Bloodbath

Levin Huxley 18, District 1 Male


The first thing that hits me is the freezing cold air but then I try to look around, panic slightly spreading inside me.

I see nothing and that's what scares me, is the entire arena going to be in the dark, if it is that throws everything I even expected, everything I planned out of the window, everything I knew.

They couldn't could they, it would be a massacre if it's in the pitch black or the opposite. I just bite my lip when I hear the announcement relief flooding me when I don't hear a cannon by some miracle Cedric didn't slip off his pedestal that's the last thing I wanted.

I know I will need to lose the little goofball but not yet I don't know if I'm ready to lose him, in general, my protective and caring side really came out when I wanted it the least.

I just can't think about him at the moment, now that we are split I can't protect him anyway hopefully we can quickly meet up and get out of here speaking to Harley before made me feel a little comfortable, it started with him asking me if it would be easy to kill someone while floating in air as I just agreed with him and made it seem like I like the idea of killing as well.

Then it ended up with him telling me, they won't even kill in the bloodbath because he isn't going to kill anyone until he gets Junior and Rory gets Blaze, I didn't ask what they are I just hoped whatever they were wouldn't affect me, to be honest, it's either a weapon or an imaginary friend, so that's one pair I know won't be an issue.

The fours, well if Kylian follows his word they won't be a concern, the only pair I'm unsure of is the nines but Aurelia isn't stupid, she won't try to break our deal because if she does, she knows she will become my target number one and Declan if smart won't be so stupid to put himself or his sister in trouble, they seem like they will try to flee early.

Harley said the nines aren't his target yet, he said he's going to wait then make Aurelia his forever girl, which doesn't disturb me at all (sarcasm) however his obsession with the girl from nine, might help me again, in the long run, those boys believe in the devil, they believe in deals, if I were to help him with whatever his end game is then maybe they will get rid of themselves for me, so I don't have to try and fight them.

"Welcome tributes you might all be confused, as to why you can't see anyone don't worry the arena isn't pitch dark, you all are in 9 of our caves, once the gong sounds the lights will turn on follow the stairs where you will make it to the bloodbath how ever tributes some caves have a special gold backpack, these backpacks have something that will be very very helpful in this arena so getting this backpack can be the difference between life and death, as some supplies will be very hard to get, good luck tributes and may the odds be ever in your favour"

I'm in here with someone, I can hear shallow breathing but I can't make out who it is I also don't know if my room has a pack, but the difference between life and death, if it's here I need it. I just hope I'm not in with the two freaks or the fours, or even the nines, fuck just anyone I am not ready to fight or kill right now.

If it's anyone else, I have to kill.

I need to show the capital I am a killer and that I will do anything for victory, if I show them I'm soft it will make me vulnerable, I'm not a monster, doesn't mean I'm a good guy either. I know I'm not, I have stolen so many fathers away from their families, I'm the reason kids will grow up never meeting their father and as someone who went through that I wouldn't wish it on anyone else but I'm the monster that has caused it, I can't let all those people I killed, all those deaths be for nothing, I need to do everything to win.

I have to get back and if it means becoming a monster or feeling the worst pain I have ever felt then I have to experience that. There is no turning back, there are no second chances, Jasper already promised to help support my family financially if I die but they need me I don't want them to have to go through losing their parents and their brother, it's hard growing up without parents and I almost had to become that surrogate but at the same time if I do become a monster, will they welcome me back.

I have lied to their faces more than once, maybe I don't deserve their trust.

Maybe I don't deserve to live, they do that in the capital, they put the ones who have committed crimes or who have scars and they are chosen to be the favourites, all of the hand-chosen ones, we aren't heroes, we have done horrible things yet it's time to redeem that besides Cedric.

Cedric doesn't deserve this, the fact he was hand-chosen baffles me and if I didn't have too much to lose I would do everything to help him get out of this alive, besides maybe Aurelia doesn't deserve to die he is a good person, he hasn't changed after everything he went through, people judged him because he was rich and he didn't belong they treated him like dirt but that's district one for you. They treat everyone who doesn't fit their perfect society like dirt it's why in a sense I don't want to win.

I don't the district to get, better to get more hope, I don't want people like me believing they deserve to win but who are people like me, hitman, the poor.

The poor deserve to win, the hitman doesn't.

'30 seconds' the lights still haven't come on as I just focus on my next move, see who is next to me, either kill them or go for the bag, it seems easy but I don't know who is next to me if it's someone like Harley I should get the fuck away because even if I think he promised me safety, it's sort of hard to tell with him since he speaks the language, maniac, but if it's like a Winston or Aurelia then I go for the bag, if I have to kill Winston so be it, with Aurelia I just need to threaten her even beat her up a little if I have to then the bag is mine.

Mabel?

Please don't be Mabel, or should I just run?

Not bother about the bag?

I know survival skills on the back of my head I was a street kid and Cedric is more resourceful than the kid thinks, he can craft weapons, and he knows all the survival skills some even I didn't know, maybe I should be concerned but I know when someone is a killer, and that boy isn't a killer.

But people can become a killer, you can be the sweetest guy or girl in the world then all of a sudden bam you end up in a situation where you spill blood and it forever changes you, it's why I can't underestimate anyone, yet I can't overestimate anyone either, the two psycho freaks they can die, they want to die anyways, Harley I quote said heaven will welcome me with open arms after sending them souls, at first I thought maybe he's just a really really sick person but he is just a delusional kid?

If he thinks he can go to heaven then I'm baby Jesus hell even, I'm not going to heaven.

'3,2,1'

I'm almost blinded by the light at the start as I jump off my pedestal landing heavily on the ground, it's some sort of cave and in a glass case is a gold bag, I look next to me as the boy's eyes widen.

"Just take it, please just take it" he says putting his hands up,

Inigo, the other boy from 7, I just hesitate for a moment and that gives him a chance to try to sprint past me, he just wants to run, he just wants to escape but I can't let him, every person is one extra obstacle I have to worry about, this isn't just any games it's the hunger games.

I just grab him by the hood, I wish I had a weapon but I have to make do, he is a lot stronger than I thought so I struggle to hold him but at the end of the day I have trained, he hasn't. I just wrap both of my arms around his neck and then force my body forward slamming his face into the cave wall, I just use one of my hands to grip his hair smashing it on the wall.

Once, twice, three times, he keeps struggling and keeps moving trying to do everything to survive, everything to fight but I just try to ignore the guilt, after the fifth time, he goes limp in my arms.

Boom

I just drop his body his face absolutely smashed to pieces, I ignore his blood splattered on my hands as I just nod, I can show respect at least still not going to make the parents feel better.

And he had parents I just blink the guilt away one down 17 to go as I just see a key opening it, I grab the gold bag, but I don't bother looking in it, I need to find Cedric as I can hear only one cannon as I run up the stairs the night sky shines but that isn't what stuns me.

What the fuck?

Surrounding the large cornucopia are black stoned walls, it's a maze.

Great

That's why there was a map reading station and no doubt this pack has a map.

'Welcome to the map town'

I just snap out of my daydream when someone runs into me, I just step back meeting eyes with Rory.

"I see fire over there you should run" he says then he just sprints over to the centre I don't see any fire but I see tributes starting to run from the stairs as Mabel just runs out.

Runs out of where Rory was.

What the actual fuck he let her live

Am I tripping right now she is literally the type he used to target at home, and she bumps into me, they can't see properly, it is pretty dark and I have trained to adjust my eyes to the darkness, she just screams in shock as I just grab her covering her mouth.

"Be quiet, I am going to let you go okay but I swear don't bump into me again and don't go to the middle, if you go into the middle I will kill you," I say to letting her go.

"Thank you," she says softly then she runs to the side as Dash runs out and she sprints to him I probably should have killed her but I was more stunned that Mr burns children were alive didn't, I mean he burned a newborn baby alive it had it in his file fuck I must be tripping I just run to the cornucopia, weapons are everyone but not as many backpacks, Rory had one too but not Mabel.

I just make it inside, I grab a sword as I just swing it in shock as someone crashes into me.

"FUCK"

"Cedric what the hell man," I say

"Sorry dude he grabbed a saw when I ran past and I panicked" he says just clinging onto me, Harley just waves to us then he just runs over to Rory and those two just leave.

Just like that.

Right, I'm so damn confused right now, so fucking confused.

"I didn't grab a bag is that okay, I was with Declan I panicked when he lunged at me so I ran then fell down the stairs and hurt my neck so limped up here, I think he just wanted a bag," he says I wouldn't have wanted him to go for it anyways.

"It's fine I have one, just grab a bag and a weapon and let's get the fuck out of here," I say, he just nods as I just jump when blood splatters over me as I see one of the boy's heads literally fly off.

"Oh fuck" Winston yells I didn't even know he was in here but when Rex I believe his name, head rolls to his feet, he just bolts seeing his allies at the end as Stellan just chuckles,

"Impressed," he asks me, Cedric almost trips over the head yelling as Stellan laughs even more.

"No, you can have this place, we don't want it" I mumble

"Good, this will be a fortress once my partner comes, actually have you seen the nines," Stellan says just throwing his sword away and not grabbing a whip, no one else is coming here they won't be stupid. I know I saw Dash with a bag, I saw both the twos as well I have one but Stellan doesn't and clearly Declan has one.

"Nope, you have a nice day," Cedric says as I just wink at him as we just get the fuck out of there.

"Levin"

I just stop gripping Cedric's wrist.

Declan runs out "She isn't there if you want to wait for her, I wouldn't wait in there unless you have a death wish," I say

"Thanks," he mumbles

"Last time 9 if I see you alone again, see this as a gesture of goodwill, for not trying to kill him," I say just patting Cedric's head.

"I could have taken him" Cedric grumbles without Declan knowing

"Back at ya" Declan says just running to one of the corners he looks concerned but I haven't seen Aurelia unless she already ran. Cedric just shrugs as we run into the maze.

"Woah fuck man this is scary, is the whole arena a maze," he says

"I hope not, no shelter, no supplies, it's easier to run," I say, we just run a little further it's pretty dark too.

"Let's just stop here for a second if you hear anyone shoot doesn't matter if you miss, it will just alert them and hope they run" I say

"Knowing my luck, I will kill them," he says

"Then let's hope it's Harley," I say, he just nods as I open the bag, two torches as I'm quick to hand one to Cedric, a compass, two drink bottles, a first aid kit, matches (great), rope, a few other survival items, a flint, and a map.

I'm quick to pull open the map

"There is nothing in here" Cedric says putting his bag upside down

"That's why these are important there is double of everything take some," I say I open the map as he peers over my shoulder.

"Woah," he says

"So the whole arena isn't a maze, the mazes just lead to towns and other areas," I say

"There seem to be about seven towns scattered around, What should we do," he says

"Why not this town for now, then we can start moving even if it looks big, it probably wouldn't be" he says. Cedric just nods as I help him separate things

"Where will the freaks go," he says

"Probably the hell town" I say it is literally called hell town

We just keep walking the map is a little confusing but being a hitman I live by maps, I know how to read them, I use the highlighter we had in the bag to mark our paths as Cedric just jumps when another cannon sounds.

"Settle there" I laugh

"I will never get used to that sound, there was a big gap between us leaving," he says

"Probably an outer" I say but I hope it wasn't for our sake.


Aurelia Callen 16, District 9 Female


I don't like this one bit after the announcement about the lights turning on once the gong sounds and the bag, I feel even worse, I almost fell off my pedestal in shock, and I wonder if it's on. I know how to check but I don't know who is where with me, I don't want to risk making noise yet.

Should I go for the bag?

I want to show Declan I can handle myself, that he doesn't need to carry me and if I don't get one he will get annoyed, he might want to protect me but I know he has some hatred towards me.

I just want to please him and I know I shouldn't have, too we are brother and sister.

We are family even if he doesn't want to admit it but that's not the world we live in.

I was so close to taking Winston's offer, I should have but it's like I just didn't have the heart to do that, I just couldn't leave Declan, I didn't want to hurt him more than he already has been.

In his eyes, I left him, and I know I can never make it up to him. I guess I just want to make it up to him, I want to show him I can handle myself. I survived as an outsider even when I wished I was killed, the things I went through at home, the hunger games are almost nothing compared to that but first I need to pass this bloodbath, it's only me and one other tribute, I won't have Declan I don't want him, I need to look after myself, I need to show everyone I can handle my self that I'm not a broken little girl.

I just hope it's an outer and they will run, I don't want to get into any fights, and I don't want to hurt anyone but I don't want to get killed either, no doubt this arena is a maze from the map reading to the little mazes you can practise on. I can read maps, but having to try and escape a maze that is, hard, not that I have ever tried yet it will make trying to hide a lot easier, trying to run easier but if you lose someone then it will be hard to find them.

"10 seconds"

I feel my entire body shaking like I'm almost about to collapse off my pedestal, how hasn't Cedric fallen off yet, that's my first thought I really hope he hasn't but the second the gong goes I can't worry about anyone until I find Declan and we get out of here.

The fact we are separated pretty much solidifies we can't go to the cornucopia, being the last ones there will mean we could get targeted straight away, but I don't know if we will be targeted.

I don't think Levin will target us yet and Cedric clearly has a massive crush on me, so I doubt he will try to hurt me and I don't want to hurt him either.

The twos, I really don't know. Harley gave me another heart-shaped stone this morning and whispered I can't wait to steal your heart that made me almost collapse and faint in fear since knowing him he probably meant my actual heart but if it meant I was part of his end game just my bloody luck.

I just hope I die before then or he dies before me, preferably him I have almost acknowledged that I will be killed, that I will die but I'm still not ready for it. How do you prepare yourself for death?

Even my own mentor couldn't tell me.

"3,2,1"

I get blinded by the light for a brief second as I just look at my surroundings when I jump off the pedestal, it's a small cave but I see the glass case with a backpack behind but before I can even consider my next move, even see who is next to me I'm brought to the ground as I just try to knee him in the chin but he just slams a knee on my stomach as I meet the blue eyes of Kylian.

Besides Harley he is the last one I wanted to be in here with, I don't know what his plan is, and I don't know what he wants, he is an evil genius yet he hasn't acted like one bit.

Deep down I knew I would be his target. I might not be as smart but he would find me a threat. I try to push him off but at the end of the day, he is a lot bigger and stronger than I am, I try to grab something next to me but he just chuckles slamming his knee in my stomach again.

"Try all you want, there is nothing in here I have to admit though I didn't expect us to be put together it's like they knew what I was planning, that they wanted me to kill you, we are the hero and villain after all," he says

I try to kick up but he is quick to move his body so he is pinning me down by my upper torso his weight restricting my chest, he grabs my hands but I don't want to die without a fight.

"Please," I say he just slams his fist onto my nose

"You are the hero, I'm the villain you know how this story goes, luckily for you, there isn't really anything down here for me to make it a show that's what they want right, a show," he says just roughly twisting my wrist as I whimper slightly.

I always knew I could die in the bloodbath but it didn't mean I wanted too, I can't die not like this, not when Declan and I finally started to understand each other.

"A show, torture, sadly I can't do that luckily for you, I mean unluckily for you, I do know how to drag it out without minimal equipment, Stellan wasn't the only district serial killer," he says just bringing his hand down my hand. I keep struggling under his grip but he has got me locked tight but I know Street fighting techniques.

I know how to fight, I just bring my head up slamming it into his my entire skull starts to throb but that was enough to get him to stop as I shove him off me and get up to run.

"You can have the bag," I say.

I hope that means he will let me go but when I got to run, I feel him grab my foot tripping me down the stairs as my chin slams on the stairs, he just grabs a fist fall of my hair slamming my chin on the stairs again, I feel him climb on top my back fuck this guy wants me dead and I don't even know why I didn't speak to him in the captiol, I never threatened him.

I did nothing but that's the story of my life, I always got targeted for no reason, and I was always the punching bag.

"I just want you dead, I'm the smart one, there isn't enough room for both of us," he hisses in my ear clearly not smart enough to have me properly pinned. I throw him off my entire head throbbing as I just swing my fist at his nose pushing him away and running past him to the other side sadly I forgot that we are in a cave with only one way out, so maybe I'm not so smart either.

I get ready to turn back but he already has me slammed against the wall with a fist full of my jumper "That wasn't so smart now wasn't it sweetheart," he says

"Please I will do anything" I say

I'm so terrified that I'm willing to beg, it is pathetic but I'm not ready to die but maybe if I keep him occupied then I can find a way to escape.

"Kill you, brother," he says

I just knee him between the legs and he just grunts but clearly, he doesn't feel pain as he just leans closer but I kick him again, that one hurt him and pissed him the hell off.

"Fucking bitch," he yells as I shove him away from me.

Yep Kylian is a psychopath and wants me dead for some reason, my life isn't worth the bag and if Declan can't understand that then maybe he doesn't deserve me, maybe I should then just walk away.

I make it upstairs this time my whole head throbbing as I just see the night sky, I get up screaming in shock when I bash into someone at first I'm worried Kylian somehow can teleported but it's even worse.

"Who hurt you" Harley says gripping my wrists

"Please let me go" I say he just holds me closer I can already see the saw attached to his hip, and I can feel my throat close in.

Kylian didn't have a weapon, Harley does and saws are normally used to cut wood I know it's used to sometimes cut really dry grain but only a maniac will use it on people and now I'm in the hands of that maniac.

Kylian runs out but he doesn't look alarmed, he is good at masking his emotions.

"Did you hurt her" Harley growls, yes he tried to kill me, actually planned to torture me.

What I don't know but that's what people like him are like even Harley, they want to hurt people for no reason and people like me can be easily victimised, it has been the story of my life.

"She fell down the stairs, didn't you," Kylian says

"He is right" I mumble there is no point telling the truth because I want to get the hell away from both of them as quick as possible.

"Ever touch her and the reapers will come for your soul and the reapers aren't nice people," Harley says.

Kylian just runs smirking at me in the process as I start to struggle in Harley's grip.

"Come with me," he whispers in my ear

"I'm not going anywhere with you" I yell he is a lot stronger than he looks.

He just growls in anger but then pushes me to the ground and ducks as I see Declan lunge at him with a hammer

"Stop, let's just go," I say as Harley grips his saw.

"She is right, spike is sharp" Harley says Declan looks alarmed that Rory isn't around, actually where is he.

I just get up "Thank you," I say to Harley

"We will be together one day just realise that, if I can't have you no one can" he says.

He just takes off as I swallow the pit forming in my stomach

"Did he hurt you?" Declan says just fingering my bloody chin.

"It was Kylian, I didn't get a bag I'm sorry" I say

"It's fine I have one, here I grabbed this luckily Stellan was too busy putting the head of his kill up like a trophy" Declan says just attaching a short sword to my belt and then leading me away, even if I can hear the slight annoyance in his voice, annoyed the fact he had to save me and I had nothing to show for it.

"We need to stay away from the fours, he wanted me dead," I say and the scary thing is I don't know why.

"We will just stay away from everyone" he shrugs.

I'm glad he didn't get hurt even if I should be upset that his first thought was to grab supplies and weapons before finding me but I can't expect that in the hunter games, it's every person for themselves, it doesn't matter if we are blood because once we die none of that matters.

"Do you know anything about mazes?" Declan says as we start to walk in the opposite direction the whacko brothers went, hopefully, Rory does start fires because then we will stay the heck away from fires, but I doubt he would set the area on fire if anything the concrete looks fire resistant, can't blame them to be honest, apparently years ago a tribute before the Victor revolution, there was an arsonist he set the whole arena on fire including himself and a district 11 tribute that was hiding in a sewer ended up winning without a kill, the game only lasted 3 days.

And of course, that tribute was male, looking at the history of the games I don't remember reading in the 210th-odd years that there has ever been an insane female tribute or one who went on a massive murder spree.

"I can read a map," I say

"Well that's helpful without a map isn't it" he grumbles as we begin to walk into the maze. I just jump a little when I hear a noise almost wanting to grab his wrist or hand but that will show weakness and I know he wouldn't like it, but it's just thunder thankfully.

"Check the gold bag," I say

He does what I say as he hands me a map "We have enough survival supplies, keep a torch on you as well" he says handing me a torch but he doesn't hand me anything else, he didn't grab another backpack maybe I should be worried that he will run and leave me without supplies but out of every tribute I know how to survive in any condition.

How?

I don't know I was locked in a room most of the time, food and water were given to me I had access to a shower and clothes, yes the food and water were minimal pretty much three rolls with butter a day but I had my needs given to me, it was the books I was given that I memorised.

"This map will help us find our way out, not if we are running from someone, if we get lost it could lead to dead ends, so maybe we should try to stay in the town, only if you want to it's your call anyways," I say.

I'm scared he is going to bark at me for wanting to take the lead.

"Why not this, you will guide us to a town, lead us to safety and I will be the backup, make sure no one attacks us," he says. I just nod as he signals me to start walking.

"We walk next to each other," I say he looks a little annoyed.

"What, you want me to hold your hand and make sure you are okay, grow up you are 16 not 6," he scoffs bur he bites his lip.

"It isn't that, I don't bloody trust you but fine, I will lead the way," I say just storming ahead as I'm almost shocked by my guts if I said that to Dalton or Ryley I would have not been able to move for days, I remember snapping at Dalton one day when he was down with me I couldn't walk for a week.

He just grabs my wrist pulling me back.

"I'm not going to stab you in the back," he says

"I don't trust you, let's just go to this town then we find shelter" I mumble.

He just nods, and he starts to walk at the same pace as me, I didn't want to admit to him I don't trust him but that's the truth, I don't. Declan wants to win a lot more than I do, winning can make anyone do things they don't plan to, luckily the maze is a little lit up but it's still hard to directly see.

I just bite my lip when I hear a cannon "Only three" Declan says

"Do you know who?" I say

"I only saw one death, Levin had a bit of blood on him, so he probably killed, Stellan killed I don't know about anyone else," he says

"Doesn't take a genius to know who the next kill belongs to there was a huge gap" I say.

We walk in silence for a while, once again that uneasy tension, it's hard with him though, his mood changes like the wind, one second we can be having normal conversations and he seems like a normal guy, the next second I say something and he barks at me and it causes an argument it's just easier to stay quiet.

I don't want to get attached and for some reason, I do care for him. I shouldn't care, he treats me like trash yet for some reason I care for him. I want his love, I want to be welcomed by him, for ten years I was just a toy I was used but I wasn't cared for I may have seemed like I was but I was valuable they needed me, and it's why they treated me like they did and even Declan makes me feel that way.

"You think it's weird he didn't try to fight us that he just left," Declan says

"I wish I could tell you what goes through his head," I say, after a long walk we finally make it.

"Damn you are good at reading maps," he says.

The town is dark and run down but it's like the other areas, shops and houses a large farm area. I don't see any movement so hopefully, we are the only ones here, I would rather not bump into any tributes, especially the weaker ones, what if Declan forces me to kill, what if he gets killed there are all those questions in my head I don't want answers too.


Harley Tandley 16, District 2 Male


It's quite interesting how the human mind works.

How someone tends to know when they are getting followed, getting hunted, that at the start their footsteps are calm, they think they are safe then something changes, the footsteps get heavy, they begin to run, they begin to pant, they begin to worry about their life.

They become the hunted.

I never understood how that worked, even when I stalked people in two it was like they had a feeling I was around.

They wouldn't scream or run they knew not to but they would look behind their shoulder more often, or they would double lock their doors.

Not that it mattered, Rory and I had a district two master key each, and we could get anywhere we wanted. It was easy to get the key, all we had to do was just kill the office lady at the district justice centre and then get the key cut.

I have killed someone with a key before, it took a lot of effort because they are so small but it was satisfying, to say the least, Rory and I ran into the maze with no real plan, we were just going to stalk the maze hope we find someone then plan our next move.

Both of us are trained hunters, and we know how to be able to hear talking and footsteps when we heard two seats of heavy footsteps, we knew it was a male pair, with the way they knew where they were going, we had a feeling it was the ones, so we went into the opposite direction, that's until we heard a lone set of footsteps and with the way they don't seem to know where they are going.

It's one of the helpless souls.

Our plan wasn't to kill in the bloodbath.

I had the hellkeeper in Stellan who was too focused on getting the first kill leaving me the golden backpack, he wasn't impressed when the first kill happened in the first few seconds.

He started to scream in anger, I wanted to hear him scream louder but that wasn't our plan I knew I had to ensure Aurelia was okay, when she dies, it's by my hands and my hands only.

I don't know why I'm so obsessed with the girl, could be my crush, or my hatred towards her District but I don't like seeing her hurt, I don't like seeing her upset.

Maybe if we were in District Two, I could have bought her black roses and a teddy bear I stole from some child and taken her on a date to this little restaurant that I like to eat at then I would have taken her for a walk to the little fairy forest we have before I choked her to death and pulled her inside outs before I stuffed it with cotton so I can keep her in my room so she can be my forever girl, sadly we didn't meet until now.

She is my soul mate though but like with what Rory did, we need to protect our soul mates and send them to a better place, so no one else can have them and they can be together in the after world.

We do need to be careful in case we are chasing one of the biggest threats, this could be a trap.

To be honest, that is how I would kill us, try to trap us but we aren't dumb, there are reasons why we didn't get killed in District Two, yes we got caught but it was due to having mental breakdowns plus when we didn't actually want to get caught we never did.

Both of us just wait for a second, Rory grabs me and pulls me against the wall, the poor little souls hit a dead end that's why I like mazes, we never had them in two but we had puzzles where you had to put the little ball through the maze.

One of my many now-deceased councillors liked to get me to do it, it was fun at the start then it got boring because I knew what I was doing I knew every pattern on the back of my hand, and then I tried to shove the game down his throat.

I got a new councillor and never played that game again, but mazes are easy for me to work out, even if we have hit a few dead ends.

Sadly the only way for Rory to set a fire in here, is with gasoline because the walls are fireproof, no doubt they did that on purpose.

Assholes, I can't wait to slaughter all of them and watch the president burn then I will burn his grave and then laugh. I normally don't laugh at my kills, I like to respect the dead it shows I'm a kind and humble person, and that's one of the qualities about myself I am proud of. I don't want to be seen as cruel.

I just grab the boy's arm when I know he's going to run past, as he just screams in shock but Rory is quick to pull a knife out to his throat.

"Don't scream you will alert the reapers" Rory whispers but he does, he keeps screaming neither of us reacts. I just grab a knife plunging it into the soft spot of his throat, as the screams become chokes and Rory drops him to the ground like the dead weight he is.

I just look at the clothing, we don't care who it is, but we need to keep track of who we do kill, in case their ghosts come to haunt us and I'm scared of ghosts. I have been haunted before don't know why since I did a lot of them favours, but people don't understand that, they think everything I do is out of malice and evil but it isn't. I could have had three kills in the bloodbath but I chose not to.

Aurelia was the fact she isn't ready to die yet, I want her now but I know it's too early. Rory and I need more souls to sacrifice and he will always be my number one, I can't have a girl come between us. I wanted to take her I almost did but I knew it wasn't a good idea, like my baby bird she is I set her free until I came with my net to cage her soul forever.

Declan I wanted to kill, he doesn't deserve her but he will protect her for now anyway, when she doesn't need him, he can burn for all I care and Kylian, I just didn't feel like making effort to kill him. We need him to go around doing most of the killing for us or manipulate his district partner to kill I couldn't care less.

We don't kill more than one person a day normally and now that we are killing together, we want to be creative, we want to make it memorable.

I just look at my knife letting the blood drop on the ground as the boy just flops over trying to crawl away, Percy the boy from five, ha, Percy that's a funny name clearly his parents thought they were in District 4.

Both of us just watch him, trying to crawl away as Rory just brings out his blow torch setting fire to his leg, the flame engulfs it straight away, turning it to a mess of charred skin as he screams or more so silently cry thanks to having a stabbed voice box is even more music to my ears. I just bring out spike, I want junior but I know it's better to wait, it's all about patience.

It is a virtue after all. I just slam my boot on his stomach, he looks at me with fear and I bring the saw straight to his shoulder blade, with gentle cuts I feel it crunch into the bone, he keeps screaming, the blood is thick, they have us on blood thickener, it means that torture can happen more often, it almost means the stabs to the stomach or stabs to the chest, if it doesn't puncture the heart won't be as quick to kill as it normally would.

Great for us.

Bad for our victims not that it's the be-all or end-all, to get a bad wound these days, they have miracle medicine that stuff does work well after I hurt myself a few times in the capitol I had to take it.

I was scared to take it, worried it would grow my pinky back. Luckily it only works on recent wounds, I miss my pinky, and I hope he is okay without me. I hope he doesn't get too cold, I used to make sure he always had a blanket on him and I would read a bedtime story, my favourite bedtime story was The Gingerbread Man because he used to lose his limbs as well.

I just move away pulling his arm off as Rory just kicks him so his lying on his back, he brings the blowtorch out burning the skin so he doesn't bleed out. I wish we didn't have to mute him sadly screams may alert tributes and we don't want that, we are at our most vulnerable right now, there are two long ranged weapon users and I wouldn't even be able to see a knife or arrow coming towards my head and I don't really want to die that way.

I want to die slow, I want to see my life flash before my eyes until I finally meet death.

When that is I don't really know yet I would probably kill myself when or how well I haven't been told yet, Rory said Lucifer knows but he hasn't told him, yet I wish I could meet Lucifer before I die.

"I hope, you didn't really need this," I say just waving his hand by his face and using his other hand to high-five it, chuckling as Rory smirks as I just bring my saw out again as Rory watches my back we don't even need to speak when we kill, we know who does what and we know how to make it work.

We never argue or have conflict, I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, but we both will die, we plan to die at the same time so we don't have to lose the other because if I lose him, it will be like losing half of my body and it looks scary, to not have your lower body, even your upper body.

I tried to see if someone can live being cut in half, the upper body lasts a little bit but eventually they die, you need the entire body to properly survive.

It's why I loved being a doctor, the human body is so fascinating even now as I just use a knife to cut the boy from five's torso open, as his head slumps to the ground, Rory just uses the bottom of his blow torch to hit his head making sure he's still alive as he just groans in pain.

"Stay awake, it won't work if you don't see it," Rory says.

The tries to say something but it comes out as muted cries, it's quite angelic it self, the human throat without a voice, the human throat as a whole is quite fascinating so many bones and little organs it takes a while to pull them apart it's easier to do it on a dead body because with a live subject any mis movement they will die and it's better to pull someone apart when they are alive the organs are still fresh, still beaten.

I'm able to gently pull the skin back, it just takes four cuts and they come apart like a box the best thing is they can easily be put back together as I just run my hand up and down his organs fingering his rib cage, he just groans again.

I just step back nodding to Rory we don't want to take as long as we normally do, he lights his blowtorch up serving fire to his internal organs. I just bring my knife out doing a delicate cut to his throat my hands are soaked in blood but I like the feeling, until they become dry and sticky we just take one final look at the body watching him struggle.

I can imagine it will be a painful death and as much as I love playing with dead bodies, we have no time the smoke will alarm tributes as we just run off. We are going to the dark town it has a graveyard, and it's a good place to set up camp for now after a few more seconds a cannon boom, we just high-five each other seeing that both our watches have the number one.

I wonder what killed him first?

His organs getting burned, or the slit throat doesn't matter it's not like we really care about who the kill goes too, as long as the soul goes to the right place that's the main thing.

I just glance at the map one final time, Rory just grabs me when we hear footsteps "We don't need a fucking map, let's just find some stupid list tributes,"

Oh Stellan, the terrible things I can do to him "You want to hit a dead end" Kylian mumbles they can't see us. that's the only annoying thing about this arena it's hard to see of course it is the walls are in the way but it's easy to see in the dark, we just slowly walk another way not ready to have a fight yet, we aren't fighters, we are killers, the longer we can avoid the drama, the better.

We want to slip under the radar, that's going to be our strategy if we have to fight, we will be able to analyse the tribute, and they won't be so stupid to try and fight us head-on. The fours are already about to self-implode, Declan is on the brink of losing it which will make his sister leave and the ones will split when the time is right. I'm sensing an upset this year, the anti-hero, the hero or the villain,won't be winning it will be one no one can expect

I'm okay with that I just don't want a reaper to win but as long as we wait until the pairings split our end game will be complete.

We make it to the town, it's dark and run down blood splattered everywhere but I know it's fake blood, you can tell the colour is different, they could have tried a little harder to make it real. It is easier to make fake blood, melt paint, and put red food dye in water sometimes when I wanted to paint the walls red I would use fake blood.

I used to redecorate the houses of my victims and paint the walls red, scatter bones and flesh everywhere that's how they knew it was me not that I cared about being caught. I wanted to be caught, we make sure to watch our surroundings we may be feared but that makes us a target, we may have to deal with the ones but they don't concern me they aren't stupid, it's the fours that do, they are stupid enough to attack us hell Declan attacked me but I can't blame him I was holding onto his sister. I could have done anything to her I wanted too but I know when to hold back I know went to play it smart

And to win this game we have to play it smart.


Stellan Moore 18, District 4 Male


"Are you going to just carry that head the entire time" Kylian grumbles

I just chuckle flicking the head back, I like trophies I normally take one and out it in my trophy cabinet sadly I can't do that here but I was quite pleased by my work it was a clean cut and it caused a few scares with other tributes sadly it wasn't the first kill no doubt levin stole that form me but I was too caught up in my kill to have a go at him for it but at the end of the day the first kill doesn't matter if I end up dying but if I end up winning well then I will be pissed

Fuck I came in not wanting to be a typical career it's why I hid my talents why I chose to kill people, I wanted to be in control, I wanted the power I didn't to be the districts pet, it's why I acted, why I seemed like the nice lovable guy when I was always hiding a secret now at least they can link all the kills to me, the parents can get closure blah blah blah it's not like they will find the bodies, they are either in the bottom of the ocean if they are lucky or eaten by a shark, that shows how much value I have for human life that I won't even treat them like human

"I need to find somewhere to show it off since you forced me to move" I say, I should be cautious with this kid and I am he did lie to me, he did con me I thought I was better then that I thought I can read people or maybe I just underestimated him maybe I didn't care enough to find out his secret I knew he was smart but he is too smart that's the issue even if I tried to stab his back he will see it come, his smart not to walk in front of me, smart to make sure his on the side of my less dominant hand and his careful with his words

We did argue before and when he threatened to leave I followed him, because I know I can't be alone, not yet, I made my self too much of a target maybe I let it all get to my head I'm pissed off this dweeth stole my spotlight but the fact he has has made me extra cautious, because he is seen as a villain and his score was a lot higher then expected I didn't even know his weapon choice but he was right staying in the middle there was no point no tribute will come back the backpacks had no supply the only bags that have something is the gold bags which Kylian luckily grabbed I was too focused on getting the first kill plus I had the freak head from two next to me and some of the looks he has been giving me I knew to get the hell away from that thing

I'm not scared of him I just value my life and I'm not ready to risk my life yet I still have carnage to cause, I was bored at home and I'm bored here I want to kill, I want to torture, I wanted to target the nines but I couldn't see them Kylian didn't tell me what took him so damn long he didn't seem happy seemed a little roughed up but told me to fuck off when I asked, I need to please the little maniac he seems to have a lot more mental issues then I once thought yet again he got 12 in mental stability so did I mainly because I know I'm a psychopath I don't feel emotions, I don't don't feel anything

"Be my guest if you wanted to stay there but you want to hunt right we need to move to a town with this maze the more time we just sit doing nothing the more the tributes scatter around" he says he is right as much as I hate to admit it he is the genius after all

"Do you even know where we are going your not even looking at the moment" I say look holding this head probably isn't the best idea since I'm leading a blood trial but I want that because if someone is stupid to follow they are all mine, Kylian doesn't seem too concerned about the kill I don't really know what he wants he is pretty tight lipped about it I should be careful but at the end of the day I need him for now anyways, being with him means I can try and find his weakness means I can kill him, besides the two freaks he is the biggest threats those two won't want to live

Kylian does that's the difference

"I memorised the map already" he says

"How it's a bunch of lines and squiggles" I say a real pain in my ass if you ask me I don't know why they had to throw in a maze makes hunting a lot harder you can get lost easily in a maze that could be a good but also a bad thing

"Aren't you mean to be smart" he says

"You are lucky I need you kid" I say he just shrugs

"You do owe me you are alive because of me after all" he says again he is right I may haven't been the most careful when it came to choosing victims I killed some elitists, some capitol ladies, if they found out I would have been killed maybe they don't sent me to live but I was black listed as I know

"Am I blacklisted" I ask

"No but there may be a can you please explain if you win" he says

"When I win" I say now I am acting a little more phsycotic then I am too I have had to almost do a complete 180 I went form the funny nice guy to the self obsessed career, I want to look arrogant I want to look stupid, I know Kylian has been trying to play me so I let myself be played, I know what the other tributes are like this year they are smart, Kylian, Aurelia, Levin, The whack brothers they have all been watching people, analysing them, it's why I had to try and hide my weakness

Hide the fact I don't know my weakness that's the scary thing if I try to cloud that with arrogance them they think arrogance gets me killed, what is my weakness then that the question

Morals? Fuck morals I would kill a child if I had too

Strength? I'm pretty much covered physically and weaponry, I don't feel pain

Mentally? I'm perfectly stable I just act like a horrible person

Emotionally? Nope don't feel emotions

Connection? I couldn't care less about Kylian

Arrogance? I know I can be beaten

That's the thing I don't know my weakness I don't know why I started killing either maybe that's a weakness in itself I never had any motives, any reasons I'm just deep down confused and loss but I can think about it I need to do everything to life them I work out what I do with my life

"Of course, we are here did you want rest for the night, hunt, get rid of that bloody head" he says I just throw it away

"Happy" I say

"Very" he says I roll my eyes

"I thought you were sadistic did the head make your tummy sore" I tease, we finally got his file not that it really made any sense to be honest, left more questions then before

"It's just leaving a blood trial you may want tributes to find us but what if it's district two" he says

He has a point "They didn't attack us when they could have they seem more happy being there own freaky selves" I say

"OH MY FUCKING GOD WHY IS THAT HEAD HERE"

I just chuckle as I see Cedric tribute over the head as Levin is just quick to bring out his sword as I just wave at them "Dude it's the same head" Cedric mumbles when Levin helps him up, I wouldn't call that kid a easy kill he is actually taller then me he isn't as built but stranger things can happen I'm tempted to attack now kill Cedric weaken levin but Kylian hasn't even made a move to attack pretty much letting me now it's not a good idea

"Hello district one how are you today" I say

"You brought a souvenir with you that's sweet" Levin says this town is big enough for the both of us but I'm not ready for a fight yet

"I was proud of that kill you know, Relax young fella it's not going to come out and attack you" I say directing the last bit to Cedric, if I make it out to seek like I'm this psychopath they will underestimate me, they will think I'm a easy kill and attack me eventually but I'm not a easy kill I don't go down without a fight

"Well you and the head can Ah have fun, come on" Levin says just pushing Cedric forward as I just watch them disappear in the maze

"We could have attacked" I say

"We need them alive or at least Levin unless you want to try and attack the twos" Kylian says

"No not yet, I would rather not have them kill me" I say

"They are a pair that if you cut one the other will fall but it isn't worth it" he says

"The nines are different I wanted to kill one but I couldn't find them and when I did find Declan he ran before I could attack" I say

"I tried to kill Aurelia but her stalker came to protect her it isn't worth it just let everyone else do the dirty work and we cns sit pretty I know that isn't the way you work" he says

"It isn't but you are right some battles are better to be left alone, if we have the chance to kill the nines we will take it same with the twos but at the moment will need to slaughter the weak" I say Kylian nods as we walk through the town it's eerily and quiet I sort of like it, I like the solitude, I was always a lone wolf so having Kylian with me it's a little bit off, a little bit annoying but I know we need to have each others back for now anyways, I'm not as good as reading people as him he has everyone down to a tee but does he have me I could ask him what he thinks my weakness is but like he would tell me

"Rest for the night and come up with a plan?" I ask I want to hunt I want to cut the numbers down three was not enough and considering they were all the useless ones but I know if I'm too keen it will backfire, I need to relax a little need to relax this is a marathon not a rave their may only be 18 tributes but even last year as like 11 days

"Good idea, one of the houses" he says I just nod not that I will be able to sleep, no doubt he would try to kill me in my sleep I would try to kill him in my sleep but he doesn't really need to know that not at the moment anyways

We walk in it's trashed and falling apart but it will so I am use to a bed and three course meals a day but this will have to do

Kylian hands me the map fuck he highlighted it and everything "Those are the trials to each town each town has about three ways you can get too, so we could plan to move or just hunt in the towns or the mazes" he says

"The ones who will be moving will be the ones who will be hinting so maybe we stay in this town try to find anyone then keep moving" i says

"I like your thinking" he says I just wink at him but it's obvious we are both playing each other


Deaths-

18th: Inigo Diaz, District 7 Male- Killed By Levin Huxley, District 1 Male

17th: Rex Flores, District 3 Male- Killed By Stellan Moore, District 4 Male

16th: Percy Carter, District 5 Male- Killed By Rory Eshler, District 2 Male and Harley Tandley, District 2 Male