Flashes of Gold

Chapter Thirteen: Assistance

For a moment, all I can do is stand there and try to catch my breath. My lungs are bursting, heaving against the currents of air that cascade down my throat. At my side, my hands are in fists and my nails are digging into my skin. I stare into Samuel's eyes, slightly overcome by the intense hatred building up in them, and fumble around for a plan. But in the end, I'm left with only my ability to think on the spot.

He snarls, lips contorting in his rage, and grabs the long, sharp knife that is strapped to his side. Once again, I'm taken aback by the cold blooded emotion of his face. He is inhuman.

"I suppose I should thank you," his voice is dark and angry, and not the least bit thankful. I shift my weight to my other foot, edging closer to the side of the little seven foot cliff as he steps forward. He smiles a manic smile and continues, "You killed off the Career Pack in just a few days. Impressive."

He twists the knife around in his hand, expertly weaving it through his fingers without a second thought. He is still coming towards me, but I'm running out of room to back up and I know time is quickly running out. He smirks vividly and suddenly, he's not twisting his knife anymore, but rather holding it at the base of the blade, seemingly ready to throw it. "So thanks, I guess. After I kill you, it'll be that much easier to get rid of the rest of them."

I know he's about to throw it. I can see it in the way he's standing and the way he's staring at me with that annoying confidence. Like he doesn't think I'll be able to dodge. And why would he be wrong? There's no place for me to go except off the cliff, and if I do that, my back will be open and just begging for a hit with that knife. I can't go around the cliff because it'll take too long and it'll be even easier for him to hit me.

I stare at him, a brooding calculating look taking over my face. I might have a chance, though it is small. Tilting my head arrogantly, I smirk, "I think you're forgetting something."

He pauses, raising a brow, and scoffs, "What would I be forgetting? I have everything I need right here." But he doesn't take another step because he's probably thinking over my words. I can tell by the careful look he's giving me.

I shrug and smile. "Oh, I don't know…maybe the fact that the forest is my domain." But I don't know if I can make another quick escape with my leg.

He seems to think the same thing, because he's laughing, eyes closing for the briefest of seconds. But it is a second all the same, and I steal the chance immediately. I step backwards and fall, airborne for a moment before landing expertly on bent legs. My knee screams out for a moment, but I ignore it and then I'm running again, feeling free…and then grounded, because Sam has thrown his knife and it has found it's target.

I can't belief how lucky I am that it only caught the edge of my arm. It's pinning me to the forest floor, and I can't free myself, but I'm unharmed for now. A few yards away, Sam is laughing again. He stands atop the cliff with his arms crossed, probably thinking he's some sort of royalty. "'The forest is your domain'? Ha! And yet here you are, pinned like a helpless little animal."

I grind my teeth together, blood boiling furiously. I've never wanted to kill someone as badly as I do him. The dark desire takes hold of me, swirling in my veins and making me glare at him with a hatred I've never felt. Not when Calan got on my every nerve, not when Evon stood me up, not when the townspeople labeled and judged me.

I'm about to try to get free again when Sam's eyes drift away from me, and I turn my face as well to see what he's staring at. To my surprise, it's a parachute, and it's not floating over to Sam. It's floating to me.

He's shocked, too. But when I reach over with my free hand and push aside the white fabric to feel a sleek wooden handle, I'm overjoyed. I tug out an ax, and when I swing it once in my hand it feels like an extension of my arm. When I look back at Sam, my evil smirk seems to catch him off guard.

I struggle free from my jacket, leaving the knife embedded in the earth as I stand. My new weapon hangs powerfully at my side, and I'm overcome by the confidence it exudes. I'm going to kill him, and I'm going to enjoy it.

He seems to know my thoughts because suddenly, our roles are reversed. He turns and bolts up the steep hillside, but he can't go very far because I'm chasing him, climbing up the cliff with a litheness that I don't even notice. He makes it about ten feet from the cliff's edge before my ax is digging into his back, and he lets out a horrific scream that tears through me like a ghost. He falls face first into the dirt and speaks no more.

I'm vaguely aware of the canon going off, but my mind is still in shock at how much his scream affected me. I force my legs to move and they give out a few feet from his body. I grip the blade of the ax and pull it out with a sickening squelching sound that makes me want to hurl. This is the first time I've actually killed in such a murderous way, and I have a feeling that it will stay with me for years to come if I ever make it out.

I am beginning to wonder at how many tributes there are left when suddenly, an excited, static voice fills the silence and I am left utterly shocked. I scramble to the side, press my back against the trunk of a nearby tree as though it will act as protection. But what awaits me isn't evil. In fact, it is the one thing I have been waiting for since the very beginning of this cursed journey.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a Victor!"

What? But there must be other tributes left! There must be! It can't be over, it simply can't be. There must be some sort of catch to this, but to my surprise the voice just continues to speak, congratulating District 7 and myself for staying alive thus far.

But I'm still too shocked. I can hardly breathe and I can't move a muscle, even after I'm being carded into a shuttle. The forest that I have been in for weeks on end is now gone and I am unable to process the realization that I am now free.

"Congratulations to our Victor from District 7!" is all I hear before suddenly, someone shoves a needle into my arm and my world darkens.

Author's Note: Edited on November 24th 2012. I've decided to change the ending of this chapter cause I just can't figure out how to proceed and I want to hurry up and get this done! So I apologize if it ends a bit abruptly, but I'm hopeful that it'll prompt me to start writing the story again :3 Please review~