When in Rome - HG Competition Entry

Task 7: The Underworld (SF)

Feeling that nowhere was safe now that the playing ground had literally been leveled Jaiden went on the move. Even though he had no clear course of action he moved from obstacle to obstacle, keeping his eyes on the horizon.

While stumbling around, tired, aching and feeling an urgent need to find some soap he thought back to the conversation he had had while under the influence of his most recent illusion. It was highly likely that the Capitol Gamemakers had brought it about to make things more interesting.

That meant that it was also highly likely that what had taken place had been broadcast to everyone with a television, the various squares in the Districts included.

He gave a slight groan.

One of those screens hung in the square of District 5 and everyone there would have been made a witness to his little 'talk' with his father, the man himself included. What would they be thinking right now?

The part where the imagined Hoyden had pulled him close for a hug surfaced in his mind and he shook his head sadly. If nothing else, if everything that had been said before then had been perfectly acceptable, that part at the very least would cause trouble. Not in the least because in real life such an event had never taken place.

Most likely there had been some sneers coming his father's way as the crowd watched father and son embracing on the large screen overhead. This, combined with the undoubtedly already tense situation regarding Aspirae's loss, would make matters considerably worse.

Why had his subconscious even considered it?

Mentally scolding himself for having conjured up that image for all to see he pulled the light coat he was wearing tighter around his body; it was suddenly getting colder.

The sky above him turned grey and seemed to be swirling ever so slightly as a stiff breeze picked up the top layer of sand and dust. It spun and danced around him in small puffs like miniature tornadoes as the wind pushed against Jaiden's back and legs.

As the wind picked up and made the dust swoop across the sandy plains Jaiden looked up to see the sky starting to resemble a grim whirlpool; this was no ordinary change of weather, Jaiden realized.

Instinctively picking up the pace Jaiden headed for the nearest object he could find; a huge sandstone column. Hopefully it would shelter him a little from the biting jets of sand as they whizzed past him, almost pushing him from his spot.

'What are they trying to do now?' Jaiden thought, grumpily. It seemed like there hadn't been a single normal day to these Games yet. No other Games he had seen previously had this much madness in it.

'They must be desperate,' he thought, wondering if the Gamemaker on duty was new to the job and hoping to make a lasting impression on their boss. Whatever it was; Jaiden didn't care much for it.

His grumbling inner monologue was rudely interrupted by a large crack forming in the ground beside him and his newly beloved pillar. Jumping aside with a small yelp he tried to cling to the sandstone column for support.

His concern for the column was short lived as another series of cracks formed around him, riddling the area with gaps through which sand was starting to disappear, making the entire terrain crumble and fall.

Jaiden, tumbling and turning surrounded by chunks of dirt and rock, felt his stomach rising until it was pretty much lodged in his throat. The annoying, factual part of his brain told him this was impossible. Jaiden, in between yelling at the top of his lungs, told his brain to shut up for once.

Beneath him, whenever he could spare a moment from being absolutely terrified, he saw nothing but darkness approaching him. Was there anything down there at all? Would the falling ever end?