The 150th Annual Hunger Games

Death Toll (Day Five)

Janice Senn's P.O.V. (D3)

"Janice," Harper calls from behind me as I continue running, "Janice! Stop!"

"We can't!" I call back hoarsely. We've been running nonstop since...since Steve was killed. It's the last thing that he wanted us to do, so we did. We ran. And ran. And will keep running.

"Steve told us to run! We need to get away!"

"Janice..." Harper says tiredly while trying to catch his breath, "We can't... We need to stop. We've run far enough. They won't find us. We're just using up energy that we will most probably need for fighting at some point."

"I don't want to fight!" I reply, starting to hear the exhaustion in my voice. Then I stop dead in my tracks. I pull my sword out of my belt and hold it out, letting it reflect the moonlight.

Harper catches up with me, bending over with his hands on his knees, sucking wind. My own breathing is wheezy and unsteady.

I look my sword up and down and my hands start to shake as my mind runs through what I witnessed this afternoon. The death of a friend...by a sword, just like this one. I can see it all vividly, like it's all replaying in front of me right now.

Harper and I stand up when we hear yelling from the woods. It sounded like Steve! It was at that point that I noticed he had left his mace behind. Then he came crashing through the trees, sweating and in a panic as he yelled, "Run! You need to get out of-" but he didn't get to finish... Because then Sabrina Lopez came up behind him, grabbed his shoulder and spun him around to face her. Harper and I start running to his aid, but it's too late... I saw the bloody tip of a sword sticking through Steve's back, shining in the sunlight. Harper and I stop as I let out the most horrific, pain-filled scream, "No!" Steve's blood was splattered on Sabrina's face as she pulled the sword back out and released his shoulder. Steve went down on his knees, and I didn't know if we should even try to save him at that point. All of the blood coming out of his back told me that there's nothing we could do. At that point, Harper was pulling at me to get out of there. I watched four more tributes show up, but none of them took notice of us since they were all concentrated on Steve as he was struggling to stop the blood. I clapped a hand over my mouth when Wesley took out an arrow and shot it at Steve, ending his life. Harper had already started dragging me away from the scene by the time the canon went off.

I scream and throw the sword in my hands as far away as possible. It makes an impact in the sand fifty yards away, but I can still see it shining in the moonlight. I'm breathing heavily as I stare at it.

Harper stands by, probably trying to figure out what to say.

"It's my fault..." I finally say, "I shouldn't have made him go get the firewood. It was too early for it anyways. I should've at least made sure he brought his mace with him. Then he could've defended himself, and he could've been here right now-"

"Janice!" Harper says, blocking up my rambling flow of words. I wipe my eyes, which are threatening to spill over with tears. Harper just opens his arms, inviting a hug, "Come here."

I fall into his arms and squeeze my eyes shut, my shoulders shaking as I sob into Harper's shoulder. Steve was too good to go so soon. Now all I have is Harper, but I wouldn't even have him if it weren't for Steve.

I hear the anthem begin playing, but I don't look up from Harper's shoulder, knowing that I'll just see Steve, and that'll only make me feel worse. Even Harper doesn't look. I can feel his breath on my ear as he rests his chin on my head.

"Don't leave me too, Harper," I murmur.

"Never."