Siren Song → The Hunger Games

CHAPTER ONE

Cashmere has always thought that there's something beautiful about death. It's an art. The splatter of blood on a canvas would envy even a Monet.

It's not just the art of it, there's the power. Oh the power. Stopping someone's heart, the thing that works so hard to keep them alive, with just the flick of a knife, fills you with such bliss that no artificial high could ever mimic.

And so, when the speakers call out her name and her very first kill test is set to begin, she doesn't feel fear at all, she feels strong. Dressed in her Moline uniform, stacked with knives and sent to end a life, there's nothing that could feel better.

She steps into the arena with a grin, laying eyes on the kill. He doesn't even flinch when she walks in. He sits on the floor cross legged, toying with a piece of string. The sight of him makes her frown, she was hoping for more. The Acadeher wants a show and even she needs a show. You can't do art without a good canvas and right now, the canvas is in the wrong place.

When he doesn't move first, she knows she needs to signal to him. Taking a breath, she can feel the song begin in her heart and the routine that has become second nature to me takes over so she takes a few slow steps forward and the curtain rises.

"Are you the one here to kill me?" He looks up at her but makes no attempt to move, he's still fixated on the string in his hands. "Interesting."

He doesn't care to expand, and it brings a small smile to Cashmere's face gladly. He's made his first mistake, and this is the one that will cost him his life. Underestimating the girl sent to kill him. It might not look like it, the pretty little girl dress makes her look weak, but then again, that's part of the thrill. Cashmere has always taken her art seriously, and the best way to do that is to have a signature. Well, the dresses, they're hers. Every kill gets a dress, every dress gets a kill.

"Why don't we make this even more interesting?" She reaches down, lifting up her dress to reveal the throwing knife bandolier wrapped tightly around her thigh.

This moves him. He drops the string at once, his murky brown eyes meeting hers. "Now we're talking." An uncanny smile appears on his bearded face.

She gives him a chance, pulling a knife from the sheaf slowly and twirling it in her dainty hands. "Run," She calls out to him softly, "run."

He doesn't move though, he still sits cross legged, but his eyes are locked onto hers. Cashmere bites her lip, "please. Make this harder for me." She rolls her eyes, she isn't one to ask twice. She turns away from him for a moment, before jumping back in an instant and releasing the knife. It catches his shoulder, releasing just the smallest trickle of blood on his stained shirt. Now, there's a real smile on her face. "How about now?" She reaches down and pulls out another knife, priming it in her hands. "Run," Cashmere calls to him again. When he doesn't, she releases another knife, this time to his other shoulder, going slightly deeper.

He winces, flinching back as the knife strikes him. He curses to himself, and something changes. He has finally realised that she means business, that she really is here to kill him. As he makes this realisation, he jumps to his feet, stumbling on the terrain and making his move.

This makes her really smile, the show has truly begun now. Hunting prey when they aren't scared is simply a waste.

"Finally! I was getting worried they wouldn't get a show." Cashmere looks up at the cameras, "he just made this better for the both of us." It's not worth it without a show, the appraisal afterwards would simply be useless.

She reaches into her bandolier, pulling out the last three knives. Once he has some distance, she starts running, there's a sense of fun in letting them think they have a chance. Her feet pound the floor rhythmically as she watches him rush up the staircase. This makes her smile, he's doing exactly what Cashmere had hoped for. Everyone knows that the balcony makes for a better kill; it has a perfect view for the examiners.