Ugh this chapter...
I just typed this all in like two hours or so. I hope you guys enjoy it. :)
Scarlett Donahall (Head Gamemaker)
If there's anything that really sets me on edge it's a disruptive president that is calling to question my work yet again.
The Avox hands the phone to me, and I take a deep breath in order to regain my composure.
"Hello President Riddley, how can I help you?" I try to give my most attentive, and obedient voice.
"Scarlett! Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
I pinch the ridge of my nose in frustration. I've received this call numerous times. Usually it has to do with the District 3 tributes using the arena for their safety, or that Jasten kid, who was taken care of courtesy of the District 3 tributes, and when I failed to get rid of the Dunois kid the first time I thought Riddley was going to try and fire me. These tributes are certainly not well behaved, but I have it under control.
"Yes sir I do know what I'm doing. I suppose I could understand your concern…"
"My concern! This has breached a point past concern, in fact, I'll be surprised if these games are able to end without causing another rebellion!"
I bite my lip, and take another breath. I wave my Avox to bring me a cup of tea. I must remain calm under all circumstances. Soon enough I will be able to quiet this man who has no idea what he's doing.
"Sir, I promise you I will make sure that they all are gotten rid of, besides the kid never revealed anything about 13. The Sparx boy is young, and of course he may have wild ideas. The Capitol is happy though, am I correct in saying so?"
"Yes, the games have brought quite a bit of excitement. However, I believe that they may be becoming bored. Honestly, I'm not sure how you're going to do it. The tribute numbers are thinning and the arena is quite vast, not only that, but I see a lot of reluctance in these ten."
"Don't worry. I am about to make an announcement that is going to change the course of these games."
"Oh yeah? I am intrigued."
"Well I'm glad that I have gotten your attention. I hope you will be watching tonight. Good day to you." I hang up the phone before he has a chance to bombard me with more questions.
If only Riddley had any idea who was really running these games, he'd have me executed on the spot, especially if he knew of my intentions. It has been a grueling few years of waiting, but I knew it would pay off. Though, I've had to sell my soul to many alliances to get this far, in the end the power will be mine and therefore worth it. Riddley is a weak man, and getting rid of him will be easiest part of my task.
Athea DiMae (3)
Faunas is not well.
All of his bites look and reek of infection and they are oozing what looks like blood from their pores. His mentality, however, has been well though despite his high fever.
"Athea," he rasps and I hand him some water. He takes a long, slow drink and then he says "I don't think I have much longer."
I feel my heart crush under the weight of those words. I really thought I was going to make him better. I don't care if only one of us can leave. I wanted to give Faunas another chance.
"Don't say that," I take the water from his hand, and stare deep into his amber eyes.
A weary smile forms on his face, and I'm thinking that the fever may be making him delirious after all.
"You're so beautiful," he says.
"Faunas… don't do that."
I try to ignore his words and instead gather up some snow and place it on his forehead. It melts almost immediately after touching his hot flesh, but he sighs with some bit of relief. I have become accustomed to staying up all night since we brought him back, and tonight is no different. Lucian lies comfortably in his sleeping bag in dreamland while I sit in the light of the moon and try to keep Faunas and I both alive and warm.
The sound of the Capitol anthem startles me. I had forgotten there was a death today. The view of a blond-haired girl pops up next with the words District 10 underneath.
"Was she the last from that district then?" I ask Faunas who is staring up at the sky.
"I think so. There's only a few left right?"
"Yeah, I try to count in my head. The two from 2, Lucian and I from 3, Shoal from 4, both from 5, a girl from 8, Faunas from 11, and then there's little Ashley. I have no idea how she's still alive.
The girl from 10 must've been the one I hit with the poison. It's been 48 hours. Usually it takes about 2-3 days for total organ failure to set it. Though I swear the girl I shot was brunette.
Instead of the animated sky disappearing like it normally does it stays bright casting the arena in a strange fake-looking glow.
"What's going on?" Faunas asks me, but I have no idea.
Suddenly a screen appears, and I see a blazing red-haired woman sitting behind a desk. Her hands are clasped together and she flashes a white smile.
"Hello tributes, for those of who don't know me my name is Scarlett Donahall and I'm your Head Gamemaker."
"I have a bad feeling about this," I whisper.
"We have decided to throw in a bit of an obstacle to spice up your games experience," she flashes that toothy smile again. "As soon as this message ends a colorless gaseous poison will begin flooding the entire arena. This poison will affect every single one of you, and will kill you in a matter of 24 hours. Tomorrow when the sun is at it's highest and the snow stops falling a bottle of antidote will reside on a table by the Cornucopia for each one of you. If you wish to live past tomorrow night I suggest you make your way over there at that time. To make the deal even sweeter some antidotes are specially formulated to heal any maladies that are currently affecting some of you. This goes for poisons, infections, or injuries. Good luck, and may the odds ever be in your favor."
The computer flashes off and I hear a sharp intake of breath from Faunas.
"Faunas, we might be able to save you yet."
Audrey Carpenter (8)
"Ashley! Ashley wake up," my voice is panicked and excited at the same time. Her little eyes open so slightly, and I push a strand of hair of her face, as I know she would be unable to do it by herself.
Ashley's condition has debilitated her to the point where her nerves are barely working anymore. She can get up in walk if she's been up for a while moving around, but in the middle of the night she's practically paralyzed. It's easy for me to carry her though especially because of all the weight she has lost in a meager 2 days.
"Ashley they made an announcement. We need to go to the Cornucopia tomorrow to get medicine. It'll help you."
Ashley closed her eyes and managed a tiny smile.
"I know. I was listening."
"Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow I'm going to go and get both of our antidotes."
"No," she cuts me off sharply. "You need to take me with you."
"Ash, not in this condition. You can barely walk."
"Yes, but I can still walk. I can't be here by myself. Besides maybe I can help."
"I don't think there's much you can do. Stay here, Ash, I'll bring it back."
"What if something happens to you, and you don't make it?"
"That's nonsense."
She's silent for a little while, and I think I've won this argument.
"Audrey, I have a bad feeling. Please just take me with you." Her face is so angelic. I see a girl who is so young and so close to death, and I couldn't deny her request. I'll be able to carry her over my shoulder, and then I can at least keep an eye on her.
Escule Hirosho (5)
When I open my eyes it's bright outside, and I can't recall when I fell asleep last night. I reach down to touch my painful stomach and find smooth bandages, and then suddenly it all comes rushing back.
I am alive.
I feel like getting up and doing a victory dance. I can't believe this at all, and I take another look at the bandages.
"So, it's probably best if we part ways now, rather than later."
"If that is what suits you," I hear Dorien. "You can have Scout's half then for your troubles."
"I guess this worked out for you then," says a male voice that must belong to Noah.
What happened to Scout?
"Look, the patient is awake," the girl from District 2 hovers over me. She lifts up my shirt to inspect the bandages. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm great! I can't believe you did that! Thank you so much. I am in your debt."
Aeron looks unsettled by my words.
"Don't get too excited yet," she says. "The games aren't over."
She walks back over to Noah, and he hoists Scout's pack over his back. Why are they taking her stuff?
"I'll be seeing you guys," Dorien's says darkly, and Noah chuckles before they turn and wander off into the forest.
"Dorien, what happened to Scout?"
Dorien looks down at me, and bites her lip. She looks extremely tense, and maybe I could guess what happened.
"She was killed."
"By who?"
"The boy from District 4. He was aiming for Aeron, but he missed. I guess that's lucky for you and very unlucky for Scout."
This wouldn't have happened if I'd caught the appendicitis earlier. I had actually enjoyed Scout's company and she took care of me a few days ago when they had found me throwing up in the snow.
"Are you sad?" I don't even know why I ask her, but it catches her off-guard.
"I'm… I am alright," she says, and walks off.
I sit up slowly and see that she's hanging over a fire with a squirrel cooking over the flames.
"Hungry?" She asks. "I kind of had to give most of our food away."
"Sorry," I mutter.
She shrugs her shoulders.
"I have bad news."
Great, if we didn't have enough already.
And then she proceeds to tell me we need to go to the Cornucopia and get some kind of antidote. I guess I won't be getting much of a recovery. So I peel my aching limbs from the sleeping bag and try to make my legs walk over to the fire. I sit down and Dorien rips me off a piece of squirrel meat.
I've never eaten squirrel, but it tastes pretty good.
Athea DiMae (3)
Lucian and I pack up to leave, and he shimmies out from under the wires. I told him I could go by myself, but of course he's stubborn and refused. He says we need to watch each other's backs because that's what alliances are for. I know he's right, but the though of him dying before me makes me so sad that I'd rather bear this alone.
Faunas is sitting upright with the sleeping bag wrapped tightly around him, his eyes are wide, and I wish he'd just sleep.
Lucian waits impatiently on the other side, and I drop my stuff back down because I want to tell him everything will be okay before I leave.
"Faunas," I take his warm face in my hands and he covers my hands with his own. I am suddenly lost for words.
"You'll be back, I know," he whispers when I don't continue.
I drop my hands, and rub my forehead. This is so difficult and I hate it. He suddenly grasps my head in his hands and for a second I think maybe he has reached delirium and that he's going to crush my skull, but his grip doesn't tighten. Instead he pulls me towards him and places his lips on mine.
I can remember the kiss I had shared with Fahrin the day I left for the games. That kiss was one of finality, and sadness. Faunas' is nothing to be compared, and he leaves me wanting more. I place my hands into his brown curls, and for a second I'm not at the games anymore, and all I want is more, more, more.
A weird sound from Lucian breaks me away from my happiness, and I turn to him awkwardly fiddling with his pack straps. I mouth sorry to him and turn back to Faunas. His hands find their way into my hair and he leans his forehead against mine.
I am crying, but I'm also laughing as well. I can't sort these emotions out.
"I'll be back," I whisper.
He traces a line from the bottom of my ear, down my jawline, and then drops his hand at the bottom of my chin.
"I'll always be waiting here," he whispers, and it sends a chill through my bones.
He leans in to plant one more kiss on my forehead and then pulls away wrapping the bag around himself tighter.
I stand up and Lucian helps me under the wire fence. I suddenly feel injected with some new purpose and I spring off in front of Lucian who frowns in annoyance.
Shoal Creek (4)
I've buried myself within the Cornucopia to stay hidden and catch anyone off guard who may be looking to kill me, like Aeron and Noah. Perhaps if my aim were better I would've taken one of them down yesterday and then I'd almost be in the clear.
I honestly don't know why I'm still alive. After watching both Mika and Alice die in front of my eyes I really don't have much reason to be here, but whatever higher power exists must really want me to suffer in this hell. I have a damn good feeling that I might actually get to ride that train home, and go back to fishing, my nagging sister, and lusting after Philla. It'll be like nothing ever happened before this. The problem is this did happen, and I know if I leave this arena I will never be the same.
I peer out and catch a few of the other tributes. A few stand near the entrances, two are standing by the slides trying to conceal themselves. They all look disheveled and they keep looking behind their shoulders as if somebody is about to attack them from behind. I find it funny how they are all scared of another, even though nobody is trying to attack. We all just want to live right now.
In front of my sits a table with ten corked bottles lining across in district order. A heavy glass case sits over there preventing me from grabbing one. The snow has slowed down, and the sun is about to peak over the arena. I am not worried right now because of my luck. I'm not allowed to die, or that's what it seems.
"Hello tributes," a deep male voice echoes over the arena. It's the same one that did the sixty-second countdown.
"You all have sixty seconds to reach your bottle. I suggest you move as soon as the timer begins to retrieve your bottle before somebody else does. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
The snow completely stops suddenly, and the glass case is released immediately. Without thinking I dart from my hiding spot and grasp my bottle. I see a few tributes stop and watch me. Their thoughts have obviously not registered what is going on yet. I decide to test my luck and I pluck the cork off my bottle and begin to down the serum. That's when I suddenly see a girl come darting towards her bottle. She doesn't look like a threat and she has the little girl from District 12 draped over her shoulder.
I am about to sprint off when I suddenly get a great idea. I will destroy Aeron and Noah's and get rid of my worse competition. More tributes have started racing towards the table now; this is my only chance. I reach for the District 2 bottles, but before I can crush them in my hands a heavy force knocks me over.
Aeron has her arm pressed against my chest, the other holding a knife. I can't help but give her my most charming grin and I hold her antidote in front of her. She emits a sound that resembles a dog's growl, and I chuckle back.
If she moves to reach her bottle I can get myself free.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I say.
"Noah!" She calls.
I see the big brute from two approaching, so I immediately grasp their antidotes to my chest.
"If you don't let me go I'll crush them."
"Just slit his throat," Noah says.
Aeron pushes it closer to my throat and I tighten my grip.
I take one of the bottles in my hand and throw it as far as I can. It goes rolling halfway across the Cornucopia, and lands in the grass. Noah immediately rushes for it and I hold the other one above Aeron's head.
"Reach for it baby," I taunt.
"You're dead," she says back. She lifts her arm off my chest and tries to grasp the bottle.
I take my loose hand and thrust my fist into her side, throwing her off balance and knocking her to the side. The bottle falls from my hand, and I scurry to my feet. She aims her knife to me and I raise my foot over the bottle.
"No, no, no," I look to the side and see Noah running back. If you don't drop it before he gets here I'll crush it and we will both die.
She is stuck in a moment of hesitation, but lowers her knife to the ground. I don't waste a moment and am off towards the entrance I came from, but before I can make my way out a metal door slides down trapping me here.
Oh shit.
Ashley Henns (12)
We are the second ones to reach the table and immediately Audrey throws me my bottle and picks hers up. I see two more tributes rapidly approaching.
"Audrey, watch out!" I cry. I force the cork off my bottle and drink the antidote. I don't want my bottle to break.
"It's that girl that poisoned you," I hear Audrey say. "Give me your spear."
I hand it to her without question.
The girl reaches for her the bottle on the end, but Audrey turns and shoves her spear at her.
The girl jumps back immediately. Her eyes gazing towards the bottles.
I crawl under the table and into the Cornucopia where it's safer. The girl puts her hands up in front of her, and a boy with red hair comes up behind her and points the dart gun that almost killed me towards Audrey.
There is a silent battle raging between them.
"Lucian I'm fine. Go," she says. She gestures to the table and the boy begins to move, but stops short.
"Athea…"
"Go!" She yells, and I watch him run over to grab two bottles for District 3.
When I turn back to Audrey and the girl who I think is named Athea are tussling on the ground. Athea grips Audrey's hand with the spear, and Audrey has Athea's hand that holds a dagger. I see blood dripping from Audrey's arm, but it looks pretty superficial. They are locked in equality. I see Athea's bottle placed carefully between her teeth. Did Audrey break hers? The thought terrifies me.
Athea lets go of her grip and the spear goes flying forward, but Athea rolls out of the way. I suddenly catch sight of Audrey's bottle just before Athea crushes it under her weight. She gets up and makes her way towards the exit. Audrey's focus on the chase is gone and she stares at her broken bottle with spilled contents. In a flurry the last two bottles are snatched up by the tributes of District 5 right before the countdown hits zero.
Audrey turns to the table and sees nothing. There is still one extra bottle though, but it's in Athea's hands.
"Ashley are you okay?" She asks. Audrey glances around, and I peek my head out from the shadows.
"Thank goodness," she says. "Stay there, I need to get another bottle."
She picks up the spear and dashes after Athea.
Athea DiMae (3)
I've lost Lucian again, but I'm assured that he's safe since I haven't heard any cannons. Though with the adrenaline pounding in my ears I believe I could've missed it. I'll meet him back at camp. All three bottles are secured and I'm so ecstatic that I don't think anybody could catch me right now.
I dash towards the open entrance, but before I can escape a metal door falls down in front trapping me here.
"No!" I scream, and I begin pounding on the metal with my fists. I turn to see Audrey coming towards me, and I do a quick scan of the other entrances. They are all sealed. I don't have time to register exactly what this means because Audrey is coming at me with her spear.
I pull out my dagger, and attempt to strike her and block her arm at the same time. Instead she is able to get a slash above my eye right over the cut I received the first day of the games. The blood spills out from the wound marring my vision, and Audrey forces me to the ground.
"Give me the bottle," she says. I lift the bottle towards her, and wipe my vision clear at the same time. She reaches to get it, and I use her distraction to strike a hit across her face with my fist. She flinches and I wrangle myself from her grip. Her nose is bleeding, and my hand is throbbing. She goes for the bottle again and thrusts her spear, but I duck out of the way.
In a fleeting moment of thought I do the only thing that seems to make sense right now and I smash the bottle against the metal door spilling the contents down the slick silver and onto the ground below.
Audrey stares shocked for a second and then turns to face me. She pushes me up against the wall, and begins to choke me. She has lost all control, and has been replaced with nothing but epinephrine-fueled rage.
I can't breathe, but I smile at the fact that she'll be dying with me at least. I have failed anyways, so dying will be okay. My grin must make her angrier because her grip tightens. In my haziness I look behind Audrey and see Lucian and his dart gun.
A dart suddenly goes whizzing through the air and for a split second I'm not sure if it's going to hit Audrey or me. It finds it's mark, however, in the back of Audrey's neck and her grip is released. I fall to the ground gagging and coughing. I watch her reach for the back of her neck and pluck the dart from its source. She stares at it with bewilderment before falling backwards. Lucian must've switched the poisons, that or the arena poison is that lethal. Actually I'm not feeling well myself. I collapse to the ground. Lucian kneels next to me and forces me to drink. I do as he says, though I can barely comprehend his words. All I can see and feel is Faunas.
Faunas, who will be waiting always, and who I'll never return to.
The antidote has its effect almost immediately, and suddenly my entire being comes rushing back towards me. In a moment of weakness I let out a loud sob. The tears that follow wash the blood from my eye. I hear a cannon go off and I know it must be Audrey's. I don't want to wait around to hear Faunas'.
"Athea…" Lucian starts, but he is lost for words.
I cry more, and he sighs and pats my head affectionately, which is a lot coming from Lucian.
Through my tears and thoughts of Faunas I suddenly realize we are all completely trapped in this small enclosure. There is no electric trap to guard us, or places to hide. I can suddenly feel the end nearing, and I just want the nightmare to be over.
A/N: I seriously hate myself for doing that. I had so much trouble picking out the Top 8. I wanted all ten of them to be the top 8, but mathematically that was impossible. So now we are in our top 8 and next chapter will be a nice break from the deaths (I don't know but they really get to me), and we will be doing top 8 interviews, so some characters from the reaping chapters will be back.
Also thanks to izzebelle for suggesting the poison idea to me a long long time ago!
Leave me a review please and tell me what you think. Have a wonderful weekend. :)
-Kayla