Four: Helvetesfonster
June 10th
Day Three
The Dead Forest
15:00
After his reunion with Rico and Ossovina, Crinn had insisted that they begin moving immediately and that they couldn't stay out in the open much longer, their encounter with Elevens was just a lucky one-off. The next time they crossed paths with another tribute, the encounter would most certainly be a hostile one. Crinn had instead until this time they must rest until they reached another part of the arena and this time she should be certain that threw was o the arena the Bonefields and the Swamplands since the edge of the forest could be just on the edge of the horizon from the placed they rested yesterday. The rest of the second day had passed without much incident and no cannons were heard so there were no more faces in the sky. Pluto was to see that Elevens had survived their second day in the arena.
The trek through the arena was once again tedious, exhausting and seemingly neverending. The forest of decaying dying places is much like everything else in this arena. Barely any leaves clung to the trees most of the trees had been completely stripped of them. Their barren branches tangled amongst each other forming a barrier that would block most sunlight from them, although this arena had proven that the sun had no place within it. The weather was as rotten as ever. A chill had declined upon the arena and icy wind howled through the forest, snaking its way around the trees. Shards of the forest had begun to fall on the trees. Pluto wrapped his worn cloak around himself shielding himself from the forest. He took some solace in the fact the howling of the wind masked the scratches of the half-starved birds nested and flitted between the trees. Although it was more of a case of trading one blood-curdling sound for another.
There was the matter that no one seemed that wanted to address, that now the that there were five of them, their supplies would last them a good deal less longer. Especially since they trade on the first day with their Elevens. That is something Pluto thought Crinn would bring up since she was the one who most opposed the idea. She was probably waiting for him or Cassia to bring it up since it would be relish in telling them who she was right. Crinn had insisted that none of them was to tell Rico or Ossovina about their encounter with the Elevens, stating that it would sew discord and distrust within the alliance.
A small clearing in the forest soon came into view.
"This would be a good place to set up camp for the night," said Ossovina.
"Fine!" Crinn replied. "Gather up some firewood you, we're literally in a forest as so there's quite the abundance of it,"
"We've all got to go through and see what have, we might need gave more supplies now that we've met up with the others," Cassia said
"Yes and because gave away those crackers to Elevens, we have less." Crinn chastised
"It was a trade we got something in back," Pluto said, backing Cassia up
"I still think it was bad easy, we can't afford any more soft-heartedness if want to survive" Crinn hissed.
"Well, it's done. Now we can't go back and reverse it. " Pluto retorted
"Good, we got that cleared up. We've got given some of our food but at least you made up for it by collecting some bones. Why you want them is a mystery to me. Never counted you as being someone who is into the macabre.
"Well, have an idea you but foolish one, that probably won't so I best not tell you" Pluto mutter under his breath
The idea hadn't struck him immediately only when he saw Tibor's face in the sky on the first night. He remind of the mutts - the torcheads as he named the himself. He wondered if more of them were to be found in any other parts of areas and how they used light to people in. They could disguise themselves as them, they had a good stock from Crinn's backpack and bones could use rattling sounds that they made when moving. Amidst the darkness in the night, it could make for good cover since any other tributes won't want to risk tangling with a deadly torchead. The day as well since the days seemed almost as dark as the nights But he didn't dare to tell the group, it would probably be shot down anyway. He wouldn't slip from his mind either justice in case of could muster up the courage.
June 10th
Day Three
The Dead Forest
22:00
Night had descended and the only light was the fire that a the centre of the camp. An eerie silence lay over the forest save for the crackling of the fire, which whilst its sound was soft seemed to echo throughout the arena.
"So where do you think the careers are hiding out?" Rico asked
"Probably in the big fuck-off castle," Crinn answered. "Staying in the cornucopia isn't viable. With the swamp and impenetrable mist."
"It does seem like the place that they would choose especially the Ones," Ossovina added.
"They would have a lot of rooms to pick from. D'you think they'd sleep in a different one each night?"
As others began to continue their conversation Cassia turned to Pluto. "What was your plan with the bones then?" She whispered.
"It's a foolish idea," Pluto whispered back
"I very much doubt that, and even soon can't fully know that until we try it."
"You know the torchead we encountered on the day?"
"Torchead?" Cassia inquired.
"The mutt. We what was thinking that would disguises use we've got enough torches, and we could use most inmate the rattling sound that they make and well it would look like we were mutts making other steers clear of us. It sounds even more foolish now that I've said it out loud. Forget I said anything."
"Dones't sound foolish to me. It sounds rather creative. Do you want to tell the others?"
"No," Pluto simply and quickly
"Do you want me to tell the others?"
"No" he repeated. "It's something I have to myself. But I'm not, not ready yet."
June 11th
Day Four
The Dead Forest
20:00
They had decided to stay and camp in the forest clearly for a little while longer. Crinn agreed that provided enough so that they could stay a little longer. Pluto knows however that Crinn would insist on moving again soon enough. They all sat around the fire once more.
"So that's what each of your mentors like?" Ossovina asked
"Suitable enough," Crinn replied. "Though I'd rather had Jaxson. But soft all Cecicla insisted taking but and get that prickly outside shell. Hever once did she consider that there were reasons for this outside shell or that is simply who I was. I presume you were a lot much interesting" she added with a hard tone to her voice."
"Well, Aston certainly has a set method of how does things. He tried to insist that I should be together with Lois but what wasn't going to happen as the moment we laid eyes on each at the reaping we knew we couldn't stand each other. It was not until Sadie told him that he relented then he insisted that I find other allies. Which other course I did do in the end" Rico said
"Why was he so insistent that you stuck with your district partner, considering very the very obvious fact you did get along?" Ossovina inquired.
"I don't know exactly but during he stayed with his District partner for most of the Games so I'll reckon it has something to with that," Rico answered
"As for me. Chi and Rin work fairly separately, I guess there used to be Six pair splitting up more frequently but they were able to work together since Tibor insisted on staying together," Ossovina said
"Hey, Fives you've been awfully quiet. You always seem to be muttering things to each other, hear yer to last night. But that's not my point. How's your mentor? I heard from Jaxson that he's a little freak man" Crinn said
"Well… Well. I do believe you would agree with your assessment," Pluto replied.
"You think so I would have thought he would prefer to the time eccentric or unique or something. You know the more polite way of saying a little freak man."
"He'd probably view 'little freak man' as a compliment because well as you put it he's a 'little freak man'" Pluto said, tugging on his cloak
"Well, he's not actually that little," Cassia interjected. "That's only part he'd object to. He would insist that's rather tall."
"Well, he's probably got hands full mentoring two volunteers," Ossovina said
"Again. He was actually rather energised by who volunteers thing." Pluto said
"Little freak man," Crinn commented
It was with the conversation that Pluto found that he could have the confidence to tell the others about his idea. Now feelings more relaxed and at ease with them. They could still laugh it down, though, dismiss it as foolish and nonsensical. Although if he did do it now when could he do it? After that was exactly something that something who had been mentored by a 'little freak man' such as Cosmo would come up with.
"I-I have something else to say. Something unrelated" Pluto said nervously.
"What is it, Pluto?" Ossovina replied, trying to sound reassuring.
"It's an idea. It's. It's. It's foolish really but you know the torcheads, the mutts with fire in place of head that we encountered in the swamp. Well, I think that we could disguise ourselves as them. We have torches from Crinn's backpack. And. And. The bones collected could imitate the awful rattling sound they make it. It's foolish, I know. I should have sent everything. Pluto, answered hastily speeding through the world as much as he could, nothing each time tripped over his tongue or repeated a word.
"Sounds like it could work" Crinn noted
"It's outside of the box. No one of one would suspect it." Rico commented.
"We'll give it a try in the morning," said Ossovina,
Pluto let a small smile cross his face something that he would never have thought happen during the arena.
June 12th
Day Five
The Dead Forest
0:30
A cannon awoke Pluto.
He looked around making sure that his allies were all still there. If someone or something had attacked them surely they would be aware. They wouldn't just attack one of them and run off but nonetheless, Pluto had to check.
Cassia. Ossovina. Rico. But no Crinn.
It was nothing. She was fine. They had not been another reason.
Then he heard footsteps, the kind of quiet footsteps that someone makes when they were sneaking around but the dead leaves that lay on the ground gave the sneaker away. It was Crinn.
What reason would she have for sneaking off during the dead of the night? Pluto presented to go back to sleep hoping that Crinn had noticed him. During his attempts to go back to sleep tried to tell himself that it was nothing.
For it was nothing.
June 12th
Day Five
The Dead Forest
9:30
The morning came and the day proved itself to be as black as the night. Pluto was unsure that the others really meant what they said and that they were just being kind to him. Cassia had insisted that this wasn't the case but doubt still lingered.
"Let's get kitted out." declared Crinn. "And get moving and see what other grim darkness the Capitol's managed to come up with"
It was now that Pluto began to realise that they were following through with his idea. Perhaps he should trust himself more often.
With the bones wrapped around the necks, ankles and wrists they began to off deeper into the forest. They each had a torch lit and held close to their heads taking care not to set fire to their own hair. Pluto was reluctant to leave to the clear for it had a sense of security and familiarity but as Crinn often liked to state in one place for too long could get risky. Once again the the branches blocked up the grey sky they the slept under for the past few days. The first few hours of their journey passed uneventfully.
Suddenly was rustling.
It couldn't of them. Pluto thought. It had to be someone else. He signalled for others to stop and wait for a moment. The rustling was heard again but this time it was quieter as if whoever it was was retreating.
"What did you see?" he heard a hushed voice ask faintly.
"Look like some of the mutts we saw, in the forest last night. Dirk said he some in the swamps two." answer another equally hushed voice
"We should sneak away. Hope they haven't noticed us. We almost lost Thaddeus to one of them when we trying to get out of those blasted swamps."
"Would losing Thaddeus be such a loss?"
"Yer sounding like Selene now. C'mon lets go."
The pair made their retreat
It had worked.
His disguise had worked.
The journey through the forest continued and for the next while it was uneventful, for which Pluto was thankful. They mostly travelled in silence so as to not break the illusion they had woven. They did, of course, say a few hushed whispers about how long they would be travelling for and where they would set up camp again. It then reached another clearing when night came which would be hard to do considering that this day was as dark as one. The crunching of leaves beneath feet and screeching of partially skeletal birds became Pluto's only company for much of the continued journey.
Thwack. Something dropped right out of the sky and landed a Pluto's feet. He had to tired contain himself from screaming.
Thwack. Another.
And another. And another.
Then a whole flurry.
The birds were falling out of the sky and from trees. Dead.
He back to looking frantically around to see if anything else was suddenly dying, but there never was much life in the dying forest and now there was even less.
"Well this new," Crinn commented morbidly.
"I think we could stop and take a moment to work out what exactly is going on," Cassia suggested
"The birds are falling out of the sky. That's what. I think it's pretty obvious. " Crinn replied.
"We should see if there's another more to it," Pluto said backing Cassia up.
"Free food," Crinn said
Pluto looked a Crinn with an expression of utter confusion
"Well we've pretty much run out, so it's suddenly dying birds of its nothing," Crinn added.
"How do you know it's safe to eat?" Rico questioned
"We don't we're just gonna have to chance it. Or starve " Crinn answered
They all ultimately came into agreement with Crinn and began to gather up some of the dead birds. Pluto found the who thin particularly, and parts of the bird's bone and innards were exposed. A yellow and ichor leaked from some coating Pluto's hands in itself which he didn't his best to frantically shake off.
With dead birds in tow, their journey continued. Soon a broken building came into view amidst the dead and rotten trees.
"We stop soon. There's what looks a like a forest lodge just ahead of us."
As they passed the last layer of trees. It was revealed that a whole derelict village lay at the heart of the forest.
Numerous houses and shops of varying sizes all with broken windows and curbing second floors. A few doors still manage to cling to other entrances to buildings though most were but some hinges and a couple of planks of wood. The entire village centred around a large graveyard. Entirely the only place in the village to seem to be intact. The tombstone was in pristine condition.
"Could be a normal village could it? It had been one that was abandoned and falling apart" Crinn commented.
Pluto and his allies took up refuge in one of the larger houses with fire being prepared just outside to cook their meal.
It was then that Pluto heard a sound. It was coming from the bag and the birds that lay on the table. It was bone-chilling sounds. Bones breaking and flesh ripping. Then a gnawing and a gahsining. Then a buzzing.
He altered the others as they all turned around to see hideous fly-like creatures emerging from bird carcasses leaving a trail of bloodied feathers and broken broken bones.
"Well, I guess dinners off then," said Rico
The flies finished emerging from the carcasses and began to dart off Pluto and the others. Pluto turned and ran making sure that Cassia was close behind him. Ossovia who had been tending to the fire took a moment to release what was going to swiftly began running the moment she did. They all ran buildings that look the most intact. It was one of the smaller houses but they would all fit inside even if would be a little cosy.
Ossovina slammed the door shut behind her as the flies began ramming against it.
"Now we're stuck in here" Crinn hissed
"Want to take your chance outside with the birds," replied Ossovina.
"How long until they break in here?" Crinn growled back "The torches how we still, we got them right."
"Yes. Yes. I made sure to cling to a few.!"
"Throw them out the windows it might deter them," Crinn suggested
They each picked up and torch and open up the windows and threw the torches out at the flies. However, some of them flew around to the back of the house. Where the window female layer is empty with shattered glass laying on the floor around it.
"The back window is open!" shouted Cassia.
"I'll go!" declared Pluto, grabbing one of the last remaining torches.
They burst through and Pluto waved the torch at the creature, it reconciled and frantically waved claws around slashing Pluto across the left arm. He threw the torch right at catching it ablaze, it retrained hissing and screaming. Outside it frantically flew in around bumping into some of the creatures, and spreading the fire to them.
The flies began to retreat as the fire spread between them.
Pluto fell to the ground breathing heavily.
June 12th
Day Five
Abandoned Village
18:30
"Let me take a look at that nasty cut," Casisa said
"It's nothing. Just little scratches" Pluto replied
"Little scratches don't make you bleed that much." countered Cassia. "Now let me take a look"
"It didn't really bleed all math much"
"There's decently trial of it all across the floor."
Pluto presented his arm for Casisa to inspect. Cassia cleaned the with a torn pierced cloth from her cloak staining faded green fabric with a deep red.
"We need to wrap this up in a good few layers of bandages. Which luckily have thanks to a sponsor gift.
Cassia wrapped up Pluto's world. "Hopefully that will suffice."
"Thank you," Pluto said
"There's no need" Cassia replied.
"How do you think we ending up here?" Pluto asked.
"A lot of rotten luck in world bleak world where rotten luck is dealt out freely ."
"I don't how we became accustomed to such a world."
"What else could we do after living it? "
They moved in to hold one another.
"But you haven't let it completely let it consume you still have a kind heart," Cassia continued.
"As do you."
Pluto wanted this moment to last forever as they held each other by the fire as the arena somehow many to grow darker as night drew in. But Pluto knew it could, nothing truly lasted forever.
Not even, his time for Cassia. But such thoughts should be reserved for when the moment came. Now was for reflecting on and discussing the good times, even if they may be few and far between and that's what they did until they drifted off into sleep.
June 13th
Day Six
Abandoned Village
11:30
The day had dawned yet again. The cannons of last night had revealed the boys from eight Eight had passed. Today was not just another day in the arena, at least not for Pluto, today was his birthday, though he had doubts that he'd a much cause for celebration. The arena seemed to be quite skilled at turning gifts into horrors.
Pluto told the others about what it was.
"Don't expect towers to gifts or a big birthday feast. Because we don't have too much in the way of anything." Crinn said. "Well could have roasted dead hell-arena bird but you know that turnout the from yesterday.
"There's no need to a damper on celebrations, Crinn," said Cassia
"We're in the Hunger Games celebrations is to be fucking had." Crin snarled back
"Well we can do our best, we should take a moment to try and find moments of happiness. To worry about the Games as best we can."
"Try and find a way to get killed" Crinn muttered under her breath
A parachute descends from the sky. A medium-sized cylindrical contain hung from it. The parachute floated down and landed on the ground just outside the house that they were camped inside.
"A Birthday gift for the birthday more," Cassia said
"Cassia!"
"Go and open your birthday gift. Birthday boy."
Pluto went out and retrieved the gift. He placed it on the table, which he and his allies gather around. He opened the container to reveal the gift lay within in. It was a freshly baked cake, lemon drizzles his favourite. On to top of the cake lay note, he picked up and read it out.
Happy Birthday
-Cosmo :)
"A birthday cake," Cassia exclaimed
"I'm afraid we don't have many candles. And we threw of the torches out and they're two big of course, they'd crumble the cake into a ruin." Crinn rambled
"We sing Happy Birthday before they share the cake out," said Cassia
"No, no, no. there's no need to-" Pluto tried to explain a little embarrassed
"Excellent Idea said Ossovina. "
They all began to serenade him singing happy birthday.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Pluto
Happy Birthday to you.
From good friends and true,
From old friends and new,
May good luck go with you,
And happiness too.
Crinn then cut began to cut up the cake, in five small slices, leaving half of it untouched. "It would be careless of us to eat all now." She commented.
"Ever the cautious one aren't you Crinn?" Rico said
"Well, this cake is the only food we, we should try and ration it a bit." Crinn chastised
"You're being a killjoy Crinn," said Ossovina.
Crinn sighed.
Pluto took one big bit it the cake. Delicious.
—
A sudden sound could be heard. The cramping of metal against wood coming from a distance. Pluto began to look around for the source of allies and found himself couniting to see if all his allies were in sight.
Cassia, Ossovino, Rico and…
Crinn. There was no Crinn. She had slipped away for some reason. But where had she gone and why had she gone?
The distant sound of hushed but excited voices.
It couldn't be.
Cassia altered the others. "Someone's creeping on us," she whispered
"And it's curious that Crinn had chosen to now slip away," Ossovina added
"Surely not wouldn't. Not now, not today" Pluto said trying to convince himself as much as he was the others
"Today would be the perfect day," Ossovina commented trying to contain her anger. "Since we're all distracted.
"But we know. They gave themselves away. We know they're coming." Cassia said
"What you do think we can do against a pack of careers?" Ossovina noted.
"Careers?" Pluto said, clinging to the hope that Crinn hadn't betrayed them. He thought back to the night when the sound of the cannon had awoken him, remembering how Crinn had been creeping at nothing, telling himself at the time that was nothing to worry about but had never been able to fully shake the thought from his mind.
"Well, who else could it be?"
Pluto swallowed hard he had never thought that he would die on his birthday, partially because he thought that he might die before that. Somehow if did manage to survive that long he thought that, which has done, he had thought that his birthday would pass by quietly. He was foolish to think that the Games would ever be so forgiving.
"What's our plan?" Pluto asked. "Do we just leg it?
"Weapons do we have weapons?" Cassia asked
Pluto frantically looked around. He couldn't find it. "The knives. She's taken the knives," he said.
"Of course she has. She planned this out carefully. She wouldn't reveal leave us with a means to defend ourselves. Ossovina fell to the floor in defeat.
"So we're just going to sit here and die then?" Rico commented.
"They back. We could go to the back window. " Pluto suggested.
"Surely she would have told them about that. The Caerers would have split up to cover such a possible exit." Ossovina disputed
"It could be our only chance." Cassia retorted "I say we take it."
Cassia pulls herself and Pluto up. They reach reached out hands to Ossovina and Rico. Rico took Pluto's hand. Ossovina could not take Cassia.
"Ossovina. We must make a move." Cassia exclaimed
But Ossovina did not move. She sat there frozen in terror.
"Ossovina!"
"We've got to go," Rico said.
"We can't leave her," Pluto insisted
"We must-
"But"
"We must. I don't like either."
The three of them dashed towards the window. Thankfully the fly creatures crashing through had made the opening a lot wider, which allowed three of them to go through at the same time. No debates or discussions about who should go through first which would only waste time and allow a career to gut them, perhaps even the grimmest of them can come with silver linings.
They frantically ran through the opening, luckily no career and head there yet. Behind them echoed the sound's Ossovina's screams as a Career plunged their blade into her chest. The was a brief silence then the sound of a cannon.
Now outside they greeted with mists. Of course, the mists would choose today to spread beyond the confines of the swamps. They weren't quite as impenetrable as the ones that lay in those lands though. Although they were obscuring enough and you would still have to strain your eyes if want to see that was even but a medium distance away in any detail. But through the mists, Pluto could clearly make it one thing.
Chaos.
"Where are others?" A career taunted.
"They won't get away," said another.
"They've propane got around the back," said another voice who Pluto recognised as being Crinn's
Pluto, Cassia and Rico press back against the outside wall of the back of the house.
"We must scatter," Rico stated.
"But splitting up makes us more vulnerable," Pluto said
"Staying together could be getting slaughtered together," Rico whispered back in a hissed tone.
With that Rico ran off the right.
"Well I guess we're going left," Cassia stated.
Two of them run off to the left.
Suddenly an arrow came flying past them. Both of them dodge to either side. Pluto falling to the ground. Another arrow flew past him. Quickly he pulled himself up on his feet.
He couldn't see Cassia.
He saw someone slice their right down their chest, blood slicking the blade in red.
Another cannon.
Pluto hoped that it was for a Career of even Rico. Just not Cassia. Anyone but Cassia.
Then another.
Pluto prayed that one wasn't Casisa's either. He frantically searched around for suddenly not no longer himself caring that he might find the end of a career's or Crinn's blade at any moment.
He ducked behind the village's ruined walls. Glaring in the mist trying to recipe what was going on amidst the carnage. Fear overtook him, leaving him unable to do anything but watch. It was at this moment he fully understand Ossovina's actions. Actions that had cost her her life. He had to make a move no matter how afraid he was.
She saw Crinn stab her knife into the neck, which appeared to be a career, piercing a jugular painting the ground in red.
Wasn't Crinn working with Careers? Or had she bargained with one of them and planned to betray their respective alliances together? The answers to these questions did not matter, at least not at this moment.
BOOM!
A scream.
Cassia. This time it had to be.
Pluto ran towards the sound of the scream and Crinn and the surviving careers scattered. Her cannon hadn't sounded yet. Her desperate, distant hope, but it was still hope. He ran to Cassia and knelt down beside her and held her.
"I should never have let us get separated. Especially not hot. This was the worst possible time for such a thing to happen." Pluto said holding back his tears.
"There's no know things would happen," she replied straining out the words
"But should be able to stop this someone how."
"We've always known how this was how going to end. We've both known it. We just never wanted to confront it until it actually happened. Not truly."
"No, but we could-'ve." Pluto wiped the tears that were growing in his eyes. "We should stay together until the end. If both of us-"
"It would have ended the same. You must continue forward. You can with. The courage and confidence, I've seen. You have always had it.
A cannon. An agonised scream.
Pluto ran off into the forest, hopes crushed and broken.