the 1000th annual hunger games

Chapter 50: Face your fears

I wake up out of the horrid darkness that continuously consumes me and pukes me up again. I'm in a dry, dusty dessert. My mouth, due the what I'm guessing is 100 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity. Sweat drips down my face as I hear a cannon boom. I wonder who that was. A dark mist sweeps in, surrounding me.

This is it. This is my death.

The dark grey mist takes form into sights of trees and woods, so well, it's like I'm home. I hear screams. Not just any screams either. A high pitched scream that only a certain eleven year old girl can make and if you're ever so oblivious, and you haven't caught on yet, I mean Bells. I spring into action. I run to the left, the direction Bells screams are coming from.

"Bells! Bells!" I shout, huffing from screaming while running. I lift a limp finger up to my lip. Cracked and dry. Dehydration chomps at the back of my throat, which instead, I attempt to ignore, knowing within a mere second, Bells could be dead. I soon find that I stand in the middle of a clearing, circular like the cliché. I stand, armed and ready to fight, although I have a groggy, empty feeling dwelling in the depths of my stomach. Bells screams rings out from one of the trees. And then another. And soon all the trees ring out with the sound of Bells crys for help. Suddenly I'm in a lab, large cloning tubes stretch from ceiling to floor. Bells is stuck in all of them screaming for my help. I don't know which is real or which is fake. Her screams fill my ears as my knees weaken and I fall to the ground, tears streaming out of my eyes. Suddenly, I hear a more masculine scream for behind me. Cedar. Why is HE in the arena?

I force my head up to look in his direction. He looks pained, as if he were just stabbed. His eyes grow and turn an empty black color and head grows large. His mouth widen as it begins to pour out blood and guts. His frame grows huge and tentacles sprout out of his sides. He's now at least nine feet tall. I force myself up and away from the now faint screams of Bells.

BOOM!

The test tubes merge back to the trees I'm used to. He chases after me, almost catching me. Continuously, he swipes and swipes, trying to knock me down. My mouth feels dry and I cough repeatly. He, by now, I know is a Capitol mutation. I turn around, backpack flying off my back, landing on the hard, forested ground with a thump. A distant scream rings through my ears, capturing Cedar-monster's attention. I rip the knife out of my pack and throw it straight at Cedar-monster's head. A ear-piercing screech emerges from the monster, as he collapses to the cold, hard ground, passing out. I tear the knife out of it's skull. Blood has splattered over my clothing from Cedar-Monster's fall, but I don't have time to assess my clothes, as a tribute attempts to sneak up behind me.   He is fairly large, muscles bulking from under his shirt. 

"Oh, Amaranth. Sweet Amaranth. Why don't you come closer, sweetheart." He sweetly says, with a barely noticeable smirk. I shake my head and back up a few steps. He lets out a hearty laugh that makes me feel warm and delighted inside but I know he will only hurt me and clearly has the intent to, only sweet talking me to earn my trust. And then- BAM! I'm a dead teen. 

"Oh, your sweet purity, Your sweet tiny sliver of innocence that the Capitol saved for you, since they clearly took away the blood aspect of it at a young age. " What. The. Actual. Hell. Seriously? What the hell is wrong with him. What does he mean. I'm intriqued, but I know I'll stabbed in the back. He takes a few long strides nearer to me. My eyes widen.

"Now, now, I have taken a liking to you. Many, unfortunely for you, haven't. They want you dead" The boy starts. Well no dip. The president hates me. Hawk hates me. Most people don't have a general positivity towards me. Like,  'oh great, its Amaranth coming our way.' or ' that girl is goddamn scary' is what I usually heard in District 15 at times. " I think you're a survivor. Well, news flash! So am I. We then can rule the arena, smash anything in our way. Oh by the way, if you don't team with me, I'll kill your dog-thing." 

I manage out a small 'what'. Zap sticks his head out from behing the boy. He slowly  crawls out from behind, a guilty look upon his face, tail tucked underneath. 

The boy smirks widely, stepping closer, extending a hand for a shake.  I suddenly get an idea. 

"ZAP COME!" I scream at the top of my lungs, startleing the boy, as I turn to run. Zap reaches up and scratches the boy's face and catches up to me as I run full speed to escape the boy.  I run mile after mile, my legs sore and head throbbing until I feel a masculine hand grasp my shoulder firmly.  I know this probably my end, and I hope Bells knows I did my best.  I'm spun around, as I fall into a darkness darkeer than before, so dark, that's it's almost light.