PREDATOR | THE HUNGER GAMES

PREDATOR

There was silence.

Then screams.

Then chaos.

The outer ring of the cornucopia field was lined with raging, inescapable fires that contained the remaining sixteen tributes.

The explosions had rocked the earth, and anyone who was inside the ring was down. Lara, who thought she was safe on top the hill, was equally as screwed as those on the field. One blast was fine, but once the others went off, she was thrown into the bloodbath. The blasts had shook the cornucopia and caused her to slide from her shelter. The rocks tore open her skin as she tumbled all the way down, even with her desperate attempts at clawing to stay on high ground. But she'd landed on the field with the others-those equally as disoriented as herself.

Her head was bleeding. Her old acid rain wound had reopened-it was already so fragile in its healing-and had bled down her pant leg. She thought it was a disadvantage. Surely her plan had backfired; she was an easy target on the same deadly playing field.

But her eyes roved around frantically to scan for danger. Instead, she spotted an arm.

Unfortunately, it was unattached to whoever it belonged to.

A shriek escaped her mouth as she clambered to her hands and knees. She crawled to regain her weapons; no use carrying her pack anymore-they were in the finale. There would be no escape to the forest and swamps this time.

Speared batons in hand, she searched for the body it belonged to. The victim, District 11 and Della's partner, was only a couple feet from her lying on their back. He cried in agony, rocking back and forth. He was trying to get up and keep fighting but it was impossible. The pool of blood beneath him told her that much.

His crazed eyes met her own.

"Please!" he wailed, "Please! Please!"

She didn't know what he wanted. But his eyes flickered down to her weapons, widening in expectation.

He wanted her to kill him.

A merciful death.

She swayed from faintness. Despite the raging fires, clashing weapons, and tribute screams, she was solely focused on the boy before her.

"I...I can't," she whispered. An unexpected tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't even know him. She shook her head, "I can't."

It was hard to see his tears since his cheek was only burnt flesh now. His remaining hand grasped his shoulder to staunch the pain. His fingers reached for its phantom limb.

She somehow found herself closer; close enough to kneel beside him.

"Please."

It wasn't right.

This isn't what I wanted. What did I do?

It was her fault he was suffering. She'd set the bombs. She laid the trap. And now it was time to let the prey rest. It was the least she could
do; maybe it would help make up for failing to save Della from her own gruesome end.

She sucked in a breath and placed her baton spear against his chest. They held eyes as she pushed through the bone and muscle.

They held eyes until one stilled and one cried.

Boom.

There was no time to mourn. Lara shakily stood and faced the bloodbath, her back to the hellfire.

The hill was surrounded in a searing blaze. Blood splattered and soaked the ground. Faces were mauled, charred and bubbly. Several tributes were blasted forward from where she'd last seen them, now disoriented and panicking. However they were beginning to get their bearings, specifically the career pack.