𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔭𝔢𝔯 ~ 𝔣𝔦𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔬𝔡𝔞𝔦𝔯

1.2

(17, 71st Hunger Games)

I sat at the kitchen table, my head in my hands. How could this have gone so wrong? Cole was supposed to be killed off along the way- I can't be the one to kill him! Suddenly, Claudius Templesmith's voice echoed through the arena.

"Congratulations to the final tributes of the 71st Hunger Games! Now, there will be an eight minute timer within the next thirty seconds and if you don't make it to the roof of the tower within that time limit or your tracker will release a venom into your body that will kill you and end the game. Good luck tributes and may the odds be ever in your favor."

My eyes widened as the gong went off. I take off, abandoning my heels along the way as I desperately try to rip off some of the bottom of my dress. I heave big breaths as my feet make pitter-pattering noises on the marble staircases. I could hear a ripping sound when I managed to rip off some of the dress. My swollen ankle sent searing pains up my leg and perspiration rolled down my face. I weaved in and out of doors, finding new staircases every minute. I started to panic when I heard that there were three minutes left. Footsteps echoed far down the stairs. Cole! My heart ached as I swung open the doors to the roof. I collapsed to the cold stone, breathless as I coughed up what I had for dinner. I crawled over to the edge of the castle, my burning head resting on the cool stone.

"Reign?" a man whispered, nearing me.

I reached for my katana but then quickly discarded the motion. I slowly sat up, brushing away the hair that was stuck to my face from blood, sweat and vomit. My vision blurred as I gave off a happy sigh.

"Cole," tears rolled down my face.

Cole walked closer to me, and helped me off the floor.

"I thought you were hurt," I sobbed, hugging him tight, "I thought I lost you."

I got no reply. My grasp loosened.

"Cole?" I gasped, staring into his angry eyes.

Suddenly, Cole's hands moved to my neck, his fingers closed around my throat. I thrashed in his arms as he lowered me to the ground.

"Cole-" I choked out, digging my nails into his face to try to get him off me, "What are you doing?!"

I could feel my face getting hot as dots creeped their way into my vision.

"How could you do that to all those kids?" he said, his voice darkening, "You're a murderer."

"I'm not a murderer," I push Cole off of me and scuffle away from him, "I did what I had to do to survive!"

"By killing people in cruel ways!" He lunged at me with a dagger he had in his pocket, "I saw you kill Kiva."

"But you were gone!" I screamed, blocking the hit and kicking him away, "you had floated down the bank!"

"Milo dragged me out," he seethed, getting off the floor, "he promised not to kill me if I stayed on his side."

"You didn't even go to see if I was okay?!" I shouted, my katana nicking the side of his neck, "I thought I had lost you!"

Cole cupped his neck, anger prominent in his face, "you have lost me."

We fought on the roof fiercely, both of our weapons hitting each other and making clanging sounds. Cole's eyes never lightened. Suddenly, a loud noise boomed over our heads. We both looked up, frightened, as big drops of water rained down on us.

Way to play it up, gamemakers, I thought as the clanging of metal continued.

My foot buckled under me as Cole kicked me in the hip. My head hit the ground with a huge thud.

"Augh- fuck-" I moan, trying to sit up.

My head throbbed, sending shooting pains through my skull. When I stood up, the world turned in crazy circles. My katana hit in random places because Cole avoided my jabs. A sharp pain hit me in my gut and I tumbled back, hitting the edge of the castle. My katana landed next to me, but Cole already had another one of his knives at my throat.

"Please," I pleaded, tears filled my eyes, "I have to see my sister and brother."

He yanked the knife out of my stomach and threw it off the roof, "Why should you live?"

"I have a family!" I sob, "I want to live to see them!"

My fingers lightly touched the handle of the katana, slowly curling to get a grip. I just needed to stall a little longer.

"What about those other kids who had families?" he pushed the blade into my neck, "HUH?!"

"I'M SICK! I yelp, "PLEASE! I NEED TO GET BETTER! Don't let me die like this..."

The tears in my eyes from real pain added to the act. This will end, but in my favor. I had a good grip on the blade now.

"No Reign, I have a family too," he whispered, a little softness seeping into his eyes, "I have got to stop you... you will fall."

"No," I chuckle darkly, "I will REIGN."

My katana stabbed into Cole in swift movement, the blade going straight through his chest. I watched as life drained from his eyes and mixes of emotions swirled away from his face into nothingness. Cole's blood splashed on my face, his body falling on top of me. Everything hurts. I couldn't move. But a small smile graced my lips as Caesar Flickerman's voice echoed throughout the arena.

"I present to you the winner of the 71st Hunger Games! Reign Lennon!"

My eyes flickered shut as a claw lowered from the sky.

꧁∙∙∙∙∙·▫▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫꧁꧂▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫ₒₒ▫ᵒᴼᵒ▫▫·∙∙∙∙∙꧂

My eyes snapped open, beeping noises filling the room. Everything was blurry and I couldn't feel my right leg. I tried to move my arm, but it wouldn't budge. I realized my arms and body were strapped to the bed. My breathing began to speed up as I started to struggle.

"Hey, hey," a man came into my view and placed a hand on my arm, "You're okay."

"Damien?" I whisper, tears forming in my eyes, "I'm out?"

"Yes," he said, "you're out of there."

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked, adjusting to the bright light of the room.

"Only a day," he answered, "they got to work on you as soon as they got you in the hovercraft. The doctors had to switch the bones out in your ankle and foot out with replacements."

I winced remembering the rats.

"They wrapped it up so the ointment they put on it can heal the skin faster," he patted my arm.

"I'm not sick anymore?" I quiz him.

"Nope, fever is gone," Damien smiled solemnly.

"Why am I strapped to the bed?"

"Well, when they were fixing you up, you had woken up and attacked one of the doctors. It's just a precaution," he cocked an eyebrow, "You don't remember this, do you?"

"No," I look at him, "where's-"

I got choked up, tears falling down my face. Cole. I had killed him, and in such a cruel way too: I manipulated him.

"Why did I do it?!" I sobbed, shaking violently.

"I killed him!"

"I know," Damien sighed, sadly, "I know.

He wrapped his arms around me, my eyes stinging from salty tears. He held me until the doctors came in and injected a clear liquid into my arm. He held me until my eyes closed and everything went dark.