Fun & Games[Clove Kentwell]

XIX

XIX: a near death experience

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Regret. Guilt. Remorse.

The emotions seeped through me as the days passed me by. Dead bodies piled up, and the options for allies seemed to simmer down. Id managed to pull off the lone wolf act as the belief that I was too powerful for allies, I was The Capitol Princess . I didnt need allies to win.

But I did. I knew I did.

Tears rimmed my eyes at night, the nights becoming too dangerous to sleep in. The game makers were harsh on us, constantly waking us up with danger. Trackerjackers had nearly swarmed me one night, and that was the end of tree sleeping for me. The stings I gathered were harsh, and I used the last of my medicine to heal myself from them.

The days I had were quiet, and I spent time trying to find food and hunt. But, the bushes seemed bare and the sky grew empty. Was this because of the game makers? Or was this due to the tributes hunting. I didnt know, but my belly was rumbling.

The girl who played with knives ran through my mind as I walked through the trees the next day. She would've been the last person I turned to for an ally, but now I was debating my choice. I walked through trees and over rocks as I made my way toward the career den, the hunger made me grow slightly dizzy as I walked through hot air. I sipped my water lightly as to make sure I didnt dehydrate.

I hadnt seen Clove Kentwell since the time we almost became allies, now I didnt know whether she'd kill me or spare me. But as I walked toward the career den with the Girl Who Plays With Knives clouding my thoughts, I walked straight into a trap.

I nearly stood on a mine. I had been walking toward the careers den, which was close to the cornucopia and far from the section I was mulling around in. A pile of dirt stared up at me and I gulped ever so slightly as I pulled my feet away cautiously. The obviousness was that the careers had used a different districts abilities—by force or not, I didnt know, but the first two districts would never be able to figure out how to do something so dangerously high tech.

I hid behind thick trees as I watched the career den. The main careers had left, probably to hunt down more tributes, but there was one unfamiliar tribute left to guard. Noticing a redheaded girl running toward the traps, I felt my voice tighten in my throat. She ran and dived over countless mines, the tightness relaxing as she didnt set off the trap. She was intelligent. Immensely smart. I watched intently as she stole from the careers pile of things, running and jumping precisely over the mines and away from the den. The tribute sat on the other side of the pile stood and looked around cluelessly, following the sound of the redhead after a few moments. She had lead the final guard away from the things. I mentally thanked her.

The choices I had were narrow, and this was my only chance to steal and not team. So, I took that chance. I ran forward, copying the redheads movements and jumping as precisely as possible over mines and toward the massive pile of things. I needed food, that was the only focus here. The medical supplies and restock of weapons tempted me, but i strayed away from it as I stayed trained on the food. I let out a sigh of relief as I made my way to the pile safely. But that safety didnt last very long, a whirring sound zipping toward me. An arrow slunk past me quickly, and I nearly fell backward onto the mines.

"Fuck!" I screamed in defeat.

Katniss Everdeen was too smart, and I had grew stupid. It was a trap.

I swivelled on my heels, turning and diving over mines dangerously as I attempted to make my way to safety. The sound of another arrow hurtling through the air caused my feet to slow ever so slightly, I was almost certain my time was coming closely to an end. But the arrow never came close to me. Instead, I listened as something—multiple somethings—toppled from somewhere, down against the boxes and hurtled themselves toward the floor.

It wasnt a trap for me, It was a trap for the careers. I was just inconveniently stuck within the crossfire.

I gulped, running as quickly as I could away from the mined floor.

But I was too late.

The mines exploded, one by one but quicker each time. The mine nearest me beeped immensely, and I shut my eyes as the force from the explosion flung me through the air. A small pained scream rippled through the air as a pain so harsh flushed through my spine.

I landed on the floor with a heavy thump, and I was sure I was dead. Ringing echoed through my ears, and my vision grew blurry. I gulped, was I really going to die like this? Like a failure to my father?

I reached out to the ground, attempting to pull myself up, but the hunger along with the injuries I had somehow withstanded sent me toppling to the ground again. My lip quivered,

"You're weak"

My fathers voice echoed throughout my head, overriding the ringing for a fraction of a second. I scrunched my eyes closed, no im strong. Im strong. But I knew I wasnt, I knew this was the end of Callista Snow; the reign of the Capitol Princess as a whole.

But then, a warm hand landed on my shoulder. At first, fear flushed through me and my head thumped harshly with pain. This was the career that was going to finish me off, make my measly life come to an end as a whole.

"Ca..." I heard it at first, but black spots furrowed my vision.

"Please..." I whimpered slightly. Was I really going to beg for someone to end my life? Or even help me?

Someones arm hooked around my shoulders and underneath my legs, lifting me easily off of the ground. The pain left my system as I went quickly into shock, my vision so blurry as my head fell against something soft. I fought it at first, you have to get up.

you cant die like this. I begged myself.

prove it to him I tried a final time prove that you are nothing like your mother

but thats all I knew before i fell unwillingly into unconsciousness.