VIPER

07.

WHEN Lilith's eyes blinked open she thought she was dead. The purple mist was rolling slowly through the air and the ground was cracked and dry. The tree she was lying on felt like it could give away at any moment as she climbed down. She noticed Cassandra lying next to another empty syringe and she kicked the girl awake.

When the mist finally reached the two girls they looked at it alarmed. Lilith tugged at her pack while covering her nose and mouth and running to where the cornucopia last was. Cassandra stumbled behind her and they saw other tributes falling down with black veins running up their bodies.

At the cornucopia, four bodies laid scattered around. Lilith realised that only she and Cassandra were left so she reached for her katanas only to be met with nothing. Her mind reeled with possibilities as she remembered she had it before passing out. Lilith sighed as it dawned on her that the gamemakers had taken the weapons to see how long they would last.

Lilith's mouth grew dry as she sat at the cornucopia. She could see that Cassandra wanted to attack her but she was too tired to even move. The two sat in silence and waited. The sunset and darkness engulfed the arena. The anthem played once again and the four tributes showed with a little tracker-jacker sign shown at the top.

Lilith looked at Cassandra who was looking at her.

"Let's just go our separate ways. We're going to die anyway," Lilith heaved herself up as Cassandra did the same. They nodded at each other in appreciation as they walked their separate ways.

A light pinging alerted Lilith to look up. A small parachute was descending from the arid sky. Running forward she knelt down next to it and opened the pod.

Your welcome - J

Inside lay a butterfly knife. Lilith would have preferred her katana but this would have to do.

She smirked and turned. She could still see Cassandra. She wasn't that far away. Although it looked like she had stopped. It only took Lilith a moment to realise the career had gotten a package too.

Cassandra turned and they advanced towards each other once more.

"I see you got one," Lilith spoke, referring to the throwing knife in her hand. On her way back she had slipped the knife into her boot.

"You too."

They circled each other like prey from a moment before Cassandra lunged at her, tackling her to the ground.

Cassandra chuckled as she sat on her stomach, "I'm getting out of here. You're not. All that cocky attitude and what does it get you? Dead." She plunged the knife down and Lilith twisted, throwing her off.

Cassandra rolled to her feet and Lilith looked her up and down, "That dress did make you look like a fat bird and if I have to die. I'll die laughing about it."

Cassandra lunged at her. She swung at Lilith's face and she dodged, sending a kick to her stomach.

Lilith grabbed her head and shoulder and kneed her in the stomach once more before swinging her leg over her other shoulder and swinging down.

"You're weak Cassandra. Unsure of yourself," Lilith teased

Cassandra rolled up and whipped the knife at her and it pierced her shoulder.

Lilith cried out in pain and pulled it out. She flipped it over in her hand and looked up at the career, "That was stupid."

She threw it at her and it embedded itself in her stomach.

She collapsed to the ground and Lilith walked over to her.

She pressed the heel of her foot into her stomach willing the knife to go deeper. Cassandra sobbed and Lilith reached down into her boot, pulling out the butterfly knife.

"I told you I would win," Lilith spun the knife around in her hands before flicking it down into the girl's skull.

The cannon boomed.

Nothing happened.

She had expected some kind of announcement but it didn't happen.

She rolled her eyes and trudged back the way she came.

Lilith sat at the base of a dying tree. She had tried falling asleep but the sweltering heat and dehydration didn't help her case. Her eyes closed for a second before light buzzing reached her ears. Lilith looked around and blinked to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. The arena had seemed to disappear and it looked like Lilith was just sitting in an enclosed orchard with dying trees.

Lilith laughed tiredly, "Really? A hologram? All this time I was sitting in a fucking orchard! You gamemakers are messed up! You're sick! Just wait until I get my hands on you I swear!" She shouted at a nearby camera that was perched in a tree.

As she continued her ranting she didn't even notice the small bee-like bugs coming towards her. When she eventually saw them she fished the white pill out of her pocket and dry swallowed it. The tracker-jackers stung her body but she felt numb. Her eyes drooped as an announcement rang out but Lilith didn't hear it as she passed out for the second time that day.