Writer's Games Entries

Task 4: "Cupid's Arrow"

When I look at his face, I can see the features of betrayal. "We agreed, little brother, that I would go to the Games", he then says. The voice is his too. That hasn't been manufactured. That rage, pain and betrayal in his voice can't be manipulated. "As a family we agreed that I was going to go to these Games so that you and Leaf could provide for our parents, for the family", he goes on. I notice a tear running down his cheek and a big axe in his hand. I can see how his hand is tightening for a better grip.

"I couldn't let you go, Aspen. I was the odd one out of the three. It had to be me so that our father would still have the two sons he cared about more", I answer as I grab for my knife. I don't want to kill him. I am not capable of killing my own brother. My goal is simply to defend myself and hope that whatever is driving him, or the mutt if he is one, is deactivated. I am not going to give into these mad Gamemakers' games. "You provided more for the family than Leaf and I did. You were supposed to continue doing that after I sacrificed myself for the family", he continues before he launches the axe towards me.

"Aspen, don't", I call out to him before I realize I have to move to avoid his heavy swing of the axe. Before I wrote my name down, I did analyze his strength and body-build. He always was bigger and stronger than I was. He had a few years more than I did to swing the axe, and even after I was born he continued before he taught me how to do it. Then, when the time came to follow tradition, I didn't and my strength and muscles faded away little by little. You'd never think of me as capable of swinging an axe now. My brother on the hand is very capable.

"You are not my brother", I deny as I carefully watch his moves. "My real brother would never do this. He wouldn't be able to, and under no circumstances would he ever let himself be forced to try and kill me", I go on. I always admired Aspen for his strength and strong mentality. He always knew the right thing to do, or the right thing to say. "The sad part is that I am, Ax. I wish I was as strong as you've always thought, or the fact that I was just a mutt...I'm not", he answers in a rather calm and serious voice before he tries to swing at me again, this time there is more strain on his face. It seems as though he's fighting his own mind and movements.

The sharp edge of the axe cuts through the fabric on my arm and leaves a cut. I immediately sense the blood start pouring out as I look up at him, somewhat shocked. I refuse to believe him. My brother wouldn't try to kill me. This is the Gamemakers. They are playing a sick game with me as I get a good look into my brother's eyes. They have the exact same mixture of green and brown shades. What catches my attention more than anything is the pain they radiate.

"It's really you", I let out before I notice how light my head is feeling. The wound is deep, almost cutting all the way into my bone as I look back at him. "They are going to force me to kill you", I then realize as I hold to my arm. My brother swallows more than once before he opens his mouth. "Or I kill you...one of us will live to continue the Games, but only one", he answers as I try to take it in.

It feels like the ground underneath me is about to collapse. The rapid blood-loss, the fact that my brother is standing right in front of me with the goal of killing me, that dream where all of my actions towards impressing my father was in vain, are all pressing me towards the cracks that I feel underneath my feet. More and more the hopelessness is grabbing a solid hold of me. I was ready to stand and fight somewhat before the Gamemakers came over the speaker. "I'm so sorry, little brother", I hear my brother in his strangely weak voice. "But I have to kill you", he goes on.

I am light-headed and dizzy from the blood-loss, but the amount of time it takes for him to properly swing that axe, gives me time to tackle him to the ground. I dropped my knife several moments ago so I can't stab him like I did before with the other tributes. I just can't kill him. I roll away from him and try to get up on my two feet. I see my brother is rolling over too, revealing a mark in the back of his neck as he grabs my knife. I look up at him as he walks towards me.

I can't get up on my feet. The simple fact that I have lost a lot of blood is one reason, the other being that my brother won't be able to stop his actions not matter what I say. I could kill him, but I am not capable of that. He grabs me by the uniform and pushes me against the wall. "I am really sorry about this", he goes on. I see the tears even better than I did earlier. They only confirm what I've suspected. I hold on to his hand. "I know you are", I manage to say as the injury is really grabbing a hold of me.

That's when I feel the stabs, three or four of them...before everything goes black.

** The twist in this task was that a loved one of the tribute was brought in to the Arena by the Gamemaker. I was given the choice to either keep my original character, or allow him to be killed by his loved one, one of them had to die and the other continue. I chose to kill my original character and continue with the brother who was brought in.