Chapter 58:

Glenwood Salix, District Seven, Age 14

Victor of the 133rd Hunger Games

Glen knows if he doesn't do something desperate soon, he won't survive this arena. He's all on his own – his own dumb mistake, as Stefan put it, but now Glen understands a bit – and with no one to watch his back or help him try to find supplies. The supplies are the biggest issue and no matter how much Glen searches this awful arena, he has to finally admit to himself that the only way he is going to find water is through the supplies given at the cornucopia.

He's found places that could be water sources, but only steam rose from the channels, the water evaporated just like Glen's hopes of not dying by dehydration seems to be doing. He knows the early signs of dehydration. Everyone does in Seven to watch for anyone working long summer days to keep them safe. He is long passed the early stages.

Glen did have a good water supply at the start…but three days in and it's all gone as Glen was forced to hydrate himself after this arena has made him sweat profusely. All because of the rivers of magma that flow down the path next to where Glen walks. He leans against the opposite wall and occasionally stops to catch his breath. He's never sweat this much in his life. Not even on the hottest summer days. But how could summer compare to being inside a volcano? At least his sweat has kept him cool for a few minutes, until he gets too close to magma and gets dried instantly.

"Stefan…please," Glen begs his mentor for the millionth time, hoping maybe this time will be the time he actually listens and gets him some water. But as he stares up at the ceiling, he has to accept that he's never getting that water. Why would any sponsor want to pay probably raised prices to send water to the scrawny kid from Seven? He's not remarkable in any way. He's just a scrawny nerd that tries to keep to himself at school and tries to avoid the bullies, but they still always find him… If anyone in the Capitol had thought Glen could fight from the black eye he had at the Reaping thanks to the bullies, he's long since proven them wrong.

"Why would anyone want me to win?" Glen whispers feebly as he finds a little nook in the wall and slides down it, keeping him out of sight from anyone glancing down the pathway. "I'm nothing special…just pitiful. I can't even find water on my own or protect myself…"

If Glen had enough water left in him, he's sure he would have started crying out of self-pity. His eyes still prickle, but stay dry and leave him taking shaky breaths as he wraps his arms around himself. He's going to die in this arena. He had thought the worst possible death would be at the hands of one of the bloodthirsty careers, but he was so very wrong. Dehydration is so much worse.

The bullies were all right back home. He's pitiful and never going to amount to anything with his life. He's going to die in this arena, somewhere in the middle of the Games, and be long forgotten by time they get to the victor. Because who will remember some sad kid that died of dehydration?

Glen freezes up when he hears a rock scuffling, the noise echoing up the small pathway to where he hides not too well. If someone were to walk past him, they'll see him…and he has no way of protecting himself. He pulls his legs up to his chest and tries to press himself into the wall as far back as he can, in a desperate attempt to hide himself, because for all the talk about dying and being pitiful, he still really doesn't want to die.

The footsteps get closer and Glen's heart starts racing in fear as he waits to see who it will be and tries to formulate some sort of plan to attack them when they see him. He fumbles around on the ground next to him, searching for some sort of rock he could use, but the ground is smooth. He slouches over and stares ahead as the footsteps get even closer, staring at the bubbling stream of magma running passed him, and a terrible thought fills his head.

The person stumbles as they reach his alcove and they reach out to catch themself on the wall, dragging their bag behind them and Glen and Paldin – one of the two from Five and thankfully not a career – make eye contact with each other. Paldin just starts to hold up their hand to stop him, letting go of their bag that Glen reaches for immediately as he moves forward to push Paldin with his other hand. "Wait!" Paldin yells at him, but it's too late.

Glen pushes them with strength that surprises him – he's not winning any weightlifting competitions back home – and Paldin screams as they stumble back, flailing their arms and trying to catch themself on anything. But it's too late for them and Glen watches with wide terrified eyes as they fall into the magma, their screams getting cut off instantly as they are burned up.

Boom.

Glen lets out a sob of fear at how…easy…it was to just kill someone… His first kill… One second they were there and the next…dead. But he didn't want to kill…he had to out of desperation.

With shaky hands, Glen pulls the bag closer to him and slowly unzips it, praying that there will be water in there. He sifts through the rope and pickaxe, packet of nuts, until he finally finds a water bottle. "Yes!" Glen says as he pulls it out, before his face falls as he stares at the few drops remaining in it. "Fuck!" He yells as he tosses the bottle at the magma, feeling defeated once more. All that…and he doesn't even have any water.

Glen looks at the pickaxe in the bag, contemplating its uses. Clearly Paldin didn't realize that it could easily be used as a weapon… He actually has a weapon now to defend himself with…

Shit, this means he's going to have to kill again to find water.

And there we have Glenwood Salix! It's been so long since I wrote this one for Legacy that I didn't remember what even happened lol. But I love my introverted victor from Seven!

And now time to check the spreadsheet like always to see who is up next... Aha, the one I always forget is there from Nine, which is exactly how she ends up winning her Games. Lets see if I remember to post this sooner this time around.