Author Games: World Seasons

Task Three - Buttons - Easter Tributes

March Easterwells

The faces of the dead fade onto the sky. Some people that had died in the bloodbath I was surprised to see there. Some were actually pretty strong, and that died. I then take notice of my surroundings. They’re changing. The snow is melting, the air is getting warmer, and birds start to tweet in the background.

Leveret and I are sitting on a high branch of a tree. It’s high enough to not be seen by any of the other tributes, so it’s safe enough. I nudge Leveret, who is beside me, but he’s already looking at our surroundings. “The arena’s changing.” I say bluntly.

“Way to state the obvious.” Leveret states. Just as I was about to hit him, Alithia’s face appears onto the screen. She is scowling, and doesn’t look impressed.

“I’ll be honest, I’ve seen better,” she begins, “Call that a bloodbath? Anyway, Vivius and Vinella say I’m not allowed to sit here and criticize, so, on with the show... wasn’t Vinella’s arena pretty? But not nearly deadly enough for my liking!”

Leveret and I glance at each other. The snow is melting faster now, revealing the evergreen grass. “Looks lovely, doesn’t it? Be careful of the flowers, they’ll burn through anything they come into contact with, and that includes careless tributes. You’ll find some species of grass armed with thorns.  It’s not all bad news, though. There’s a stream somewhere, and if you can find it, the water is safe to drink.”

Suddenly, a kind of low chirping noise sounds nearby. I widened my eyes. I knew what was coming. I looked over at Leveret, and he was probably thinking the same thing.

“Oh that reminds me! Tributes, your biggest enemy is not always your fellow tributes. Now, Buttons shouldn’t be any trouble, but I think it’s only fair to warn you that he is very territorial, so you better make sure you’re not on his ground!” Oh God.

Alithia sneers. “Well,” she drawls, “You didn’t think we’d let you rest for that long, did you?” She cackles, and then she disappears.

I hear snarling, and growling. “Don’t look down, don’t look down.” I say aloud to myself. Leveret swallows. “Uhh, March?” He questions, tapping my shoulder.

“What?” I asked.

“Look, down.” He says slowly. Slowly, I look down. A huge shape, with razor sharp teeth snarls at us. Its fluffy tail behind it is swinging back and forth. It, is, a giant mutant squirrel.

Oh dear God. My eyes widen, and I slowly take in this information. It claws at the tree, trying to climb it.

I stare at Leveret. “Kill it.” I command, nudging Leveret.

“No way, you kill it.” He says back, shoving me. “I am not killing that, that, thing!” I shout urgently. “Well one of us has to kill it!” He states. I stare at ‘Buttons’.

“And it won’t be me.” I say, trying to hide my terror.

“Okay, why don’t we both kill Buttons?” Leveret suggests. I take a deep breath. “Fine, but if I die I blame you.” I say quickly.

I lean down, out of the tree, and then get out my blades. Aiming for Buttons’ eye, I throw it. Unfortunately, it lands in Buttons’ back instead, and this anger Buttons.

“I failed. Your turn.” I urge. “Okay, okay.” Leveret says, getting out one of his egg inventions. He takes out a yellow egg and throws it at Buttons.

Surprisingly enough, Buttons roars, and then starts to twitch. Blue sparks come from the eggs, stunning Buttons. Buttons stops moving, and then falls to the ground. I assume he’s dead.