The Hunger Games: The Crankiplier Story

Win for Me

We ran away from the center and stopped to catch our breath. When we looked at each other, another canon went off in the distance. My eyes squinted closed as I refused to show much emotion.
"Was that?..."
I nodded before she could even finish her question.
I sighed one last time and finally spoke.
"At least the hard part is over, now the next is just surviving this god damn place."

We continued walking in the Forrest mainly to find a source of water, and Eventually we did.
Making sure it wasn't poisoned, we tested it. We began sighing realizing it was clear water. I filled up my canteen and chug a big sip. I allowed her to have a sip before refilling the canteen again.
Shortly after I began to groan as my stomach growled.
"You okay?" Presley asked.

"Yeah, I think I'm just getting a little hungry. She pulled out her bag and handed it to me.
"I have a bread loaf in my bag. Take it."
Her generous offer made me want to protect her more. She was exactly like Sadie. Always sharing her food, or just giving someone the rest of her food.
I was reminded of a memory of Sadie when she was younger. Deers would often show up on our property. Normally we would kill them and use their skin for clothes and their meat for food. Instead she would just walk to them, pet them and give her crumbs or loafs of bread and crackers.
She was the child everyone wanted, sweet, generous and always respectful to people and animals.

As I snapped back to reality, I saw Presley aiming her bow up in the air. I grew nervous and glanced at what she was aiming at, only finding a bird. She fired, knocking the bird out of the tree with an arrow still in it. She held the body and put it in her back.
"Saving it for dinner." She winked.

"Nice shot." I praised her.

We heard grass shuffling behind us. I rushed to put the Canteen and the bread in my bag before grabbing a knife and raising it to my side. I looked towards the direction.
"Stay down." I whispered towards Presley.

I moved a few steps closer, raising the knife higher preparing to throw. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my leg. Someone had throwing a spear towards me, slashing my leg open. I turned towards the direction and saw Grant grabbing another spear. There was more rustling behind me but I ignored it. Grant threw his other spear missing me and instead aiming towards Presley.

I threw my knife which managed to graze a scar on his cheek. He then took off running but I wasn't letting him get away. After a while of running and tripping. I took all my strength to jump on him and tackled him to the ground. I held a knife against his neck. My face grew red in anger as my teeth chattered in rage.
Grant refused to struggle out of my grip and began smiling like he found this amusing to him.

"What's so fucking funny asshole?!"
I yelled in his face.

He chuckled and look behind him.
"It's not me you should be taking care of, lover boy."

My anger face quickly dropped once I heard Presley. She was calling out to me but very quietly and weak.
Grant got to his feet but i held my knife towards him.

"Get the fuck out of here before I kill you right here!"
I warned.

Grant smirked and took off running.

My mask soon fell as I ran back to Presley lying on the ground, quietly groaning.
"Ethan... help."

A spear stuck out of her side.
Good god.

"Oh shit! Shit! Shit!"

I ran towards her a sat beside her lifted her head off the ground. Blood began dripping from her mouth as she struggled to talk. She slowly pulled the spear out of her side causing the blood to soak up her shirt.
When I looked around I saw she had pulled out her bow and an arrow.
"Did you-?"
I didn't even finish, but she nodded.
"I tried to s- shoot him after he threw that spear at you. That's why he aimed at- me." She whispered.

Tears began to form in both of our eyes.
"I told you to stay down." I whispered in a broken voice.
"I couldn't let him kill you." She replied.

I wiped off my tears and reached to her bag and pulled out the healing cream. She quickly grabbed my arm and prevented me from applying it to her wounds.
"That won't help me, Ethan." She whispered. "There's nothing we can do."

I slowly put the jar back in her bag and rested my hands on the back of her head.
Tears began to flow faster out of my eyes.
"I'm so sorry." I said in a broken voice.

She gripped my arm in tears as I bent down to hug her. She looked up at me and gasped quickly.
"E- Ethan!" She whispered.

"Yes?" I asked.

"P-please." She said quietly. "Win for me."

I nodded slowly.
"I will. I promise!"

I saw her look in a certain direction above us as her mouth slowly dropped down.
"I promise." I whispered again.

A canon went off on the distance.
She was dead.

As her body laid in my arms, I embraced the silence before looking down at her wound. Grant did this.
My tears turned into angered cries. I should've killed that bitch.

Looking down at her I felt like I was holding the body of my own sister and that's what set me off.
I slowly rested her head on the ground and patted it once last time. I wanted to scream.

I knew there were cameras watching this, and I knew someone would hear me from afar. But I didn't care. I didn't care anymore.

I let out a scream of rage and anguish. My scream slowly formed into a sob. I could hear my own voice echo throughout the arena.

I sat there for what felt like ages when I realized I couldn't stay there forever. Before I left I raided her bag taking all the supplies she carried in case they came in use. I put the extra supplies in my bag and laid her bag in her arms. By her side I rested her bow and her quiver of arrows. I picked a flower from beside us and placed it over her bag.

I kissed her forehead and rubbing it one last time before picking up my bag and standing onto my feet.
I was about to leave once I realized cameras were still rolling. I faced towards a direction I felt a camera was watching. I lifted my three fingers up towards the sky and saluted to my fallen friend.

I glanced at her body one last time before leaving her to rest.

The air around me began getting colder. The reality that I've lost two people I was the closest to made me realize something else.
This time I was on my own.
For good this time.