Swinging From The Branches ~ Lexyon Perti

Calm ~ Day 6

I awake with a start, the knife still clutched in my hands like a life-line. Short of breath, I look around and take in my surroundings; noting nothing has changed overnight. I'm lucky to be alive right now; with so few of us left people are going to start looking for easy targets, and sleeping is the most vulnerable state I can be in.

The knife goes back into my pocket as I pack up my camp, beginning yet another day of trudging through this arena. How many days has it been since I first entered that dark castle; six? It doesn't matter so long as there are tributes to kill, I will remain in the arena.

For a long while, I encounter nothing, not one living thing. We were all so close together yesterday. Should I have taken the opportunity to kill another tribute while I had the chance? I sigh to myself then another thought hits me. Wait, now is my chance. If I can hunt and kill another tribute I better my odds of getting sponsored, I better my odds of surviving, I better my odds of going home.

For the first time in the arena, I had become the hunter instead of the hunted. Primal instinct guided me now, no fear accompanied the thought of dying, adrenaline pumped through my veins yet I was not excited by the thrill of the kill. I moved with one purpose; to seek out those that are in my way.

I was no longer wandering aimlessly with no direction, instinct guided me through the endless blanket of white until I had spotted another tribute.

That sandy blonde hair; the single knife he held at his side... the infamous memories of our fight from yesterday came flooding into my mind. This was the same boy. He was nameless in my mind and he would go down an unremarkable tribute. I draw my knife from my jacket, creeping closer towards him.

He must have heard the snow crunching under my feet, since he turns around with his knife drawn. I raise my own knife, not saying a word.

"You again huh, one fight not good enough for you?" He says, lowering himself into a fighting stance.

"Only one of us can win. You are in my way."

"Yeah, the girl with a three for a training score is going to kick my ass. Not a chance Lexyon, I'm prepared this time." The boy shoots back. Shrugging off the remark, I run to him, anticipating his ability to fly. He takes to the sky, leaving me skidding to a stop. Even if he tried to leave, this boy would not get away a second time.

He remains in the air for quite some time, and I can tell he is deliberating his next move. He knows that on the ground I am dangerous, but he could tire himself out in the sky. Out of nowhere a knife flies at me, sticking in my left leg. I see him smirk in victory as I drop into the snow. He descends upon me, drawing the knife out of my leg and crawling above me, holding the knife to my throat.

"You were right Lexyon, only one of us is going to make it out of this accursed place." His hand is faltering, the knife now loose and shaking inches above my throat. "It's not going to be you..." Using my free arm, I swatted his hand away, the knife flying out of his grasp. Panic strikes his face momentarily, his stance above me letting up. Cautiously, I sit up watching him for any signs of aggression. Following his gaze, I notice it is settled on my knife. Before I can do anything he grabs my arm and plunges the blade into his abdomen.

I push him off of me and roll on top of him. Staring at the boy, his face is wide eyed as the realization of death descends upon him. His breaths come in short gasps as I pull my knife out, only to plunge it back in again. He still lives, yet we both know his time is up. I draw the knife out one last time, repositioning it above his heart and utter the last words he will hear.

"The odds are not in your favor, they never were." I murmur, as I twist the knife into his heart. His gasps jerk for a moment before he exhales one last time. A canon fires in the distance.

"Are you happy now capital. Have I succeeded in your eyes?" I say, my voice barely above a whisper. Even so, I knew they would hear me.

My gaze falls on the corpse beneath me. He had turned my hunt into what the capital would perceive as a mercy kill. Another emotion taken from me-sympathy.

Yanking the knife out of his chest; I find my carnal urge satisfied for now. I wipe both my blade and his on my jacket; allowing my mind to wander.

This...emptiness inside, like a complete lack of feeling. Is this what the capital blessed me with? Is this my power? What purpose could I use this for, besides repressing painful memories? Only then does it hit me, They want a killer, with no qualms or regrets.

I had shown the capital I was a capable fighter when I took Brooke's life. I had proven myself once again when Pinocchio fell to my hands. Now, another tribute is dead by my blade. Three faces burned into my mind. The capital wants this...in this twisted way they are rooting for me.

I allow myself this small victory. In these last few days of the arena it will be the small things that keep me going. I move quickly, searching the boy's body for anything of value; knowing I won't be receiving anything from the arena itself. From his pack I scavenge a strip of dried meat, a bottle of water and some ointment.

Protein! Something that will give me strength instead of only sustaining me. I think to myself, taking a small bite to make sure it was still good. Looking at my own tattered backpack I decide to leave it behind in exchange for his and transfer my belongings. I move away from the body so that the gamemakers can take it away, sitting a few meters back and chewing on a sandwich.

Next I look at the ointment. I had no idea what it was for, but it could be useful for both my shoulder and my leg. At this point, it was worth a shot. Unscrewing the cap, I take a small amount and apply it to the wound Pinocchio gave me, finding that it stung a bit. Once the stinging subsided, I applied more to the newly inflicted wound on my leg. Being a fresh wound, this hurt a lot more; the pain causing me to bite into my glove to suppress my cry. I may not be able to feel emotionally, but the gamemakers didn't spare me from experiencing physical pain.

Come on Lexyon, this is going to help you. You can't fight injured and this is capital medicine, the good stuff. I took a few breaths and capped the ointment, taking a moment to collect myself and let the injuries heal. Once I felt that I would be able to push myself again, I packed some snow onto the wound and stood up. I couldn't let my weakness show, no I would power through this and prevail. Trudging through the snow, I continued my hunt for tributes hoping to find someone else before dark.

Throughout the day, I made sure to keep myself well fed and my thirst quenched. After I had emptied a water bottle, I stopped to fill it with snow; stuffing the bottle in the pocket of my jacket and using my body heat as a means to melt the snow-given I had no other heat source. It was during this part of my journey across the arena that another canon sounded and I wondered if maybe Cayden had been a victim. As far as I knew he was my biggest competition, then again Kai could also pose a threat. I decided not to dwell on the thought of having to face either of them; after all I had taken down Pinocchio, I could take down another career. Or could I?

Dusk descended soon after and I set up my tarp, looking towards the sky for today's victims. Maybe now I would know who I killed today. The capital anthem blasted throughout the arena, displaying two faces tonight. The district eight boy and the district ten girl. I knew neither of them, it didn't matter now. The sky is dark again and I apply more ointment to my wounds, seeing that they were healing nicely. Next I draw one of my knives. There are only five of us left now, I can do this.

I do not allow myself to sleep well that night, the fear of being murdered in the night keeping me on the verge of sleep.