and it was all my fault, why didn't he wake me but then...maybe I'd be dead too if he had, I heard the chime of a parachute but didn't move as I was frozen to this rock for what felt like hours that I actually heard another cannon go off and that seemed to finally shock me out of my frozen state as I looked up seeing it was nearly dark so I jumped towards the parachute opening it to find more bread rolls and a note.

Keep moving, it wasn't you fault – F, I frowned but quickly got up shooting to my feet and started moving figuring I'd get far enough away from the cornucopia as I possibly could without upsetting the game makers and that night as I sat hiding in a shallow cliff face I looked up at the sky as the fallen tribute anthem started and saw Trevor's face in the sky along with Elixia's which was shocking as that meant one career member was down probably due to the poison that she had somehow gotten in her system.

I kept on the move throughout the next day keeping my eyes out for other tributes, snakes and anything else ready to kill me but as the day went on it was eerily quiet except for a single cannon which signaled another death which brought the tribute count down to 13 including myself so I continued with this tactic to remain on the move figuring it was best and only stopped at night if I found a descent place to rest which went on for the next 3 days with Finnick suppling me water via sponsor gifts when I ran out as the days just seemed to get hotter and this is all I did not running into anything and listening out for the hissing which gave off plenty of warning on the snakes as long as you stayed out of the grass beside the paths and during that time 6 more tributes had fallen including the boy from 1, Urban which meant it was just Augustus and Ambrosia left and I doubt they were together anymore which brought the tributes down to 7, we had passed the final 8.

They would be interviewing my family back in 4...but Nori, I wonder what was going to happen between us if I survived, if I was the one to come home would she hate me for not protecting Trevor, for not making sure he was the one that won, I sighed tucking my feet up to my chest and cried a little for the friendship I may or may not have lost by just being alive right now as I ignored the head game maker announcing a feast since I didn't need anything.

Day 8 in the games passed by with no cannon sounds which must have annoyed the game makers as I was woken up by harsh winds and sand blowing directly into my face making me sit up and immediately pull the tarp from my bag and use it to cover my little nook in which I had made camp for the night protecting myself from the sudden sandstorm as you could be killed in a sandstorm so I knew staying put was my only option and pulled out an extra cloth from Finnick as he'd gotten me a couple of bandages for my arm and wet it a little to place over my ears, nose and mouth to help me breath while I waited it out over the next day until late afternoon on the 10th day of the games, during that time 3 more had died, the girl from 8, the boy from 6 and the girl from 10 meaning it was just Augustus, Ambrosia, the girl from 11 and me in the final four.

On the 11th day I woke up to a sponsor gift of food as per usual and smiled towards the sky silently thanking Finnick as I ate and changed my bandage on my arm frowning a little since the sandstorm hadn't helped with keeping it clean but for now it didn't seem infected and focused on just staying hydrated so I drank some of my water before I packed up camp and started my usual routine of looping around the arena just making it to the rocky alcove as I heard a rumbling sound right after a cannon and looked up seeing a boulder heading down at me so I turned and ran hearing it move rapidly towards me but I jumped down and hid behind a cliff face ignoring my ankle erupting in pain as it buckled slightly under my weight as I heard the boulder crash into one of the palm trees before letting out a sigh of relief.

"About time you showed your face 4" I jumped looking out at the cornucopia seeing Augustus and the girl from 11 and panicked but this was the final 3 so of course I had been lead here by the game makers who must be in a rush to end this.

"What do you mean, I've been around you just haven't been looking hard enough" I smirked as I walked closer as I pulled my spear from where I had tied it to my back spinning around moving my eyes between the two since it was clear they were in an alliance which meant I was gonna have to fight both of them and I saw the girl trying to get around me as they were clearly going to try and take me from both sides. "I heard about your district partner, poison really must suck to die from" I kept talking so they think I hadn't figured out their plan ignoring the ache in my ankle as I tried to keep the pain off my face so they didn't see a potential weak spot.

"I don't care, one less person I had to kill" Augustus shrugged and I tutted with my tongue.

"I thought you District 1 folks were all about the killing, isn't that why you volunteer?" I asked before I turned towards the girl from 11, Heaven I think her name is. "You know he'll kill you right"

"Of course, this is part of the game" she laughed throwing her head back which was just the distraction I needed as I was already in position and I launched my spear hearing it whistle through the air and land with a sickening squelch as I hit my target and she fell back with the sound of a cannon go off.

"Wow, that saves me from killing her and leaves you weaponless" I heard Augustus say but I was staring at another life that I had just taken, the girl I had just killed, the daughter I had just murdered and it wasn't until I heard him laugh did I turn away from her body. "You have too much of a bleeding heart 4, lets get this over with" he raised his sword and I glared at him since he didn't deserve to go home, he had no remorse, no sympathy...all he wanted was glory but I had something to go back to that was better than that, a family and love.

I used all the adrenaline that I had left as I ran at him pulling out the knife Trevor had given me and threw it watching it hit his shoulder and he yelled in pain getting distracted and using that I was able to knock the sword from his hands before I made a sprint to my spear but he caught my ankles and pulled me down and my head smacked against the hard ground splitting my head open as I screamed out in pain from the hard tug at my already painful ankle and the pain I now had in my head as I felt the blood immediately start trickling out into my eye as I turned seeing him standing up and pull the knife out of his shoulder picking up his sword as I tried to scoot myself backwards on the ground still going for my spear.

"You really think you can beat me?"

"I can try" I remarked glaring at him as he grabbed at my ankles again and pulled me towards him before I had a chance to grab for my spear then looked up as he raised the sword above his head about to strike down but at the last second and a ditch of effort I kicked up into his stomach making him fall back and I threw myself over into a flip landing right next to the girl from 11's body and pulled my spear out turning with a yell of mixed pain and fury as I held it up right and I felt it go through him as he'd recovered and was running at me and watched his eyes widen and look down then his eyes rolled back and he fell to his knees as the cannon went off and I let go of the spear letting him fall onto his side with it still right through his chest.

"Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you the winner of the 67th Annual Hunger Games!" I heard the voice announce and I fell to my knees staring at the two bodies around me that I had killed, Augustus might have been a monster but he was still human and Heaven probably had a family she had to get home to as well and I stole that from her, I stole it from the girl from 7 as well...I killed people...I was a murderer.

I heard the hovercraft come down and a ladder was repelled down for me but I didn't move, frozen in shock once again as I couldn't tear my eyes from the two people whose lives I'd stolen and it wasn't until I felt my arms being grabbed did I react by turning and punching them which resulted in a needle being jabbed into my neck and the next thing I knew I was in someone's arms being carried into the hovercraft and placed on a stretcher before everything went black.