A/N: I'm already planning my next Hunger Games fiction. I'll miss Maya, Crux and Holden- but I knew from the beginning I'd have to say goodbye. I just wish I could've written them a happier life.
Thanks for reading my writing. I appreciate it greatly! xx
The Trial Games.
It's like the earth is screaming in pain. The walls that surround me shake and rumble with such ferocity I stop breathing in the panic. Bricks are crumbling away and roof tiles are falling and shattering and I can feel their shrapnel slicing my legs from metres away.
I have to get out of here!
Running as fast as I possibly can, I barely make it through the block's entranceway before it crumbles inwardly on itself. The earthquake is of such intensity that the block foundations are sinking into the newly softened ground; the walls are collapsing on themselves. As I pelt away, my legs aching and stinging, I can already see two others appearing in the corner of my left eye. Upon realising who they are, I immediately want to hide- but they haven't taken any notice of me- so I stand out of harm's way of being crushed by debris and watch the scene unfold.
Sin and Recklo look triumphant in this time of chaos. Recklo is shouting and pointing at something as they run towards the Cornucopia- and all I can hear across the distance and through the earth's screams is "-there-!" Sin says nothing; he just bares his teeth in an animalistic grin, gripping the baseball bat I recognised as the instrument of Cobalt's death.
They're the only ones who have made it so close to the Cornucopia, and I feel a pang of disappointment as I see the table laden with a clean white linen cloth and several blurry items I can't recognise. Where is Holden? Where are Cisqua, Adelaide, and Boxen... and was Crux still in the infirmary? There's no way of knowing right now. No one's died...
I wish I could know where everyone was. Slowly the rumbling begins to die down, and my hearing returns in full volume.
Sin's reached the table, and he's shouting. "Fuck yes!" I think he's roaring. I try to squint, but all I can see is a mechanical device that looks terribly familiar.
-then my blood runs cold. I recognise that form. It's identical to the one I had been so close to taking away from Crux- and Sin's waving it in the air like he's won the lottery. And my skin is crawling like I'm on fire.
Sin has a crossbow.
That was what they had wanted. They were all furious that Crux had the upper hand, which was certainly true- as Crux was the only tribute with ten kills to his name so far. The Gamemakers had listened, and had decided that it would be interesting to have twice as much airborne stakes taking lives.
I'm mortified as he throws the baseball bat to Recklo. They share a curt handshake before turning away from one another and staring into the distance- awaiting the remaining tributes to approach the field. From the way it's glinting in the sun, this crossbow is solid silver. Crux's crossbow was made of wood and wire.
My cleaver suddenly feels very useless and heavy in my hands. I have several metal stakes in my pocket that I had taken from Crux- but what good are they, or my backpack for that matter? Sin and Recklo are going to wait for the others to unwittingly come into plain view- where they can either shoot them or beat them to death.
'-run, run away from here while you still can.' The voice whispers. 'You can hide in the remains of the block, go now-!'
"I can't do that," I whisper, panicking under the pressure. "-b-but what can I do? If Holden doesn't know that they're waiting there... he'll get killed for sure..."
The medicine on the table has to be what Holden is after. Adelaide had looked fairly roughed up when I saw her on the screen- and with only Holden and Boxen protecting her, she probably had only survived this long because of them. Being the big brother he is he's bound to come running out- spirits high, completely ignorant to the danger he was running into...
I have to stop him before he makes that mistake. The Gamemakers had promised this would be my chance to find the person I had been chasing- but I can't squander this chance away at the risk of his life. This is my chance to save him.
Then I hear it, the sound of footsteps, and hurried shouting. My heart leaps as I turn to my right- and see two figures running out towards the field. Wait, I just stop myself from shouting out his name. It isn't Holden.
It's Boxen and Cisqua. Strangely, Cisqua's red hair has been cropped even shorter from its previous shoulder length- and Boxen is carrying my old forgotten tin lunch box. I take a moment before I realise that they're probably here on Holden's behalf. Cisqua must have teamed up with them.
That means I need to warn them. I can already see Recklo's shoulders stiffening as he begins to recognise the sounds of approaching tributes. He hasn't seen them yet. There's a block obscuring them. I take my chance.
"STOP RUNNING!" my voice is hoarse. "CISQUA! CISQUA! THEY'VE GOT A CROSSBOW-!"
-they're not stopping, they can't hear me! Cisqua disappears out of sight behind a collapsed block, but Boxen bursts back into view. I jerk forwards in horror as Sin spins around, aims- and fires. I shrink backwards on instinct.
But Boxen doesn't fall back. The stake didn't hit its mark. I can hear Sin curse as Boxen is nearing the table, just metres away from the duo- and Sin aims again. I can hear the whistle through the air as it completely misses its target once again.
Sin isn't like Crux. His aim is poor in comparison to him. Crux was shooting people through their eye-sockets from thirty paces. Sin is ten feet away, and can't land a hit.
I hold my breath as Boxen swipes at a tiny white backpack- YES. He's grabbed it in his left hand. Recklo dives forwards with the bat, but Boxen swings the little lunchbox and hits him in the face- sending Recklo stumbling backwards but dropping the tin box during the process.
Then he turns, and starts running back. An overwhelming sense of happiness is enveloping me- because if I follow them back to their hide-out, I'll find Holden for sure.
He's halfway back to the block- and Cisqua is back into view. She's running towards him, and saying something... shouting... "-move-!"...? I squint to gain a better view- only to scrunch my eyes shut in horror.
Boxen topples forwards, and Cisqua just evades his body. He's not dead, and starts clawing the ground before him as the silver stake sticks into his right shoulder. I hear a cheer from Sin, who is brandishing the crossbow and shaking Recklo eagerly.
My eyes dart back to Cisqua, and I immediately notice that she's panicking. Boxen is grappling for her ankles, and seems to be crying something. I watch in shock as she tries to kick him away- tugging the backpack out of his arms as she screams "-get away-!"
I don't believe it. Cisqua is going to ditch him like she did with Sparkle. Boxen isn't even badly injured- he's just scared! My body shakes, a mix of disgust and revulsion filling every inch of my being as Cisqua pulls her legs free of Boxen's dying grip.
There's no way I can stand this. I thought she was decent, that she'd be a reliable team mate. That the Sparkle incident was just because of the fear Cisqua had been feeling.
She's turning to run. Boxen grabs her ankle one more time, and as she tries to yank free once more I scream at the top of my lungs.
"-DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE HIM-!"
Cisqua freezes, but it's not because of my scream. There's a hoarse shout from the field, and my attention snaps back- just in time to see the silver crossbow clatter to the grass and Sin scream as a silver stake has dug itself into the back of his left hand.
Oh my god.
Crux looks beside himself with rage. As Sin stares at him in shock- I can hear with perfectly clarity as Crux roars.
"-GET OUT OF HERE- BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!"
Sin doesn't need to be told twice. Nursing his bleeding hand, he runs- and doesn't look back as Recklo tries to scramble to his feet to follow. Crux doesn't pay him any attention, and instead- looks up as Cisqua who, fifteen or so metres away- shakily looks at him as Boxen continues to cry out in pain.
I can hear everything. I'm stunned by my own ability as I watch the scene unfold.
"Kill him."
"-What-?"
Crux picks up Recklo's bat, with little resistance. Recklo sits on his ass, staring up at Crux in fear. All traces of his murderous side were long diminished in sight of his new child-like fear. He was like an oversized toddler, gaping and trembling in fear. The bat soars through the air as Crux throws it to Cisqua, who picks it up- trembling.
"Kill Boxen," Crux orders, "Do it now."
I gape. Crux can't be serious, can he? Cisqua stares at him, then at the sobbing, pained figure at her feet. I can see her knuckles go white as she squeezes the bat nervously.
"-if I do... will you team up with me?"
What?! Cisqua? What are you saying?
"...we'll see."
Her face contorts. Without another word, she raises the bat above her head- and I can do nothing but watch in shock as she brings it crashing down upon her comrade's skull.
Blood spurts up at her, showering her front as Boxen's body lays limp- and his alarm rings. But she doesn't stop- and she continues smashing into the boy who she had just run alongside as the alarm cries out.
I'm going to be sick. The bile pushes into my mouth, and I cough and splutter as it falls down the front of my blouse. Cisqua looks up at Crux for approval.
"-is that all?"
"No," Crux nods at his feet, "This one too."
Recklo's shoulders shoot up- but as he tries to scramble backwards Crux grabs him by the collar. He's not even fighting back, merely quaking in fear as the seventeen year old boy holds him steady- bearing no expression whatsoever.
Cisqua approaches slowly. The bat is still dripping with Boxen's blood as she raises it again. Crux drops Recklo the field and steps backwards, and Cisqua swings.
The bile rises up again, but I'm fighting through the terror. The alarm rings out well before Cisqua stops- and by the time she does she's heaving and puffing as she looks up at Crux once more. The bat falls silently the ground as she smiles weakly up at him.
"I... I did it..."
How can I hear her murmurs? I'm strangely reminded of Crux's comment- how his eyesight is only matched by my hearing... perhaps it was a blessing in disguise...
"How pitiful..." Crux is looking down at Recklo's body.
"...so... we're allies?"
Her voice is hopeful. I can understand why she's edging for his partnership. Crux is the most fearsome competitor in this arena- aside from Sin. But when you watch Sin scuttle away from Crux- you know who's the more powerful.
"...why do you want me as an ally?"
I can just see her body stiffen. Cisqua takes time to answer him before her voice quivers in a hollow happy tone.
"-I-I've always... always liked you Crux... a-and this might be the last day I'm able to be with you..."
What? I can't look away now. Standing here, poorly concealed in the remains of a block's brick wall- I can see Crux stare as Cisqua steps closer towards him, arms shyly reaching out for his.
"-e-everyone trusts me, we could... could kill them all together..."
"...you like me...?"
Something inside me aches. I'm terrified of the idea that Cisqua and Crux would pair up and become a killing squad- but something else is hurting. Is it the distrust I feel that I almost partnered with this girl, so ready to turn against her friends? Or is it that she confessed her feelings to Crux...?
'Don't let it sway you.' the strict voice demands. 'You can't do this now.'
But... do what...?
Her arms wrap around the still boy, her head only reaching to his chin. She hugs him closely, her eyes closing as he relaxes and for the first time- I don't hear what she whispers.
-but I hear the scream that follows.
I shrink to my knees and grip the rubble as Cisqua, her arms still stiff around Crux's middle- chokes and begins to splutter. Crux shoves her back, and even with my terrible eyesight- I can see the silver stake glint in the sunlight from where it gouges her stomach.
"Team up with you Miss Class President?!" Crux screams with laughter. "-let you kill them?! That's a privilege no one but I deserves!"
"-p-please!" Cisqua croaks, bent over on herself. "T-They all said you loved me... h-help me... I-I'll kill them... help you..."
"Oh no Miss President... I'm going to enjoykilling such a pitiful creature as you..." The hyena laugh melts into his frightening silver voice once more. "Look at your hands... covered in your blood..."
She crumbles to the ground, but the alarm isn't ringing. Tears creep down my cheeks as she continues to struggle against the pain- but I can see a terrible green yellow liquid spilling out onto her hands- which are coated with her precious blood. She's still whispering as Crux fiddles with his instrument of destruction.
"-enjoy this moment Miss President... it's your final moment on earth... and your family's. They deserve it... for raising such a disgusting creature as their daughter."
He slowly brings the crossbow down to her face, but reconsiders. Instead- he kneels down and points it into her chest.
"See you."
Her body jerks backwards, the alarm rings out- and I allow myself one audible sob as Crux pulls his stakes from her still bleeding corpse.
-and then there were five.
Five disgusting creatures left in the arena.