Porcelain Mask Chapter 15: Bleeding, a hunger games fanfic

Ok, to be honest, the first bit would probably take longer than 60 seconds, but, but… but… SHUT UP AND STOP JUDGING ME! *Sob number two*. Why does everyone judge me! I just want to be loved! Isn't that right mother!

Skeleton in the corner - Look, you're going to be sued by Suzanne Collins for stealing her stuff anyway, don't make it worse by letting Hitchcock sue you for making a stupid reference to 'Psycho'. Sheesh, what's wrong with you?

Me - Many things, including bad breath, Aspergers and incontinen...

Readers - STFU! OMG, TMI!

Me - Please don't use acronyms. I'll cry if you use them again, is that what you want? I'll just go cry in a corner then.

Readers - Don't do that!

Me - Will you review this chapter then?

Readers - Well, we're sort of busy... Doing other things.

Me - Fine then, be like that!

*sob*

Disclaimer – I do not own the Hunger Games, I barely own a Wii as it is, and I had to give my brother the Xbox yesterday.

Bleeding

60 seconds. That's the time I have to make up a plan I really should have done last night, instead of wasting time on that stupid notebook.

But at least I have an advantage.

The scenery reminds me of District 4, with the rust coloured dirt and crunchy dirt. Well, I assume it's crunchy; I don't want to stand on it to check. I like both of my legs firmly attached to my body, thank you very much.

In front of me is an azure sea, glistening with the sunlight reflecting off it, lazily sweeping backwards and forwards with a calming 'swoosh' sound. I can see flashes of colour and shades which only means one thing to someone from District 4, Fish. So I won't starve then. The point we are at now seems to be the intersection between 4 habitats, if you could call them that. They all 'flow' into each other seamlessly. In front of me is the sea, and the beach, and I think I can make out a small island in the centre of the sea. Sea is good; hardly anyone except 4 can swim, so that gives me a definite advantage. Wonder if I could make it to the island?

Probably.

To my left is a forest, though it's being a bit generous calling it that. With the reddy-brown dirt, it contrasts the few, scraggy palm trees sticking out, with leaves of deepest green. I can see through it for what seems like miles, and it provides no protection from the elements. I also don't think someone could climb one, as the bare trunks provide little leverage. Maybe the Capitol got bored of watching tributes from 7 and 11 hiding up trees for most of the game?

Well, I can't climb trees either, so that probably helps me too.

To the right of me is what seems like a large, black wall, 100 feet high, maybe more, with a few handholds here and there, but no protection if you fell. Not going to climb that anyway I think. I strain my neck around, to see if it continues, and it does, going on for miles. In fact, I squint hard at a fuzzy shape on the cliff; I think there's a waterfall over there, maybe 2 miles away. I look up at the dark blob above me. Are we supposed to climb that? Because I really don't think that's possible. Even those who can climb, from 7 or 11, are used to trees not sheer rock cliffs. 2 might be able to do it, seeing as they do quarrying.

Where the rocky table meets the sea, an almost vertical cliff is formed, though I think I can see a small path winding near the top, though you'd need to climb 20 feet to get to it.

I turn and look behind me, where a vast plain stretches out as far as the eye can see, complete with a few animals, though they seem vicious looking to me. There are no trees and no vegetation as far as I can see. I'd call it a desert rather than a plain to be honest.

A meandering river cuts its way through the desolate landscape, passing by the cliff (maybe it came from the waterfall?) and making its way past the Cornucopia, cutting it down the middle. Now I come to think about it, half of the tributes' paths are unaffected by the river, while the other half (me included) have a bloody river in the way of us, 10 feet wide, but god-knows how deep. It keeps us on the side of the woods.

I could swim it easily, but I'm betting that there aren't just fish in there too. The Capitol has probably put something a little 'extra' into that river, hopefully trying to kill some of us of before the games.

I glance around to look at the other tributes on my side of the river, the harder side…

(Just after I check the time quickly. I glance up at the big clock counting down to death and see that I still have 50 seconds to go, and I've spent 10 of the 60 looking at the scenery. Though that could probably come in useful too, I know where everything is now, and where to go for water.)

I'm right next to the river, and I can feel occasional splashes leaping up from it. I can see Copia and Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1, on the other side of it from me, which is a good thing, as they'd be the first people to kill me if I got in their way. Next to them is the ghost girl from 7, still looking as out of it as normal, fiddling with her hair in a dreamy sort of way. She really shouldn't do that when standing next to someone like Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1.

On her left I see the giant of a girl from 11, Pomona, staring at the ghost girl in a way that makes me feel guilty for not doing anything. She'll probably be dead in… 45 seconds. Next to her I can make out Nyx, 12's boy and 12's girl, who's fiddling with her hair like the ghost girl, but in a totally different way. Whereas the ghost girl was doing it absent mindedly, or even out of boredom, 12's girl looks terrified, sandwiched between her high-scoring district partner and…

Kai. He doesn't catch my eye as he's so busy staring hungrily at the pile of weapons across the river. I feel a flash of pity sweep through my system. He can't wait for the games to start.

I try to forget Kai, and my progress is helped when I see Dou next to him, nervously looking up at Kai in what can only be described as a look of fear. What's he doing on this side, with a bunch of killers?

Then it hits me. On this side are all of the high-scorers. Dou and the ghost girl got 6s, but everyone else on this side got higher than that. Maybe they want less of a bloodbath this year and want to slow the Careers down so the 'lesser' tributes can get some stuff and survive. Or maybe they want the higher ranked tributes to fight, now? Though that seems pretty unlikely, I think everyone on this side, with the possible exception of Dou, wants to get across that river as soon as possible

Dou really shouldn't be on this side.

He shouldn't be on any side.

He shouldn't be here at all.

Next to him is Camulos/Loki/Troll Number 2, who is dully looking at the river in surprise, as if wondering why some water is in the way between him and his precious weaponry. Maybe he'll try to walk past across it and drown?

And right next to me is 5's girl, Noise or something similar. It would really help if I had that stupid notebook with me right now! She's looking determinedly at the pie of weapons, and it's pretty obvious what she's going to do when the gong rings out.

Now what am I going to do?

20 seconds gone, 40 remain for me to decide.

40.

I could get across that river in a flash, and grab something quickly, and sprint off towards the sea before anyone knew I was even there!

But how do I know that the other Careers haven't already learnt to swim? I might be a better swimmer, but I doubt I could win a fight with them, weaponless. Especially one of the trolls.

But if I don't get a weapon, how am I supposed to fight back when one of them attacks me? Just put my faith in blind luck to get me out? No chance.

What about sponsors? I'm sure someone out there will have sponsored the rage girl from 4, the Capitol lap that sort of thing up. One of them could sponsor me a weapon.

And I think sponsors will still want to help me if I wimp out at the Cornucopia? I'm supposed to be mad! And it's mad to go into the bloodbath! It'll help my image.

Mad? Mad! If it's mad then why the hell am I considering doing it? I should run, just as far away as possible. Just hope that seems crazy enough for the Capitol.

Not everything's across that damn river! I can see a knife in front of me, and if I got that, I could make a spear! Then I'd be in with a chance!

But still, you're diving into the action, where all the people who want you dead are going to be in… 25 seconds. Do you really want to go there? Why not run round, to the sea? You could swim along the shore and find a beach or something.

But still… the urge to get something is overwhelming, but the sea is only 50 or so feet away, a couple of feet behind the tributes opposite me. I could go round, and then quickly nab a smaller item on the outside.

But still, that's pretty dangerous. By the time I get round, the Careers will be armed, and the small prey will have run of, meaning I'll be their next target, and unarmed.

But it's a better plan than anything else I can think of at the moment, and I'm in a pretty stressful situation. What could I grab though?

The tribute on the opposite side of the river, next to it, is probably going to run to the centre. I can see it in his eyes. In front of him is a small pen-knife that he's not looking at, and I could easily get it.

Right in front of the knife is a small pack, camouflaged so that it looks almost exactly like the sand beneath it. It's not that far in.

But the boy is looking at that, I think he's from 6. He'd get it before I did. And it's still pretty far in. I'm not getting it. If I'm going to the cliffs, then a bright white bag wouldn't be that useful anyway.

Staring around, I can see a small bag of nuts between the river-tribute and the one next to him, which I could get with no trouble. It would keep me going as I made myself some spears.

Again, anything extra I grab is going to take me that much longer to leave, and a tiny bit of time can mean death in this game.

I position myself away from the cornucopia, imagining a path behind the pedestals, straight to the sea, then round, behind the river.

I'll grab the knife, and the nuts, and maybe that loaf of bread a bit further in. Maybe I should get the spear? I can see one right near the Cornucopia…

Shut up! Not getting it! Going for those 3 things, nothing else! OK inner mad-person voice?

Good, now I should really run.

An echoing gong rings out throughout the Arena, and we all run our ways, fear and excitement flooding all of us, in separate amounts. I sprint in a circle, behind the podiums, and no-one tries to stop me.

I glance to my right, and see the boy I was watching who may have been from 6, get stabbed in the face by Copia, who's arrived at the Cornucopia already, arming herself with throwing knives. How did she get across the river so fast? Kai's not even there yet!

I try to ignore the impossibility of Copia's swimming skills; I have more important things to do, such as, say, staying alive.

I reach the sea just as I see Dou whip into the forest, clutching a backpack. And I thought he was going to just leave. The sea's still 'swooshing', though the sound is muffled slightly by the sound of screams and blades slicing through bodies. I dive at the sea, and enter the world I've missed so much.

How did I survive the last few days without the sea? Without the calm, interior of it while the world's going mad?

I really don't want to leave, so I hold my breath, keeping myself under for as long as possible. While I'm under here I can pretend that it's not happening, that I'm back in District 4, having a swim in the Ocean.

But I can't stay here forever.

I surface, and swim silently to the other side of the river, watching the Trolls kill the other-siders, while the remaining non-Careers are running away.

Crap

I spent too long in the sea; I never expected the bloodbath to be over that quickly.

But I'm not leaving with nothing!

I swim to the shore, listening to the Careers discuss tactics, assuming everyone is gone. I take a quick, sweeping look of the group and see (to my relief) that no-one has a ranged weapon.

"Who did you manage to get?" I hear the voice of Copia ask from the Cornucopia. They've entered it; perhaps they're setting up camp in there. Excellent I think. They won't be able to see me sneak to the pack. Maybe I could go for the spear. I try to exit the water quietly, freezing with fear at every wave.

"I think I got the ones from 10." A dull voice sounds. One of the two Trolls. If I can't tell them apart when I can see them, how can I do it with their voices.

A shrill laugh "Matching set!" someone calls

I think that's Copia.

The alliance between 10 and 11 is non-existent now then, if Pomona and her partner are all that are left of it, and Pomona's in the Careers.

I'm out of the water now, sneaking towards the knife first, praying that they cannot hear the sand crunching under my feet as I sneak to the knife.

"What about you sea-boy?" I hear another dull voice ask.

"I got a few" Kai says nonchalantly, as I try (with increasing desperation) to filter out the voices coming from the Cornucopia.

I am at the knife now, and I bend down, and snatch it up, and see why no-one wanted it in the first place! Its blade is about 1 inch long, and could only kill if you held it to someone's throat. Fat lot of good it'll be. I look at the bag of nuts to my left, and consider leaving now, just grabbing the nuts and going.

But I'm mad, aren't I?

I sneak towards the Cornucopia, growing confident now.

"Yeah?" Copia asks "Which ones? Was it the other farmer?"

Almost there, I reach out and brush my fingers against the nearest spear, flailing my hand at it in an attempt to grab it. All that happens is the spear brushes higher up on my fingers. The Cornucopia's not on the sand, or the rusty soil, it's made up of sea shells and other crunchy substances. I can hardly walk on it to pick up the spears, so I'm leaning over, trying hard not to fall. I lean over more.

"Oh, just the girl from 9 I think" Kai replies coolly.

CRASH!

I have fallen onto the pile of spears, and I really don't think the Careers missed that sound, no matter how stupid they are. I grab a spear in my left hand, and start to run, swearing loudly. I wonder if they're bleeping me out in the Capitol?

Kai runs out first, and sees me, running towards the sea with a spear and a stupid knife. I feel really under equipped.

"What's happening out…. Oh." Copia screams, as she runs out and sees me, closely followed by Nyx, Pomona and the Trolls.

Half-way to the sea.

I glance over my shoulder again, and see Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1 pick up a spear from the pile and prepare to throw it at me.

Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap.

I put in another burst of speed and I hear a 'whoosh' as the spear flies over my head and lands in the sea. I laugh. I can get that spear too. Feeling cocky now, I lean over and pick another bag up, this one black. Tossing it over my shoulder I run for the sea, arms thrashing wildly from side to side.

Another whoosh.

Pain erupts from the arm carrying the spear, and I gasp, releasing the spear due to pure instinct alone. I want to stop to examine my injuries, and to pick up the spear, but I don't think I have time.

I can hear the whoosh of another spear flying my way.

With a slight scream of panic I leap into the water.

Pain, worse than anything I've ever experienced fills me, effectively paralysing me for the moment. My shoulder feels like I've stuck it into a vat of acid rather than a salty sea.

I blindly strike upwards, eyes watering in pain, filling the sea with more salt water.

I can barely tell which way is up now.

The world tumbles.

I break through the surface with one arm, the left one dangling uselessly beside me. But I'm alive.

I turn to face the Careers, who look both peeved and stunned at my survival, I must have been under the water for some time.

"SO LONG SUCKERS!" I yell at them, and, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my shoulder, I dive down and feel for the spear on the sea floor.

When I surface, holding it, Copia gives a little shriek of terror, and runs into their 'base', leaving only Kai outside. I give him a little salute and dive back under the water, going towards the cliff.

I swim for what seems like hours, though it's more like 5 minutes. I follow the cliff face carefully, wary of currents that might try to drag me under. And I still haven't found a beach! There's got to be one, every time there's a cliff, there's beaches. Every year! I swim on more, trying to ignore the throbbing of my shoulder. The pains gone down, but it still hurts like hell.

YES!

In front of me I can see a streak of gold, breaking the dull pattern of grey I've been swimming past for ages.

I swim up to it and collapse on the shore, with the lapping of my feet soothing me. I really want to sleep, but I shouldn't. I should really move on to the next beach too, but I just want to sit still for a bit and organise. I'll swim on to another beach later.

I sit up, and dump my stuff down, putting the spear on the left, and emptying the black bag's contents onto the sand. The spear that I originally got is lost, but I got the one of the sea floor to replace it, as well as my crappy knife. The small pile of things from the bag is less than impressive. A black water bottle that's half full (I resist the temptation to drink it all now, and take one small sip), a black blanket, a bag of fruit (replacing the one I lost originally), a black torch(think they've got a theme going, everything in the bag's black), a black strip of cloth and finally, a small box of matches.

I chuck everything back in the bag, and focus my attention on my shoulder. The throbbing resumes now I have no distraction to keep it away.

I crane my neck to look at the back, and see, to my horror, a knife.

Sticking clean out of the top of my arm, bottom of my shoulder, while blood dribbles down my arm. It really should be bleeding more, but I've been in the sea, and the salt has helped to close the wound up, as well as the knife stuck in it. I should take it out, I need a knife, and I don't think it's hit anything vital.

I grasp the handle, causing the blade to vibrate, sending little shivers of pain throughout my body. I almost gasp in pain, but I realise I need to stay strong, or at least, pretend to.

A countdown. That's what I need, to pull this out. On the count of 3.

One…

Tw…BOOM!

I fall over, and my hand wrenched out the knife causing me to scream in agony. The boom rings out, and another sounds after it. The cannons. I put my hand over the wound, trying to stench the bleeding, while counting the cannons. 11. Almost half of the competition is gone already. I'll find out who's dead at night, but I'll be somewhere else then.

My shoulder's still bleeding, but not in a way that suggests danger. I should wash it in salt to keep away infection, but I can't bring myself to go back in the sea with an open wound. I open up the rucksack, and grab the strip of cloth. Tying it tightly, it stops most of the blood coming out, and feels relatively comfortable. Seems waterproof too.

I shiver slightly. It's cold, well no, it's actually quite warm, but they've dressed us in shorts and sleeveless T-shirts! I need to find somewhere to spend the night. I sigh sadly. I can't stay here, the Careers know I went this was, and I screamed too. I need to move on.

I pass 3 beaches, and decide that the one after seems safe enough. I'm freezing now, the hand clutching the spear seems to be frozen to it and I don't think I could swim much longer. How long was that? Half an hour I think. I haven't swum this far in ages. I beach myself on the beach like a whale, and just lie there, listening to the crashing waves. It was around 3 when the games started, so it's probably about 3.30 now, so sunset could be anytime from 2 hours away to 6 hours away, depending on what the Gamemakers want. I move further up the shore, to the place where the cliff is. The cliff feels cool to the touch, and I move away from it, shivering again.

Cold.

I open the rucksack and (glad to see it was waterproof like the cloth) bring out the blanket, which is right next to the crappy knife. I settle myself down, lying on the sand and listening to the waves as I warm up.

It's quite comfy here…

If you ignore the death, that is….

When I open my eyes it is darker. While the sun is still up, I can see pink tinges emerging on my right, spreading round the cliff. I wonder for a second why I awoke, but then I recognise the trumpety tune, the anthem. Time to find out about Dou.

My thoughts rove to Demeter, and Kai, and I feel revulsion rise up in my stomach.

The anthem finishes, and the small, terrified faces of the tributes from 3 are the first to appear, meaning the Careers have survived, unless…

The boy from 5 is next, and relief swamps me, even though I feel nothing but disgust when I think of Kai.

She was so young…

The girl from 5 survives, unsurprisingly, as does the boy from 6. The girl from 6, the boy from 7 (ghost girl survives) and both from 8 are next to light up the sky. And I feel a stab of hope (a well as a stab of pain as I move my left arm). Maybe Kai didn't kill Demeter, maybe it was a mistake…

Demeter's fear-struck face fills the sky, and I slump backwards more, even though I am already lying down. Kai killed her. Kai killed her! I fail to realise this means Dou survived, and must now know his sister is dead.

The ones from 10 are dead too, and the district 11 boy.

I realise that this means that all on my side of the river survived, and only one from the other side survived.

What are the Capitol? Goddamn fortune-tellers?