Author Games - Ghost Town

Task 6 - Female Entries

Caella Sillows:

I quietly sat back, listening to the quiet tune of the chirping crickets. The wind howled and blew in my face, whipping my hair over my eyes. I pushed it away with my hand and stood up. "Clara!" I called. She turned around from her chat with Winter and stalked towards me. I felt like I was left out. I wasn't really friends with all of them, I was like the outsider in our group. "Any idea of who died?"

Clara shrugged. "The dead will show any minute now." She said simply before walking over to Winter and resuming their conversation. I sighed. I didn't belong. Then, I had a great idea, an idea that would solve all problems. I was going to leave them. I sneaked a glance at Clara. She was smiling happily, laughing at one of Winter's jokes, no idea how I planned to betray her. Of course I wouldn't kill them, just seperated myself for a while. It was the final eight, time to let go. Suddenly, the anthem began to blare, the capital tune ringing in my ears.

I looked up as the first face shined in the sky. Flora, her dead eyes looking down at us and her lips curved I to a fake smile. She should've won for her family. Instead I am alive, me of all people. And if I could be alive, so should she. I whispered one final goodbye to my ally as her face faded away.

Flora's picture was soon replaced by Averlyn Lacey from district five. I hardly knew her, yet her death made me feel guilty. What if I was in the sky? What would she be thinking? What would my allies think? The guilt balled up inside of, for another girl had lost her life to the amusment of the capital. Every day another life would be lost.

Poor Destiny follows, her small face petrified, her eyes glassy and her stare lost in space. A tear drips down my cheek, because, even though I didn't know Destiny, there is a family that cared for her, a life that had lost her, all to the joy of killing that the capital had.

Travis appears next. He is with his sister now, and although they have lost their lives, their souls would rests in paradise. And soon would mine. Four tributes died tonight. I was in the final eight.

I closed my eyes. I would open them in a second, I just needed a moment before I waited for my allies to fall asleep.

**

I woke up to a shriek. My eyes snapped open and I sat up. A jolt of pain shot through my back but I ignored it. I heard a snap in the wind as branches and stones bounced along the ground. Suddenly, I saw a bump in the distance. I squinted, and realized it was water. Assuming it wouldn't hurt us, I grabbed a pack, preparing to leave. Suddenly, the wave was visible from between the abandoned buildings, growing larger by the second. I turned to walk away. I sneaked one last glance at my sleeping allies, who were soon the be crushed by the wave. This isn't right.

I turned around and grabbed Clement by the arm. He instantly grabbed his arm and yanked it away from me. "What the he-" he was cut off when he noticed the tidal wave and his jaw dropped.

"Wake the others!" I ordered. Clement didn't argue, he just grabbed Aero's arm and pulled him up. Aero had no time to protest, once he saw the wave he immediately grabbed for Winter. She snapped awake and slapped Clara's wrist, waking her up. "RUN!" Winter screamed, grabbing her weapons and sprinting away from the wave.

We followed, the icy waves splashing against our ankles. The factory. That was where the wave was heading. I ducked through the door, followed by Clement, Aero, and Clara. Where was Winter? I looked through the doorway to see Winter, the wave closing in. I doved forewords, grabbing her arm and yanking her inside as the wave splashed over the roof of the Factory. A little bit ran through the doors and reached my ankles. The water must've activated the factory as the machines turn on, the wheels spin to life, the gears grind. A small layer of smoke fills the factory and I cough into my arm. As Winter reached for a door, it clicked shut. She tried pulling on it to open it, but it was no use. The other doors swung shut, trapping us in the factory. It was the five of us against Stone, Alex, and Aspen.