"After interest in the Games drops to an all time low, President Snow is determined to regain the once amazing popularity. Twelve tributes. One 'arena.' And one game-changing twist. Welcome to the 80th Hunger Games, the Rebirth."
~ The Rebirth Games ~
Chapter Eighteen:
Shining
I don't know how I should react. Do I get mad and rage? Do I stay silent and ignore Celia?
"You'll be okay.." Tren whispers into my ear. "I promise that I'll keep you safe."
Celia grins and sits back down on the seat. I jump up and storm into the kitchen, not saying another word. All heads turn and look at me but I ignore them. I grab a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water from the sink. I gulp it down and stare straight out the window at the large maze. What could it be for? Are we supposed to enter it? Whatever it's for, I know it's not going to be good for us.
"Ahem.."
I turn around to see Livvy right beside me.
"I need a word with you.."
"What, here to mock me over my imminent death?"
"Not at all.." she says. "Something much more.. shocking."
"Shocking?"
"I want you to help me murder Celia tonight," she chokes out. She quickly turns her head around, checking that she's not around. Celia sits in the living room, bickering with the other tributes.
"Can you repeat that?" I ask.
"Yes. I want you to murder Celia with me tonight."
"You can't be serious.." I say. "What is wrong with you?"
"I've got nothing wrong with me! Nothing more than a thoughtful brain and an aspiring attitude that wants to get us all the heck out of here!" she squeals.
"What are you talking about?!"
"She's the Mockingjay," Livvy claims, snatching my glass out of my hand. She takes a sip and then continues. "Duh.. If we kill her, all of us become victors. There's like seven or eight of us alive!"
"But what if she's not the killer?" I ask.
"But she is."
"And what if she's not?"
"But I just said she is!"
I grab the glass straight out of her hand and chuck it into the sink. "You know what? I'm done. You really are just as crazy as Celia says you are."
"She's putting you on trial!" Livvy exclaims. "Why don't you want to kill her?!"
"Look, I'm all about taking down the Mockingjay. But I will not kill anyone to do so," I say. Are suddenly walks through the door.
"You'll get through this, Danix. We're not going to let Celia execute you."
"I was just leaving," I mutter and I barge through the doorway. I head straight to my room, slam the door shut and jump onto my bed.
17 HOURS LATER:
The house lies totally silent, not a single tap or creak echoes in the air. All except Celia's tapping shoes. She swings the door open and steps down the dark staircase of the basement. After the final step, she looks down at the boxes scattered across the floor. She kneels down, searching through one of them desperately.
"Lip gloss, lip gloss?!" She sighs, then buries her face into her hands in frustration.
"I have lip gloss."
She shoots her head up and stares straight ahead at the darkened silhouette in front of her.
"Little pig, little pig.."
"Livvy?" Celia calls out, rising to her feet. "What are you-?" That's when the axe in her hand becomes apparent. She slowly steps backwards, Livvy walking towards her in a robotic fashion.
"Little pig, little pig.."
"Livvy, what are you doing?" Celia asks as she picks up her pace, starting to run up the remainder of the steps.
Livvy lets out a ghoulish laugh. "I'm just making some bacon!"
Celia full on sprints through the hallway and into the living room. She turns to the left, up the stairs and a sharp left again. Down the hall filled with doors, she twists on her doorknob and leaps into her bedroom. She shuts the door behind her, twisting the lock close. Away in the corner, she huddles herself into a small little ball.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are.." She hears Livvy's voice whisper through the wall. The doorknob wriggles, followed by several knocks on the door. "Little pig, little pig... Let me come in." Another knock. "Not by the hair on your chinny-chin chin?"
Livvy tightens her grasp on the axe. "Then I'll huff..."
She raises it up into the air. "And I'll puff... And I'll blow your house in!"
At full force, she slams the axe straight onto the door and it makes a smell dent. Celia presses herself against the wall as close as she can, cowering in fear as wood chippings crumble onto the carpet. Another whack and the blade of the axe barely tips through the wood. Another. Another. And another. The hole keeps getting bigger. Then suddenly, it stops. Celia breathes heavily, feeling a small sense of relief. Her hands shake and she slowly gets up onto her feet.
"Hello?"
BAM!
The axe bursts through the door and Celia screams as loud as she can. Livvy draws the weapon back out, leaving a huge hole in the wood. She presses her face up against it, staring straight at Celia with a wide grin and bulging eyes.
"Here's Livvy!"
I jump awake once I hear the screams and I scan around my room. Nothing. Nothing but complete darkness. I get up, open the door and slowly creep out into the hallway. One thing I notice is a few doors down, all I see is... wood?
I walk forwards and see the full effects. The only thing left of the door is the frame, everything else has been hacked to bits. I step inside and instantly know who sleeps in here: Celia. Straight ahead is her window that's exactly wide open. I run forward getting the full blast of icy cold air to my face. I look outside, just quick enough to see Livvy wielding an axe, slowly stumbling forward through the snow and into the entrance of the maze.
My instant reaction is shock. Horror. I was right. She was too crazy. Too crazy and she went through with the plan. I look down and see that the snow has piled up the window in a slope of sorts. I can't just go back to sleep and ignore what is happening. I must stop her.
I hop over the window frame and slide on my back down the snowy slope. I reach ground level and get up on my feet, sprinting straight towards the huge maze. I walk through the entrance and my mind goes into a frenzy from all the routes. Twisted bends and sharp turns lay ahead. Nothing but dark shadows dance around me. That's when I hear the noise.
Click click!
And that's when I see the figure. In between the bushes, glimpses of orange-red flash alive like flickering flames.
Click click!
I sprint around a bend, scanning all my surroundings for any enemies. Where is Livvy? Where is Celia?
Click click!
My feet start to get tired from all the running and they want to stop. But no. I can't give up! Not yet. Never. The more I want it to stop, the longer the hedges seem to get. And it's pretty clear that this maze is endless. Left. Right. Straight. Right. Straight. Left. Left.
Click click!
The shiny metal glare shines in the corner of my eye and I instantly turn around. The Mockingjay. Standing there like a statue, staring straight at me, huge gardening shears in their hands. They yank on the two handles, opening up the blades with a horrible screeching. Then they slam them shut, sounding off the familiar noise.
CLICK!
They take a single step forward and I run away, my feet scrambling like mad. The pebbly snow pours down from the heavens as I turn the twists and bends. My feet slip and slide and I end up tripping once or twice. But it's when I turn the final corner to seal my fate that I finally fall. I crash straight into the Mockingjay who cuts me off the trail ahead. They pull open their shears and go in for the death chop on my neck. I roll to the left in the snow, and with as much power as I can, I kick straight under their feet. Once they tumble straight onto the ground, I get up and sprint for my life.
I lose myself among the dense hedges but a few minutes later I finally see the light. Back to the entrance I am, and I don't care about saving nobody. I run straight towards the back door that leads into the kitchen. I fall in through the doorway and feel the instant warmth rise from the ground. My heart pounds in my chest and I take a few seconds to steady my breathing. That's when I hear panting.
Celia jumps in the door, stares down at me and gives me a weird expression.
"You sent that bitch to come and murder me!"
"No.." I choke out, holding onto my chest. "No, I-"
Then Livvy hops inside. Instantly, I jump up and grab her arms and she tries to break free from my grasp. I force the axe out of her hand and I drop it to the ground. "Let me go!" she squeals. "We must kill her!"
"Must kill who?" Are steps into the kitchen, looking at us all in confusion. "I've been looking around this house for the past few minutes. I heard screaming and yelling.. What's all the commotion?!"
"That is right!" Destiny says as she appears beside him, alongside Crazy who gives me a death stare. Within seconds, all the other tributes are lined up against the wall, glaring at me as I contain Livvy. Awkwardly, I let go of her arms and she stays silent.
"She tried to murder me!" screams Celia. "She broke into my room and chased me into the maze with an axe!"
"No I didn't!" Livvy claims.
"Don't lie!" yells Fern. "You're the darkest bitch out of all of us! There's a fricken axe right by your feet!" Livvy's face flourishes red and her cheeks look like they're going to explode any second. Suddenly, she bends down, picks up the axe and sprints towards Celia.
"MOCKINGJAY! MOCKINGJAY! MOCKINGJAY!"
She slams the axe down and Celia dodges to the left. The blade lodges itself straight into the marble counter-top. I run forward and push Livvy out of the way from the axe. "Stop it right now! If anything, this has just proven that Livvy is the Mockingjay.. Celia, you must replace her with me to put on trial."
Celia tuts. "No! Danix, you are still the Mockingjay and I know it!"
"Are you absolutely deluded?!" I yell. "She just tried to kill you!"
"So? Everybody gets a bit mad sometimes.."
"I have an idea!" exclaims Tren. "We lock Livvy in the basement. That way we can get a good sleep."
"NO!" Livvy roars while everyone nods their head. "Please don't!"
"Time to go to sleep, little piggy," Celia jokes.
I didn't get an ounce of sleep tonight. All I could do was have my eyes glued opening, looking around the room in fear for the next strike. Livvy is crazy. I know not even the basement door could keep her locked away, even if Obedience shut the weapons room up with his key. No axes to hack us to death. No explosives to blow us to bits. She'd still try to kick her way out and strangle us to death.
But is she the Mockingjay? Either she is or she just has some serious mental issues. Maybe both. She was never the sanest person in this mansion to begin with.. But what about Celia? She hasn't been too sane either..
Knock knock.
I bolt my head up and look around the room for the source of the noise. It came from the door. I can sense it. I slowly get up and take small steps forward, readying myself for the next attack. I twist the doorknob gently, pull back the door and it lets out a small squeaking sound. I look out into the hall, my heart pounding so fast, but I see no one around. That doesn't mean that there's nothing around.
On the carpet, just by my feet, is a tiny, pink box wrapped with a purple ribbon.
Author's Note:
Uh-oh... It's all getting very intense...
Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter Eighteen of The Rebirth Games: Shining! Did you catch the huge homage in this chapter? c;
Oh my goodness. So OBVIOUSLY the big thing here was Livvy... Did you expect her to go total psycho?! I sure did! I've been planning it for weeks. ;)
Let me know what you thought about this chapter in a review if you have some time! Also, if you don't mind, what is your favorite thing about this story? The deaths? The attacks? The mystery? The Mockingjay? Let me know! Don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile! I'd absolutely love to hear your predictions! On we go to Chapter Nineteen... Goodness. Not much longer until the Mockingjay is revealed for once and for all! Remember this: the Mockingjay WILL be revealed + all questions will be answered.
You've gotta trust me. This is it now; we're moving on forth to the big finale! And when I say 'finale,' I don't just mean one chapter. A 'finale' for me can last for several chapters, probably about four or five for this story. IN FACT, Chapter Twenty-Two is the final 'regular chapter.' ;)
What do you think is going to happen?! Who will survive?! Who will die?! Will ANYONE die?! And the big, important question... WHO THE HELL IS THE MOCKINGJAY?! Remember: it's the type of story that if you randomly choose to read any of the chapters after finding out who the Mockingjay is, you'll see clearly that it was who it was all along.
Stay tuned for more!
Thank you all so much for reading, byeeeee! :D