In which sixteen-year-old Barley Miller from District 9 is thrown into an arena to fight to the death with not only 22 other children but with her younger brother as well, Barley has to figure out how she can keep both of them alive as well as deali...
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AS NIGHT FELL UPON the arena the pack chose to settle down for the night, Mizzen and Adam both sleeping with their heads on each of Barley's shoulders. Treech's hat fell in front of the twelve-year-old's face, Barley reaches over and gently removes the hat from his face and places it by his leg. The older boys have also fallen asleep so only Barley and Coral are awake.
"What's the first thing you'll do when you get home?"Barley questions suddenly, Coral looks at the blonde tribute with a confused look. "Well if it's not Adam or Mizzen then it's gonna be you"
Coral gives her a concerned look. "Don't you want to win?"Coral asks as gently as she can.
"I want Adam, Mizzen, or you to win, I want one of you three to go home,"Barley tells her honestly she looks over at Coral and notices the look on her face. "I haven't given up or anything like that I'd just rather you guys get to go home over me"
Coral sighs. "If I get to go home then I'll go swimming in the lake with my friend,"Coral tells her a smile appearing on her face as she reminisces on life back home. "You'd like her my friend, she's a lot like you"
A playful smile appears on Barley's face. "Gorgeous?"Barley questions.
Coral laughs, a beautiful smile engulfs her face."Brave, overprotective, loyal"Coral tells her sincerely her smile growing even bigger. "She has younger brother's just like you and I've never met someone as protective of their siblings until I met you".
Barley smiles looking over at Adam, quiet snores come from his tiny frame. "It's an older sibling thing I guess"Barley starts as memories begin to flood her mind like a tsunami. "I've always been protective of him and Hunter I think it got worse after our mom died"
Small tears begin to fall from the blonde's eyes, Coral reaches over and squeezes her hand gently. "Hunter was just a baby, My papa had to work ten times harder than he did already and I think it was just my way of trying to help"Barley finishes, tears fully falling from her eyes.
Coral pulls her into a hug, allowing Barley to cry into her.
BARLEY HAD JUST FALLEN into a light sleep when the automated voice went off, announcing to every tribute in the arena that someone had entered.
Barley quickly shoots up panic floods her body and she looks around frantically, she watches as Coral stands up and grabs hold of her trident tightly. "What's going on?"Barley questions confusion in her voice.
Coral begins shaking Tanner and Treech aggressively to wake them up. "Someone's entered the arena,"Coral tells her.
Barley turns around and begins to gently shake the younger tributes from their slumber. "Adam, Mizzen, You need to wake up"Barley whispers shouts desperation in her voice.
The boys wake up and look around confused. "What's going on"Adam asks fear radiating from his young voice. "Barley, what's happening"
Barley grabs hold of Adam gently. "Someone has entered the arena and we're gonna investigate,"Barley tells the young boy panting a brave smile on her face that Adam seems to believe.
The Pack began their walk through the tunnels, Coral leading the pack her knuckles turning white as she grips tighter onto her trident. Barley is at the back of the group, allowing her to watch out for everyone in front of her, especially the young ones.
Barley grips her knife tightly, keeping it slightly extended away from her body, she's ready to attack someone if they come for her or anyone else, but realistically what could she do with that tiny knife?
Barley feels someone's hand grab hold of her opposite hand, Barley looks down and sees it's Adam. "I'm scared, It's dark,"Adam tells her, Barley notices the fear illuminating in the boy's eyes. "And what if someone bad has got in, or what if it's a monster"
"Shh!"Coral says her voice echoing off the walls of the tunnel, silence immediately engulfs the group.
As the pack enters the main entrance to access the tunnels from the arena, they see the Mentors of Marcus and Lucy Gray standing still like they're in shock, Barley gets a glimpse of what they're looking at and sees it's a body but she can't see who it belongs too.
Coral is the first to charge at them, anger flooding her body, Barley and the boys soon follow after running as fast as they can, the mentors jump over the turnstiles, a crack engulfs the area as Serjanus lands on the floor and the blonde boy hurls him up.
"Open the gate! Open the gate!"The blonde boy Coriolanus shouts.
The pack jumps over the turnstiles, closing in on the mentors, the gates slam loudly as the two mentors escape, Coral clashes her trident against the bars in anger, she looks over at the mentors with a sly smirk on her face. "Watch those screens, gorgeous"Coral says her voice laced with subtle anger. "Cause I may have missed you tonight, but your songbird's next on my list"
Coral turns back to the pack. "Let's go,"She tells them.
As the group makes their way back Barley gets a closer look at the body and sees it is Bobbin, Barley didn't know him well but knew he was very protective of his young District mate Wovey. Barley crouches down next to the boy's head, Bobbin's eyes are still open and they stare without seeing.
Barley gently closes the boy's eyes and removes the machete from his enclosed hand, a sickening crack sounds as she pulls at his fingers. "Your fight is over, rest now"Barley whispers praying to whoever is out there that Bobbin can find peace.
The pack watches Barley quietly, the only one who understands what she doing is Adam he slowly walks up to his older sister, placing a hand on her shoulder. "May he be at peace now"Adam says quietly.
Each District has its traditions when it comes to death and life, in District Nine they burn their dead and bury their ashes in a special place, they believe all deaths should be honored the same. From warrior to doctor, to rebel to civilian all life deserved the same respect in death.
Barley stood up slowly, taking Adam's hand in her own, and slowly began walking back into the tunnels in complete silence, Bobbin's machete gripped tightly in her hand, he went down fighting and so would she.
