Come Back to Me

XXIV

"What?" Cordelia gasped.

Gretchen reached for one of the throwing knives on her belt and forced it into her hand, "Kill me. Just be quick about it, please."

Cordelia ripped her hand away as if the contact burned, her head shaking almost wildly.

"No," She said sternly, "are you kidding? No!"

"Cordelia," Gretchen whispered, only growing louder when she went unheard, "Cordelia, stop it!"

The girl froze at the command, moving her focus to fighting the urge to cry. Kill her? How could she possibly do such a thing. In the back of her head she had known it would possibly be something she'd have to face but, she didn't think it was a strong possibility. There were twenty two other tributes that could've gotten the job done but, now it was up to her. And she wasn't sure she could do it. Matter of fact, she was sure she couldn't.

"No. Why don't you just let Parker do it, you guys don't even like each other!" Cordelia fought.

"Because I trust you."

Gretchen was oddly calm as her cracked lips muttered the words. Maybe she was too overcome with exhaustion to freak out and Cordelia even considered the possiblity that she had come to terms with the fact she wouldn't make it home, maybe even before she stepped off of her pedestal. Her eyes were widened, her pupils looking like specks in her green orbs as she shivered.

"You're cold?" Cordelia wondered.

She wrapped her jacket over the one Gretchen was already wearing. She didn't mind considering the rest of them were sweating like animals.

"We really need to go." Parker advised before once again helping Cordelia pull Gretchen to her feet.

The girl from two winced, resting her head on Parker's shoulder lazily, almost burning him with the contact.

"What?" Asked Cordelia.

"We probably pulled her up too fast," Parker mumbled dragging the girls along, Carter a step behind them, "Lia her blood's practically being sucked out of her, she's probably lightheaded. And I'm surprised she hasn't," Gretchen cut him off with the sound of her retching, a foul smelling liquid spilling out of her mouth. Whatever it was, was mixed with her blood, "thrown up more."

"Why did you save all of this wonderful information until now?" She sneered.

"Because that was the only station I paid enough attention to, to retain anything. Smart move when my life depends on it I know."

Gretchen let out a broken laugh. It was her turn to be greatful for Parker's humor. They could only make a few more steps before she once again collapsed, falling forward out of her allies' grips and hitting the ground harshly. She was still concious but barely, her eyes begging to flutter shut. Parker went to go help her up but, she held her hand up to protest.

"Just go without me." She instructed.

"No-"

"Parker," Gretchen's tone was as stern as it could be, "I'm all but dead anyway and I'm only slowing you down. If you're not gonna kill me, then just leave me here."

Cordelia's arguement was cut off by the sound of rushed footsteps, turning her around in just enough time to dodge a knife coming full force for her head. Without even having complete view of the target, Cordelia used the knife Gretchen had forced into her hand, whipping it ahead and hitting her oncoming opponent's left shoulder. The girl let out a loud cry of anger as she tore the knife out of her skin. She didn't even look at it before sending it back, her eyes darkened in a rage. A hissing brought her to a halt, and it brought Cordelia's mind right back to the image of Starr from one lying pale and lifeless on the ground, the marks of the snake still a vibrant red on her neck. But, this snake was different. It wasn't nearly as long as the one before and the entirety of it's body was pitch black, it's eyes the shade of blood. It moved slowly, the tribute across from them paralyzed with fear. Cordelia too was stilled but her reasoning was more strategic. The animal slithered as if it were in slow motion and as it's eyes locked on it's chosen target, Cordelia knew there was nothing anyone could do.

They now had two waiting games on their hands.

"Back up slowly." She whispered to her allies.

They followed along as she followed her own instructions, not speaking a single word. The snake kept moving, not even slightly disrupted by the movement that was now behind him. The girl turned slightly, the silver five showing boldly on her jacket as she backed up. At first, she too tried to take Cordelia's idea into account but when it failed to protect her, she panicked, drawing even more attention to herself. Cordelia could almost see a gamemaker as the snake picked up it's pace, a crooked finger pressed on a gauge for the animal's speed. But, as the girl from five fell to the ground and the snake wrapped itself up her arm and pierced it's fangs into her wrist, nothing happened.

That is until the tribute shook uncontrollably. The snake made a slick escape as she writhed in pain for minutes until her body stilled, nothing but silence filling the void her desperate cries left behind. Cordelia tilted her head, confused at the sudden lack of action.

"Wait!" Parker said quickly as she took a fast step forward.

No cannon had sounded and that meant the girl in front of them was still alive, even if it were barely. Cordelia continued her progression, slowly and cautiously.

"Fuck it," She finally breathed out as the girl remained motionless, "if she's not dead, then she needs to be. We're far past the point for mercy, it's her or us."

Parker fell silent at the sudden harshness in her tone but, gave a soft nod at the apologetic glance she sent his way. Nevertheless she turned around with her spear raised, stumbling backwards at the sight. The girl from five opened her eyes. Or, what once were her eyes, The entirety of her eyeballs were now completely blacked out to match the color of the creature she left behind. The color ran onto her cheeks, her eyes now blending into her face, disappearing more by the second. In fact all of her features faded into the black, sandy material that was now becoming her skin. She let out a deep roar as her teeth grew into deadly fangs, the sudden size and amount seeming to cram her now lipless mouth. Her limbs cracking and bending as they stretched out into bony black parts, her legs doing the same once she was up and stumbling around on them.

"Cordelia, back up!" Parker yelled.

The girl from five, or whatever creature had taken her place swung hard, knocking Cordelia onto her back. It climbed over her body and let out one last roar before it got closer, surely to rip out her throat. However it never got the chance.

When Cordelia opened her eyes her face was wet, and the creature was on it's back next to her, with Parker's axe buried in it's bald head. She wiped her hand down her face, her eyes widening at the black oil like liquid smeared down her palm, her ears ringing loud enough to block out the majority of any sound. She could onlu focus when the familar sight of Parker's doe eyes were staring at her. She shook her head, partially confused and partially dizzy. She hit her head rather hardly when she fell and she wasn't completely recovered from her run in with Christian. It was the sound of the cannon that brought her all the way back into reality, the girl in front of her now returned to her natural state, her brown eyes pried open, her lips cracked and splattered black with some of the same substance that was over Cordelia's face.

"Thank you," She whispered to Parker as he pulled her up. He sent her a stiff nod in return. She ignored the confusion she felt and rounded up her pack which had partially spilled at the impact, figuring Parker was just shaken up at what he had done, "the snake, one bit Starr but that one was different."

"How so?" Parker said finally.

"That snake, the one that bit Starr killed her," Explained Cordelia, "and this one didn't kill her. It turned her into...whatever that was."

"A mutt."

Of course Cordelia was familiar with the idea of muttations. Anyone who had seen the games was. She had just, always expected them to already exist instead of forming out of a tribute right in front of her eyes.

"Whatever it was, I'm glad it's gone," She said. She kept her tone harsh, not wanting to show her fear to the viewers. It was now more important than ever for them to be on her side, there were only five tributes left, "let's get going, help me grab Gretchen?"

Parker gave her a questioning glance, and she looked to the strawberry blonde. She must've missed the first fire, only registering the sound of the second. Nevertheless Cordelia stood corrected. There weren't five tributes left. There were four.

Gretchen was dead.