Arwin Yates POV
BOOM!
I jolted awake at the cannon, blinking rapidly as my eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness. I saw movement a few metres away and scurried backwards, immediately reaching for my bow and putting an arrow in the string.
"SHIT, ARWIN, STOP!"
I lowered the bow, frowning into the darkness at the figure.
"Fern?"
"Jesus Christ, you scared me," she said. She sounded nervous.
"Did you hear the cannon?" I blinked more, my surroundings starting to come into focus.
"Yea," Fern muttered, "It sounded close."
"Benj, you hear it?" I asked.
No response.
"Benji?" I asked again. I turned towards his sleeping form, touching the crook of his neck lightly.
My fingers came away wet.
"Shit," I muttered. I scurried closer, checking Benji for wounds. My fingers brushed across a large gash in the nape of his neck, and my heart stopped.
"NO!" I screamed. My hands clenched themselves into the collar of Benji's shirt, paying no regard to the blood seeping onto my fingers, shaking him as if I thought it would wake him.
He would never wake. He was dead.
"God, no," I murmured, hanging my head. My shoulders shook with silent sobs as Fern sat a few metres away, staring at the scene with a look of utter disbelief on her face. I shut my eyes against Benji's chest, trying to remember him without the blood. God, the blood.
"We need to go," Fern said softly, "Whoever... killed him might be near."
"I don't care."
"Arwin," Fern grabbed my shoulder, "We gotta go, okay?"
I sniffled and staggered to my feet, picking up my pack and my bow. Fern wrapped an arm around me, turning me away, but I still caught another glimpse of Benji's corpse. I screamed in anguish, burying my head into Fern's shoulder as we awkwardly hobbled from the clearing, leaving the corpse of one of the only friends I'd ever had lying on the dirt.
Xenia Hale POV
"Attention, tributes,"
I glanced upwards as the voice of the Head Gamemaker echoed throughout the arena. Aria looked up from carving something into the side of a tree, her brow furrowed.
"The capitol have been voting on something very, very special to give to you today. We know many of you are missing family, and so, we decided to bring in three! They will be sent in just a short few moments, and will be picked up at tonight's death toll. If they're still alive, that is. May the odds be ever in your favour!"
"Who do you think will get them sent in?" Valentina asked casually, "I imagine Arwin's sister would get sent in, she's a cripple and she was the one originally reaped."
"Nah," Aria said, "She's too weak a target, it'd be boring for the Captiol."
"We'll see," I answered. Suddenly, three beams of light struck down at the centre of the arena, where the cornucopia was. I watched as two moved to the west, staying right beside eachother, and one headed straight for us. I bristled immediately.
Perhaps it was my mother. Maybe it was someone from Valentina's family. Or maybe...
"Oh my god," Aria gasped. She staggered forward and towards the person that had come from the beam of light, "Elinor,"
...maybe it was Aria's 8 year old sister.
"A-Aria?" The little girl mumbled, shaking her head gently, "Where am I?"
"You're in the arena, monkey," Aria said, "You'll be able to get back out tonight, all right?"
"Why are we here?"
Aria gnawed on her bottom lip for a moment, crouching down to her sister's eye level.
"I can't tell you that, but you might see some scary things, okay? We'll protect you, we promise," she turned to Valentina and I, staring at us with a pointed look, "Right, guys?"
"Yes," Valentina replied, and I could tell she was lying. Val was only out for herself. She wouldn't care if a couple of kids had to die to get through these games.
"Xenia?" Aria asked. Her tone was clipped, her face guarded as her hands clutched those of her sister. Her eyes almost pleaded with me, and for a moment I was tempted to sneer at her and say I wouldn't protect the scrawny little mini-Aria.
"Sure," I grumbled.
Aria nodded, then turned towards her sister with a smile.
"C'mon, wanna go look for some plants?"
Elinor nodded enthusiastically, a big grin on her face. Aria smiled – a genuine smile, something I had never seen from the girl before – and hoisted her sister up onto her hips. I glanced at Valentina, who grabbed a weapon and walked into the trees, probably to find tributes to kill. I glanced at Aria's retreating back, smiling menacingly at the two as her little sister babbled away about something silly.
Perfect.
Phillip Gilbert POV
"D-Dad?"
I staggered forward, my eyes wide as I reached out a hand. My father stood in the centre of the clearing, unable to do anything but stare at me as a result of becoming an avox. A few metres away Ali sat with her step brother Dominic who was a mere 5 years away, sobbing quietly as she held her brother. My dad stepped forward, and another memory snapped into place.
"Michael," I said slowly, "That's your name, isn't it?"
Dad nodded, and I took another step forward. I placed a hand upon his shoulder, then something inside me snapped and I rushed forward, resting my head on his chest and hugging him as tight as I dared. I felt about 5, but I didn't really care. Dad hugged me back, and I felt happy tears collect in my eyes.
"Dad," I said slowly, letting go and taking a step back from him, "Can you tell me what... what happened?"
He nodded.
"Why don't you write it in the dirt?" Tat suggested quietly, "It'd take a while, but..."
"Well I'm not learning sign language any time soon," I said, "Dad, write it."
Dad nodded. He crouched down at the ground, and began to write words in the dirt. I watched intently, keeping track of every stroke.
father/son thieves around districts
I remembered this. When I was around 15 it was all over the newspapers. It was then I remembered my dad's voice as he told me not to read that 'capitol crap'.
us framed
I remembered this too – vaguely. It was coming back now, I remembered as our front door was broken down and we were dragged from our home. I was only 16 at the time, and I could remember the utter fear in my heart as I was thrown into a capitol car with my dad, wondering what we had done wrong.
"Oh my god, I remember that," Daphne said, "They said the thieves had been caught but they never said who it was."
I glanced down at my dad as he wrote the next few words. They made my blood turn cold.
captured/tortured
I remembered pain, I remembered beatings. Dad's screams echoed in my ear, and then all of a sudden a vision of a peacekeeper gripping my dad by the throat flashed in my mind. The peacekeeper tore a knife through my dad's tongue, and I heard myself screaming as I watched the whole thing occur. He was turned into an avox in front of me.
For a minute I wished all this had stayed forgotten.
planned escape with bell and hugh – them killed, me left behind.
"Bell and Hugh," I said slowly. My brain started to turn. Then, I remembered. Two prisoners in the cell opposite ours. They were kind to us, I remember. Lovers turned vigilantes.
"You were left behind," I said in disbelief, crouching down to the ground, "How? I wouldn't have left you behind."
Dad wrote something else in the dirt.
wounded. let you run out the gate then shut it behind you.
"Why would you do that?" I demanded. "Why didn't I stop you?"
you couldn't. peacekeepers. turned back and would have been caught too.
"But..." I mumbled.
told you to run and never look back.
I bit my lip and leaned against my dad, staring down at the scribbled markings on the dirt. This was me, this was my backstory. I'd been living with my dad in District 10 until I was 16, when my dad and I were framed as thieves and sent to the capitol to be tortured. We tried to escape, dad got wounded, locked me out of the prison and told me to run. I ran, and then something happened and I ended up on the train tracks of District 10.
No wonder I would have been executed had I stayed. Now I was almost glad my mentor had entered me into the games.
Suddenly, I heard a rustling in the trees. My eyes widened and I staggered to my feet, pulling my dad up to his feet. He looked around, then pointed to a large bush at the side of the clearing. I felt my chest constrict.
Then Valentina burst from the trees, holding her katana tightly in her grip, and my stomach plummeted.
"Shit," I heard Daphne mutter. She staggered towards Dominic and hurried him towards his sister, who reached out for him, shielding him from Valentina. Tatiana reached for a knife immediately, and both Summer and Thomas got into defensive stances.
Valentina turned to me, and then charged forward and swiped her katana at me.
I felt my life flash before my eyes as the blade got closer, closer, closer and I shut my eyes and braced for an impact that never came. I opened my eyes to see Summer's arm lash out to block the blow, and watched in horror as the blade sliced clean through the flesh.
I heard Ali's brother begin to cry and scream, and turned to her as she shielded his vision and told him not to look, her face a picture of horror.
Summer screamed and staggered forward, gripping the stump where her arm used to be attached to the flesh. Summer immediately reeled back up and punched Valentina across the face with her remaining hand, then leapt towards the white haired girl and yanked her to the ground.
Tatiana leapt towards the scuffle on the ground and pulled Valentina up by her hair, moving her knife to slash across the throat, but Valentina jerked her head back and hit Tat in the knee, making her buckle and waver. Valentina grabbed the hand holding onto her hair and began to dig her nails into it, making Tat scream and release her grip as blood began to seep from the cuts.
Summer staggered to her feet, her face ghost white as blood drained rapidly from her body. What was left of her left arm was drenched in blood. Valentina advanced towards her, and then all of a sudden my dad stepped in front of Summer, his face grave. My heart stopped.
"Move," Valentina said sharply.
Dad shook his head, and I felt my heart plummet.
"Suit yourself," Valentina said simply. Then, she drove her katana forward and into my dad's chest.
I vaguely registered the screams of Thomas, but my gaze was locked on my dad as he crumpled to his knees, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth, and then collapsed. My ears began to ring, as if I were miles underwater.
I watched as Valentina advanced towards Summer, swinging her katana back. Summer pushed Daphne away from Valentina as the young girl darted forward with a knife, a strange look on her face.
It took me a minute to realize it was acceptance.
"STOP IT!" Thomas wailed. He crawled forward slightly, tears rushing down his face, "Please, she's all I have."
Valentina stopped for a moment. She turned towards Thomas, shook her head slowly, then turned back to Summer and skewered her katana through the girls chest.
Thomas' screams, the wails of Ali's little brother and the angry shrieks from Daphne all reverberated in my ears, but my eyes stayed glued to the corpse of my father. Valentina turned and fled into the trees, leaving our crumpled alliance down one member. I heard a cannon. Summer.
"NO!" I heard Thomas wail, "NO, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!"
I looked over at him briefly, crouched over Summer's corpse, his shoulders shaking with sobs.
Then, suddenly, red hot rage spiraled through me. I stood up abruptly, blood pumping in my ears. Tatiana stepped towards me but I brushed it off, my heart beating like a drum as I began to run forward, following where Valentina had disappeared.
"VALENTINA!" I roared. I sprinted further into the trees, my vision staining red. She killed my father, my father who I hadn't seen for years and years, who was now gone because of her.
"VALENTINA!!"
Valentina Curtis POV
I wiped the blood off my face, pulling my hair back behind my head as I walked. The blood of Summer and the man who had stepped in coated my katana. Stupid. One simple step away, and he could have survived. Idiotic excuse of a man.
As I walked, I pondered those left in the competition. There was the small group from the first game of Fern, Arwin and Benji, the only ones from that minigame still alive other than Aria. There was Ali, Thomas, Phillip, Daphne and Tatiana. Ramona had been the resurrected one from the first game, and I knew now that the one from game 2 was Summer. An alliance of 5 was worrying, though. I made a mental note to hunt them down again with backup after we'd taken care of the... anomaly.
Then there was Nick from 7, the twins, the duo from District 12, and my group. That was it, that was all that was left. A cannon had gone off this morning, though, bringing that down to 15.
My plan hadn't gone according to plan, either. Alejandro was supposed to die after Xenia, not before her. Had my plan been properly carried out, Xenia would have died yesterday and Alejandro would still be alive.
At least Aria's death would come on time.
"Summer," I stated as I walked in the clearing. Aria looked up at me and nodded, then glanced back to Elinor.
"Didn't she die in her minigame?" Xenia snorted.
"Resurrection, remember?"
Xenia hummed and turned away, picking at her nails. Elinor looked up at Xenia, grinning broadly.
"I like your hair."
Xenia snorted in derision, "My what?"
"Hair. It's pretty,"
"I don't need your validation, you little runt," Xenia laughed, her voice mocking. Elinor's face dropped, and she turned to Aria with watery eyes.
"You said I should be nice, Ari,"
I rolled my eyes. This little kid was becoming more and more of a nuisance as the minutes ticked by.
"Xenia, don't," Aria spoke softly. She was quiet, more rational around her sister. It was then I realized that Elinor was perhaps the only person Aria had ever truly loved. Aria was unstable and cruel, but she had the capacity to love, to be able to feel these things that I never would.
I wanted that. I envied that.
"C'mon," I cooed at Elinor, beckoning her like a small dog, "Let's go collect some berries."
Elinor shook her head, clutching onto Aria tighter. Aria bit her lip, then glanced over at Xenia, who grinned.
"I don't know..."
"I'm not gonna touch her, Aria," I said sternly, "She doesn't have to die. Besides, you and Xenia need to sort something out."
Aria frowned, her brows pulled down in a frown of uncertainty. She glanced down at her little sister again, then nodded and crouched down.
"Okay, go with Valentina," Aria said, adjusting Elinor's dark hair around her face. She smiled up at the young girl, although I could see her hands shaking, "She'll keep you safe, okay?"
I glanced up at Xenia, and nodded. Xenia smirked and her gaze flickered down to Aria.
"Okay," Elinor mumbled. She reached around and hugged Aria tightly, and Aria returned the embrace, shutting her eyes. It was almost as if she knew what was coming. That she couldn't avoid it.
"Bye," Aria murmured, pulling away from the hug, "I love you,"
"Me too, Ari," Elinor smiled waved at her sister, then walked over to me and grabbed my wrist, glancing over her shoulder at her sister and Xenia, left alone in the clearing. I turned my back on Aria and walked into the trees, knowing it was the last time I'd see the girl alive.
Aria Reed POV
I rose into a standing position, turning towards Xenia.
"So," I said dully, staring at the raven haired girl, "We both know what's happening here, don't we?"
"We do,"
I picked up my chakram and twirled it in my grip, my other hand hovering above my daggers. I stared at Xenia right in the eye. I had to win. If I died here, she would go after Val and Elinor, and she would murder Elinor. I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't let her take away the last bit of good in the world.
And if I died, I'd drag her down into the pits of hell with me.
"You know what's great about all of this?" Xenia smirked, "I know I'll win. I know you'll die here. And you know what I'll do?"
I refused to dignify her with a response.
"The first thing I'll do is get on a train to District 1," Xenia smirked, "And I'll kill your precious little sister." She tipped her head coyly, a grin plastered across her face, "Or I could just kill her now."
"You wouldn't," I snarled. Xenia shrugged.
"You're lucky she's with Valentina right now, she wouldn't stoop so low as to murder your little sister," she flashed me a grin, "But I would."
"I swear to god Xenia," I snarled, taking a step forward, "If you touch one hair on Elinor's head, I swear I will gut you like a fish."
Xenia cocked her head to the side, a curious look on her face.
"But you'll be dead."
I shook my head.
"What a shame," Xenia murmured. She glanced up at me with a wicked grin, "No one else is gonna get to see you die."
"Not if I have anything to-"
I didn't finish my sentence. Instead, I flung my chakram towards Xenia. Her eyes widened in alarm at the surprise attack, but she managed to dodge the blade. I caught the chakram as it arced back, and then ran forward with my dagger.
Xenia slashed at me furiously, her eyes alight with malice and the thrill of murder. I dodged as one of the blades came flying at my waist, but the sharp edge still scraped against part of my skin. I hissed and spun around, then stabbed the knife forward and towards Xenia.
She dodged it with ease, a smirk painting across her face like an eerie mask, then she grabbed one of the knives from my grip and twirled it in her grip, sending it flying back towards me. I reeled back and fell to the ground, then leapt up immediately and tackled Xenia at the stomach, stabbing up at her gut with one of my daggers.
She roared and staggered back, then kicked me in the chest. I flew back and skidded on the dirt, staring at the blood beginning to pump from Xenia's stomach. She laughed, clutching her stomach.
"Look at you," she hissed, blood beginning to trickle from her lips, "All grown up and shit. Cute."
I staggered to my feet, picking up my dagger again. Xenia's eyes sparked with curiosity and a grin stretched across her face, then she rushed forward and the dagger was out of my hands. I blinked, and then a horrific pain spread from a sharp point in the small of my back. I screamed and ripped the dagger from my skin, staggering forward as black fuzzed at the corner of my vision. A foot flew up from the ground and kicked me in the face. I tasted blood. My head hurt. I wanted to end it.
"My brothers dead," I heard Xenia spit. Pain erupted in my ribs.
"All my supplies got tossed," Another kick.
"Everything is ruined," My lungs burned. I heard Xenia chuckle.
"Hmm... That's your fault, isn't it?" My ribs exploded in pain once again. It hurt, everything hurt.
"Freak,"
"...stop.." I managed to croak out. Xenia laughed cruelly.
"Get up, you pathetic little bitch."
I stayed in my position, crouched on the ground with my eyes shut and my stomach churning. My ribs burned, my lungs ached, my whole body felt like it was going to collapse.
"I said, GET UP!!"
Xenia leapt forward and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, yanking me to my feet. I could hear the slight rasp of tearing fabric. She shoved me back to the ground, leering over me with a twisted expression.
"Look at what you've been reduced to," Xenia sneered, "You're HOPELESS. Hopeless and pathetic and alone. Your stupid little sister can't save you now. Valentina isn't going to come running. Nothing can save you now."
I turned onto my stomach, groaning as the dirt scratched against my wound, and began to crawl away.
"Crawl!" Xenia burst into maniacal laughter, "Run away, you little freak! See what good it does you!"
I felt Xenia's boot pin me to the ground, the sole of her shoe grinding down on the wound in my back. I shut my eyes as tears welled up. I couldn't cry.
"That's right," Xenia whispered, her voice filled with malice, "You can't escape. Worthless bitch."
Then, I heard something crack. A immense amount of pain shot through my back and I screamed out, my arms flailing wildly. My back felt like it had been crushed. I tried to wriggle my toes, and horror coursed through me as I realized they weren't moving.
I felt hands move under my stomach, and then Xenia's face leered in front of me as she flipped me onto my back. She smiled at me wickedly.
"Call for help," she sneered, "Call out for your pathetic little runt of a sister. I dare you."
"Fuck you," I spat out. Xenia smiled cruelly, then glanced around at our surroundings for a few moments. Then, she turned back to me.
"Nobody came," she hissed, "No one will ever come."
I stared at her. I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything other than take what was happening to me. Xenia smirked.
"Enjoy the afterlife. Your sister will be joining you shortly," Xenia smiled. She lifted her sword, positioning it above my chest.
"Goodbye, Aria."
Valentina Curtis POV
BOOM!
It was done. Xenia had followed orders.
"What's that?" Elinor tugged on my sleeve, her expression worried.
"Nothing of importance," I replied coldly. I picked another berry off the bush, pushing it into the small satchel. Elinor began to hum, picking the blueberries off the branches and putting them into the satchel.
"Can I have some now?"
"Sure," I said, forcing myself to smile at the girl, "Sure you can."
Elinor smiled and picked up a handful, pushing them into her mouth.
"We should go back now," I said, holding her by the hand and pulling her to her feet. Elinor stood up with me.
I heard rustling ahead. I glanced up as Xenia entered the clearing, her hands covered in blood. I could only assume it was Aria's.
"Okay, hand her over," Xenia said nonchalantly. I frowned.
"What?"
"She needs to die," Xenia asserted, taking another step forward, "Hand her over."
Elinor stood behind me, her hands twisted into the fabric of my shirt as she peered at Xenia. I held an arm in front of her, and shook my head.
"No."
Xenia blinked a few times, a confused look on her face. Then, her eyebrows drew down into a scowl.
"Excuse me?"
"I said no. You're not going to touch her."
Xenia laughed, shaking her head. She grinned at me, looking positively crazy.
"You really don't want to turn your back on me, Val," she smirked, "I'm a useful ally to have. You should know that."
"Actually," I replied coolly, keeping my gaze locked on Xenia, "You've outlived your purpose. I have no use for you anymore."
Xenia frowned.
"Elinor's death won't help either of us in anyway," I said, "I only do what's necessary, Xenia, and killing her won't achieve anything. At least killing other people in this game will get us closer to winning, killing Elinor is just killing out of spite."
"So?" Xenia snapped.
"Elinor does not have to die," I asserted, "I'm going to keep her alive, until the Capitol picks her back up at the death toll, then I'm gonna go back to playing this game. And if you want to live to see morning, you'll leave us alone now."
Xenia's lip curled, her eyes narrowed dangerously at me. I heard Elinor sniffle and shuffle behind me.
"You'll be sorry," Xenia spat. Then, she turned on her heel and fled into the trees.
Renee Wolfe POV
"Do you remember how we used to play?"
Misty smiled, her expression nostalgic. "How could I forget?"
"Remember when we were 7 and dad built us that go cart?" I murmured, "And it tipped over that big rock and I got stitches on my ankle? I still have the scar."
Misty nodded. She glanced over at me.
"We're sticking together, right? Till the end?"
I nodded without a single doubt, reaching over and resting a hand upon Misty's shoulder, "Till the end."
Suddenly, something behind me rustled. I looked behind me just in time to see a fist smashing into my temple. Blackness encased my vision as I slipped into unconsciousness, Misty's screams echoing in my ears.
~~~~~
Thoughts on this chapter? Who do you want to win? Let me know.