Mockingjay // C.S

The Arena

Coriolanus Snow's POV:
The night had confused me. Did Charlotte really just kill for me? Was it all a facade to manipulate me? Do I actually care about this girl? All I knew now was that I couldn't let her die in that arena even if it meant cheating again like with Lucy Gray.

I drive down to the zoo, my body having been beat but still capable as I plan how I will save this girl. I arrive just as the tributes are awoken and are being explained how they each get to take a weapon into the arena.

After yesterday, I knew Charlotte's best chance would be a dagger or spear depending on the options. I knew they had many options but I was conscious of what the other tributes would take.

Charlotte Addam's POV:
I slowly wait as the peacekeepers explain we each get a weapon in the arena. I can see Coriolanus watching and mouthing something to me. After a moment I realise he is mouthing 'dagger' as I look at the table of weapons.

We each reach for something and I hold the dagger tightly, gesturing to Coriolanus as he nods with a small smile. The peacekeepers are quick to drag us to the vehicle and back to the arena.

Fear fills me as I walk into the arctic of an arena and here I was, in only a stupid dress and boots which I was thankful I decided to wear on the day of the Reaping. I hear the stupid chime of 'enjoy the show' as I look around the arena.

Peacekeepers drag us all into our places. I watch scared as I see the other tributes looking ready to kill. I can see Lucas from my own district and feel myself wanting to throw up at the thought we could both be dead before the day is up.

I can see the cornucopia filled with the bare minimum supplies but I know it'll be a blood bath if I do so much as I go near it and so mentally I decide to run and hide in the trees. I know I can climb which is a plus but I also know there are plenty of angry tributes who want me dead after I killed the boy from 1.

"10, 9, 8" the echoes begin as I feel myself wanting to kill myself in refusal of the games. I know I won't win but something in me is no longer accepting of death. I can only hope Coriolanus helps me from outside the arena.

"7, 6, 5" the voice chimes. The games become real as I see the girl from 7 bare her axe with a dark look. As I watch everyone, it becomes blatantly obvious that we are all just children trying to survive in this arena. I watch the girl from 5, she's barely twelve and beside her is the boy from 4, he's eighteen and possibly more than double her weight.

"4, 3, 2" the arena is silent. I know I'm gonna have to run, if I don't, I'll die. I can only hope the years of running club kick in. Anyone can be good at something if someone is chasing you.

"1" the arena becomes shocked when a flag is dropped to reveal the bodies of the three tributes that made a run yesterday during the viewing, including the boy I'd killed to save Coriolanus.

Everyone becomes alive and suddenly I'm rushing for the trees. I climb and I climb as high as the tree goes. I hear the canon go off six times in total during the blood bath.

I feel sick to my stomach as I hear the Careers hunting down tributes. I held the stupid dagger and stayed put, high up in the trees. Hours seem to pass and I count nine canons already.

Coriolanus Snow's POV:
I sit in the large room with spectators, show hosts and other mentors as I watch the games. I almost want to yell in joy that she wasn't dumb and instead went with the safe option of hiding.

After a while, everyone gets bored of waiting and watching when suddenly there is chasing. Lucas, the boy from 12, was being chased by the tributes. It was the boy from 4 and girl from 2.

Charlotte sits up in the tree as she sees the scene. I can only hope that she doesn't do anything stupid but then she does. I watch as she throws a pinecone in the other direction which distracts the careers.

Lucas looks around confused before looking up to see Charlotte in the tree. For a moment I expected him to attack her but then he smiles. I can see the mentor of Lucas muttering to himself the repeated mantra of 'kill her, kill her, kill her' but he doesn't.

I can see her gesture for him to come up and I watch in fear as he climbs the tree. Charlotte looks so vulnerable as I watch her sit in the tree with her knees to her chest, arms wrapped around herself and hair in stupid half up half down pigtails. Lucas sits in front of her and goes to speak but she holds her finger to her lips.

My dumb girl.