[ 8 - when the bell rings, lover you're on your own ]

450 16 48
                                    

PRISCILLA STEPPED OUT of her bedroom, heading to her family

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

PRISCILLA STEPPED OUT of her bedroom, heading to her family. "Good luck," Said Epiphanes, embracing his older sister. "I'm not the one you should tell it to." Priscilla sighed, going towards her mother. The two quickly hugged, and Priscilla left the apartment. Her dad was a Gamemaker, so he was already in the Academy, probably helping Dr. Gaul.

Priscilla entered the Academy, with her red uniform, bright orange eyeliner, and a band from Treech on her wrist. She approached the space for the mentors and took her place next to Pliny. What if he won't make it? She asked herself. No. He's gonna be okay.

"Over here, please." She heard a male voice. A man with a camera was about to take her and Pup a photo, so they smiled as fake as they could. The photo was done. and the two chit-chatted for a few seconds before Lucky's voice echoed in the hall.

"Everyone, as you know, we're about to go live. Just because you're not hosting, doesn't mean you're off the hook. Help me. Don't get lost behind your screens." He spoke. "And smile. It's why we have teeth. Okay. Ready? We're gonna start, guys. Five, four, three, two..."

The Anthem filled their ears, Lucky's voice once again echoed through the room. "Good morning, I'm Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman. A man who needs no introduction. Weatherman, amateur magician, and today, I'm honored to say... first ever host of the Hunger Games!"

Students' applause was too loud. Priscilla also clapped her hands, but not too cheerful. "In my hand, an envelope, sealed. My prediction, the winner to be opened by me upon the big show's end." Lucretius declared, fidgeting an envelope in his free hand. The gongs announcing the arrival of the tributes made Priscilla flinch. She wasn't ready.

"They're here. We're getting word... All right, we're about to start. We're starting, everyone, we're starting. Happy Hunger Games. Happy Hunger... Remember, when your tribute dies, get out of here." Lucky mumbled, walking quickly through the mentors.

The tributes entering the arena appeared on the large screen. Priscilla let out a sigh at the sight of Dill. The medicines helped her with the cough, but not too much. Tributes were led to their red circles, with the rule saying that if they move, they'll be shot.

And then, a view Priscilla didn't want to see appeared on the screen. Marcus, Sejanus' tribute hung on a beam, still alive. "Ooh, Marcus. Guess we can all sleep better now knowing he's off the streets." Lucky spoke.

Priscilla's eyes snapped to Sejanus, who stood up and threw his chair with an impact. "You're monsters! All of you!" He bawled and stormed out of the hall.

"I mean, he was never wrong." Pup mumbled towards her. "Was he?" Priscilla cocked an eyebrow.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five..." Lucky counted, making Priscilla's leg bounce only more nervously. "...four, three..."

"Two."

"One."

The bell rang, and the tributes ran towards the weapons. Well, some of them. Priscilla watched as Treech grabbed two axes. Two? She asked herself. And then it hit her. One was for Lamina. Treech quickly handed his district partner the axe, hoping that Coral didn't notice.

Priscilla's eyes snapped to Dill, who was standing in her mark and didn't know what to do. Then, she saw Reaper, who stood up in front of the girl, beating the tribute who wanted to kill her.

And then was Treech again. First, Coral showed up. She swung her trident at Lucy Gray, but the brunette dodged. They repeated the move a few times, before Treech slid down the ruins and swung his ax at Lucy Gray. She rolled on the ground, dodging the weapon. Sheaf got killed, making Juno Phipps vomit on the side of her table. "That is mahogany, Juno!" Priscilla scowled.

Treech did the move two times, and then his arm was slit by Sol's knife. Lucy Gray ran to Jessup, helping him stand up. Coral's pack ran after them, including Treech.

The two from 12 ran through an underground tunnel, Hy and Sol on the other side. Lucy Gray tried to open an entrance for another tunnel, Coral's pack and Hy together with Sol heading towards her. Lucy Gray crawled up to the next tunnel, helping Jessup.

Hy died quickly, due to Treech's axe. Sol managed to crawl through the half of the entrance, when she was stabbed in the back by Coral. A bloody scream made Priscilla flinch as she leaned back into her seat.

The mentors heard a buzz, and then Dennis Fling and Iphigenia Moss left the hall. "Hey, lumberjack, get in there and get her out," Coral whispered. No. Priscilla told herself.

"I'm not sticking my head in there. She could be waiting with a brick." Treech argued.

Priscilla let out a relieved sigh. Thank god he was using his mind.

"I knew we should have recruited that Reaper kid." Coral sighed. The Pack left the tunnel, finding a safe spot for themselves.

"To the children watching, that was violent, horrific, and disgusting. Ms. Phipps, please, if you're going to vomit, do it off-camera." Lucretius spoke up. "Reaper still looming large on top of the charts while Coral and her Pack try to make a play."

Priscilla was fidgeting with her fingers, the surrounding was dizzying. Even though Treech made the first seconds alive, the feeling of stress didn't leave her. "Six tributes gone in minutes. If they keep it up at this pace, we're gonna be outta here in no time." Lucky declared.

Lucky was talking about the weather when someone on the screen caught Priscilla's and Pup's eyes. "Lamina," Pliny whispered, changing his position. Lamina walked over to the beam where Marcus was hanging off and climbed on it.

Lamina fixed Marcus' head, checking if he was alive. He was. The boy whispered something to her, but the mentors couldn't hear what. Lamina unpinned an axe from her belt, and with one swing, it landed on Marcus' neck.

The students exclaimed, including Pup and Priscilla. Lamina had now more than one hundred donations. She cut the ropes on Marcus' wrists, letting the boy fall to the ground.

"Was it mercy? Was it murder?" Lucretius spoke up. Definitely mercy, Priscilla spoke in her thoughts. How couldn't this man notice?

"Either way, that's what happens when you do stuff. You get attention. Citizens send you money. Now, once they get your money, the mentor can choose to send in food or water using our newly developed drones from the war, reprogrammed with facial recognition. This ensures that your package goes directly to your tribute. Isn't that right, Pup Harrington?" Lucky asked.

"Yeah," Pup mumbled.

Pup chose water, and sent one drone to Lamina. The girl stood up and extended her hand to the drone, then she quickly crouched down, dodging it. The drone with a bottle smashed on the beam, leaving Lamina with no water.


₊˚•. ↳ a/n
lamina is so sweet i wanna hug her sm

THANK YOU FOR READING MY LOVES!!

Love

May

Raison D'être - TreechWhere stories live. Discover now