The Girl Of War

Seven

       I was suddenly in the Seam. Sitting with Cole, his cold arm draped across my shoulder.  Mom and dad chatting over tea. Jasper looking jealous of Cole, but it was cute. I was home, safe, and alive...

       I woke on the ground, in the woods. Dried blood streamed down my face, a cut on my thigh. I winced as I sat up. I examined the area and found a shelter of moss, branches, mud, and leaves. I spotted- Elaine! She sat twiddling her thumbs. I weakly jumped to my feet. She looked up.

"Get away from me!"I demanded.

"No, Katherine. I saved you."The words seemed foreign coming from her.

"You, but your a traitor!"I shouted.

"I know, and I am truly sorry. Forgiven?"

"I guess."I mumbled. I knew I'd run away tonight anyway.

"Good." Elaine had cooked beef broth and bread. We silently ate. We heard chatter coming our way. Elaine loaded up her stuff, smashed her shelter, and pulled me away. Eventually, we halted.

"That was the careers! I left them, they're probably out to kill me."She says. We climb into a tree and watch the deaths. Miles and Cole are alive. She falls asleep and as soon as she does, I dart from the tree. Wait, should I kill her? I look at the frail, redhead, poor girl who only wants a second chance. My heart sank, "I'm sorry, but only one can win. Maybe two, but if so, it'd be Cole and I."I mutter to a sleeping Elaine. I take her knife, with my eyes closed, chuck it at her. She screams and then goes silent. The cannon sounds. She's dead. As soon as it sounds, I regret it. I fall to my knees, sobbing into my hands. Once I've recovered, I head to the mountain. I reach it the next morning, when I'm tired. I hadn't killed anyone since Elaine. She was my first kill. I make my way to the cave. Miles is asleep. Cole is gone. I shake Miles awake, he jumps to his feet, sickle ready.

"It's just me, Katherine."I assure him.

"Oh, sorry."

"Yeah. Where's Cole?"I ask.

"He went out, said he was gonna find you."

     With that, I ask,

"Which way?" He points in the direction of the lake. I immediately leave him behind, sprinting. I take a break, then continue. I reach the lake. He's gone. I sit down, gulping down water and eating crackers.

"Katherine!"I turn to see Cole. He sweeps me off my feet and spins me around. I sit beside him, my head on his shoulder. His cold hand holding mine. We hear a cannon ,

"Did you leave Miles!?"He jumps to his feet. My lip turns,

"Erm, yes. But I was eager to find you!"We head back to camp to find Miles laying, back up, covered in blood. We hear the sling! of a sword. We turn to see a buff guy from district five. Beside him, a pretty brunette. Oh, right! They're those twins! I believe that they were summoned by the careers, but rejected. They were eighteen year-old twins, Wheatly and James.

"I'll take the girl." Said Wheatly. She attacks me, holding a knife to my cheek. I struggle to get from her.

"Cole!"I yelp. I choke. He is sword fighting with the boy. I hear a cannon, I scream. I see James dead on the ground. The kife slowly digs into my skin, causing me to wince in pain. Her eyes go blank and falls down beside me. Blood drips from cheek, it stings. The big gash rests upon Coles forehead. He pulls me up and leads me to a new cave. I sit down and I hear chimes. A sponsor!  I pull out cream. Cole leans in for me to spread the white cream across the gash. Then he puts cream on my cheek. I lay down and stare at the ceiling. Cole watches me from across the cave. I move beside him and grip his hands.

"Your hands are warm."He says, taking my other hand. We sit there, hand in hand. I fall asleep. I wake to Cole cooking breakfast.

"Someone got a lot of sponsors."I said. He nods, handing me a egg sandwich. I thank him and eat fast.  Suddenly a voice booms,

"Attention, Tributes. There are six tributes alive. The feast is here."Cole and I exchange looks.

"I'll go."He stands up.

"I am too."I say. He shakes his head and pulls me in for a hug.

"Love you. If I die, win for me."He said. He heads off and I sit alone. Suddenly, my mind wonders to my parents and Jasper. Have my parents won the war? How is Jasper? I shake the thought from my mind and quickly get bored. I decide to follow Cole. He was far off now. I took a journey, and met the clearing. Cole was fighting a small boy from three, the boy had no chance. I ran in. I took out a knife that I stole from Elaine. I aimed at the boy, he's dead. I grab our bags. I am threw down on the ground. I turn to see Brock hovering over me. I push him, he doesn't budge. I push him away with all my power. He takes an axe from his belt and tosses it at me. I duck, I turn to see it lodged at Cole. I scream. Forget Brock. I kneel beside Cole, crying hard. He puts his hand on my shoulder and I hug him.

"Love you, Katherine."He mutters.

"I love you too, Cole."I sob. He sits up, giving me hope. He removes the axe from his shoulder and winces.

"Your okay!?"I cheer. He stands up, blood gushing. I take out a bandage and fix up the shoulder. I take the axe and toss it back at Brock. It hits his stomach. He screams and goes silent. A cannon sounds. Now it's four left. We all stand near the cornucopia: Me, Cole, Riley (District Six Boy), and Anna (District One Girl). The girl is in anger. She loads her blowgun and runs for Riley. He's dead as well. Three left. I toss a knife at her, but she moves. Cole hacks a sword at her, causing her to fall. We leave her to cry. She's gone too. Cole and I turn to each other.

"Your mother?"

"Yeah."I say. We grab nightlocks and stand in front of each other.

"One... two... three."I slowly bring the berries to my mouth before the speaker booms,

"Congratulations, Cole Taylor and Katherine Hawthorne! Victors of the Ninety First Hunger Games!"Me and Cole hugged each other.

"I told you that we'd both live." He said. I nodded and smiled. The hovercraft landed and we went in...