Torn: Sequel to Ruthless

Chapter 8

As I expect, I reach the cornucopia in a matter of seconds, behind Rubie, Apollo, Kai, the boy from 10, and Ashlee, the girl from 7. I don't think, just grab a backpack and run. By the time I make it to the podiums, I'm surprised to find that the usual carnage hasn't even started. I scan the cornucopia, looking for any sign of violence. None. Nothing. There are three tributes fleeing from the very confusing scene. This is weird. Unzipping the backpack I got, I find a sword, nestled in a blanket. One of the boys just happens to run past me at that moment, and I slash his leg as he does, drawing the first blood of the games. I watch in a trance as the blood drips down his leg, hitting the ground. Screams fill my ears as the other tributes find the weapons, snapping me out of my trance. I regain my grip on the sword and stab the helpless guy who's writhing on the ground. Two twitches later, he goes still.

Through the chaos, I hear a rumbling then crashing sound. And I watch as the walls crumble to the ground, revealing the rest of the arena. Snatching my backpack and scrambling away from the collapsing rubble, I barely get out alive. 

I manage to kill one other tribute before it's just our alliance by the cornucopia. Apollo, Seena, Kai, and me. We're all alive. Soon, the cannons go off. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. It goes on and on, stopping at nine. The hovercraft comes, and the four of us retreat into the cornucopia. My district partner puts an arm around me, keeping the 'attracted to each other' dynamic alive. You don't know how much I wish that arm was Kai's. 

Between the four of us, we have three backpacks, each filled with identical contents. A small box of crackers, cheese, and dried meat, and one large water bottle. A waterproof jacket and a blanket. Wow, they must want us comfy every night. A flashlight and two batteries. A slim white box with basic first aid supplies inside. A rope. Finally, we find a sword in each of the three bags. 

"Not much, but we can work with it," Apollo comments. 

"I really wanna explore," Seena jumps in. 

We all murmur in agreement. The next eight or so hours consist of a lot of walking, and it doesn't take long for us to realize the arena is really big. There is one circular track that runs around the middle of the arena, a train circling it. This one track branches out into eight other tracks, shooting toward the edge of the arena. I imagine it would look like a wheel if it was viewed from the top. Toward the middle, there's basically nothing except for the rubble from the collapsing walls, sewer water, and garbage. Once we make it past the train tracks, though, there are old benches, vending machines, ticket machines, trash bins, more debris, restrooms, and a couple other things.

About three hours after we leave the cornucopia, we reach the perimeter before turning right and walking parallel to the force field. During this time, we don't kill anyone, to our disappointment. Since the arena is almost entirely dark, we don't know when night falls, so we only stop when all four of us are tired. Only then do we start heading toward the center of the arena. Seena's the first to find a good area to set our base, a platform with a sign above it calling it 'Platform 8.' I think it's ten or so meters away from the train tracks.  We set up our three blankets in a triangle, leaving our supplies in the middle. I practically collapse into one of the blankets as soon as we finish building our base. After a bit of discussion, we decide not to eat tonight. Or whatever time it is. I drift off to sleep, relief washing over me. 

Kai shakes me awake a short while later, telling me it's time for my watch. I get to my feet, apologizing profusely for falling asleep so soon. He waves it off, with the excuse that I was tired a few hours before. Then he gives me a flashlight and my sword. 

"It's still before midnight. The anthem hasn't played yet. Seena's watch is next, so you can wake him up when you get tired," he says. 

"Okay, thanks," I respond. I pause, then decide to add, "sleep well."