Innocent Girl - A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 9: Who's next?

The next day, I awake to soft footfall, but it's an urgent one. Unable to help my curiosity, I peek around a branch from the safety of my tree and spot the girl from 9 running through the forest, clearly a bit shaken. Despite this, I know better than to call out to her. And then the voices come.
"Where is he?!" This is unmistakedly Slate.
"Geez, Slate, you have to stop screaming. Plus, you're the slowest here, and are holding us back." The snobby voice of Valerie is obvious.
"I do agree with him though. I didn't know 9 knew how to run." I don't recognise this voice, but I'm positive this is the career pack, so it must be someone from 1 or 4.
"Can you guys please hurry up?" Asks another voice, stern and slightly hushed. I don't catch the rest of their conversation, because suddenly, I spot movement under me. Panicked, I look down and see the girl hiding behind the tree trunk, oblivious to my existence. Unfortunately for her, I can see the careers coming straight towards her, or should I say, us, with a perfect view of all six of them.
"Well, fancy seeing you again, 9," sneers Slate. Valerie rolls her eyes at his attempt at 'scary career'. But it works for the girl from 9.
"P-please, I didn't do anything! I-just give me five more seconds, alright? Please!" Begs the girl. I grimace at how naïve she is. If she really thinks they'll let her go, even for a few seconds, she must have never watched the games. Or maybe it's because she's looking right at Star, who looks like she wants to both run away and scream at the other careers to stop. Either way, she's probably going to throw up once blood is involved.
"Oh look, she's begging now," grins the boy from 4. I press myself further to the tree branch I'm sitting on and grab the edges of the sleeping bag tighter.
"Hey Star, you haven't got a kill yet. You wanna do the favours?" Asks the last guy, so he must be from 1. Brilliant. I mean both his name and the term.
"I-uh-Coral hasn't either! She can," stammers Star. Flynn narrows his eyes at her.
"Why are you so desperate not to kill? You not part of the true career pack? You've offered close to nothing to this alliance, you need to prove yourself, unless you want to be kicked outta here."
"Hey, who made you team leader?" Snaps Brilliant, clearly protective of his district partner, "If she doesn't want to kill right now, leave her be. And she's right, neither has Coral." Flynn rolls his eyes, but doesn't make any further comment.
"What about they both do it?" Suggests Valerie, examining her nails. Star's eyes go wide and Coral raises her eyebrow.
"And how do you suggest we do that?" She asks cautiously. A wide smile spreads across Valerie's face.
"I-"
"You guys can't kill me!!" Shrieks the girl from 9. Coral wrinkles up her nose and looks at him with disgust.
"Seriously, what are you on about? You think that's gonna stop us?"
"Er..."
"That's what we thought," smirks Slate.
"Anywayyyys, back to what I was saying," says Valerie calmly, but with a deadly look on her face, " I suggest that one of you does the torturing, and the other delivers the final blow."
"What?!" Objects Star.
"Sounds good to me," Coral retorts, "I'm starting to think Flynn was right about you, and he's a real idiot."
"HUH?!" Shouts Flynn. Coral winks at him.
"Don't worry Star; I want the second bit."
"Come on, too scared? It's just a little blood," smirks Slate.
"No!" Says Star defensively, "I just-"
"Just what?" Asks Valerie, glaring "do it or you're out. You've been let off the hook here." Star lets out a shaky breath and pulls out a small knife.
"Sorry," Star whispers, just loud enough for me to hear, but not for the rest of the careers. The girl from 9 whimpers,
"Please..." she whispers. Slate bursts out laughing, before Valerie shoots him a death glare.
"C'mon Star. We don't have all day."
"How do you want me to do it?"
"What about... a few cuts on his face, and if you want you could cut off a few fingers," suggests Flynn. Star does what he says, and makes three deep cuts on her cheek. The girl screams.
"Please! Please, STOP!" Star looks like she's going to be sick, but she continues.
"Cut off something, Star, this is not proper torture," encourages Slate, awfully gleeful about the whole ordeal.
"But-"
"Do it, or you're out," threatens Valerie again, "I'm losing my patience with you." Star grimaces but obeys, grabbing the pale girl's left hand while Brilliant restrains her.
"STOP! PLEASE! NO, STOP!" Screams the girl in agony, as Star starts to slice away. But Star continues, and the girl continues to scream, tears of pain now trickling down her face, mixing with the dark red blood. Which is now all over the floor. I turn my head as I hear a quiet 'thunk', and know the finger must of been completely severed. Star looks to the others, pleading, but they gesture for her to continue. With a small sigh, she does, moving onto the next finger.
"STOP!" The girl screams. Star looks away as she starts slicing, faster than before, and the girl screams even louder than before, before I hear another 'thunk'. I look away again, not trusting myself not to throw up with the amount of blood on the floor. Star is forced to do the same for two more fingers, before Coral finally speaks up,
"I think it's my turn. If we continue she'll be dead before I get to kill him," Valerie hesitates before answering,
"Alright. Step aside, Star." Star sighs in relief before gladly stepping aside. Coral wields her spear.
"Goodbye, 9," she smirks, before stabbing her in the heart. She makes a gasping noise, before he goes limp and a cannon fires. Star looks upwards, likely looking for the hovercraft, but her gaze lands on me, peaking around the branch. Both our eyes go wide, and I freeze, until I regain my senses moments later and whip my head back around, my heart pounding in my ears. But those few precious moments... they'll be the death of me. I shudder thinking about the same treatment given to the boy from 9 to me. But to my surprise, Star stays silent.
"What's wrong? See something up there?" Asks Brilliant. I hear Star hesitate, before answering,
"Nope. Just... a squirrel, thought it was a tribute." I breathe a sigh of relief, but wonder why she didn't dob me in. Oh well, I get to keep my life. They all walk away, continuing to hunt tributes, while I clamber down from my hiding spot. On the ground lies the girl from 9, certainly dead. For a second, I almost wish I could of intervened, but that would just result in both of us dead.
"I'm sorry," I whisper to her. But then I spot a little pack a bit behind her. It's green, and seems to be very full. Without a second thought, I grab it, sling it on my back and roll up the sleeping bag, before turning the opposite way from the careers and leaving so the hovercraft can pick her up.