The MCYT Hunger Games

Chapter 24

5AM Pearl time... :)

PoV: Grian

'Do you know how easy it is to kill someone?' I step in front of Scar as Pearl begins. 'Because it's very easy.'

'It isn't.' I hear Jevin's scream as I knock him from the tree again. Keralis's scream. The tree crashing down. I fight the terror in my voice as I back away 'Murder isn't easy.'

'Then explain how I just killed Tango and feel nothing.'  Pearl smiles. Tango. The cannon shot was Tango... 'I would've killed Impulse too but he ran away. And now me and Tilly will kill you too.' She smiles, eyes blank of emotion.

'Pearl- you were friendly! We had a deal not to kill each other!'

'I WATCHED GEM DROWN IN FRONT OF ME!'

Silence. I back away.

'She... She was screaming. She was dying.' A small, mad laugh 'And I did nothing to help her. And then I realised... If she doesn't get to win, no one does. And from there it's become easy.'

She jumps from the tree.

'Where... where did you find a wolf?!' Is all Scar points out, pitch raised by at least an octave.

'Oh no, Tilly found me... Isn't she adorable?'

Tilly the adorable wolf steps forward, growling again, blood dripping down her muzzle. I hold Scar's hand tighter.

'Well... Lovely to catch up with you but... We... Need to... RUN!' Pulling Scar with me, I sprint away, past the trap I lay, towards where Etho and Joel must've been. Scar doesn't let go of my hand, dragged along behind, unable to catch up on his own... I try to block out his stifled grunts and yelps, knowing we can't slow down... Slow down and Pearl gets us. Tilly gets us...

'What's going- SCAR DON'T YOU DARE STEAL OUR STUFF!' Joel quickly alerts us to his presence, and the fact he's hiding in one of the trees. I skid to a stop, not listening. Scar lets go of my hand, leaning against a tree, whimpering quietly as Pearl appearing. Walking, like she has all the time in the world. Like she knows we won't be able to escape her. Tilly's just behind. Joel screams again. I catch a glimpse of Etho in the tree just above, creeping higher, signalling for Joel to...

'Joel!' Etho yells as his ally falls, landing in front of Pearl. He scrambles to his feet, terrified brown eyes flicking from me to her, me to her...

'TAKE HIM INSTEAD!' 

Joel shoves me. I hit the ground. Scar yells something. Footsteps. A laugh.

Pain. 

I scream as Pearl's sword cuts straight through the bandages and into the half-healed wound in my hand. Pearl laughs again as I stare at it, fighting another scream, a sob, vomit, watching as she pulls the sword free... all I have is my other hand to stop the blood flow, cradling it close to my chest... I barely hear Scar and Joel fighting behind me over the throb of my heartbeat in my ears.

'We offer you Joel as a sacrifice!' I see Joel fall in my periphery as Scar shoves him over. A moment later, Scar falls down next to me, grabbing bandages and healing cream from the medical bag, tying up my hand. We pay little attention as Joel runs away followed by Pearl and Tilly, turning around just as Etho falls into view, landing impressively smoothly and breaking into a run.

'Come on.' I stand, body weight on Scar, and stumble after. 'We should see what happens.'

So me and Scar set off, sometimes catching a flash of red or white from Etho or Pearl, watching the latter get overtaken by the former...

A scream. Joel. If I couldn't see her still running, I'd assume Pearl got him...

'Up here.' Scar calls, halfway up a tree. He holds out his hands to me, I let him pull me up before creeping along until...

A flash of green hair. Joel.

I watch as he struggles, unable to move, panic growing as Pearl wanders closer, sword at her side. Unable to free himself from some trap his legs are tangled up in.

From my trap.

'ETHO HELP ME!' He cries, terror echoing though the whole forest. 'ETHO CUT ME FREE!'

'It's just me, Joel...'. Pearl giggles 'I'm not going to hurt you... Well I won't hurt you that much.' She knows. She knows Joel can't escape, giving time for his panic to rise as he struggles against the rope tangled tight around his legs. Etho's watching, bow drawn, arrow aimed at Pearl. Not moving.

Not shooting.

'ETHO HELP!' Joel repeats.

'I can't watch.' Scar mumbles next to me, creeping closer. A glance over. Tears shine in his eyes. 'I can't watch this...'

'ETHO PLEASE SHE'S GOING TO MURDER ME!' Joel struggles again, kicking, fighting, eyes wide with the pure terror of a snared animal. 'PLEASE ETHO!'

But he still doesn't move more than a small step forwards. I've seen him in training. He's good enough to kill Pearl.

But he doesn't.

And he doesn't cut Joel free because he knows.

He knows as well as I do how long it would take to saw away the ropes keeping his friend trapped.

And he knows he wouldn't be fast enough.

Pearl pounces.

I know I'm never going to forget Joel's screams. Scar hugs me. I hug back, numb, fighting terrified sobs as we listen to Joel's howls and Pearl's laughs. There's no way of knowing how long they last, hearing them ring out long after we see Pearl walk back past and a cannon fires.

Scar slips from the tree. I fall after, crashing to the ground. I want to take back every step closer, even before another sound I won't forget rises. The quiet choked sobs of Etho as he hugs the bloody body of Joel.

A snap of a stick underfoot. Etho's head turns sharply, eyes wide, breath quickening. I reach for the knife at my side.

And Scar stops me. Just an arm out in front of me, blocking me from attacking the person who killed his best friend.

'Go.' For a moment I think the murmur is for me. But it's for Etho. 'We won't attack.'

And we watch as, picking up Joel's body, hugging it close, the player deemed more deadly than everyone else walks through the trees and out of sight.