Author Games - Ghost Town

Task 5 - Female Entries

Flora Black

 N/A

Caella Sillows

I sighed, and sat back. What had I received from these games? Fear? Death? Pain? Loss? All of these combined. I was no longer myself, I was falling apart, crumbling away. And there was no escape for me, it was far too late. And now I realized I would never really make it alive. I would die in these games, I would die to the capital. And I had to accept that. I had to accept death.

That night I dreamed. I dreamed about home. I dreamed the games had never happened. I sprinted forewords, at the time no doubt in my mind that this was real. My arms wrapped around my mother, but she shoved me away, her eyes filled with a dark, cold anger. Her glare sent me shivering. That was when she removed the knife from her pocket. "I'm doing this for your own good." She smirked cruelly before she began to cut...

I woke up, covered in sweat and shivering. I gasped and slowly stood up, watching the slowly rise. The moon was gone, the she had replaced it. Tears soaked my face. I wasn't the same girl I had been, I was a monster now. A creature who would kill. I had changed, and I would never be the same again.

I stepped away from my sleeping allies, and the moment I left the cornucopia some felt... Off. I glanced around uneasily, and slowly pulled a knife from my belt. Suddenly, the sky went dark and the air turned grey. I looked around but my allies were gone. Strong winds swirled around me, lashing at my skin. And suddenly, a bright light struck me.

I screamed loudly as its holy touch shot through my body, bringing me to life once again. Life, that was what I feared. Life, of all things. And it was here, a chance of life. Did I want to live? Or to join my father, to face death, to die a hero? I didn't want to live, not truly, and I never would.

I sank to my knees, and suddenly the light was gone. A figure stepped through the winds, and I recognized the pure with clothes, the real form of life. "Come with me, have eternal life." The figure offered, and I shook my head as tears streamed down my face. I couldn't, I didn't want to live.

"Don't you understand? It is too late for me! I don't want to live! I'm sick of making things worse. I'm sick of being hurt. I'm sick of crying myself to sleep. I'm sick of hating everything. I'm sick of faking a smile. I'm sick of feeling this way. I'm sick of letting people down. I'm sick of being me." I sobbed heavily, and the winds around me grew a creamy white color as light flashed around me.

Oh, I am very weary, Though tears no longer flow; My eyes are tired of weeping, My heart is sick of woe, I thought to myself, sadness consuming me. I shakily gripped the knife I held in my hand tightly until the sweat was visible. I slowly pulled it up to my chest, and without another thought, plunged it into my chest. The last thing I was was my last chance at life disappear.

~~

When I woke I saw Winter looming above me. I blinked slowly. Suddenly, tears sprang from Winter's eyes. "You are alive!" She sang, and I felt a burn in my chest when I tried to sit up. I noticed the bandages. My knife had missed my heart and know my allies had saved me. "You left and I cried tears of blood. My sorrow grows. Its not just that You left. But when You left my eyes went with You. Now, how will I cry?" She said softly, and then it all came together.

The reason I wasn't dead wasn't because of me. I was too selfish. There were people who cared, people who loved. And I had never thought about them. But now I realized what I meant to my allies and what I needed to do. I would survive.

Clara Clearwater

I awake to a scurrying. Beside me, Winter stirs, her eyes slowly widening. Aero is in front of the door, blade drawn in a defensive stance. Winter stumbles to stand, half-crawling to Aero. In the wide doorway, I just barely catch a glimpse of gold before Winter went flying through the air, striking the wall with a sickening crunch. "Winter!" I scream, dashing to her side.  Blood trickled from her mouth, her eyes blank. A sob rose in my throat, tears spilling down my cheeks. Winter was the only person who really understood me in here; my only friend in the arena. The idea of losing her was too dauntingly frightening to think about. My hands clutched Winter's jacket, tears dripping onto her front. "No," I sob, shaking her small frame slight. "No, W-Winter. Stay with me," I demand, holding her head gently.  Blood dripped between my fingers when I touch her head, a sure sign of a concussion, possible brain damage. Her eyes roll to the back of her head, the whites stark and bright on her dirty face. She convulses once, her body shaking in my arms. I drop her in shock, wincing as she hits the dirty floor again. Flora grips my shoulder, face grim. I jump a bit in surprise at the sudden contact, but have no time to ponder it. A cannon booms, yet Winter still has a pulse; Clement and Aero are outside. Unless one of them is dead.  I run to the doorway, screaming as I watch a giant lion clamp its jaws around Clement's hands. Clement flinches, but when the lion removes its bloody snout, his hands are still intact. Rushing to his side, I yank him away, shoving him. "You idiot! What were you thinking?!" I half-scream, gens turning at the giant cat munching on a hunk of raw meat a hard away from us. He rolled his eyes, scoffing.  "Glad you care," he sighed, picking up his sword. I bite my lip, looking down at my feet. "I thought it was going to eat you," I whisper, rubbing the back of my neck. I don't know who made the first move, but suddenly we were hugging, my hands clutching at his shirt. His arms encircled me, comforting and strong. Another cannon in the distance booms, and we step away quickly.  "Ah, yeah," Clement clears his throat. "No problem. It's on the house." We laugh awkwardly, standing too close for just friends, but too far away for something more intimate. I bend, picking up a fallen sword. Tossing it to Clement, I move to walk back to the building.  "By the way, I don't know what you did, but the lion is your responsibility now," I half-grin, jogging back to check up on Winter.  Flora sits hunched over the girl, trembling. Winter's head rests on her lap, blood staining her cargo pants scarlet. Tears drip down her cheeks, her lips trembling. "Winter?" I ask quietly, voice trembling.  "She's fine, she's fine. I just got a note from back home is all," she quickly wipes her tears away, blinking as I move closer. I sigh in relief, laying on my sleeping bag. Too much has happened in such little time. I close my eyes gratefully, drifting off into unconsciousness.