And we run

It all happens in a moment

another very dark chapter--sorry abt that! but b/c these just keep getting worse and worse, I think it's only fair for me to include the warning here that this is not a book meant for those of you (ik you're out there) who aren't old enough to be on wp <3

The careers this year consist of Mei and Vulcan from District One, Terra and Orion from Two, and me and Apollo from Four. Mei constructs a fire, and soon we all huddle around the comforting source of heat, watching the Capitol's hovercrafts lifting bodies from around the cornucopia. 

One extends its pincers to reach inside the metal structure, leaving with a small boy wrapped in its cold metal embrace. Orion slaps Vulcan on the back with a short burst of laughter, as if he's proud of him, as if he cares nothing for the life that was just taken. 

I paint a smile onto my face, but it's not real. I laugh, but I don't contribute to any sort of conversation, and that seems to be enough for my counterparts. 

During this time, I observe. 

Mei is strong and heavily muscled in the way that suggests she could pick even Orion up and throw him over her shoulder. She shore off her dark hair not long ago, tossing it into the fire with a smile, which proves that she's impulsive and willing to go to the extremes. 

Vulcan is tall and blonde, thin but not to the point of weakness. He carries himself with an air of confidence, his posture straight, sword soon washed in the ocean but never leaving his side. His eyes stray towards me occasionally, but it's not often, and the look in them is nowhere near kind. 

Terra's gaze does land on me often, from where she's sat right beside me. I wonder if it's because she genuinely likes me as a person, or if she's just keeping me safe from these people who will surely kill me otherwise. 

Orion, her district partner, the boy I remember from earlier, scars marring every bit of skin I can see. He stuck out, because that's not the typical thing you'd see in a person who hasn't been through something like the Games. 

"What's going on with you?" asks Vulcan, gesturing towards Orion's scars with no remorse for social decency and a mocking laugh. 

"Guys at home like to mess with me," says Orion, and the topic is dropped to move on to more important things, like the other tributes. 

"We'll need to watch out for Zea," Mei says. "She's Nine, but she volunteered, and looks pretty strong."

Apollo chortles, taking on a similar personality to that of Orion and Vulcan. "District Nine can't beat any of us," he says, subtly flexing his biceps, smirking, thudding his spear into the sand once, twice. 

There is also a glance in my direction, and I know he thinks that Zea could beat me, but I am glad for his silence on the matter. 

"You won't be saying that when she's thrusting your own spear through your skull, Apollo," Mei says, and stands as Apollo's smile vanishes. "The dead are gone. We should see what we can find in the cornucopia."

She wades into the ocean, swimming with just a hint of grace, weighed down by heavy weapons and an iron chest plate that looks like it could've been plucked off one of the suits of armor we have in my family's foyer. 

It's night by now, even though I don't think much time has passed, and Mei's shape is illuminated only by engineered moonlight, striding towards the towering hunk of metal that is the cornucopia. 

Terra stands first. "She's right," she says, not noticing how Apollo grinds his teeth in annoyance, and follows Mei. 

I'm after her, lingering in the ocean for just a bit longer than I really need to be, wanting to stay there the rest of my short life. And it wouldn't be hard, honestly. All I'd need to do is flip over from where I lie on my back, face-down in the salty water, and wait a few minutes. 

My cannon would sound. Vulcan would cheer. 

But that's not going to happen, is it? Because I am at least going to try to win, even if I never let myself go down the path of violence. 

Maybe my father wouldn't notice if I never returned, but at the very least, I owe myself the courtesy of life.  

I am the first to venture into the cornucopia. It's piled high with crates of food and supplies, and I open one, discovering a hoard of those dried meals you warm up with hot water before eating. 

A shuffling from beyond the crates attracts my attention. When my gaze explores deep inside the cornucopia, it finds another set of bright-white eyes. 

I gasp, almost dropping the package I was inspecting. The eyes are gone now, melted into the rest of the darkness, but I'm sure that they were there. I didn't imagine that. 

"Who's there?" I whisper, quiet enough that no one will overhear.

For a moment there is silence, and then another shuffling and light glints off silver in the almost-darkness before me. "Don't move," someone whispers, the voice distinctly feminine. "Don't move or this goes through your eye, and you'll be gone before you even have the chance to scream."

My body freezes, eyes focused on the blade that I now see lies right in front of my face, held by finely-manicured hands.

Mei is at the mouth of the cornucopia, shoulders-deep in a crate and very much not noticing me. 

My eyes flick to the side and then back, a silent plea for help. 

"Daphne?" Terra seems to answer, walking over to my side, frowning when she notices my stillness. "You good?"

The dagger moves closer. "I'm good," I say, but my voice shakes. 

It all happens in a moment:

The arm thrusts forward quickly, the dagger that will be my end scraping against the soft flesh of my throat; not getting too far because there is Terra, her arm in front of my face, smelling of sea salt and coconuts and safety and trust, and then the sharp scent of copper fills my nose and I am pushed to the ground as a girl tramples over me in an attempt at escape, making it only a few steps before Orion catches her arm, promptly locking her in a headlock and saving my life. Terra stands, from where she was knocked to her knees, breathing heavily, staring only at the girl. 

Mei helps me up. "She's aiming for you, right, Four?"

"Guess so," is my answer, through pants of exhaustion and shock. Mei nods, moving over to the captured girl in two long strides. 

I get a good look at her. She's pretty, with long, dark hair that looks similar to how Mei's was before she cut it, full lips curled into a snarl, clear skin bruised and bloodied, green eyes blurred by tears, the skin around them red and irritated.

Mei tilts her chin up with her index finger, smiling just slightly, the look in her eyes akin to that of a predator securing a kill. "Nicola," she says, and the girl meets her eyes, recognizing her own name. "District Five, right?"

Nicola doesn't nod, but her expression is all the confirmation Mei needs. She turns to me next, hand dropping from Nicola's chin. "You were the target, Four. She's your kill."

I feel their eyes on me: Mei, Nicola, Terra, Orion, now Vulcan and Apollo, having heard the commotion.

"I don't want her," I find myself saying, the words floating aimlessly from my mouth like bright, multicolored bubbles. "I'm not gonna kill her. Do it yourself."

Mei shakes her head, signaling to Orion with a flick of her hand. 

I look away as he snaps Nicola's neck, but I can't block out her screams. 

I'm rly pumping out these chapters rn there's a bunch of them recently haha