To the Death

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My heart stopped as Lucius said the dreaded number. "1."

Dean immediately sliced the knife at me, but I was ready for it. I jumped to the side and dodged it. Penelope was running off into the woods with about 6 others. I had no help.

Dean and another man by the name of Cody had me trapped between them. They circled me, their weapons constantly striking at me.

My heart jumped to my throat as Cody's knife barely grazed my back. Suddenly the sound of a cannon made us all stop in our tracks. It was a sign that somebody was dead. Dean and Cody were staring at the top of the Arena. They were distracted!

I took this opportunity to escape. I darted past them as fast as I could. "GET BACK HERE, BITCH!" Dean screamed from behind me. I ran straight into the forest, using the trees as shields from any danger. I think that's the fastest I've ever run in my life.

My heart stopped as I felt a dagger fly just past me, barely missing my head. I screamed and ran faster as I felt several daggers fly past me, some of them so close, I could feel the wind behind them.

Suddenly… they stopped. They weren't being thrown at me anymore. I didn't slow down though. This was definitely some kind of trap. My heart pounded and my breathing labored as I continued to run. I could see the clearing about 500 feet ahead, a small orange backpack waiting for me in the middle of it.

I could hear my furious heartbeat in my pounding head.

400 feet. I could hear Dean catching up to me, Cody right behind him, both of them yelling very vulgar and grotesque things at me.

300 feet. I picked up my speed as another dagger was hurled in my direction. "THAT'S RIGHT KEEP RUNNING, YOU STUPID BITCH! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT INTO A TRAP!" No. I refused to stop running.

200 feet. Think of Ron. Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron, Ron. Oh, shit. He's probably having a heart attack right now. I shook my head, tears spilling from the corners of my eyes as I continued to run. Don't think about that! Think about Harry! Think about your family, and how they're waiting for you at home.

100 feet. I could almost feel the leather of the orange backpack in my grasp. I was almost there. Just a few more feet, and I would be okay.

75 feet. Dean was getting so close that I could feel the pounding of his steps on the ground behind me. My muscles burned in protest as I sped up my run, desperate to get away from them.

50 feet. Cody circled in front of me, just behind my backpack, two long daggers in his hands, a demented smile etched upon his face. "YOU'RE GONNA DIE, BITCH!" He screamed from his position in front of me.

25 feet. Think think think! How am I going to get out of this? My mind screamed at me, my heart exploded with pure terror, my entire body begged me to stop running. I needed to think of a plan. Cody got closer and closer to me as I ran right at him. I could feel Dean's warm, rasping breath on the back of my neck, making the hairs stand up on end.

20 feet. Five. My heart continued to pound in my ears.

15 feet. Four. I began to slow my pace to a jog.

10 feet. Three. I could practically hear Ron screaming at the television.

5 feet. Two. I reached my hand out toward the bag. Cody lunged at me with his dagger. I ducked from it and grazed the backpack with my fingers, feeling its leather material just out of my reach.

0 feet. One.

I can't even remember grabbing the knife from my bag. It was just suddenly in my hand. Cody jumped up toward me, tackling me to the ground. Adrenaline got a hold of me as we flew through the air.

I gripped the knife with a death grip.

We hit the floor with a giant thud.

I closed my eyes, expecting the attack that never came.

I looked up at Cody. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. I felt his weight lift from my body as he fell to the ground, shaking and convulsing in pain. I was shaking from shock and pure adrenaline. I felt like I was going to be sick.

His back was bleeding profusely as he looked at me with pleading eyes. He coughed, blood splattering across the grass he was laying on. I looked away from him for one second, trying to see who had saved me.

Dean stood about 10 feet away, blood soaking his t shirt. I opened and closed my mouth over and over again, trying to find the words I desperately wanted to say.

"Why?" I choked out, the lump in my throat growing with every breath. Tears filled my eyes. I don't know why I am the way that I am, but I couldn't handle Cody laying there in a pool of his own blood. I needed to try to help him, even though he attempted to end my life not a minute ago.

Dean gave me a look of absolute hatred. He pointed his knife toward the forest. With a shaking voice, he spoke. "You have 5 minutes."

I opened my mouth and furrowed my brow. I shook my head, a sob erupting from my throat. "No. I c-can't just l-leave him h-here."

I took Cody's hand in mine, as his skin began to grow colder and colder with each breath he struggled to gain. His dying eyes sparkled with tears of pain as he gripped my hand as if it were a lifeline. I had never seen a human being die before. Or at least, I've never witnessed anybody's death. I sobbed in absolute sorrow for Cody as his hand released its vice like grip on mine.

"GO!" Dean screamed from behind me. "GET OUT!" I dropped Cody's freezing hand and began to stand up on shaking legs. "You have 4 minutes." I shook my head again, still not wanting to leave the dead body.

Dean jumped toward me, making me flinch. With shaking legs, and an upset stomach, I took off toward the forest.

I continued to run as I heard the booming sound of a cannon behind me, signaling Cody's death. 2 people. 2 people had died, and I wasn't one of them. Lucius and Viktor were wrong. I wasn't dead.

I slowed to a walk, my backpack hitched onto my right shoulder. I took a dagger out, protecting myself from any oncoming danger. I looked around cautiously, just waiting for somebody to jump out at me.

That's when I felt a hand wrap around my neck.