Author's Note
I do not own The Hunger Games.
A volley of shots went up from Maxi's position, followed by a string of furious cursing. Tourmaline paused, resting his spanner against the side of the great tower.
"You good over there?"
He was met by silence. Tourmaline sighed, fixed the last pieces of the panel into place, and headed out to check on his coworker.
Almost a month they'd been out here, and the arena wasn't even a third of the way done. They were still working on the underground parts. It almost felt like a waste for a one-off event, but then Tourmaline thought about the family that lived a floor down from his parents, who had lost their daughter to the hacking and did nothing but cry.
The District scum needed teaching a lesson.
"Maxi!" he called, striding around the tower. "Maxi! What've you messed up you, you fucker?"
He was met by a terrible garbled, gurgling sound. Fear twisted in his chest. He braced himself and took the last step around the curve of the tower.
The first thing he noticed was the enormous dog standing where Maxi should be. No, not a dog. A coyote, the biggest he'd ever seen, and blacker than pitch. Blood dripped from its maw.
Tourmaline froze. The world narrowed to that beast alone as it snarled, displaying its reddened fangs. Maxi was sprawled out across the scrubby ground of the hill, surrounded by a growing pool of blood.
Tourmaline took a step backwards.
Something cracked underfoot.
A bang echoed from behind him.
"Clear off, you fucker!" roared Jetta, firing another several round at the coyote.
Tourmaline wasn't sure how many, if any, hit.
It bounded towards them. He'd never imagined dying this way. Its jaws snapped closed inches from him, and then it was gone. Not fled, not shot, not bolting with its tail between its legs.
Just gone.
"Where'd it go?" he asked, bewildered.
Jetta lowered her gun. "I… don't know."
Tourmaline let out a long breath, studying the land around them.
No sign of coyotes.
No sign of anything.
He stumbled towards Maxi, but it was apparent his friend was dead before he even reached him.
Tourmaline doubled over and vomited across the dry ground.
This project must be cursed.
Author's Note
Submissions are still open! Full details on my profile, but as of today, the following positions haven't received any submissions/interest:
District Two Female
District Two Male
District Three Female
District Four Female
District Five Male
District Six Male
District Seven Female
District Eight Male
District Nine Male
District Eleven Male
So if you are interested, go ahead and send one in!