Violet sauntered towards me as I stood in the corner. Blood streamed from the whip lashes on my body.
"You're useless, Maisy." She sneered, coiling the whip up. I didn't respond, it would only make me angrier, "You're going to die. Just like your hopeless mother."
"Don't say anything about her!" I hissed. She smirked - I couldn't move. I was a helpless child, I always would be.
"Silly child," Violet chuckled, shaking her head, "Death is inevitable," I screamed as loud as I could as she wrapped the whip around my neck and strangled me. The blackness clouded my vision. I saw the glint of a blade, right before I felt an incredible pain in my chest.
**
I jolted awake, flailing around. I tried to stab the evil witch with my dagger, only to find that it was not real. Death is inevitable. She spoke the truth. Someone once told me that a dream was a fragmentation of what has happened, or what is to happen. I still don't know whether to believe it or not.
I got to my senses and ordered myself to move. I took a swig of water before realizing that I had company last night. Verena. I had no idea why I had stayed last night. She could have killed me for God's sakes!! I should have snuck off or something. Dumbass! My negative side yelled in my mind. I was stupid. This is why I would never win, I know I'm going to die. Violet said so.
"Just shut up!" I muttered to myself. I should be thinking positively. Not dark thoughts like that. I got up and packed my sleeping bag and water bottle into my pack. I was going to help Ransom. If I can't make it back - then I'll make sure he does (even though he is one evil little gremlin most the time). I slung the pack over my shoulders and clutched my dagger tightly. Just as I was about to walk off, I saw her brown hair.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." Verena smirked as she held her knife in a throwing position. I had seen her hit a target in the heart from meters away, it would be child's play to hit me from less than three.
"I - I was just..." I managed to get out, rapidly thinking of a way to get out of this, "I was just looking for you,"
It's odd that even though I had accepted my fate of death - I still wanted to be alive. Think positive girl! The voice in my mind screamed.
I was lucky when I caught sight of the District 1 girl leaping from a tree and tackling Verena down. First, I was shocked as they went into fighting mode. Secondly, I had no idea why I hadn't started running. I spun on my heel but the canon forced me to see who had died. Verena let the girl's body drop to the ground - blood covered both of their bodies. Now my mind went into action - I sprinted as fast as I could with Verena chasing after me.
The ground began to shake, I stumbled over the ground as it creaked and groaned under my feet. As if it was alive. Verena let out a sharp yell and I felt something hit my pack - I prayed that it wouldn't harm me. Taking a quick look behind me, I saw Verena had fell but I continued running at full speed. I was a good runner, so it wasn't long before I reached a new area in the arena that was far enough away.
Unfortunately for me, that was when the lake exploded. It made the lava run down the volcano and as the glittery water seeped out through the cracks - I couldn't think of anything to do. I waded through the water, away from the lava, to a small rocky hump. I almost laughed when I saw Ransom clinging to the rock like it was his life. I gave him a wave, which he returned with an oh-not-you-again look. I crawled up and sat next to him.
"Hi," I smiled.
"Hi," he muttered. Then I remembered that he couldn't swim. No wonder he looks so scared.
"You'll be alright. The water shouldn't come up too high," I said watching as the glitter muck came closer. But somewhere in my mind, I knew I was wrong. I scooped up some water in my hand as it rose - it was tinted red. I shivered. Blood.
Another explosion rippled through the water. And a girl - who sounded quite close screamed.
"Holy crap!" Ransom breathed.
"No need to..." I trailed off as I saw the huge wave coming towards us. It moved like a giant but it was in slow motion. The glitter shone in the sunlight - thick enough to choke someone.
"Take off your bag, Maisy." Ransom ordered. I wondered why, but then realised that I wouldn't be able to keep us both up if I had it weighing me down. But I had all my supplies in there. And I now had a newfound knife sticking out the back - Verena's.
"But I -,"
"Just do it!" he cut me off. I slipped off my bag and secured it the best I could.
Then it all came down.
The wave broke right on top of us and I clung onto Ransom's arm as we were flipped and tossed and rolled - basically all the movements you did to make pizza dough. Water went up my nose and is my mouth as I struggled to make it through. I felt the mucky stuff clog up within me. I felt every bit of glitter and tasted every bit of blood that went into me. Finally - we broke the surface. We flailed around in the thick gunk, I tried to keep Ransom up but I was getting pushed down in the process.
"Ransom." I got shoved under again as he pushed me down, "Stop!" I shouted but was shoved into the glitter gunk once again. I propelled myself up and grabbed his arm so he couldn't push me under again. My mouth was full of glitter, as well as my nose, and I spat it out. I couldn't keep this up - I was slowly choking on the shining stuff. As well as trying to keep the glitter out of my mouth and nose and keeping afloat - I also had Ransom to worry about. Now that I was holding him, he was going under more frequently and it was tiring to haul him up for a breath. You just have to make it through this, to show your father that you tried. I told myself.
**
How long had gone by? Seconds, minutes or hours? I was exhausted - ready to give up. Maybe if I let Ransom go, I would make it. That was all it could take, letting go of his arm would lead me to survival - though it wouldn't guarantee a place outside of the arena. I would never win and that was that. I could not think of any good outcome of this. I was losing strength. But I had made my choice.
I gave Ransom one final boost, which forced me under. And I didn't fight the water underneath. I closed my eyes - not wanting to see the red haze in my last moments. I let myself sink - still clutching my dagger in my hand. Would drowning be painful? Or could I simply refuse to let anyone take my life - do it myself? Suddenly I felt a current pulling me in. My chest was hurting and my head was aching. I hit the bottom with a small thud. I felt the glitter particles stuck to my body as the water fell away.
Is this real? Or is this the afterlife? I didn't feel like moving. My limbs were aching and I barely had enough energy to make myself breathe. I thought after you were dead you could do anything.
"Maisy!" a voice called. I thought it might be mum but I couldn't move. The running footsteps slowed down to a halt.
"I'm sorry." The person said. It wasn't mum. Maybe I was still alive. I opened my eyes, only to let out a hoarse cry when the glitter fell into my eyes. But I got a glimpse of Ransom - so maybe I was still alive.
"You're.... you're not dead?" he said in disbelief, sitting back on his haunches. He rubbed the glitter from his face too.
"Do you get glitter for a welcoming party when you're dead?" I replied, I attempted to blow the glitter out of my nose but it didn't go too well.
"I don't think so," he answered.
"Then I'm not dead," I said. I got a terrible feeling in my stomach and turned away. I threw up - it would be weird to say it was pretty but since I threw up the trademark of a Gamemaker, it's a good insult. It glittered and smelt disgusting.
Then I saw the unmistakable brown hair: Verena. She stumbled out of the dark forest with glitter covering her body - as well as blood. I shivered at the thought of what she could do to me. She put her hands on her knees and spat out sparkly liquid. I thought that maybe she wouldn't spot us, but I was wrong. Her eyes met mine and I almost choked as I took a breath back too quickly.
"Ransom," I started but the way he cursed loudly, I knew he had seen her too, "What do we do?"
"I don't have my cross bow." He growled at me. Verena sprinted closer, and the dagger seemed to vibrate in my hand. I would have to kill her. She got closer and Ransom and I managed to get up. I held my knife behind my back.
It all started too quickly.
She tried to tackle Ransom, only to be side-stepped by him, but she came to me. I didn't expect her to weigh so much. I got a glimpse of Ransom running away and cursed him for leaving me. I fought her with everything. My hands pulled her hair, my legs kicked her and I thrashed around until I could escape her. Then all the weight disappeared off me, and I saw Ransom beating her face. If she wasn't a Career - he would have won easily. But six plus years of training made her strong.
It was funny how Verena resembled Violet. Without thinking, I pictured Violet there, and I flicked my wrist and sent the knife in. It could have hit Ransom, but by sheer luck - Verena shoved his body off her and the knife went straight into her neck as she got up.
Her eyes lost the glow of life, and went dim as her breaths grew ragged. She fell to the coal black ground and went limp. The adrenaline coursing through my body had faded off now - what had I done? I killed her! It was Ransom or her. My brain told me. I grabbed my dagger from her neck and moved away.
"So, are we allies again?" I asked. Not thinking about her pale body that lay a few meters away.
"I suppose," Ransom sighed. He turned away and began walking up the hill, "But I won't let it last long." He muttered, not thinking I would hear it. I contained my anger towards him - first he left me with Verena, and then came back - but now he wants to get rid of me?! Well, guess what Ransom? It takes two to tango. I ran to catch up with him, but I needn't bother. He fell to the ground clawing his face. He shouted obscenities.
"Ransom!" I shouted, shaking his shoulders. He calmed down a little but breathed heavily, "What's wrong?" All my anger had disappeared for him in this moment.
"I think I'm blind," he whispered and my heart sank. This couldn't be happening. I remember him being thrown off Verena, but - wait! He also hit his head. I have no idea what part of the brain helps with sight but I think that it just got fried - or rather bombed. Next the realization hit me. Not only would I have to protect myself in the games, I would have to protect Ransom too - and he was practically useless now.
This was just my luck.