A/N: Thanks to nevergone4ever, Bubbubboo, KidWithTheFace, District4girl, ThatHufflepuff, OxenStierna D. Yuki-Rin, richards25, Kman528 and mangesboy01 for reviewing! :)
Those of you who read the last chapter (I assume most of you did) should know who's coming with this one :)
As ever, I hope you enjoy today's chapter, set during the 64th Games :)
"Throw down your gun, you might shoot yourself
Or is that what you're trying to do?
Put up a fight you believe to be right
And someday the sun will shine through."
- Paul Rodgers, 1973.
The 64th Annual Hunger Games
Gloss Adlington (16), District 1 Male
Free - Wishing Well (1973)
"Hoods up, everyone. It's starting to get cold."
Five of us patrol the forest slowly together, all of us Careers. Myself and my inferior district partner, both from two and the girl from Four. The lad from District 4 might have been old, but he wasn't trained. He was completely useless.
The sun sets across the arena through the snowy pine trees and for once I realise how much effort the Gamemakers have used to make sure that we all die in a place of natural beauty. But, of course, I'm not going to die. If my older sister can survive this, then I can too.
I say that Cashmere is older, but there's only fourteen minutes between us. She was still the youngest victor the Games have ever seen by over five months. She's made herself unforgettable in her own way.
Now it's up to me to do one better.
I guess it comes from a long-lasting sibling rivalry and a desire for glory that most District 1 teenagers have, but I know that I have to do anything in my power to become the more memorable twin. I can't be the younger victor, but I can kill more tributes. I can win faster. I can be more merciless. I can be more talented. I can be the greatest of them all.
I smile when I think of that. Gloss Adlington, the greatest Hunger Games victor of all time. It's got quite a nice ring to it, actually. Of course, it's unlikely, but I do want to be remembered, just like the true legends; Cicero Turner, Fraser Reynolds, Arturo Foster, Molly Higgins, Amadeus and Brutus Cato. The list goes on, but I want my name to up there with the very best.
"Hey, Adlington! Stop daydreaming and give us a hand searching!"
I come to my senses realising that the sun has already set, and that everyone else has their electric torches in their hands, scouring the woods for unsuspecting tributes. Unfortunately, this night seems to drag on, as even we are all searching and there are fifteen tributes alive in the arena, we don't seem to be able to find anyone. Maybe everyone else has huddled up warm and slept for the night, due to the bitterly cold night-time temperatures in this snowy arena. Whatever the reason behind it is, it comes as a relief when we see a figure darting in between the trees in the distance.
It's easy to follow them (him, more specifically, we realise as we close in on the tribute) due to their footprints being left in the fresh snow. They have nowhere to hide.
Eventually, after ten minutes chasing them through the woods, the tribute finally seems to run out of energy, and tries to climb a tree to escape us. It would seem to be a clever idea at first, as many big, strong, heavy Careers would be unable to climb high in the trees, but luckily the girl from District 2 is good with a bow. She shoots at the boy effortlessly, and an arrow flies into his leg, causing the boy to fall from the tree and land at our feet, shouting out due to the pain.
I find that I quickly recognise the boy.
It's Martius of District 4. The boy who wasn't good enough.
The boy from District 2 and my district partner pull him to his feet and throw him against the trunk of the tree that he fell from, pinning him to it.
"Leave him to me, guys," I say with authority as I walk up to the boy, who is struggling to break free of my allies grasp, but the girls from Two and Four grab his ankles, meaning that my four allies are holding a limb each. The boy has absolutely no chance of escape.
Suddenly, I have an idea.
Slowly and tauntingly, I reach to my belt and pull a dagger from it. Daggers are my weapon of choice, as stealth is my greatest strength. I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but at least I can put the blades to another use in the meantime. My idea will only work with a long blade, so I choose my longest; nine inches. I turn it over a couple of times in my right hand and walk right up to Martius, so that our faces are only a few inches apart. I can look right into his pupils and see the fear in his eyes.
"It's a pity you weren't good enough for us," I taunt with a cocky, victorious smile on my face. Then I take a moment to prepare myself before plunging the dagger into his neck with all the force that I can muster. Luckily for me, it slices straight through him and I feel the blade embed itself in the wood behind. Martius makes a quiet gargling noise as he tries to scream through his broken vocal cords, but no sound passes from his throat. His pupils dilate for a few moments, bulging in pain, before rolling up into the top of his head, quite dead.
The cannon signals the end of my job here, and my four allies let go of the body, but it does not fall. Held into the place by the dagger driven into the tree trunk, Martius' corpse still hangs in the air, the look of pain and fear still plastered across his face.
For the first time, I've shown the whole world what type of tribute I am.
Beat that, Cashmere.
As the Games wore on, the four surviving Careers (the girl from Two was turned on by her allies after being injured by the girl from District 6) split by mutual agreement. Eventually, by the tenth day, four tributes remained; both from District 1, the boy from Two and the girl from District 4. The Gamemakers called a feast for the morning of the twelfth day, hoping to bring about the end of the Games.
At the feast, Gloss won the Games in a remarkable and unique way.
Gloss arrived at the cornucopia the night before the feast, where no other tribute were. He spent the night camped out inside the cornucopia, and used his stealth to remain hidden while the other three Careers fought over supplies outside. Eventually, only one other tribute remained (the girl from District 4, who had been severely injured by the boy from District 2's sword) and Gloss chose this moment to reveal himself and take the final kill, leaving him to become the victor of the 64th Annual Hunger Games.
A/N: If you enjoyed this chapter, please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed :)
Also, we're one follower away from 50! (hint hint) ;)
Now, unfortunately and annoyingly, I'm going to have to move the closing date forward for my second competition, due to unforseen impracticalities, to Friday 26th July (two days' time). I'm sorry to have to announce this, but it's either this or I'm not with a computer for at least a fortnight, and you'll be waiting weeks (literally) for chapter 69.
I'm sorry to announce this, but there really isn't much I can do about it.
Thanks to anyone who has already taken time to enter a chapter in the competition, and I look forward to any last minute entries.
Again, I apologise sincerely for any inconveniencies.
GM97 :)
