Celebrity Hunger Games

Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

~ Luke Hemming's P.O.V ~

The wind rushed in Luke's ears as he charged at Bella Thorne. The girl had her sickle raised, ready to attack, but Luke dropped low and slashed at her leg. As Bella crumpled, Luke landed a few kicks to her stomach while he quickly glanced around to see if Cal and Ash were okay. Ashton had knocked the bow out of Harry's hands, and the two were now dueling with swords. Calum seemed to be having difficulty while he battled Taylor Lautner, but Taylor, used to having food whenever he needed in his posh district, was low on energy, causing his blows to be lazy and poorly - aimed.

He doesn't have much longer -

 Suddenly, pain sprung up Luke's leg as Bella stuck her dagger into his flesh, causing him to crumple. Luke felt his windpipe being crushed as Bella's blade kissed his throat. "You know," Bella hissed through clenched teeth as she straddled Luke. "I remember your district partner - Emma. I remember how she begged and pleaded for Taylor to spare her life. I remember how he slit her - " As if in a dreamlike trance, Bella's face disappeared, the weight vanishing from his chest. Luke heard her let out a strangled cry, saw a flash of familiar blonde hair, and sat up to see Taylor Swift bowling over with Bella.

"Stay away from him, you pathetic bitch!" Taylor snarled, pressing the tip of an arrow to Bella's throat. "I'll tear you up just like you did Niall!"

Taylor! Luke's mind screamed, sending energy whizzing through his veins as he grabbed for his knife, leaping to his feet. He glanced over to see Ashton successfully driving Harry back with bigger, fiercer blows. Calum and Taylor were still facing off, but Taylor was splattered with more blood than Calum, showing that Calum still had the upper hand against the bigger tribute.

 "No - Please - " Crocodile tears began to slide down Bella's cheeks, making trails through the dirt staining her skin, but Taylor didn't give her a chance.

"You like giving the Capitol a good show, huh?" Taylor hissed, teasingly dragging the tip of the arrow slowly down Bella's chest so that it rested above her stomach - exactly where Niall was stabbed. "Let's give them an amazing show." Bella let out an agonized scream as Taylor dug the arrow into her stomach, turning the fabric of Bella's thin tank top a deep crimson as her blood began to pulse out of her stomach.

While Luke felt like throwing up at this, Taylor let out a cackle, plunging the arrow further into the girl's stomach shaft and twisting it around. Bella's pleas were drowned out by the sound of Taylor laughing and the cannon going off as Bella's life slipped away.

Luke looked up to see Taylor Lautner bat Calum's knife away, eyes wide. "Bella!" he gasped, face a cold mask as his eyes slid over to Taylor swift, his mind putting the pieces of the puzzle together as he found his district partner's murderer.

 "Taylor, run!" Luke shouted, voice cracking as Taylor Swift leapt up quickly. When Lautner began to charge at her, Luke knew what he had to do. Bunching up his legs, Luke waited until Taylor Lautner was about to stab Taylor Swift and leapt at him, colliding with Taylor's rock hard muscle but pushing him off balance so Taylor had enough time to get away.

Luke realized with startling pang of alarm that he had dropped his knife somewhere along the way and quickly shouted to Calum, "Finish him!" Calum's brown eyes were wide when he saw Luke struggling to hold Taylor down, still stunned from the back of his skull colliding with a rock.

 "Not on my watch." Taylor Lautner grumbled from beneath Luke, and Luke felt himself being flung off of Taylor, colliding painfully with a series of half erroded rocks in the dirt. Luke quickly got up, turning his head just in time to see Harry taking off into the night with his bow tucked under his arm, his only remaining ally forgotten. Luke had no time to wonder where Ashton was, for the sound of knife tearing into flesh sent Luke whirling around to see Calum with his knife lodged in Taylor Lautner's throat. Taylor tried to mumble something unintelligible, but all that came out was bubbling blood, dribbling down his chin and onto his sweat stained gray shirt. Calum didn't move a muscle, only tore his knife from Taylor's throat and let him sink to the ground. It didn't take long for the grass around Taylor Lautner's body to turn a scarlet, the cannon shot that boomed through the night seeming far away and distant. Everything was quiet for a few moments, before Calum's shaky voice finally sounded.

"It - It's over."

Relieved, Luke sunk to his knees, leaning his head back and letting out a sob of relief. The tip of his knife dragged through the dirt, but he didn't care. He opened his eyes when Taylor Swift cleared her throat, and looked up to see Calum and her engaging in a tight hug.

"We didn't think we'd ever see you again," Calum mumbled once she pulled away.

Taylor's face was grim, her eyes narrowed. "I know. But I was camped out right over there when I heard the fighting. I couldn't sit back and watch them kill you. Besides - " Luke followed Taylor's eyes to where Bella's corpse was sprawled out in the thick grass. " - I had to avenge Niall."

"Are we enemies now?" Luke asked timidly, causing Taylor and Calum to both look up. Taylor held his gaze unflinchingly, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Not until the very end." she vowed. Just as Luke began to smile for the first time since arriving in the arena, he heard Calum let out a strangled sob.

"ASHTON !" he shouted, voice cracking as he sprinted over to the thin figure lying motionless in the grass.

~ 6 TRIBUTES LEFT ~