The Reaper | F. Odair

Nine

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Aaron
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The light is blinding as the pedestal finally rises up. My skin feels like it's melting, like it's sticky all of the sudden. My eyes snap around, besides the other confused or surprised faces I can see trees, tropical ones. I can hear water -- my eyes snap down and I can see it now.
The arena is a jungle, but the middle of it is strictly water, besides the cornucopia in the center with lines of rock leading up to it, and the only way to get to it is by swimming there and hoping I get there first before the other guy does. I'm already starting to sweat and the water is hitting my feet from the waves.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Let the 75th Hunger games... begin!" Claudius's voice booms out, immediately everyone's heads snap towards the top of the cornucopia. "Ten."

Ten seconds? I gulp and look around for anyone, anything. My eyes snap left just to see Enobaria snarling, her eyes flicking around as well, looking right I can see someone from district 9.
The countdown hits seven and my eyes snap back towards the cornucopia. I think I can see Finnick just barely, the mouth is facing to my right. I can see Katniss as well, the girl's eyes are glued on the goat-shaped horn.

"Three."

The weapons inside are glistening with the water reflecting onto them. Peoples fingers are curling, their throats bobbing -- we're all murderers who need those blades to survive.

"Two."

My eyes snap down to the water. The last time I swam didn't end up too well. There's a difference between knowing how to swim and actually being able to swim.

"One." His voice is silent for a second as everyone's bodies freeze up. "Begin!"

Everyone launches themselves into the water, my body tenses up at the freezing cold, but I force myself through it. I can barely see as my head emerges, I can barely hear too as I pull myself towards the rocks -- the water's salty and it's burning my eyes and mouth. My fingers curl around the sharp, black rocks and I pull myself up, immediately I'm met with a set of hazel eyes looking back at me. 9's make growls as I throw myself up first, he reaches for my leg just to be kicked back into the water.
People are already running to the center, I can barely see one slip off of the rocks as I start to run too. The rocks are soaked in water, each little point and edge is so sharp looking at them, they could probably impale me quicker than a sword's edge. Katniss is the first to the cornucopia, her fingers immediately curl around the bow; snatching it and immediately loading it.

There's more weapons behind the cornucopia, my eyes immediately landing on a trident being grabbed. The one who grabbed the trident notices me, grinning weakly as I make it.

I reach the mouth of the building and freeze. "Katniss--" I gasp, the girl aiming an arrow in my face as I raise my hands up to my shoulders.

Trident boy, (Finnick), suddenly steps in front of me, her aim adjusts to him as her eyes go wide. "Good thing we're allies, right?" He says with an obvious smirk. I can barely see a golden band on his wrist.

"Where did you get that?" Katniss mutters with a hateful look as she lowers her bow.

"Duck." He snaps, the girl ducks as he throws his trident, piercing someone in the chest. A cannon shot blows out. I didn't even see them.

I look over my shoulder just to see the district 9 male again. My eyes snap back as I notice a chain on the floor. Finnick goes for his trident, Katniss watching eerily. I dive for the chain, Katniss snapping back at me. "Move!" I shout, shoving Katniss aside and unraveling the chain and cracking the end of it forward at the guy's leg. His eyes go wide as it catches and with all my force I jerk the chain backwards. There's a loud crunch as his head hits the sharp rock. A cannon goes.