To the Death

Hey everyone! Haven't updated in a while, sorry. Here it is, finally! ALSO! I'm going to post the first chapter of the sequel to White TODAY! So be on the lookout for it! It should be up later!

I was shaking. I was treading water furiously, my heart was thudding against my ribs, and I was shaking. My breath came out in desperate gasps, my lungs still begging for the air they so desperately craved. I lowered my head back underwater, trying to investigate what had just happened. I looked around wildly, hoping to see that flash of ginger hair again, but much to my dismay, I saw nothing but algae and sand particles, kicked up from my struggle.

Impossible. I could've sworn Ron was underwater. I could've sworn he was trying to drown me. I wanted to investigate further, but I knew I couldn't stay in one place for too long. My body, still a bit shaken from my attack, protested as I began to swim across the lake to the other side of the shore, my original destination. My heart thudded with every bit of distance I covered.

I stopped. I heard a low rumbling sound below me. The water began to ripple and turn as the entire world felt like it was shaking violently. I heard a short beeping noise begin to sound. There were a few seconds in between each shrill beep, as if there were a countdown going on. That small frame of time between each beep became shorter and shorter.

I began to panic and swam as quickly as I could to the shore, my heart thudding and my muscles screaming at me to stop. I could stand in the water now, the sand rushing up to my feet quickly as I closed the gap between me and the shore. The beeps became closer and closer together, my heartbeat quickly matching them. Finally, my bare feet felt the cold ground once again. I had no time to look back as the beeping continued to grow closer and closer together.

I picked up my pace, darting past tree after tree, venturing deeper and deeper into the forest. I heard the quick shuffle of hurried footsteps approach me. Oh great. I thought as the footsteps began to sound closer and closer. This is just what I need.

The beeps began to grow so close together that I couldn't hear any pause between them. I stopped as the owner of the hurried footsteps ran into my vision. It was Charlie, the intern I had worked with in October. He was no older than 20, with yellow-blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes. Those eyes usually held a sense of mischief within them, but right now, they were filled to the brim with tears of panic and hopelessness.

BEEEEEEEEEEEP! One long, shrill beep filled the arena. Charlie looked at me, his eyes begging me to help him somehow. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Hermione, what's going o-" Suddenly I was thrown from my position as an explosion sent me flying violently through the forest with break-neck speed. I hit the ground roughly, my head hitting the floor violently. I laid there in that position for the longest time, my head pounding, feeling as though it were about to split open. I let out a moan and put my hands on my head, squeezing my eyes shut. In my fog, I could distantly hear the sound of three cannons exploding in the distance. Three. Three more people were dead. I found myself hoping to God that Dean was one of them.

Wait a minute. There were nine of us originally put in the arena. First, somebody immediately died, then Cody, then Justin, then Penelope, then Charlie and two others. That means… That means that there were only two left.

This was almost over.

I dizzily lifted my head to assess the damage that the explosion made. My entire side of the forest was engulfed in flames, spitting sparks and furiously roaring, destroying everything in its path. It was as if the never ending flames of Hell had emerged from the ground and engulfed the world in a burning Hell much like itself.

My head pounded with protest as I stood on shaking legs. My vision was blurred and everything felt like the world was spinning. I was pretty sure I had a concussion, but I couldn't lay there and burn to death. The flames quickly approached me and I could practically feel their heat begin to burn my skin.

I turned quickly, about to run away, but my head screamed at me in protest. The heat behind me increased as black spots began to invade my vision. No! I couldn't pass out. I couldn't burn to death! I was so close to winning. So close to going home. I refused to succumb to the taunting blackness that faded my vision.

I let out a scream of pain as my brain felt as if it were exploding inside my skull. I dug my teeth into my cheek and broke out into a run. The heat behind me began to subside as I increased the distance between the flames and me. My stomach began to bubble and I felt as if I were going to vomit. I had this feeling before, but not like this. It was definitely my body's reaction to the concussion, so this time I was actually going to vomit.

I looked behind me and the flames were a good 100 yards away. I began to shake, my legs no longer able to support my weight, and collapsed, leaning against a tree. I put a hand to my stomach as I began to violently vomit. My heart pounded, my brain screamed in pain, I broke out in a cold sweat, and my breath came out in uneven, wild gasps. I don't think I'd ever felt this sick in my life. I'd never vomited this much in my life. My stomach felt empty as ever, yet I continued to throw up as if I had just eaten an entire feast.

The vomiting began to turn into long dry heaves as my vision began to darken once more. I lay down on my back and stared up at the sky. The top of the arena was clear, giving me a fantastic view of the stars above. The dry heaving began to finally subside, turning into violent coughs. My chest constricted, feeling as though my lungs had tied themselves together.

It was then that I realized I hadn't slept for the past four days. Four days. That's how long I'd been out here? It only felt like one long, agonizing day had passed. I was probably in that cave a lot longer than I thought.

I began to close my eyes and tried to even out my ragged breathing. It was so nice to finally relax for the first time in days. I rested my hand on my stomach and immediately pulled it away with a loud hiss. I was suddenly brought back to the memory of burning the wound on my stomach. I cringed at the thought. It felt as if I were being tortured again. The burning, rippling pain exploding through me, feeling as though everything inside of me were tearing themselves to pieces.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the snapping sound of a twig in front of me. My heart began to pound. My weapons were on the other side of the lake. I had nothing to defend myself with, I was concussed and could barely move.

I slowly lifted my head, my mind telling me to stay down, but I couldn't. I had to see who it was that was going to take my life. Who it was that was going to make sure I never came home. Who it was that was going to make sure I never saw my family again.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me."