Caged | The Hunger Games AU ✓

xxv. onslaught

twenty-five - onslaught

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it's been a day, and already things are starting to fall apart.

emmanuelle runs just behind me, hair whipping back into a blur. her breathing is labored as we jump and dodge rocks on the ground. i'm pushing myself as fast as i can, pumping my arms and straining to keep going. my heart pounds so intensely against my rib cage that it hurts. a cramp is blossoming in my right abdomen, causing me to grit my teeth and try to control my ragged pants.

matthias is leading the way, slashing through the shrubs with his sword as quickly as he can. his work is sloppy because of how fast we move. branches smack into my face, making me squeeze my eyes shut as they scrape against my cheeks. the gash on my hip pulses with pain as i move. i'm so used to it by now that it's become a regular occurrence.

a shriek from behind me causes me to turn my head quickly. emmanuelle's foot has been grabbed, her chin sharply smacking against the ground. another terrorized scream originates from deep within her, but is cut off by a knife slicing through her spine.

emmanuelle's cannon goes off.

"emmanuelle!" i shout hopelessly, staring in horror at the girl's blank and clouded eyes. her body lies sprawled on the earth, the knife causing blood to gush out from her back. the slight makes me feel queasy.

"thalia, come on!" matthias urges from up ahead. with one last look at our fallen ally, i break into a sprint again.

i dare take a glance behind me to see who has killed her. deep feelings of sickness, fear, and anger surface when i see titus following behind. he has both eyes now, narrowed into angry slits. there is only one thing on his mind at this moment: kill me.

reaching back as i'm still running, i launch a knife toward him. the blade whizzes by when he ducks easily. i groan at my foolish mistake. now i've lost a weapon.

"don't do it!" matthias calls, knowing without question that the plan that's forming in my head is stupid and incredibly dangerous. i ignore him and stop abruptly, sliding a new knife out of my belt and throwing it toward titus with all my might.

it lands in his stomach. he immediately stops in his tracks, jutting back a bit from the force of the weapon landing inside of him. titus glances down at it in what looks like astonishment. without hesitation, i grip a cool, metal dagger and aim at him again. this time it hits home just under his right shoulder.

now he's mad again. his pointed jaw tightens and he reels his skinny arm back, poised to throw a knife of his own. i lock my eyes on it and don't let it out of my sight.

it releases toward me. the blade forms a perfect spin as it races closer and closer. just as i am about to duck, matthias' sword swipes down inches in front of my face, knocking the knife away. this action has momentarily stumped titus. he stands with what i think may be confusion, and for a second he seems unable to know what to do, like nothing has ever interfered with his shot before. then his elvish face twists into something i can only describe as pure fury before he lunges at matthias.

though my fellow tribute is obviously more muscled than titus, the thinner boy is a career. he's smaller, quicker, and harder to hit. he ducks as matthias aims a kick to his stomach. it still has the knife embedded into it, along with the one on his shoulder. he barely seems to care.

quickly, i realize what matthias is doing– buying me time. i duck away from their battle and pick up the knife titus had thrown. when my hand gets a satisfying grip on it, i reach back and prepare to throw. there's just one problem: matthias is in the way. their bodies clash together so violently that it's almost impossible for me to get a clear shot at titus and not hurt matthias as well. my eyes frantically search the onslaught, a helpless feeling consuming me.