A Collection of my Writer's Games Entries

Hourglass Games: Task 4 (Maisy Bellon) D10

Fire.

I opened my eyes to only find that fire burned brighter in the night. I rubbed my eyes quickly and blinked a few times. I waited for the coloured spots of my vision to disappear.

The fire was in my nightmares – and it took all of 10. I shivered, remembering that the glass mutts had also visited me in my sleep. Suddenly the anthem burst out of the sky. I remembered where I was – the Hunger Games. I had slept the entire day and into the dusk of night. A hazy purple mist was closing in on the arena – I had no reason to think it was suspicious. First were the boy from 1 and boy from 2. Both Careers: This was a bit of a surprise. Only two Career girls would be left. Then a boy from 7, and following on was a young boy who I knew as Victor. Four young lives had been taken today. I was lucky it hadn’t been me, but part of me felt terrible. Damn compassionate side! My mind wandered to yesterday… I tried to remember what happened….

Ransom! I recalled our little fight last night. I didn’t know if we were allies or not – maybe a truce would be a good word. I knew he was a cunning little fox, but solitude wasn’t something I would beg for in a place like this. Maybe if I apologized, he would come back. Even though when I looked at him – he seemed to have a concentrated look on his face, as if he were planning to kill me or something…

“Oh, hello, dears,” Brielle said, I could hear the taunting ring in her voice, “I see you spotted the fog. I thought you all looked a little tired and could use some sleep.”

I had noticed the fog. It looked eerie now – as it crept closer. I stuffed my things into my bag and clutched onto my knife – ready to flee, but I waited for her voice.

“Now, don’t feel too safe, darlings. Nothing is quite as it seems.” And with that, her face disappeared. The purple mist suddenly lurched forward and I scrambled – or rather, fell – down the tree and broke into a run. Unfortunately for me, I smacked into Ransom. I heard his arrow fly and gasped. He just shot at me! I felt a zap at my feet and realised the fog was lapping up at our legs. I screamed and harshly shoved Ransom away – but he dragged me into the fog too. My whole body went rigid and I didn’t even try to fight the blackness that overcame and the fuzziness that took over me.

**

My vision swirled around and around until I found myself standing on a grassy plain that was covered in beautiful tulips and daisies, along with several willow trees and a wide lake. I wondered what the purpose of this was – to show me my dreams, what did Brielle say again? Nothing is quite as it seems. So, I’m not in a pretty field of flowers? I gently picked a yellow daisy and placed it in my wavy blonde hair.

It was like the daisy was a bomb of sorts.

The flowers morphed into small black and navy gremlins. The trees changed into hideous ogres that held large wooden batons that were twice my size. The green grass was now an ashen field of rock and dust and the lake had turned to a lava pit. I screamed as the gremlins clawed at my skin. I ran backwards, away from my worst nightmares. They screeched and yelped and the ogres groaned and moaned – it made me shiver. Was this real?

I tripped on a rock and hit the ground – only to make it shatter into a thousand pieces. Like glass. I fell down the abyss that seemed to have no end. My arms flailed and my legs kicked the air.

When I opened my eyes again – I was back in the arena. I could smell the smoke. I turned to the volcano section of the arena and saw the lava spewing fire balls in every direction – the arena was catching fire. I dived as a fireball splashed into the glittery lake and sizzled loudly. The water burned my skin.

“Ransom!” I yelled out. I don’t even think I said it. I was in my body, but now I wasn’t the one in control. I wanted to cover my mouth, but suddenly a huge wall of fire distracted my deranged body that was possessed. My legs propelled my into the desert – the dirt wouldn’t burn. But I smacked into a huge wall of dirt that was twice the size of me. I couldn’t climb it: I was too small. I jumped up and desperately grasped for any type of hold. I could feel the flames licking up my back and screamed. I shoved my dagger into the Earth wall and pulled myself up. My back! It felt as if I had caught on fire.

So this is what it feels like to be burnt alive.

A hand appeared out of nowhere and I latched onto it without thinking. The hand hauled me up – leaving my weapon and supplies to burn and melt in the flames.

“Thankyou,” I found myself staring into Ransom’s eyes. Why would he help me? He looked as if he were contemplating something. Before I realised it – he tackled me to the ground with a knife in his hand. I cried for help, but that fell on deaf ears – if there was anyone listening. I managed to hold the knife just above my face but realizing that I couldn’t hold his weight – I turned my face and shoved him off. The knife ripped down the side of my face and I screamed as the hot blood flowed down my body.

“Ransom! Stop!” I shouted. My tears mixed with the blood – leaving my mouth with a salty taste. My back was burning like it was a furnace and my face hurt so badly, I thought I’d black out.

“Please!” I cried. But he lunged for me, knocking my battered body to the ground. I fought him best I could. Kicking him in the balls and clawing at his face. But his knife sliced my neck and I yelled. Adrenaline fueled my body. The will to live. I thrust my body upward and he fell off. My only weapon was running. I stumbled away from him. He wasn’t fit – but I was injured. I pulled my jacket to cover my face and let the tears flow and I ran. For the third or fourth time – I ended up on the ground. I yelled curses as Ransom dug his foot onto my charred back. I begged for him to stop – but he never did. He flipped me over onto my back. Everything was starting to go swirly now. Too much blood had been lost. My head lolled to the side. Fight! My mind urged. But my body was injured to the point of no return. He grinned at me sadistically. I sobbed. This was the end. Maisy Bellon, friend to all, was going to die. I put the happiest thought into my head – my dad. But even that memory couldn’t distracted me as the blade pierced my skin, passed through the veins and arteries until it found its target. And with a final jerk of the knife. I heard my heart beat one final time before I was dead.

**

I sat bolt upright, clutching the knife in my hand. Ransom’s eyes were just as alert as mine, but at the sight of the person who was going to kill me – I sprinted as fast as I could. Back into the dark forest. Where ever my legs would take me. But I broke down in tears and fell to a heap against the black trees.

A twig snapped. You know how it happens. I thought. Death didn’t seem too bad at that moment. I could be free. But when I looked up, I found my own fear mirrored in her brown eyes. I gasped – she was a Career. I considered running, but I couldn’t will my body to move. I looked down, not wanting to see the weapon that would end me. The girl crept closer, as if I were an injured animal.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” she said in a soft voice. I looked up at her again as she lowered her small swords to the ground as well as her backpack, “I can help you.” She offered. I flinched, thinking she was going to hit me, but she reached for her bag and pulled out a small packet of food and chucked it onto my lap. I greedily opened it and scoffed down the contents.

“Thankyou,” I whispered, wiping away the tears that stained my cheeks, “Allies?” I questioned.

“Allies.” She nodded and held her hand out to me. We shook on it. I already felt a little safer, knowing that Ransom couldn’t kill me if I had a Career on my side. But I still wanted to be his team mate – I don’t know why, it was stupid, but I felt like 10 would want us as a team. I don’t know, I was happy with – I didn’t even know her name – because she has trained for this for six years. I guess I’m just here to make up numbers.

I couldn’t fall asleep again that night. Verena – my new ally – did though. But I couldn’t face another round of wild fires or my death. I would just wait until the sun rose so I could be in the sunshine. But I swear, I could feel someone watching us.

And those pair of eyes were definitely unwelcome.