Bloody and Broken (Clato)

Prologue

    "It's down to us, " My blonde district partner hisses in my ear.
   

    "So it seems, " I reply.
       

   He has the tip of his sword at my neck now, but does he honestly think he has a chance at beating me? Surely he's smarter than that. Of course, he's stupidly brave, so he may not. He smirks at me and presses the tip deeper into my skin, not yet drawing blood, though.
   

    I merely yawn. Is this the best he can do? I push the sword away from my neck and stab him in the hand with my knife. He glares at me, but doesn't nurse his hand or yelp in pain. No, that would be showing weakness. And Cato never shows weakness.
   

    "Clove, " He says, leaning against a tree, "You might as well give up now. You know I'm going to beat you at one point."
   

    Sure, he has the strength to beat me, but he does not have the brains, nor the speed to beat me. I could easily outsmart him.
   

    "If you could beat me, " I pause letting the words sink into him, "You would have already done so."
       

    Cato steps towards me, and before I know it, I'm being pinned to the ground with my own knife pressed against my neck. "Are you sure about that?" He asks, smirking.
       

    "Go on, do it, " I urge, "Show the world how tough you are."
       

    For a second, I think I see a flash of regret in his eyes, but that is quickly replaced with malice and hatred. I feel the knife dig into my skin and I bite my lip to keep from screaming. I will not give Cato the honor of knowing he's hurting me.
       

    He continues cutting my arm for a second, and then I realize, he's cut his name into my arm. Oh, how lovely.
       

    "You know, " Cato states, pulling the knife away for a second, "I've always liked you. But now, you're just getting in the way of my victory."
       

    Oh, his "victory"? I don't think so. I muster all my energy and shove him off me. He seems pretty shocked at this, but then regains his footing and steps towards me again. Before he can pin me down, I take out another knife and throw it at him. It hits him in the stomach and I notice him wince.
       

    A laugh escapes my lips. "Did that hurt? Good." 

    "Hurt? Quite the contrary. I barely felt anything, Clover, " He replies.
       

    I scowl at him, for using the name he knows I despise. Of course, I quickly make my face go emotionless. I'm not going to let him know he's getting to me. He takes another step towards me, which gives me the option to kick him.
       

    Cato grabs my leg and twists it backwards. "Hey, " I shout, "Let me go, you brute!"
       

    He lets go of me then pins me against a tree, tracing my neck with his hand. "I could snap this pretty little neck of yours easily..." He murmurs.
       

    "Then why don't you?" I spit.
       

    "That would be too quick, too easy, " He replies, taking out his sword, "And I want the audience to have a good show."
       

    This time, I react quickly enough and punch him in the stomach right where I had thrown a knife at him. I'm sure it hurts, I mean, how could it not? Even still, he doesn't let it show.
       

    ~^*^~
       

    By the time we both give up at fighting each other, we are both extremely bloody and broken. I am slouched against a tree, unable to move, and barely conscious, while Cato is a little ways away from me, collapsed on the ground.
       

    Perhaps we are both going to die. But that's not possible. There has to be a winner, and that, is going to be me.
       

    I reach my hand out, which, is shaking like crazy, and attempt to grab a knife. When I throw it, it goes little more than three feet away from me. I am unable to kill Cato.
       

    I feel myself going under, when I vaguely hear the words, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the winners of the 74th Annual Hunger Games!"