Author Games: World Seasons

Finals - March Easterwells

Surviving and living. These two words are often thought to represent the same thing, and for most, it does. For tributes, those two words have new shades, which make everything seem much more somber. Living is happiness, freedom, the opportunity to do as you like, even if it's just at times. It is mental, and never truly ends, not until you start to survive.

Surviving is another day, just being happy to see another sunrise, or to feel your heart beat, even if it only beats in fear of stopping. It is how long your body lasts, and melancholy.

I haven't lived in six days.

(\/) (\/) (\/)

Somebody shakes me excitedly. My eyes roll open, and I see Victoria standing over me. "Wakey wakey!" She chirps, and begins to skip around. "There's only four people left!"

"Really?" I mumble, almost at loss for words. Her and Jefferson are too busy singing about un-birthdays to realize what this means; we have to split up as soon as possible.

"The final four!" Alithia's hushed voice echoes throughout the arena. Maybe she has people she doesn't want to hear this announcement, just like I don't want my allies to understand this. "Listen, and listen well. Things are... Vibbius and Vinella have decided they are sick of this. "They've given the word for the arena to be destroyed... With you still in it."

Jefferson is getting redder, as the ground begins to shake. I stumble ever so slightly for balance, and Victoria races towards me as Jefferson puts on a lime green top hat. "They can't do this!" He shouts, anger bursting from his words. "This is unfair!"

Jefferson begins shooting shrapnel at every tree in sight, and Victoria giggles. "Oh boy... Jefferson in one of his rages... Last time this happened, three people died back home." She begins to laugh hysterically, shaking with the ground; fear starts to course through me. "Better watch out!" She tells me, between laughs, as the mad boy sends shrapnel towards us.

I dive to the right, screaming out in pain as some of the shrapnel buries itself into my left shoulder. Tears begin to swell down my cheeks, and my head feels as if it is exploding. Only one thought is still clear in my head, probably the most important; Jefferson must be stopped.

I reach into my pack, and pull out an Easter egg blade, not taking time to check how many of them are left. Victoria is still hysterical at my side, and Jefferson shoots shrapnel in her direction, just as I launch my blade towards him. The egg flies through the air, remaining on course, at least for the moment.

It impales itself into Jefferson's chest, just as his last shot tears through Victoria's forehead. Two cannons sound, and I know it is too late for my allies. I pile their bodies next to each other, and weep shamelessly over their corpses. "I'm sorry, guys." I mutter between tears. "I'll win for you two, I promise."

"I'd hurry up if I were you." Alithia's hushed voice informs me. "Some of my arena staff have planted a safe spot near the Christmas tree, where you can be transported out of the arena. Get there fast, before the others find out and shut it down... May the odds be ever in your favour!"

Thunder rolls over the snow, and a small shriek escapes my lips. This could very easily be the end of my survival. Dying with the arena seems like the worst way to go; I could be struck by lightning, or taken down in an earthquake, or buried by a howling blizzard.

I quickly press my hands over my ears again. "Just go to the magic tree, March." I whisper to myself, snorting at the irony. It seems like years have passed since I told Rudolph running into the cornucopia would bring him home.

Now it had to do that for me.

(\/) (\/) (\/) 

Fiametta's dark auburn hair flies wildly in the wind. A dark smile lights her face, as she stood in the way of my exit. "Please, let me pass." I plead, looking right into her eyes. "We can both live if you just let me go through you."

"What would be the fun in that?" She asks, snickering. "I'd much rather be the only victor, and not have to share that prize with you." Fiametta pulls out a dagger, walking towards me.

I reach into my bag, only to find it empty; I used my last blade on Jefferson. "For the love of the Easter bunny..." I groan, and Fiametta flat-out laughs.

"Weaponless?" She asks, and I shake my head. "You're lying. I can tell from the fear in your eyes; I never feel fear, because I know I always have my explosives in my backpack, just in case."

Those words and the steady burning feeling in my left shoulder brings back hope; I still have Jefferson's shrapnel, and it's still coated in gunpowder. I pull it out, groaning in pain, as my final adversary continues to approach. She cannot be more than two metres away.

I launch the shrapnel towards Fiametta, and she quickly puts her pack in front of her, blocking my shot from hitting her heart. "Nice try, kid." She sneers, a sarcastic tone in her voice. "But now, you're done."

"How do you know I wasn't planning that it would hit your pack?" I ask, and a confused look appears on Fiametta's face. She looks down, and sees that the friction and gunpowder have set her explosives on fire. She tries to throw it away, but the explosives blow up before it leaves her hands.

"Goodbye, Fiametta." I whisper, not even able to hear my own words over the loud bang and the scorching flames devour their master. Odd; fire got me in these Games, and it also saved me from them.

A bright flash of light courses through the arena, and Vibbius' angry face shows in the sky. "Look at that, a victor." He mocks, as his finger descends to press a button, probably the one to de-activate Alithia's safe zone. "It's a shame the arena will take you down before you can enjoy it."

Suddenly, Vibbius is pegged down out of sight, and Alithia's desperate features are shouting at me. "Get in the damn safe zone!" She shouts, and I just freeze up. "I can't keep him down forever, what the hell are you waiting for?"

I race into the protective barrier, and close my eyes, praying Alithia has succeeded, and I am going home.