The First Day

Asher Ravenstone (15) D7M

"Aly! Wake up Aly! Please wake up! Please!"

The desperation of my voice seemed be drifting everywhere, mixing itself into the very atmosphere around us. Our helmets lay on the ground, Aly's head was in my lap and the uncontrollable tears fell on her face. I had lost my friends that day. They were dead. Dead! The word felt so unfamiliar in my mind. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that my friends could die. That someone I knew would die. But they were gone… Rowan and Burgundy were gone.

I couldn't lose Alessandra now.

My only solace at the moment was that the area outside the garden was radiation free, as promised. I had gone in as far into the forest as I could. It wasn't easy, with an intense pain in my body due to injuries and a larger one in my heart. I tried to find water, food, anything, but was met with failure only. The forest was dense and had an eerie greenish glow, but it was a… sophisticated forest? I didn't know what to say. There were flowers everywhere, the trees were thick but there were clearings too and it appeared to be quite systematic.

I'd rather have a forest like forest than this. At least there would have been some stream, pond, anything!

"Aly…!" I cried and hugged the girl. Unable to think of anything to do, I slapped her hard on the face, hoping to wake her up. That simple act brought tears to my eyes again, but Aly refused to open her eyes.

"This is not proper behaviour Alessandra!" I cried, "Just wake up…!"

I couldn't help it. My voice cracked at that.

She blinked.

That simple movement was enough to make me feel alive again. My ally was alive… my friend… for a moment I had thought that she was as good as dead but seeing her open her eyes, looking at everything in a dazed manner, reminded me to breathe again.

She sat up.

"Asher…?"

"Aly!" I cried and hugged her as tightly as I could, burying my face in the side of her neck. She didn't do anything for a moment but then I felt her arms being wrapped around me gingerly. A pat on the back, a ruffle of the hair. That was all I needed.

"Where is Rowan? And Burgundy?" she asked softly.

My smile disappeared.

What was I supposed to tell her? That our friends were dead? That I left them to die? How would I tell her? I felt my heart getting heavier, burdened by the grief of our loss. What was I supposed to do?

"Asher," Aly said firmly, cupping my face in her hands. Her grip was weak, so was her voice but there was a strength in her that I needed. A strength I knew made her capable enough to bear the news.

"They are- they are- are-"

"…dead?" she asked in an even softer voice. Slowly, I nodded my head. Aly just stared at me, her eyes bleak, but she didn't cry. Lowering her gaze, she nodded too.

"Thank you for saving me," she said. I didn't know what to say to that. The truth was that both Rowan and Burg had tried to save us. I couldn't take the credit.

"They saved us," I replied.

"I wish…" she said, her voice faltering.

"Y-yeah?"

"I-I wish that the Deserter's Bell hadn't come with a catch. I- I was tempted to use it Ash."

"Anyone would, Aly," I replied, "We're humans. It is still a tempting offer."

"But," she said firmly, her face hard, her voice weaker than before, "I will not use it. Whatever happens. I will not use it."

I nodded. I didn't plan on using the bell either. I wasn't going to let any of my loved ones die. But…

… for me to go out alive, Aly would have to die. If it came to it, could I do it?

Could I live with it?

Olympia Rush (18) D2F

I hadn't realised I had killed Tab until I saw the District Number in his jacket. I didn't want to think that way, but I felt… guilty. Regretful of what I did. I always knew that I had to kill in the Games but I didn't know it would be this hard. Not physically but emotionally, yes.

He had a fiancée, a daughter and so many people who loved him back home. Sure, he had to die eventually but I couldn't help but wish it hadn't been at my hands. I hoped the other deaths wouldn't be this hard, because I wanted to win. And to win, I had to kill. I needed my strength to do that.

"Olympia?"

We were still at the cornucopia, a few of us checking the supplies and the rest just resting, regaining their strengths. I was leaning against the giant tree and saw that it was Amaranth. I smiled at him as he settled down beside me.

"I-I know it's hard," he said quietly, "It's very hard. But Olympia… you are our leader. You need to stay strong or else a Career bloodbath will occur too soon for either of our liking."

I turned to him and frowned. He had a point. If any of us appeared weak… a Career bloodbath would in fact be unavoidable. And if my guess was right then Oceane would be the only one to escape it. The way she just killed two people without any kind of remorse just showed what she was capable of. She was nice and sweet, could be mean at times too, but there was more to her, a side that I didn't wish to see so soon.

"You're right," I answered, "I can't appear weak."

He smiled at me again and looked back at the other Careers. It seemed as if Victory and Cecelia were having an argument over something.

"What happened?" I asked aloud.

"There's food in this bag," Victory replied, "And I am hungry!"

"But we have to save it for later," Cecelia said, "And you're not that hungry."

I sighed in exasperation whereas Amaranth just smiled cheekily, something new, I noticed.

Their bickering continued but it soothed my nerves. It seemed normal, and after killing a person I could do with some normal.

"Victory, we can't eat anything in this garden," I told him, "If you take off your helmet…"

Oren's deformed body flashed in front of my eyes and I closed them shut. No… none of allies was going to face that. None of them!

"Guys," I said. Everybody looked at me.

"I know this won't sound right but we need to go and look for other tributes to…"

I didn't want to say the next word. "… eliminate."

"Okay," Oceane said, trident ready in hand, "But I don't think all of us should go."

"Of course, some of us have to guard the Cornucopia. What I suggest is that the boys should go tribute hunting."

None of the boys looked particularly happy with the announcement. Especially Bennett. I could understand that, since he had killed Aileen. Bennett was quite sensitive. I knew what he felt, because I was feeling the same too.

"Ben," I said with a light smile, "I think you should take a rest. I'll go with Victory and Amaranth."

He shook his head at that, gesticulating that he was okay. Galilee lowered her eyes and said, "I'll go."

I looked at her and she nodded. "I don't want to stay in this garden anyway," she added, "It's just too suffocating in this helmet."

I looked as she bent down and grabbed three daggers, small little ones even as Amaranth and Victory grabbed a spear each. They each grabbed a backpack and left for the forest. I saw them jump over the boundary, Victory being so slightly hesitant, but he still did. Soon, they had disappeared from my sight.

Something felt wrong about it. As if, as if I shouldn't have let them go alone. As if something bad was going to happen.

"At least the flowers are pretty," Cecelia said as she plucked a rose from the garden.

And all hell broke loose.

Arrington "Ivy" Hart (16) D10F

The Careers didn't know that I was keeping a watch on them, hiding myself among the various trees and bushes in the forest. The cornucopia was quite clearly visible though. I saw three of them going into the woods. Luckily for me, they decided to enter from the other side. I couldn't have fought them off if they ran into me.

"At least the flowers are pretty," the girl from Five said and plucked a rose.

What happened next made me scream.

The rose started growing in her hands, the petals forming something of a cocoon, moving like a whirlwind. I heard her screams, I saw the stem growing at extraordinary speeds and trying to encase her too.

The Careers attacked the rose mutt with their weapons, but nothing seemed to be working. I was certain that Cecelia would die in that blanket of petals and thorns, both beautiful and hideous.

I was glad when Ivy took over.

Arrington had been too upset with Aspen's death, and honestly, I felt the same. However, the foolish girl was unwilling to take advantage of the havoc created on the Careers. I wasn't going to let this opportunity slip out of my hands though.

As fast as I could manage, I ran up to the tree and grabbed the biggest bag visible, along with a hatchet, and ran. I could hear the cries of the Careers, Cecelia's continuous screaming, and as I entered the forest, I stopped just to look back at the situation.

It was under control, sadly.

The Careers had managed to cut away the mutt, the petals and thorns lay scattered on the ground. As soon as they fell away, Bennett lifted her and threw her over the boundary, so that she landed outside the garden. Her breathing seemed to be ragged and I saw why the boy had done it.

Her jacket had… melted. It was literally melting right in front of my eyes. Had she stayed in the garden for a few seconds more she could have died right there.

"Are you kidding me?!" Olympia cried, "Stupid ROSES are worse than the radiations here! How does that even work?!"

Oceane went over to Cecelia with a medical kit. They had a medical kit too! Wish I could have it…

The Careers were all gathered around her. It was a good chance. I could steal more stuff from the cornucopia.

"No Ivy," I muttered, "This is enough for now."

And I fled into the woods, running among the tall trees, sunlight getting filtered into a greenish hue by passing through the leaves. It looked mystical. Truly mystical.

The forest, there was nothing too special about it. there were trees, trees and trees everywhere, with a few clearings here and there but nothing special. I wondered how sponsor gifts would arrive in the forest since it was so dense. There were a few small animals around, but not too many.

And I especially wanted to meet that Reynard. Arrington may have forgiven him, but nobody betrayed Ivy the way he did. What did he think of himself? What did he think of me?! that he would make a fool of me and I wouldn't even get back at him?! He was wrong, if that's what he thought. I would show him that nobody messed with Ivy. Nobody could mess with Ivy. He refused to be allies with me. When we'd meet, I would refuse to spare his life.

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt Arrington pushing me aside. No…!

Personality changes were tedious. I couldn't believe that I had wished that Career to die back then. What was worse that Ivy wanted Reynard dead, and although I was angry with him; I didn't want that. I couldn't kill my District Partner, especially when I was at fault. Ivy scared me. I hoped, I hoped I wouldn't do anything wrong while she would take over. That would be horrible, and maybe I wouldn't even be able to forgive myself.

However, she did come in handy. At least I had some supplies now. At least I had a weapon. And although I was too hesitant to use it, at least it provided a sense of safety.

No deaths! More of a filler chapter, I guess. So, firstly, I want to thank all of you for your reviews. You all are honestly so kind. Your reviews are extremely precious, and very much appreciated, because they are what motivate me to write further.

In the last chapter, I should have specified that the tributes recognised each other by their District numbers printed on their jackets and their body shapes.

Also, I don't really stick to the original series. The reason is that I have a bad memory and I don't remember half of the things that happened in them. I know, I'm hopeless in that respect.

So, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like the rose mutt?

Have a great day!