Day 4: Avox POV

I crack a pheasant's egg into one of Mr. Aurelian's pans. I'm making him and his wife their favorite breakfast. The screen in the next room shows Caesar and Claudius talking about the highlights of the Games yesterday. I think about the two tributes from district 9. When I see the children every year in the Games, I can't help but think of my own childhood. My parents both died when I was 14, so I took to the streets and became a pickpocket. The only other alternative was the orphanage, and I heard that conditions there were miserable. I started stealing only small bits of food, just enough to keep alive. Then I stole bigger and bigger things, eventually stealing a large necklace right off of a Peacekeeper's wife's neck. That was the last straw. I was only 18 when I became an avox. In the training course we were forced to take, I learned how to cook. It's now my passion. Mr. Aurelian and his wife often brag about my skills to their friends. I put in the final mixture of spices just as my master comes downstairs, his eyes still bleary from sleep. He takes the plate and mumbles his thanks, then moves to the screen to watch the Games.

Mrs. Aurelian won't be up for at least another hour, so I focus on the screen. The camera shows Amber, who has the least chances to win, but is my personal favorite. She is sitting in her tree with her head buried in her hands. Of course, such an innocent young girl will be slightly mentally off after her first kill. But that girl from 3 betrayed her. Amber trusted her, only to end up with a gun at her neck. She was somehow able to wrestle the gun away, and she sent a dart in Dayta's shoulder. Dayta pulled the dart out, and actually laughed at Amber. Suddenly, she began to twitch violently, and writhed and screamed on the ground. I will never forget what she screamed over and over again. "What's in this?" "What's in this!" "WHAT IS IN THIS?" She stopped eventually, and her cannon fired. I remember the stone cold glare on Amber's face. "It's poison." She had whispered. No doubt about it, Amber could be lethal.

Now I see the Career pack. They're arguing again, this time over who could have possibly stolen the food. Mason, Agate, and Chardonnay think it was the other pack, but Coral insists it was Amber. Just when things are getting so heated I think there will be killing for sure, Coral gets up and storms away. The others are so surprised they don't even draw their weapons. "Now what?" Agate mumbles. "We go after the pack." Mason answers. Chardonnay and Agate nod, and set off. Then, just as the cameras move toward the currently being hunted pack, Mrs. Aurelian walks in. She picks up her breakfast, but leaves immediately. The Games make her "delicate stomach" go haywire. I honestly would choose to leave too, but I'm required to stay right by her husband. Besides, I want to see how far the two tributes from 9 can get. As it turns out, the pack has much bigger problems then Careers. Watching them from high up in the trees are deadly serpent mutations.

I already know it's too late for poor Laurel as the first one lands right next to her. These snakes have been genetically engineered so they're more like centipedes, with countless legs that can go faster than any person could run. The others begin sprinting, and Elana, clever girl she is, scrambles up a tree. These snakes were originally placed in the trees by Gamemakers, but they can't actually climb. Lyndon and Chase follow her example, but Bracken runs back to Laurel. Why would he do that? Does he really think he can save her? I guess he does because he's swinging at the things left and right with his scythe. He doesn't notice the one behind him, and it bites him in the heel around the same time that one sinks its fangs into Laurel's neck. Bracken grabs her hand. He whispers in a pained voice "Laurel, I love you." She gives him the faintest smile, as her cannon sounds. He has time to give her hand one last squeeze before he joins her. I should have known. Lovers never last long in the arena.

The strangest thing was; I don't think anyone knew they were in love. They must have kept it secret. I notice Mrs. Aurelian sobbing behind me, and I offer her a box of tissues. Mrs. Aurelian always had a soft spot for "young love." Even I have to admit, it's pretty sad watch these two start their love suddenly in the Games, and then end it in just the same way. Now the Careers are looking at their faces projected in the sky. They look very confused as to what could have killed them. Mason turns to the others. "Let's just wait. Whatever killed those two is probably still around the area." Agate speaks up. "I'll make a fire because wild animals sometimes get scared of the flames." Agate is clever like Amber, but in a much different way. Amber is only lethal when it's absolutely necessary; Agate is lethal for the pure fun of it.

The snakes have finally gone away, led away by some strange source. They'll be gone for good now. They've done their job. Elana, Lyndon, and Chase slowly make their ways down from the trees. They all seem slightly in shock after witnessing their allies' awful deaths. Elana sits on a log and buries her head in her hands. I remember that she and Laurel were especially close. Chase sits down next to her. "I never really knew they were in love," he whispers. Elana looks up. "I saw them holding hands once, right after the interviews." "Do you think they knew each other before the Reaping?" Lyndon asks, to no one in particular. Elana sighs. "I guess we'll never know." Chase moves over to the tree where Laurel's bow is. "I don't know about you guys, and I know they were going to die eventually, but I want to remember them." Elana and Lyndon nod. As I serve dinner to the husband and wife (they were too immersed in the Games to eat lunch) I realize what a good group this is. They aren't bloodthirsty; in fact, they're just a bunch of confused kids with good hearts who were forced to grow up a lot too soon.

Chase goes down to the small creek that has been their source of water. He reached to the bottom, and pulls out as many rocks as he can. Lyndon and Elana aren't sure what he's doing, but they do the same. Soon, they have a pile of rocks laid in their clearing. Chase whispers something into Elana's ear, and she gives him the saddest smile I've ever seen. "What did he say?" Mrs. Aurelian gasps. There's no one who has the answer though. After whispering something just as quiet into Lyndon's ear, Lyndon begins to bend the bow. What could he be doing? It's a perfectly good weapon and he could be breaking it! Chase picks up Bracken's scythe and motions for Lyndon to follow. Elana stand up to reveal what she's written with the stones. It says:

REST IN PEACE LAUREL AND BRACKEN

Chase and Lyndon lay down the bow and scythe. After the message, the Capital immediately flips the camera to Coral walking through the trees, but not before I can see what the scythe and bow is forming. It's a heart. I realize just what Chase and the others mean by doing. They've purposely broken the bow and left the scythe to show that they don't care about weapons, and therefore they don't want to kill. I can only wonder how long that will last.

Still Alive:

1. Chardonnay (1)

2. Agate (2)

3. Mason (2)

4. Coral (4)

5. Elana (7)

6. Lyndon (7)

7. Amber (9)

8. Chase (9)

Injuries:

None

Deaths:

Bracken (11)

Laurel (11)