The Demigod Games

11

PERCY

Nearly two hours after I got to the river, where I am to stay, I hear a rumbling coming from the tunnel. It must be the end of the fourth hour. The tank's being drained.

The rumbling stops for a second, but then all the water crashes into the river, sending a huge wave my way.

I'm knocked to the ground, and do the best I can to not get water in my lungs and nose.

The water slowly comes to a stop, and I am alive, but I can't dry off. I look around, and see that the wave left quite a few things on the bed of grass. Those things? Dead fish.

The smell of dead fish isn't a very pleasant smell. I would know. I've been in the ocean several times.

I walk over to one of the fish to see what it is, and find that it's a piranha. Must've been the monster that took over the tank last hour. Suddenly, I'm hit with a realization: Any animal in that arena isn't normal. All them are mutts. Which means these piranhas can't be exception.

As soon as that thought passes through my mind, the piranha's eyes snap open. It starts flopping around, and I take three steps back in surprise. As the piranha convulses, I watch the piranha's gills disappear. It looks like its trying to suck in air. Like it's developing...human lungs.
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ANNABETH

Leo and I are now on the floor of the arena. The water drained about five minutes ago, and it's only five o' five in the afternoon. Five hours since the cannon came, and already it's down to two people. Twenty two Tributes killed in less than twenty four hours.

The Gamemakers must have a lot of fun killing us if they do it that quickly. I mean, really.

Anyway, Leo and I stare at each other. "What do we do now?" Leo asks.

I respond,"I don't know, to be honest."

"We can't kill each other," Leo says.

"Well, I know that," I reply, hands on my hips.

I glance at the Cornucopia, and suddenly, everything goes dark. The arena's completely dark. And I know now that the Gamemakers are about to kill us. Because who can see in the dark? Who, in this world, can fight in total darkness?

No one.

"Annabeth? What happened to the lights?" Leo inquires.

"I'm pretty our very brief conversation just triggered an attack. We don't kill, so we get killed," I say, trying to get use to the dark.

"Then they won't have a Victor..." Leo says.

I pause. And I get an idea. "No, they'll kill only one of us. Unless we do something about it, of course."

"What're you talking about?"

"Put out your hand," I demand. I then feel around for his hand, and I find it. I proceed to find my knife, and give it to him. "We won't let them have a Victor. The Gamemakers are too terrible to have one. On the count of three, ready?"

I hear Leo take a slow breath. "One."

"Two."

"Three." I plunge my second knife into my heart, and the last thing I see is the Light of Death.

But I'm satisfied. Because the Gamemakers don't get what they want. They never deserved a Victor. So they don't get one.