A/N: Reviews are now into three digits, so very big thanks to richards25, Burningbrightforyou, charliesunshine, Mads515 and mangesboy01 for reviewing!
This victor was briefly mentioned in the early chapters of my story 'Mentor', so here's another District 4.
Also, it's been a while since I wrote a bloodbath oneshot, so I just really felt like writing one.
I hope you enjoy the chapter :)
"I am deep in a river
Waves above my head
Held with no spirit
We descend
We reach the end."
- Rob Swire, 2010.
The 33rd Annual Hunger Games
Cale Edwards (18), District 4 Male
Pendulum - Under the Waves (2010)
As we rose up onto the pedestals, I knew roughly what to expect. The fact that all the tributes had been given diving gear and scuba equipment indicated a water-based arena. Good. I'm a decent swimmer by District 4's standards. Standards that are undoubtedly much higher than other, land-locked district. Even before I'd seen the arena, I was feeling confident.
My suspicions proved to be correct. And so here I stand on my pedestal, awaiting the start of the 33rd Annual Hunger Games.
Unlike previous years, the pedestals are arranged in a semi circle along the curved beach of a lagoon. The sand slopes steeply down to the edge of the clear water, through which I can see the gold of the cornucopia around fifty yards from the shore. Above, the sky is cloudless and reminds me of a sunny day in August back at home in District 4. Beneath a sky-blue wetsuit and diving gear, the heat was starting to make me feel slightly uncomfortable. Looking behind me, the land rises steeply upwards, and the sparsely populated woods that cling to the slopes also remind me of District 4.
Looking along the semicircle of pedestals, I try to find my allies. At first I find it difficult due to the fact that everyone is wearing masks due to their scuba equipment, but I quickly realise that every district has their tributes' wetsuits coloured in the colour of their district. The first of my allies that I spot is the tall boy in the sandy yellow wetsuit of District 2. I also work out that the tribute in black on my right is the boy from Twelve, and that the girl in white on my right is from District 5. Then before I can spot any more of my allies, the gong sounds and the Games begin.
I sprint to the water instinctively and dive in, not surprised to hear splashes all around me as at least ten others join me in the water. Beneath me I can see the golden horn of the cornucopia lying on the sandy sea bed thirty metres below the surface. I dive down towards it, and I am surprised when a girl beats me to it. Then I realise that she is in the sky blue of District 4 and that the girl Miranda, my district partner. She wasn't trained at the Training Centre like me, and she didn't volunteer for the Games, but that never stopped Miranda from being the fastest swimmer in my school year. Quickly I follow her into the cornucopia, the other tributes hot on our heels.
We search around for the only thing that matters to us at this stage; weapons. We find a lot of weapons such as swords and bows that would be of use above ground, but they won't help us here. In the end, in the end I settle with a combat knife whilst Miranda grabs two harpoons. We wait a few moments for our allies to arrive, but no-one does. Slowly I begin to realise how much of a problem the water is to the other tributes. Surely this would be a perfect opportunity to take out the other Careers?
"Miranda!" I call, and my district partner turns to face me. "Should we just forget about the alliance? They're hopeless."
Miranda continues to stare at me for a while, and for a moment I'm worried that either she didn't understand me (the scuba mask slightly muffles my voice) or she's still thinking about my proposal. Then she turns and swims from the cornucopia, and I know that she has understood me. I know that I have no choice but to follow Miranda outside.
When I arrive at the entrance of the horn the first thing I see is a masked figure in the royal blue of District 1, a harpoon buried in their chest, clouds of blood surrounding them. Behind them I can see Miranda, who is poised to throw her second harpoon at the other tribute from One.
I'm forced to duck as another large tribute dives towards me, heading towards the cornucopia. With Miranda out the way, it's up to me to stop them reaching the cornucopia. I follow the boy, who is from District 2, into the horn.
Inside, I watch the boy frantically grabs a bow as I close him down, armed only with a knife. I lunge at him, slashing at his face with my knife before he can prepare an arrow. The blade doesn't touch his face, but it slashes through his mask, cutting of his air supply. I watch the boy, who is cut off from the air at the surface by the roof of the cornucopia, scramble towards the exit of the horn, but I already know that it will be too late for him.
Leaving the cornucopia behind, I can see four bodies in the water surrounding it. Bodies that belong to both from One and the girls from Two and Seven. Miranda, who is now alone because everyone else has either fled or lies dead in the water, swims over to me. She looks tired, but we can't stop now.
"We need to grab all the supplies quickly," I tell her as she reaches me. "We need to get out of here."
After the underwater bloodbath, the remaining nineteen tributes took to the small island. Cale and Miranda remained allied until the final five, when the pair split by mutual consent. Miranda was then hunted down and killed by the boy from District 7, who was killed in turn by Cale during the final showdown of the Games.
A/N: If you have enjoyed this chapter, please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed :)
