An Especially Twisted Hunger Games

Day (and Night) 4

Cater

Water. I don't care about anything else at this given moment. I haven't had anything to drink in what feels like days and I'm really feeling the effects of that. Grim and I split up to try and find a water source; he mentioned how he and the Adeuce combo had already stumbled on a river earlier in the games. I can only hope that he remembers the way there. It was upsetting to hear that the three of them split up. I was really hoping that the three of them could help keep each other safe, particularly Ace and Deuce. I've made lots of friends at NRC, but I've always had a soft spot for students in my dorm, especially the freshmen. I watch the sky each night in fear of seeing them up there, but somehow Heartslabyul has managed to remain intact. Man, I have got to find Trey and Riddle again. Who knows what kind of trouble they could be in?  "AHH!" Speaking of trouble, a scream up ahead interrupts my thoughts. I rush towards the sound of the cry. 

Leona

"Stop screaming you little shit! I asked you a question. Now answer me!" I growl as I slap Kalim in the face. I am so fucking sick of everyone undermining my authority. Jamil laughed at me. Rook threatened my life. And now this little runt is refusing to tell me what I want to know. I am a goddamn prince for Christ's sake! Leona Kingscholar, should-be heir to the throne of the Afterglow Savanna, and they still dare to defy me?? I'm done letting things slide; someone's gonna pay and it looks like the Scarabia runt is gonna be the first one up. "L-Leona, please! I don't understand why you're so upset. I t-told you all he did was give me the flower and run away. Please let me go!" That's not what I'm asking for! I bring my arm back and smack him again. "Why do you have to be so damn difficult? You know that's not what I want you stupid herbivore!" He's sobbing now, and loudly. Great. Just great. Why don't we let the whole area know we're here? "I d-don't understand. What do you w-want from me?" He chokes out, clearly still missing the point. "Do I honestly have to spell it out for you? What. Did. He. Say. To. You? Why the hell are you still alive? What was sooo special about you that I just had to leave you alone while everyone else was free to rot in hell?" He looks at me with tears in his eyes. "That's what you wanted to know? All you had to do was ask..." This is taking too long-I'm losing valuable time here! I raise my hand again. "N-no wait, I'll tell you! He put the flower in my hand and whispered..."

"For Epel." 

...

...

That was it. That was it? He kept me from my kill... for a freshbaby who was already dead? This is insane. All these people are fucking insane! I grip my head in my hands; all this drama is giving me a headache. Whatever. Whatever, whatever, WHATEVER! I don't have time to deal with this right now. I might as well deal with the Scarabia runt while I still have the sanity to do so. I turn around to finish him off but find him booking it in the opposite direction. Oh no you don't!  I'll be damned if I let my prey get away. Be prepared, Kalim Al-Asim. Leona Kingscholar is on the hunt once more. 

Kalim

I run as fast as I can without looking back; I know that Leona could be on my tail at any minute. My face is burning from where he hit me but I can hardly notice it anymore. I know I'm probably going to die, truth be told Leona could catch me any day of the week even if I was in top condition, but I can't help but want to try to escape. I still have so much to live for! I want to connect more with my family, maybe meet all of my siblings some day. I want to prove to my students and to myself that I deserve to be their dorm leader not because of my parents' status but because of who I am as a person. I want to be able to look Jamil in the eyes and tell him how I feel about him, how despite everything that we've been through and done to each other, I'm still in love with him. What I would give if I could only see his face one last time. I don't even care that there's no way he'd ever love me back. Just knowing that he knew would be enough. I can hear leaves rustling behind me and I know Leona's almost caught me. No, please not now, not like this! I see a bush up ahead and take a leap of faith...