venus₁ [treech]

x

The tributes scatter, most of them heading straight for the gates, which are now open, allowing access to the tunnels and pathways around the arena. I spot Treech and his pack, scurrying to gather a few weapons, before disappearing. I'm glad he doesn't stick around for long, but I worry about him in the tunnels. There aren't any cameras, so if something happens to him, I won't know. Reaper seems to be the only one remaining for a fight, but soon, there is no one visible to attack. The District 11 boy climbs into the stands to wait.

Capitol TV takes this as an opportunity to advertise the betting system. Once the commercial is done and Lucky's face is yet again replaced by the arena footage, Reaper has given up on waiting for some action. He takes his pitchfork and knife and disappears into the tunnels.

A half-hour passes before any of the tributes make themselves visible again. The largest screen cuts to a view of a barricade that has been constructed underneath the scoreboard. A familiar tall redhead has climbed out from beneath the rubble.

"That's Lamina!" cries Pup.

Lamina scans the arena nervously before walking over to the poles where Marcus is chained. She surveys the area around her before turning back to the center of the arena, where most of the weapons still lay.

"Now we see fifteen-year-old Lamina from District Seven," says Lucky's disembodied voice. "Mentored by our own Pliny Harrington. District Seven has the honor of providing the Capitol with the lumber used to repair our beloved arena."

I'm not sure if that's very honorable, but I tune out the narration as I watch Lamina. She pokes around the pile of weapons, eventually settling on a knife and a small axe. She tucks the blade into her belt and holds the axe handle between her teeth.

Slowly, she scales one of the poles that holds up Marcus. Once she reaches the top, she places her axe in her belt, right next to the knife. She easily walks across the horizontal beam, though the surface looks incredibly narrow. Lamina crouches, lowering her head close to Marcus's. She moves her lips, but the microphone doesn't pick up her voice. Marcus says something in response.

Lamina sits up, sadness taking over her elfish features. She removes the axe from her belt, raising it above her head, before swinging the blade into Marcus's neck.

One. Two. Three strikes before he's dead.

The room around me is spinning. I close my eyes for a moment to regain my composure before reopening them. At this point, Lamina has taken her seat again, her eyes surveying the arena below her. I'm a bit surprised that the sweet, soft-spoken girl made the first kill of the Games. The mercy she showed will be appealing to the Capitol.

"That's my girl!" cries Pup. His face appears on one of the screens. "First kill of the day! That's my tribute, Lamina, from District Seven. And my communicuff is open for business. Never too late to show your support and send a gift!"

A few beeps sound from his communicuff as Capitol citizens send Lamina some gifts. Pup explains to the camera about how the mentors can send their gifts to their tributes. All of us watch the screens intently, waiting for a drone to appear.

Five minutes pass before finally, a small drone flies towards Lamina, holding a glass bottle of water. She gets to her feet, watching the drone curiously, as it flies shakily toward her. It completely bypasses the girl, slamming into the pole below her and falling to the ground. Water from the broken bottle trickles onto the hard earth. Another ten minutes pass before a second drone arrives, this time meeting its target. After drinking some water, Lamina decides to free Marcus from his restraints. After a few minutes of hacking at his chains, he falls to the ground far below him, his body lying among the wreckage of the broken drones.