The Death Games

Last Day of School

The next day at school everyone every student was quiet, in various states of shock. They’d all heard, of course, and it was definitely believable to them that the President would have given up and decided to go ahead and hold a Hunger Games. The twist was understandable. But no one expected to be selected.

Leo drifted into fifth period, study hall, and sat down at his desk. The bell rang, and class started. 

The teacher rose slowly to her feet, and faced the class, a forced smile on her face. “This is going to be the last day I’ll see you all. Tomorrow, you’re all going to be shipped off to the capital. I’ll miss some of you more than others, but-“ she stopped, and turned around to wipe away tears.“Do whatever you like.” she muttered. Then she left the room.

Leo sighed, and sank further into his chair. Even the teachers are losing it now, he thought.

The girl sitting a few seats down from him smiled widely, her perfect teeth reflecting the sunlight just as well as her red hair. “I finally get to kill you all!” she exclaimed.

Her name was Elizabeth Morty, and she was 17 years old.

“I actually have a kill list, you know. Started it a few years back, when I first came to this dump. Guess who’s at the top.” Elizabeth went on, inclining her head towards the school lovebirds, Alan and Anastasia. “I mean honestly, ever heard of cutting the PDAs?”

Alan and Anastasia either didn’t hear her, or choose to ignore her, seeing that they were locked in a massive make out session.

“Oh please.” Elizabeth gagged. “Nobody wants to see that.”

A 16 year old boy sitting at the back of the room, Michael Knots, suddenly shot up out of his chair, waving his phone in the air. “I just posted that I’m a tribute in The Death Games, and guess what? 3000 new followers, in just two minutes!”

After hearing that news, everyone whipped out their phones, and posted away, excluding Leo, who wasn’t interested, and Hannah Tart, a short, pudgy, twelve year old girl who was wrapped in her sweater, taking a nap.

Elizabeth put away her phone and charged over to Hannah, and pushed her, sending her tumbling off of her desk. “Wake up girly! You need to break those nasty habits, unless you want me to stick a knife between your shoulder blades.”

Hannah stared up at Elizabeth, terrified. 

“Actually, I’ll end up killing you anyway. In fact, sleep on. Easier for me, right? I do need a name though, because right now, I think that you’d make a rather nice addition to my kill list.”

Hannah didn’t say a word, so Elizabeth kicked her, and grabbed her backpack. She rummaged through it, until she came up with a binder. She opened it. “Hannah Tart, eh? Rather unfortunate last name, if you ask me. Sweet dreams Hannah, at least until I get the opportunity to kill you.”

She laughed and strode away, the whole class staring at her with an odd mix of horror and awe. They could all tell that she was going to be serious competition if they expected to survive The Death Games.

Michael held up his phone again, and shouted, “Elizabeth, my followers loved the footage I just uploaded of you and Hannah.”

She went over to him and snatched up his phone, reading through the replies.

“See you guys?” Elizabeth shouted. “Mi…” she paused, and whispered “What was your name again?” in Michael’s ear. He whispered back. “Michael and I are on top of the game here! People actually know who we are! And you all? What have you done? Nothing!”

Michael grinned. “Popularity is everything.”

“And killing talent.” Elizabeth added.

“And love!” Alan shouted breathlessly, from where he had just finished his make out session with Anastasia.

Elizabeth snorted. “Love? Yeah right. All that that’s going to get you is heartbreak. Especially when I kill one of you and leave the other to suffer.” 

Her eyes locked onto Anastasia. “Won’t that be fun Annie? All alone, without your little boyfriend to protect you?”

Anastasia pulled a mirror and a brush out of her purse, and tried to calmly brush her blonde hair. “Just you wait until we win this.” she stammered.

Michael laughed. “You? Win? Yeah right. All that you know how to do is brush your hair, apply makeup, and make out with Alan. And, love isn’t going to gain you any popularity, at least until one of you is heartbroken. Then, maybe, people will feel some sympathy.”

“Sympathy?” Elizabeth snarled. “Wouldn’t count on it.”

“Stop… Stop being so mean Elizabeth!” Hannah squeaked.

Elizabeth slowly turned around, and stared at Hannah, who was standing in her chair. “And look at who’s risen on my kill list.”

Hannah paled, and stiffly sat back down in her chair.

Elizabeth walked over to her, and grabbed Hannah’s pinky. “Just because you thought I was being too mean, I think I’m going to show you what mean really feels like.”

The teacher choose that moment to walk back into the room. The first thing she saw was Elizabeth threatening Hannah, and half of the class filming in on their phones, following Michael’s advice.

“Everyone take your seats!” she shouted. 

Everyone did so, and the teacher walked back to her desk, and looked sternly at what would soon be her former pupils. “I will not tolerate violence of any sort in my classroom. Understood?”

The class nodded.

“Alright. This is the last time I’ll see you. Good luck to all of you.”