"What now." I freeze. I hadn't thought about it. When I went over this plan in my mind, I imagined that there would be more of a fight, and only one of us would walk away alive. Although it went perfectly in my mind, here I am, facing my possible death.
"Hailey, I really don't-" Hailey throwing me to the ground and pinning me down cuts me off. The sudden impact blows the wind out of me. I look up, only to see Hailey holding the knife I gave her, and wearing a devilish smile. She presses the knife to my throat. It feels cold, and is pinching my skin in a way I never knew possible.
"Hailey, please don't," I whisper. My voice cracks slightly, and I can already feel the tears threatening to spill over and onto my cheeks. She looks at me, guilt filling her eyes to the brim.
"You're acting like I want to do this! I don't, Claire. But all the same, I have a family I want to get back to, too! What am I supposed to do? Let you kill me and have you become victor? I want to live too! I want to win these games just like everyone else did!" I flinch at the word 'did'. It reminds me of those I killed, and those I sacrificed. That's why I need to live, for Clover and for Penelope. They died for me, and if I die too, their sacrifices are wasted, and I will not let that happen.
"Hailey, please." It's strange. When I look at her, I don't see the girl who is holding a knife to my throat. I see the girl that smiled at me in training. I see the girl who never wanted to kill. But most of all, I see the girl who saved Penelope. That is how I will always see her.
"Please know I'm sorry, Claire, and please tell Shay I never wanted to kill her. Please tell her I will regret all of this for the rest of my life." I nod, the tears now flowing down my cheeks, drenching my ears.
"Hailey, please, make it quick," I finally say, giving up. She looks away. I can see tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't make me do this. Please don't,' she whispers to herself, or perhaps to the Capitol. I'll never know.
It's a sight to see-the first tear slipping from her eye, followed by another, and a collection of others that soon follow-it reminds me that she's still a person, just like me, who was forced into this position.
She begins sobbing rather silently, and I feel the knife slowly being pulled away. Maybe 'pulled' is not the right term. It's more so that she stops putting pressure on my neck with the blade. I also notice that she's not looking at me. I take the opportunity and reach for my bow, lying just about a foot away. I grab it and take a hold of her knife. I rip it out of her hand, causing a deep gash on my palm. I squirm out of her grip and get back on my feet. I fumble with my arrows before loading the bow and aiming at her.
I could say that she is strong, and keeps her guard, but that is not what happens. She falls to her knees, sobbing. "Claire?" she whispers. "Yes Hailey?"
"Just, please, try your best not to add any pain." I look down at my bow, knowing she probably won't go quickly enough this way. I drop my bow and grab ahold of the knife. I slowly make my way towards her and sit beside her. I gently rest her head on my lap, her face looking at the ground so she wouldn't know when she was dying. I stroke her hair softly, and sing quietly to her.
"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when again they open, the sun will rise."
I continue to sing softly, until she calms down. I finish the verse and quickly dig the knife into her heart. I know she went quickly when I hear the cannon not even a second later. I give her the three-finger salute as my final goodbye, a gesture from my district. I turn her over, and look at her body.
She will forever be that girl that smiled so sweetly at me in training. The girl that was forced into this awful place, and was killed, yet she went so peacefully. The girl who saved Penelope.
I will forever know her as my final enemy, and my final friend.
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Here's Claire's version, great job! You may all start voting now on who you think the victor of the 67th hunger games should be.
Good luck to both of you!
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(Completed) The 67th Annual Hunger Games (writing contest/wattpad users)
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