𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 | 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡

eleven

The second the buzzer rang; all nineteen tributes ran, except for Wovey, who ran the opposite direction and Lamina, who was pushed down by Tanner, while the rest converged towards the array of weapons strewn across the ground.

Treech took off fast until Panlo, from six, collided with him, attempting to knock Treech off course. Despite the force of the impact, Treech swiftly regained his balance, pivoting to pursue Panlo, who scrambled onto a fallen beam in a desperate bid to evade him.

Cordelia caught glimpses of hesitation among some tributes. Dill and Teslee remained rooted to their spots, their fear palpable as they hesitated to plunge into the fray. Meanwhile, Lamina bolted away, while Lucy Gray stood frozen, her gaze darting anxiously as she called out for Jessup.

"Jessup!" Lucy Gray's voice echoed through the chaos of the bloodbath, her eyes scanning the frantic scene. As she turned, Reaper lunged with a glinting knife, but Lucy Gray deftly sidestepped the attack, her heart pounding in her chest. Meanwhile, Reaper dashed to shield Dill from Circ's onslaught.

With determination etched on his face, Treech seized an axe from the scattered debris, his muscles tensing as he pursued Panlo, who was desperately attempting to outpace him despite brandishing a sword.

"Jessup!" Lucy Gray's plea rang out once more, her voice tinged with desperation. But before she could locate her partner, Coral emerged with deadly intent, thrusting her trident menacingly. Lucy Gray skillfully evaded Coral's onslaught, her back pressed against Panlo's leg where he was fighting Tanner. In a swift and brutal twist, Coral's trident found its mark in Panlo's chest as Lucy Gray stumbled, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.

Amidst the chaos, Sheaf met a grim fate at the hands of Otto, her life extinguished in a whirl of violence. The sight was too much for Juno, who doubled over, retching in revulsion, a wave of disgust rippling through Cordelia and the mentors nearby.

With solemn finality, two buzzers heralded the demise of District Nine's tributes, prompting their mentors to rise with grim expressions, silently exiting the room with disappointment.

Cordelia's gaze remained fixed on the large screen as she observed Treech's movements with bated breath. With a sharp slide down the rubble, he brought his axe crashing onto the ground just as Lucy Gray rolled away.

Despite Treech's relentless pursuit, Lucy Gray refused to yield. With nimble agility, she dodged his swings, each movement a testament to her remarkable skill. But Treech persisted, his determination evident as he swung his axe dangerously close to her face, only to be met with Lucy Gray's elusive grace.

However, just as Treech prepared for another strike, a sudden flash of metal caught Cordelia's attention. A knife, swift and precise, found its mark, slicing into Treech's arm with a sickening thud.

With a cry of pain, Treech dropped his axe, clutching his wounded arm as blood began to stain his sleeve. Despite the injury, Cordelia couldn't help but notice that the bleeding didn't seem too severe.

Lucy Gray's heart pounded against her ribs as she sprinted through the chaos of the arena. Her eyes darted from side to side, searching desperately for Jessup amidst the turmoil. Her heart raced as she finally caught sight of him, kneeling on the ground, disoriented and vulnerable.

She darted towards him, her breaths coming in short gasps. However, her path was abruptly halted by the grisly sight of Circ, the boy from District Three, impaled by a trident. With a quick glance at the gruesome sight, she ran towards her partner and with trembling hands, she gripped his arm tightly, pulling him to his feet as they stumbled forward together into the hole in the ground that led to the tunnels.

"They've gone underground very quickly, but we're prepared for this." Lucky said as the screen displayed Lucy Gray and Jessup in the tunnels, "What you see now is a live view of the security cameras."

As they fled, Lucy Gray's senses were assaulted by the cacophony of the arena, the distant echoes of screams and clashes of metal filling the air. Her heart raced as they plunged deeper into the tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the tunnel, sending a jolt of adrenaline through Lucy Gray's veins. With a sinking feeling of dread, she looked to see Hy and Sol rounding the corner, their figures silhouetted against the dim light.

Lucy Gray's heart pounded against her ribs as she kicked at the small slot on the door, desperation driving her movements as Hy and Sol closed in on her position.

In a flash of movement, Treech emerged into the tunnels, his commanding presence guiding the pack forward. "This way." With a grim determination, they made their way to Lucy Gray and Jessup, leading them onward into the unknown depths of the underground labyrinth.

"Hy and Sol, from the other side, pincering in on Lucy Gray." Lucky announced to the audience, watching Lucy Gray's frantic efforts to escape. With a final burst of strength, she squeezed herself through the narrow opening, dragging Jessup along with her, narrowly avoiding the reach of the District Five tributes.

But Sol refused to let them slip away so easily. With a determined shove, she lunged forward, grabbing hold of Jessup's foot. Before she could pull him back, the pack descended upon them.

"Here comes the pack, surprising Hy and Sol!"

Cordelia's eyes widened as Mizzen swiftly threw his net, ensnaring Hy in its grasp. With a sickening thud, Treech's axe found its mark, burying itself into Hy's skull. At the same time, Coral closed in on Sol, driving her trident into her back with ruthless precision, eliciting a piercing scream before Tanner dragged her lifeless body away.

The buzzers rang out, signaling the end of their lives, but the tension in the arena only seemed to escalate.

"Hey, lumberjack, get in there and get her out." Coral commanded, her voice dripping with disdain.

"I'm not sticking my head in there. She could be waiting with a brick." Treech countered, his reluctance evident.

Coral's grip tightened on her trident as she huffed in frustration, "I knew we should have recruited that Reaper kid." She muttered, stalking away with the rest of the pack in tow, leaving Tanner to revel in their victory with a satisfied smirk.

Cordelia sank back into her seat, her eyes fixed on the screen as she observed Wovey darting through the tunnels, her heart pounding with each tense moment. The scene abruptly shifted to Reaper assisting Dill into the same maze of passages.

"Do you think they're done?" Lucky's voice broke the silence as turned to the camera, addressing the audience directly, "To the children watching...that was horrific, violent and disturbing." Cordelia released a shaky breath, relieved that the bloodshed seemed to have ceased. "Miss Phipps, please, if you're going to vomit, do it off camera." He glanced at Juno, who visibly shrunk in her seat, mortified by the attention.

"Thirteen tributes remain." Lucky continued, "Reaper looming at large atop the charts while Coral and her pack try to make a play. Six tributes gone in minutes. If they keep it up at this pace, we're going to be out of here in no time."

Cordelia's stomach churned at the mention of the casualties, grappling with the horror she had just witnessed unfold on the screen.

The arena went silent after that. No more blood being shed and no more violence...for now.

authors note:
it was hard writing the whole bloodbath and getting details.
if anyone wants to, check out my other book, haunted. the first chapter is up :)

*not proofread/ignore any grammar mistakes*