A Collection of my Writer's Games Entries

Hourglass Games: Task 2 (Maisy Bellon) D10

By now, I had barely enough time to think of how I would make it to the tree that served as the Cornucopia – if I would go that far. Running was my forte, not swimming. I had swum when I was younger in the lake back home – but that was rare. I wouldn’t be able to swim fast enough to get away from a Career. The booming for the final 10 seconds began. I got myself into a diving position but still focused on the Cornucopia. All I needed was a knife, I could survive with that.

3…………2………1… BOOM! The canon was louder than expected. I was unfocused and I knew I was the last one to dive in – well more like fall in. There was no way I could swim to get a weapon, but I couldn’t count myself out yet. Always be positive. So when I heard the splashing noise, I had imagined it to be a crazy fish or something – when it was, in fact, Ransom. He was flailing around like a gopher trying to fly – basically he was crap at swimming. But I couldn’t leave him. I wasn’t going to let this stupid game ruin my personality. I kicked my legs and propelled myself to him. I was definitely NOT putting my head under the water – I think with one drink I would die from glitter poisoning anyways. But focusing on the real problem: how would I help Ransom? When I got to him, I pulled him up – making myself go under in the process. I shoved him in the general direction, wondering why he jumped in the water in the first place. I grabbed on to the pedestal and rubbed the glitter from my face.

“Thanks, Maisy.” He said breathing heavily but not meeting my eyes.

“That what partners do,” I shrugged like it was nothing. I began swimming to the Cornucopia, well tree – no tributes were there yet but I could see people swimming.

“Where are you going?” Ransom called. I didn’t turn back to reply.

“To find something useful!” I shouted and put my head down and swam. I had barely been swimming a minute when someone pushed me under. I came up to see a glimpse of a younger boy that I couldn’t quite place where he was from. He shoved me under again but it kicked my legs and pulled him under with me. Then, using him as a hold, I pushed myself off him and up to the air above. I kicked him down but as he tried to pull me – I noticed his attempts were getting weaker each time. I went under and ripped his hand from my ankle and kicked myself off using his stomach. As I broke the surface, sucking in the sweet air, I realised that I may have just killed someone. I began swimming and turned back once or twice – the boy never came up. It was in self-defense, he tried to drown you first. I kept telling myself things to keep myself from the guilt that I had in fact killed someone.

But I wasn’t the only one who was killing. Someone had already reached the island – the girl from 4 perhaps – and she took aim and launched the trident from her hand and into a girl about my age who goes limp immediately. That was all it took for a life to end – one throw, one second. I shivered but I made myself keep going forward. As I took a breath, I saw the girl from 1 shove a small red-headed figure under the water. I could see the sadistic grin from here. Somehow, I made myself move faster. That was three people already. But by now, about four of the Careers were already on the island – and here I was, a stone throw away from the most lethal people in the arena. I sucked in the air and went under. Swimming blindly until I could go no further but I managed to be less than a few meters from the land. The Careers were picking out weapons since they thought everyone was too far from the island. Suddenly, a dark flash darted up onto the island and jumped back into the water. She was much taller than me and made a loud splash as she hit. I ducked down because I had already heard the Careers coming for her. A tall boy jumped in after her and caught up within a few strokes, he grabbed hold of her neck so easily and with his spare hand – it was a wonder how he stayed above water – he slashed her throat slowly with a short sword. The girl screamed so loudly but chocked on her own blood. The crimson colour spread out from her body like a wildfire. That could be me. I was so close to death, but I didn’t dare to move – they hadn’t noticed me. I snuck up onto the island on my belly.

“Should we kill him?” a male voice asked,

“I can’t be bothered to swim that far – besides he’s clinging onto that thing. I doubt he could swim.” A female replied. It hit me that they were talking about Ransom. Please don’t go after him.

“I’ll get my weapons and go,” another girl said, “I’m a better swimmer.” I’d imagained it to be the girl with the trident. I gulped silently and grabbed a small backpack. It was the only thing within reach and I slid back into the water as quietly as I could but a bubble of air popped on the surface.

“You hear that?” a new voice asked. I heard the footsteps coming closer. This was it. I was dead.

“Look, it’s the kid from the Capitol!” a girl shouted.

“Shot gun! He’s mine!” the footsteps got fainter until I heard a splash.

“Typical Sebastian,” a girl sighed. I went under but then remembered that the girl had something in her hand earlier. I shuddered but went into the crimson water. Sure enough – in her right hand was two daggers. I heard a male shout – probably the one they wanted to kill – and tried to ignore it the best I could. I mentally wished her, and the Capitol kid, well and took the daggers before swimming off. I swam quietly at first but the Careers seemed more interested on fighting over weapons, which was lucky for me. I kicked a little harder – my heart stopped every time I made a huge splash but to them, I’m barely a threat. My plan was to outlast everyone – not killing everyone. I heard a shout behind me – I didn’t turn to see why because I knew they were coming for me. I was less than 10 meters from Ransom by now.

“Swim!” I shouted at him. I caught up to him quickly and shoved him along.

He dragged me down a few times but I managed to get him onto the land. The Career was still swimming hard; hopefully Ransom was better at running. I didn’t realise where we were until I took a look around. I shivered. I could just feel the eeriness in this place. It was the dark forest. I was going to call it Mordor because it just gives of a taste of evilness.

“We have to keep moving.” Ransom sounded serious as he dragged me into the darkness. I hesitated at first but I didn’t want to end up on a spit like a roasting pig. Besides, maybe Ransom would help me. We brush through the trees that are black – they are dead, I think but somehow the leaves are dark shades of grey. This place just screamed death and scary creatures. So it was natural that – when a tribute jumped out who was about 17 – I screamed in fright and tripped over the huge tree root behind me. Ransom, however, went into gangster mode. They had fairly similar builds but Ransom looked like he could throw a punch any day and took the boy – who I think was from 3 – by surprise. A huge kick to the ribs though and Ransom was on the ground gasping for air. The boy from 3 locked his grip around Ransom’s throat, obviously forgetting about me or not realizing I was a threat. Because with a quick flick of my wrist: my dagger was in his heart. He fell down to the ground with a final gasp of air. I sighed. Another person dead, because of me.

“If I had known you could do that, I’d team up with you sooner.” Ransom’s eyes were wide and his chest was moving rapidly.

“Because I like killing people on a daily basis,” I retorted sarcastically. I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch, but it was how I was coping with this entire thing at the moment. The Games. The deaths. The sadistic killers that ‘shot gunned’ who they wanted to kill. And then the 8 canons that signaled the end of the bloodbath. I was scared. But I also felt a feeling that I hadn’t felt since I had been Reaped. I was glad, that I at least had someone to keep me sane. Don’t worry, I didn’t feel glad for long because shortly I was wondering who owned the yellow eyes I was staring into – and they sure didn’t belong to Ransom.