Come Back to Me

XIII

Cordelia sprung off of her podium, the sound of the girl from four's cannon, making her second guess that she too had stepped off too early but, before her brain could process it, there was a hand pulling her braid like a rope. She flew to the ground to see the girl from one towering over her, ready to take an attempt on her life with nothing but her bare hands. Well, her hands and a rock that she had picked up off of the pathway right behing them.

Great. It had been less than thirty seconds and Cordelia was already down for the count.

The girl from four was able to find the strength to roll, seconds before the big stone had crashed into the spot her head had just been. Cordelia pushed herself up and elbowed her attacker in the nose, sending the girl to the ground, giving herself the time to get away. She barely had to thing as she ran, her feet carrying her to the Cornicopia faster than she knew she was even able to move. Smaller, and far less harmful stones crunched as she ran, her hands wrapping around the metal handle of the spear in seconds.

Her eyes snapped up at the sound of a yell, her fear fighting to break through at the sight of the boy from three being cornered by Christian. A cannon sound, as the boy from four wrapped his hands over the younger boys head, whipping it so harsly that it turned fully around, reminding Cordelia of an owl as she heard the loud snapping of his neck. Christan glared at his partner, sending a chill through her core as he ripped the trident from the boy's now cold, lifeless hands. Her focus was stolen from him as she felt a balled up fist make contact with her cheekbone. She let out a wince at the crack, looking into the girl's brown eyes fearfully as her hands became wrapped around her neck. She was able to kick her off once but, eventually the blonde haired girl picked Cordelia up by the neck, slamming her into the cold metal ground of the cornicopia. This happened multiple times, Cordelia's vision starting to blur before she felt a hot liquid spray over her. As she regained her vision, the girl from nine was laid lifeless over her, the back of her neck split open with Parker standing over them, one hand on his bloodied ax and the other held out towards her.

"Come on," He shouted desperately, pushing her ahead of him as she stood to her feet. He grabbed her weapon, getting it to her in just enough time for her to lodge it into the chest of a young boy she had rembered being from five. Even if she wouldn't have remembered, the silver number embrodered into the chest of his thin jacket would've given her the knowledge easily enough. When his eyes rolled back she stepped a foot onto his chest to pull her weapon out of it, cringing slightly at the sound the action let off, "there's bags lined up on the outside of the podiums! If we move fast enough, we can still get one!"

She nodded, using her free hand to clear her eyes of the blood from her former opponent, as well as some that was dripping from her cheek. Trying to clear her mind as well. She turned, witnessing Gretchen fighting off the girl from ten.

"We don't have time," Parker instructed already knowing where her head was. He pulled her arm, racing toward the packs on the outerskirts he spoke of before, "I'm going now, come with me or don't. It's up to you. I'm not going in there."

His harshness pulled her into reality, Gretchen successfully winning her fight and taking the kukri from the motionless girl.

"Gretchen!"

Cordelia called her name, gesturing for her to catch up before turning to follow Parker closely and leaving her to decide whther or not she wanted to come with the pair.

She chose to.

They ran as fast as they could in the impossible hope to escape to sounds of the bloodbath alarming around them. Lucky had stomped the boy from eight's face in and sliced the head of the girl from five clean off of her body, thriving off of the pouring of her blood. Cordelia's blood ran cold as they locked eyes, him pointing his weapon straight at her, his eyes now seeming bluer from the contrast of the crimson red stains all over his nerving expression.