T H O R N |Finnick Odair

6.

The next morning I awake to Calyp shaking me. "Woah, I'm trying to sleep, y'know!" I say sarcastically.

"Why do I feel weird?" He asks, referring to the pill.

"We got sponsored. We shouldn't have to worry about fires for awhile at least." I say while crawling over to get us food. I ration it out and we eat it together, making small talk. I'm in the midst of repacking our stuff when I feel shaking. I look up the side of the mountain to see pure white cascading down on us.

I don't have much time so I grab a backpack and knives. Calyp sees the avalanche too, but we are sitting ducks here, so we have to let it hit us. I grab his hand and squeeze, before we get taken by the snow.

The snow immediately starts pulling me along with it. I try to swim my way to the top, thrashing about to stay on top of the snow so I'm not as deep. This keeps going and I've started to get tired, but I can't give up. I can't see or breathe well, I'm being thrown around like a rag doll.

Finally we stop moving. I quickly try to create a space for my mouth so I can breathe, spitting and getting my hand free enough to carve a space for my mouth and lungs. I finally do it and start taking deep breaths, staying calm.

I spit again and realize that it comes right back into my face, so I must be facing up. I start using my hands and dig, fighting the searing pain within my muscles.

I get a feeling of hope when my hand reaches the surface. I kick my legs and continue the motion with my arms until my head is out of the snow. I clear the white from my eyes and open them to see I've ended up by the end of the mountain.

I quickly crawl out of the snow and search for Calyp. I look around frantically until I see a hand poking out of the snow. I run over and pull him free. He starts coughing and breathing fast, but he's breathing. I immediately hug him. "I'm so glad you're okay." He hugs back.

I hear a twig snap and shoot up, Calyp coming with me. He doesn't have his spear so I hand him the sword. I see Jasper and Sterling come out of the woods where we ended up. Shit. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the darling flower, Rose." He says while flipping a knife.

"If it isn't the asshat." I reply coolly, staying calm.

"I told you I'd get you. But I never thought it would be you to be the stupid one to light a huge fire." He responds laughing. Sterling following along behind him. I can see Calyps fear out of the corner of my eye.

"Maybe I wanted you here." I respond, thinking of a way through this.

"Screw this!" Sterling yells and she shoots an arrow my way, she must have found my bow. I duck and use my throwing knife, retaliating and winning. Jasper turns around to check on her and I hear a gasp from behind me. I shoot my head around and see Calyp with the arrow sticking out of his chest. He collapses and I run over to him.

Before I can do anything I scream at the searing pain in my thigh. I look down to see my own knife in my leg. I whip around and wince as the pressure is on my bad leg now. "An eye for an eye, Brightfall." Jasper yells before charging at me and knocking me to the ground.

I can't do much because he's bigger than me, so he easily has me pinned. He takes his knife to my throat and laughs. I rack my brain for ideas, and the only one I come up with repulses me, but it's the only chance I have.

I bring my face up and kiss him on the lips. He's so surprised that his grip loosens and it gives me the chance to grab his own knife and stab him in the chest with it. I immediately get my lips off of his and push him off of me as the canon sounds. My mind turns back to Calyp and the pain in my thigh lessons as I slide on my knees over to him.

"Calyp! Talk to me!" I scream as tears run down my face. He's pulled the arrow out of his chest and I'm putting pressure on it.

"Rose, I'm scared." He says in a quiet whisper. More tears run down my face as I cup his, looking him in the eye.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. You are going to be ok. You have to be. Stay with me!" I practically scream, desperate for him to stay alive.

"Tell my mom I love her when you win, Rose. You have to win." He tells me, the life slowly draining out of him.

"You're gonna tell her yourself! Please! Calyp!" The canon sounds despite my pleas. "No! No! Please! Why!?" I cry over his chest, sobbing.

After ten minutes I finally get up. I close his eyes and try to wash the blood from my hands. I have to do this for him. I will tell his mother.

I get to work, using my anger as motivation. I take the knife from Jaspers chest, packing it in my bag. I loot Sterling and Jaspers bodies and luckily find some first aid supplies for my thigh. I only have an apple slice and a piece of bread left, I couldn't recover anything else from the snow.

That means I'll have to make my way to the lake. My first order of business is to treat my leg. I get the rope out and start a fire, heating up one of the knives. I carefully take out the offending knife and stick the red hot end on the wound, my screams muffled by the rope. Tears roll down my face and despite the agony, I do it three more times to prevent infection. I wrap some bandages around it and eat an apple slice, trying to keep my energy up.

I sleep on the ground, having a light nap when I hear the familiar metallic chime and quickly grab the gift. I read the note on top which says "Great job. Sponsors are all over you. Apply generously for pain. B" This ones from my mother. I take out what's inside, a small metal container. I open it and assume it's ointment for my leg.

I carefully unwrap the bandages and generously apply it, immediately easing the throbbing. It's night now and since I'm energized, I decide to go hunting. I grab all my gear and keep my knife out, trying to find tributes.

From my tally, 6,one 7, one 8, and 11 are all still alive. I look for any signs of life and find one, I see light from a fire. I stalk closer and hide behind a tree. From what I can tell the tributes are from 11, one is awake on watch. I take out my bow and carefully aim, taking out the one that's awake, the male.

The female is still sleeping so I sneak up to her and whisper "Sorry." Before slitting her throat. I rummage through their camp but don't take anything, I don't need it.

I manage to find one other tribute, the male from seven. He's sleeping next to a lava crater. I stalk up next to him and stab his chest, listening to the canon go off.

I feel like a monster, mercilessly killing these innocent lives. The only thought that keeps me going is that they would have done the same to me if I had been found. The only districts left now are 2,6, and 8.

I sleep again during the day, up in the trees, when I smell fire. My eyes shoot open to see the trees in-front of me have been lit on fire.

Someone is flushing us out of the forest, the audience is hungry for action, and for this game to end. I quickly jump down from my spot and escape the forest, coming face to face with the tributes from 6 by the lava craters. They obviously see me and start to charge at me. I dodge and opt for running instead.

I try to use the spouting lava as cover but they continue to hunt me, forcing me to use my bow. I successfully hit the male in the leg. He falls and the lava spouts onto him. The girl turns around and screams so I make my break for it, running as fast as I can to the lake.

There's not much cover but I find a snow mound and use that, hiding behind it. Somewhere in the distance I hear a canon go off.

And then there were three.