The 70th Hunger Games- Fliss' Story

25

That's when it happens. It came out of nowhere. But I know there is nothing I could do. The spear sticking out of his back kills him instantly. His cannon sounds cutting through the silent air.

"Kendith." Fawn screams into the air. A sharp edge of pain to her voice. I have to stay strong but hearing that scream kills me inside. I turn around and through a spoke at the attacker but I know as it leaves my hand it will miss.

I don't look to see where it lands but I now drag Fawn through the water. Chaos now prevails. I am aware that the career will attack again. But I can't tell where it will hit. I hear something splash into the water close to my side. React or die. I keep pushing on.

I get an idea and turn over onto my back. I know backstroke is a slower stroke but at least I can see what's going on. Now when I see someone go to through a knife I move to avoid it. Fawn has now come to her senses and is pushing forward. Motivated by some animal will to survive.

I grab a spoke and stop dead in the water. I lift it up above my head, take aim and throw. I smile to myself as I knock out Hale from one. I turn and continue to swim. I know it's stupid but I can't help but wonder if the capitol citizens are enjoying this.

We keep moving but I know Fawn can't keep this up and she starts to fail. The rock is tantalisingly close but it appears to be laughing at us. There is only so much you can give. Fawn cannot keep going. I go to grab her and pull her on when someone gets to her first. I watch with horror as Crystal slits her throat, a sick smile on her face.

I have no time to process fully what has happened before I am back swimming. I am swimming faster than I have ever swum before. I flee like the wild animal I am. I slam into the rock. The careers not far behind me. I take a deep breath and dive. Somehow I find the tunnel that leads to the cave. I re-surface, lungs burning. Terror in my eyes.

I pray the careers won't find me. I know my death won't be pretty at the hands of Crystal. I hear Crystal and the girl from two have a very heated argument before they decide I must have continued to swim under the water.

I collapse onto the rock, breathless. The emotions from the previous event hit me like a brick wall. I fight the tears from falling to the floor. I will not appear weak. I act like everything is fine and get into my sleeping bag. I sit up against the wall, alert. It's going to be a long night.

The next day goes past uneventfully. I don't know if anything is happening to save us all from another game maker attack. I sit in my cave all day, pretending to be doing something useful but in all truthfulness I'm drained. I don't think about Hale. He tried to kill me!

He is now my second kill. You don't realise the different between killing an animal to killing a person until you do. When the sky goes dark the faces light up the sky. It is unbearable. I watch on with some fascinated horror. Then they disappear from view forever. However this time I am numb, I will never think about him again.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will hunt. Tomorrow I will push on again. Tomorrow.

I awaken to a soft golden light reaching my cave floor. I steal myself and pack up my stuff. I leave it just in the entrance to the cave. Close enough to grab in a quick getaway but hidden from sight.

Armed with my spokes I jump into the water. I wince at the cold. Maybe I didn't notice it last night but something tells me that the game makers are messing with the temperatures.

I tread water and watch the currents in the water. If I stick close to my rock in the shallow water I will be fine. There is one particular current which can drag unsuspecting tributes into the depths of the deeper water. There could be anything under there.

It's not just the currents that I have to be wary about. Half of the plants and animals are deadly poisonous. I know the difference but one wrong move and I'm a goner. But if you know where to look, there's food.

I dive under the water and start to scrummage at the base of my rock. I cut of the oysters from the rock and pile them up on the surface. I make quick work and I know this pile will last me for a few days out of the harsh sun in my cave.

I am just getting my last oyster from a crevice in the rock. I cut it off and I pull my arm out of the rock. Except I don't. My arm, or more specifically my bracelet, is stuck. I have to be careful. There are sea urchins decorating the rock waiting to strike. And there not the normal kind. These are ones the capitol created in the dark days. If we find one back home we are very careful about taking them away and destroying them.

There is only a slight difference. There are purple spots up and down its spines. I try to twist my hand to extract it from the crevice but it's not happening. Maybe my arm has swollen. I start to panic slightly and try to yank my arm from the rock. Eventually I will run out of oxygen and... I'm not going to let that happen. Finally something gives and my arm is free.

I start to swim to the surface when I realise that my bracelet has gone. I see it being sucked in to that danger current. I swim back down. I will not let that go. I can't. The last present my mother gave me. It means too much.

I push trying to reach it. My lungs start to burn. I need air but yet I continue to swim down. It is just out of reach. The edge of my vision starts to go black. Soon the only thing in focus is that golden circle.

I reach out for it as the rest of my vision fades. The last thing I see is a shadow reaching out for me. I black out. If this is death it isn't that bad.