Bright turquoise water lapped over the edge of the podium where I stood, completely surrounded by sea. The Cornucopia was ahead of me, shining a brilliant gold in this unnaturally bright sunlight. Other colours blended into the turquoise sea on the far side of the ring of tributes- golden sand and rich green jungle that stretched uphill as far as I could see. I looked beside me to the only tribute I could clearly see. Seeder and I shared a wedge of water, cut off on either side by a thin spit of sand that snaked all the way to the green.
The clock was counting down but I ignored it and scanned the ring of tributes- all different shapes and sizes. All killers.
There was nothing in the water around us but as soon as I'd felt the water lapping at my ankles I'd known what it meant. They wouldn't give us anything to make it easy to shore. We had to swim.
It was a good thing I could swim then. Just, anyway. Those shivering evenings forcing myself to learn to swim in the quarry lake of District 2 were going to pay off.
It was sure to put me ahead of many other districts- except 4. Finnick would be in his element in this Arena, literally.
The gong rang its final bell and the Games began. I didn't hesitate but slid from my podium into the water. I didn't think anyone other than Clove had known I could swim, so I could imagine their shock as they watched me enter without hesitation. As I submerged a sudden thought flashed through my mind. What if there was something in the water? What if it was poisoned?
It was too late for that now though, I was all the way in and the gentle waves had already carried me a short distance from my podium. I sculled water for a second and scanned the surface and the intense turquoise around me, looking for monsters in the deep. It was perfectly tranquil.
I would have to hope that my first instinct to just delve in and swim, was right. I made my way slowly towards the nearest speck of sand. Once in the water it was harder to see where the land was. It was further than I thought and every time I was sure I must nearly be there more water stretched ahead of me. I didn't duck my head under, still concerned a little about the water, so it allowed me to keep an eye on the few tributes I could see. Most were still on their podiums staring at the water or dipping limbs into it. I had been right, they didn't know how to swim.
There was a splash ahead of me. One of the Morphlings in the next section of water had fallen or jumped into the water. They disappeared for a moment and then they broke the surface, limbs splashing wildly and sending a spray of water up. Incoherent, spluttering shouting drifted to me across the water.
For a moment I was reminded of my first Arena, and the tribute that had fallen through the ice lake. I'd stood in the shelter of the trees and watched as he broke the surface of the icy lake, screaming uselessly for help before a mutt had risen from the depths and clamped him in its jaws, dragging him down to the depths on a swirl of ice and water and blood. Even in the clammy air and tepid water I shivered at the memory and the thought again of monsters in the deep.
I made my arms pull me a little faster through the water. Ahead the Morphling had submerged again. Perhaps they wouldn't come up this time.
Just when I thought I'd go the same way, unable to swim any further and disappearing into the water, the tips of my fingers hit something solid. Wet sand squished between my fingers and I grabbed for the land, hauling myself from the water. I stood and surveyed where I was; about halfway along the spit of land between the Cornucopia and the jungle. I took off without hesitation this time. I needed to get my hands on some weapons before anyone else decided they knew how to swim.
As I raced passed, the Morphling splashed again, one arm hooking over their podium. It was the male, I couldn't remember his name if I'd ever known it.
Nearing the island where the Cornucopia sat I slowed marginally, scanning for movement. I was facing the back of the horn and I had no doubt that Finnick at least was already there and scouring for weapons. Sure enough as I rounded one corner I saw movement ahead. To my mixed delight and disgust I saw that he had company; none other than Fire Girl. She already had her hands on a bow. How did she get there so fast? Another annoyingly neat little trick of hers.
I set her in my sights and pounded closer to them on the sand. If I got there before she could gather too many weapons, I could take her down then, kill her in the Bloodbath. Finnick noticed my approach and signaled Fire Girl, who spun, her bow already lifting. I expected as much the second she saw me and I knew before it had left its string that her arrow would fly true if I didn't move. I dove into the water and the arrow soared uselessly by.
Under the surface of the water it was even more brilliantly coloured than above. The saltiness of the water stung my eyes but I kept them open as I waved my arms to keep me submerged. It was oddly normal under the surface, just like the fishtanks in the Capitol that were meant to look like the beautiful seas of District 4. A school of silvery fish darted ahead of me and then scattered in panic as something large plunged into the water. It took a moment for the chaos of bubbles and swirling white water to subside but then I saw that it was Gloss, somersaulting over in the water to right himself. He spotted me and I pointed upwards. He nodded and I shot up, kicking my feet madly to bring me to the surface. My head broke and I took deep breaths. I'd stayed under too long.
Without giving myself any time to recover I hauled myself from the water for a second time, on my feet and sprinting towards the Corncupia before Gloss had even reached the edge. Fire Girl and Finnick had gone, disappearing up one of the spits of land.
I gave them a quick glance and then turned my attention to the weapons. They were all packed up in neat piles, close together. There were no crates like usual, nothing that could hold food or supplies. Just weapons.
An axe lay at my feet and I picked it up, though not to use. I thought of Johanna and hurled the axe into the water where it sunk instantly.
"Someone hates Seven," Gloss commented from behind me where he was already delving through the pile. I moved to his side, keeping an eye out for knives and short swords. I spotted a large sword at the same moment Gloss did but I was closer and quicker and I pulled it free with a grin. He raised an eyebrow at me and tried that expression that he thought was seductive and alluring. I sniffed at him and handed the sword to Brutus, who had joined us.
He too had had to dive back into the water and he was cursing Fire Girl and her arrows. He paused from his cursing when his hand latched around the sword and he grinned evilly.
"Thanks, kitten."
"Kitten?"
There was an unladylike snort from behind us and I turned to see Cashmere arrive. Somehow- Panem knew how- she had kept her hair dry and it still sat coiled on top of her head in a glittering golden tumble. I rolled my eyes as she unstrapped her belt.
"They're flotation devices," she explained dropping it and moving quickly to the weapons. By that point Gloss had grabbed his own sword and had found a mace to join it. Brutus passed me a set of knives he had found and I slipped them into loops on my suit.
"Anyone make any kills yet?" he asked, still rummaging.
Cashmere found a short sword with a triumphant cry and slid it onto her back. She strung a stretch of rope around her hips. "There's a dead one back there." She nodded over her shoulder absently.
"Finnicks' doing," I replied bitterly. "From Five. A Morphling drowned too, I'm sure of it."
"Well let's add to those numbers then," Gloss declared, turning at last from the pile. Brutus was still searching so I joined Gloss on the edge of the island, scanning the Arena and the remaining tributes. In the distant, Finnick, Fire Girl, Peeta and what looked like Mags were making fast progress down one of the spits towards the jungle. I growled at their retreating backs.
"Don't worry, kitten," Gloss mocked. "Plenty of time to get them."
"Call me that again and I'll slit your throat while you sleep," I snapped at him, adding my fiercest glare. Gloss grinned but didn't say anything else. Alliance or no, he knew I didn't make empty threats.
A few other people had realized the significance of their belts, possibly seeing Brutus and Cashmere use theirs. There were heads in the water and empty podiums. I picked up another short sword and weighed it in my hand; a nice, sleek weapon, very light for its size.
"Heads up!" Brutus bellowed at us from the pile of weapons and Gloss and I spun, seeing that at last we had prey arriving at the Cornucopia. Surely they knew they wouldn't survive a battle with all the Careers?
Gloss sprinted off after Sativa who saw him coming and dodged back around behind the Cornucopia. Cashmere was waiting and hauled her back a moment later, pushing her onto the sand at Gloss' feet. How cute, the siblings were sharing.
Brutus was clashing weapons with old Woof on the nearby spit of land, winning easily. He actually looked like he was making to go slow, for the fun of it. Tired of watching, I set my sights on the nearest moving figure. Cecelia was still in the water, paddling towards the nearest spit of land. I didn't know whether she intended to run to or from the Cornucopia once she got to land but neither of us were going to find out. She was barely keeping afloat or moving through the water so I jogged up the spit towards her.
She saw me at the last minute but she was in reach then and I dragged her onto the sand carelessly. She was barely larger than me; she was water logged but I was strong. She didn't even try to fight me and that left an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.
She rolled onto her front and lifted herself to her knees, scanning around her as though she was looking for something. Her gaze paused for a moment on the spit of land four over where Fire Girl and her group were still just visible but well out of reach now. I reached down, grabbed her hair and yanked her sharply back and it was if she let me because she just fell, landing on her back on the sand. I dropped to my knees on the damp sand beside her and she simply stared straight up at the bright blue sky above us as if I was no longer even there. I hesitated as I lifted my long knife over her because it wasn't normal to kill someone who seemed almost willing. But my hesitation didn't last long. Every minute I wasted on tributes like Cecelia was a minute that Fire Girl was further from my grasp.
Her lips were moving, murmuring a mantra to herself as I positioned a long knife over her throat. As I drove the blade down I caught the word Lily and realized she must have been repeating the names of her family over and over.
I made it quick, too conscious of our vulnerabilities and the mistakes of pride and play, to indulge as Brutus was. He was still teasing Woof, Cecelia's district partner. Cecelia would have died instantly as my knife severed her major arteries and spinal cord. She died still repeating the names, her lips parted slightly, her eyes open.
I rose and brushed the sand from my knees as Brutus finally downed Woof with one easy stroke of his sword. He strolled nonchalantly back up the spit of land towards the Cornucopia.
This wasn't the madness and chaotic slaughtering of most Bloodbaths. This was slow. We almost had time to enjoy it really, as we picked off our kills one by one, plucking them from the water or finishing them as soon as they reached the land.
Between them, Cashmere and Gloss finished off Sativa. I looked up at the kill. Just like Cecelia she didn't struggle or protest when it came to it. Everything about these Games was wrong.
I found her district partner crouching in the shadow of the Cornucopia, peering around the corner without realizing I had come up behind him. Emmer was tall and strong looking but it had been clear from the start he hadn't planned to kill again. He had barely touched a weapon during training.
Just as I was about to practically tap him on the shoulder, we were both distracted by a shout from behind. I spun, blade out, to see Johanna charging towards us. She'd pulled an axe from somewhere, whether it was the one I had sunk I didn't know. She was spinning it above her head as she ran, but I knew she wasn't that stupid. Her aim was to distract, not to attack me. I was right. When I ignored her approach and turned to Emmer who had realized Johanna's distraction allowed him to escape from the threat he hadn't even known was there, I was just in time to grab him by the collar and yank him backwards. He landed flat on his back on the sand and I didn't waste any time in swooping down and slicing his throat.
Johanna was still approaching but she realized her plan had failed. I hadn't been distracted by her and allowed Emmer to escape, so at the last minute she darted off course and raced up one of the spits of land towards a little group of people I hadn't noticed escape. She threw a furious look over her shoulder at me as she ran and I gave her a little wave.
We both knew it was only a matter of time till Johanna and I faced off here.
I jogged around the other side of the Cornucopia where the sand was beginning to turn crimson. Gloss was dragging someone across the sand, leaving a smear of blood in his wake. It was only when I got closer that I realized the blood was coming from Gloss, not from Fawn, the District 10 female Victor who he had semi-conscious at his feet.
"You're injured?" I asked Gloss as I approached. He dropped the body and glanced down at his leg disinterestedly.
Behind me I heard Brutus' triumphant roar. I half turned and glanced at him. He was pulling his sword from Seeder's body.
"Concerned, are we, Enobaria?" Gloss asked with another cheeky smile. He was really as annoying as Finnick. I was having trouble deciding who I was going to kill first when the Alliance broke, Gloss or Cashmere.
"You're getting blood on the kill," I replied blandly, staring him down. I pointed at our feet at Fawn.
Gloss sighed dramatically and pulled his sword free. "Women, always on about the housekeeping. Muddy footprints on the rug, dishes unwashed, blood on the victims. Nag, nag, nag."
I chose not to rise to his bait and turned my back on him as I heard the thud and pained moan that meant he had finished the job. There were another few thuds and then a splash as he rolled Fawn's body into the water.
Cashmere was sitting in the shade of the Cornucopia, reclining with her legs stretched out before her and her face turned to the sky. She looked as though she was enjoying a holiday on a beach in District 4, not in the middle of a Hunger Games Arena.
"Comfortable there, One?" I snapped at her as I stalked over. There was no one left on podiums now and no moving bodies floating in the water. The bodies of Acey, Sativa, Cecelia, Emmer and Seeder lay strewn around the Cornucopia, blood staining the sand and water around them.
Cashmere shaded her eyes and looked up at me. "The jungle rises in a slope the whole way," she said, ignoring my tone. "There's only a thin strip of beach. My guess is there's unpleasantness in the jungle- otherwise it would be too easy to have people hide there the whole time. They'll want to push people out into the open, onto the beaches."
I used a piece of tarp over a crate to wipe my blade clean of Cecelia and Emmer's blood. It annoyed me that Cashmere had been sitting there, analyzing the Arena. What annoyed me more was that I had fallen into the very trap she set for everyone- the illusion that she was nothing more than a vain and beautiful doll, when in fact she was as cold and calculating as I.
Gloss and Brutus wandered over and joined us. Brutus waved a couple of empty water canisters he'd found. "No water or food. Looks like we'll have to go hunting."
"Good thing we have Enobaria then," Gloss said with a grin as he crouched beside Cashmere. Cashmere and I shot him equally vicious looks and Brutus chuckled.
"I'm going to see what more weapons I can find," I said grumpily, stalking into the Cornucopia and beginning to rummage among the piles in the search for more knives.
"Me too." Cashmere rose haughtily and followed me.
"No point there, One," I heard Brutus chuckle from out the front of the Cornucopia. "You'll end up with them both killing you in your sleep."
Gloss didn't seem too worried by that. "And that's different to normal, how?"