Writers Games: Ghost

Task Three ~Entries~

Avarice Affinia

The cannons sounded, waking the dead.

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Viper Pandora Welsh

There's nothing better than a healthy dose of death and psychological torment in the morning.

Oh wait, of course there is.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not as prepared as I was last time. I can't make myself be ready like I could before. I am not the same girl I was then, nor will I ever be again. But I can try. Hopefully, I can try. I need to do this. For Cass. For me. One of us deserves to win this time and I'll do anything to make that happen. I'm not ready to die yet. Not without giving the Gamemakers a bit of hell first. What can I say, their illusion doesn't work on me anymore now that I've seen how the Games really worked. The old me worshiped the Games, the new me would do anything to stop them.

I can't stop them but I can mess up the system just a little bit. I can do things my way this time, not play by the rules the way they want me to. I'm not a delusional Career anymore. I play by my own rules, as long as it doesn't get Cass hurt. She's my only friend and I owe it to her not to get her totally screwed over. But other than that, there are no rules for me.

Because I'm Viper Pandora Welsh, that's why.

Cassia's a little father away from me than I would like but that's okay. As long as we end up in the same place, we'll be okay. She looks over at me and points to the boy next to her, the blonde one from her District, and smiles at me in her please-don't-get-mad-at-me way. I resist the urge to slap my forehead in annoyance; we don't need another ally. The last time it was more than the two of us, we both died. We don't need anyone else. But I decide I won't say anything, she'd be upset. I hate to make her upset.

The clock is at seven now and I know I have to get myself together now. This is it. For the second time, that is. This is my reset button, my chance to do right and do it right. Am I going to win? Probably not. Am I going to make sure Cassia wins? Probably. Am I going to do some damage while I'm here?

Absolutely.

When the gong rings, I start running. Somehow, my body has retained its training-made strength. It remembers running and fighting and everything it learned to get me to this day. I am a machine. I have to do this right if I want us to survive, I'm not giving up. Not now, not ever. I have to do this for Cassia and my family and myself. And to rub my survival in Antigone's smug face. That is, if she even lived. Stupid redheaded bitch...

I'm already at the fountain when Cassia and her blonde friend get there. She points him in the direction of a pair of tridents before scooping up two backpacks, tossing one to me and putting the other one on her back. I have to admit, she knows what she's doing. Maybe I'm not the only one trying to redeem myself here. She recoils a little when she picks up a sword and hands it to me. I look down at it and see that... It's my sword. Almost identical to the one I used in the arena, except for a few sea green gems in the hilt instead of all blood red. I remember how she said she died and I understand her fear.

But we don't have time to be afraid.

The blonde boy grabs a few knifes and gives one to Cassia along with her trident. I scowl at this, turning my head so they can't see. Cassia is MY partner. MY teammate. MY friend. I'm the one who's been there with her and knows her. Not some stupid boy we don't even know. I don't know why I'm so upset about it but I am. I don't like intruders, especially ones I don't know that I can trust.

"Viper? You alright?" Cassia's chirpy voice brings me down from my angry cloud as she tugs on my sleeve like a little child. She can be so... innocent sometimes. But that's not true. I've see her do the same terrible things as I've done.