The 49th Hunger Games

Day 17 (continued): Truth, Wolf and Autumn

Been in the arena almost 3 weeks. 17 down, 6 to go. It can't be long now until me or Wolf is announced the Victor of the 49th annual Hunger Games. Over half of us alive are Careers and I know it's definitely the day to break the alliance. And what better way than with a bang. 

"I'm gonna miss you guys. You know, when we get out." I say vaguely, washing my face. We haven't bothered to hunt today, almost assured that within the week only one of us will be alive. Me or Wolf. Not Diamond. Not Birch. Not Marlou. Not Autumn. 

"No you're not. You can't wait for all of us to die." Diamond says quietly and darkly.

Yeah, kinda. 

"We all just want to get out. Whether it's by death or life." Birch defends, "You gotta think about which one's the easiest..." 

"The truth is, is that neither is easy." Wolf remarks morbidly. 

Birch falls silent and continues to take down his tent.

"What's the use? Why don't you just leave it?" I ask, slightly scornfully. 

"It feels right," Birch says, kicking a duffel bag. "Symbolises the end."

I nod slowly. I guess he's trying to get the finality to sink in. Then I poke the subject subtly. "So, there's not many tributes left, is there?" Then I dig my finger right in, "Only seven left. Three non-Careers. You know what that means, don't you?"

"Wha -" Diamond is about to say, but then she has a knife flying fullspeed at her. I only get to see it wedge into her shoulder and hear a scream before I'm up and throwing my weapons in all directions, leaving only one serrated blade still lodging comfortably in it's sheath around my waist. 

Then I run. To find the next target. 

The next target who is a hardy, strong, clever girl from District 11. 

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Truth legs it. Sprints off into the foliage before any of us can react. So, the time has come for her to finally turn on us. Diamond recieved two knives, though not in vital places, but Birch is surprisingly unscathed. I guess she only needed a distraction so she could run, not caring who she killed and who she didn't. She didn't aim for me. She didn't really aim for Diamond or Birch either. But I know that she wouldn't have tried to kill me unless we were the final two. Maybe not even then. She's unpredictable, is Truth, and that's part of what makes her hard to work with, and even harder to play against. 

Diamond is screaming with panic and pain, eyes dilated as she yanks free the knives, blades now smeared with her blood as their metal catches the sun. Her shoulder looks okay, leaking blood slowly and lethargically. But her leg pumps blood a little quicker. She might live, she might not. Whatever. I don't want to sound malicious but her death is a convenience. If only she'd taken out Birch, the harder opponent. But he's tending to her wounds. Diamond's. What? We're the final 7 and he's concerned about another tribute's welfare? I sigh, watching him press gauzes to her leg and them instantly turn red, her blood the paint and her artery the artist. My heart is returning to normal speed, and now I have time to imagine Truth. Loose and lone in the forest. Angry that she heard no cannons,(yet, probably, to her) seeking out poor Autumn's blood. Then I suddenly think. I don't want Autumn to die at the hand of my sister. I like Autumn. I secretly promised myself I'd look out for her, make sure that if she had to die it would be painless and peaceful and not a slice-and-dice or a knife to a vital organ. That's why I covered for her all those nights ago. I thought, 'nature will deal with her,' or, 'she'll do something stupid,' or whatever. I just dismissed her as one of the poor tributes who die earlier, and not a quick-witted survivor. Even though I did see her throw a spear, I also noticed her escape the bloodbath without a weapon. I could never have imagined she'd make it this far. I don't even notice I'm running after Truth until my subconcious decides to inform me of my feet's intentions and I've already broken the treeline.