² SECOND CHANCE ─ the hunger games

thirteen - entrance to heaven

— CADENCE —

BOOM!

The now familiar boom of a cannon startles us, and we keep walking further and further into the woods, as the sound signalling someone's death echoes in the shrubbery.

As I walk, I think about my two friends' deaths. Tze Kiu and Andros, who both died in the bloodbath. Killed by Memphis and Joshua. A brick dropped on their head, a sword through the heart. I remember their faces twisting into contortions of pain as they face their death.

I curl my hands into fists and swear to avenge them both just as Hayli suddenly squeals. "Look! A cave!" she exclaims as we near.

I scream in horror as three silhouettes appear in the cave, armed. Kunboss emerges from the cave, smirking at us. A bad feeling rises in my chest, thinking that we've just wandered into their trap. Eunice sprints out from the cave as my alliance retreats, aiming an arrow at us. With a flick of her finger, the arrow soars through the air and embeds itself in Hayli's chest, sounding the cannon almost immediately. In shock, I grab my backpack and sword and run away from the fight.

In hindsight, I shouldn't have done that.

— EUNICE —

BOOM!

My finger nocks itself on the bowstring, and with one fluid movement, I let the arrow go, and as soon as I do that, a cannon booms through the arena.

Zoey lets out a war cry and comes out of the cave holding her sword; and Kunboss his spear.

Let the fight begin.

Once again, I take another arrow out of my quiver and slide it into my bow, and watch as Zoey runs up to one of the girls, kicking her in the leg and stabbing her in the stomach. I scan the surroundings, waiting for the right timing.

The girl Zoey was fighting drops to the ground, and her allies surround her, chasing after Zoey. Kunboss follows them and lures one of the girls into a fight, and he parries her as she backs against a tree.

Zoey screams and I immediately turn my attention back to her. Blood is pouring out from her two open wounds caused by the other girl, and she lays on the wet grass taking shallow breaths.

Kunboss grunts and releases his grip on the first girl, turning to hurl his spear at the girl who harmed Zoey, and the first girl immediately starts to flee, scrambling for her life.

I can't let her go unscathed. So as Kunboss collapses to the ground, my arrow finds a target in the running girl's leg, and she limps away.

I look down at Zoey, at the bodies of the girls we killed.

Kunboss immediately starts crying at the sight, but what I think of are their families. Their parents. Their friends. Who hate us now. 

I want to break down, to cry by his side, to mourn the loss of Zoey - another of our only true friends in the world. But I know nothing will bring her back, as will the other girls.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the sight of fresh, red blood. But all I see are how my parents seem so worn-down, so aged in just a matter of months, weeks. They appear, and I know inside I could never bring myself to give up, never bring myself to see them so weary again.

Instead, I stand by Kunboss' side in silence. I must stay strong, I must force myself to continue on.

If not for myself, I'll do it for my parents.

As Kunboss continues to stroke Zoey's forehead, telling her everything will be alright, I mutter to myself.

"We must stay strong."

And looking straight at the camera, I smile half-heartedly, addressing my next words to my parents.

"Mom.. Dad.. I love you. And I'll be back by your side in just a matter of days."

Kunboss looks up at me. "Eunice, what are you doing?"

I look back at him and crouch back down at Zoey's side. "Don't worry. You'll be back with us. We'll win. For you. For us."

— KUNBOSS —

I drop to the ground on my knees, holding Zoey's hand. I cradle her head in my arms, stroking her forehead as her breathing becomes quick and strained. "K-kun," says Zoey with a soft voice. "G-go on and w-win for m-me,"

Tears stream down my face as Zoey takes her last breaths. Eunice gives her hand a faint squeeze, as Zoey dies in my arms, smiling through the pain, still looking so kind and innocent as the day we first met, the day that I'll never be able to forget.

= FLASHBACK =

9 years ago...

"Hi! I'm Zoey!" A girl in the same year as me runs up to me in the school playground. "Wanna be friends?" She's wearing double braids, in a red checkered dress. "Hi, my name's Kunboss!" "Nice to meet you! Can I call you...Kun?" I slightly nod as we run away laughing, and the scene slowly fades..

= END OF FLASHBACK =

BOOM!

Zoey's cannon sounds at the first stroke of dusk, and tears freely run down my face, landing in the grass. Eunice strokes my back to comfort me and I give Zoey's cheek a last kiss of goodbye before closing her eyes and walking away deeper into the fields with Eunice in tow.

— CADENCE —

As I look up at the sky for the deaths and find out about another of my friends' death, I howl in rage and stab a knife into the ground.

How could I be so careless and let so many of my friends die on the first day? First the bloodbath, then the fight with the revived tributes, now even one of the last of my remaining friends in the arena?!

I scream again and tears start flowing out of my eyes.

I'll avenge them......I'll avenge them all and I'll kill until my revenge is complete. I know I'm only 12, but I would slaughter for my best friends. For the first time since I entered the Hunger Games, I had one sole purpose - to win and take vengeance for my friends.