Nightmares And Seashells

chapter twenty-six

Just as Avery and Jasper were rounding the trees passing the stream where they had fought ten the ground rumbled, making Avery stumble.

Jasper caught her before she could fall.

"You good?" He asked raising his voice as the rumbling got louder making the trees crack.

"This is it, we gotta go!" She yelled over the cracking of trees around them that was only gettin louder by the second.

"We've got to get back to the field around the cornucopia! These tree will crush us, come on!" He replied grabbing her hand to drag her along as fast as possible.

When they reached the field they could see the girl from 12 running out into the tall grass right before a throwing axe embedded into the girls chest.

"Boom."

Skidding to a halt just outside the tree line, they ducked down in the tall grass. Watching as the 3 careers took over the cornucopia.

"We have to get away from the trees!" Avery said.

"Stay low so they can't see us, we can circle around. Come from behind, and take them by surprise." She continued motioning for him to follow her.

Once they got to the back side of the cornucopia, Jasper tapped her shoulder pointing to the sand dunes behind them that seemed to be opening up sucking everything in.

Avery let out a shudder glad they hadn't even bothered going that way.

Turning back around they heard Bella start laughing.

"oh look here comes little 11! They make it too easy!" She said
Avery took that opportunity to creep around the edge to establish line of sight, Jasper just behind her.

They watched as the girl hit the ground, Bella skipping up to her crumpled form when the cannon didn't immediately sound.

She danced around the girl taunting her, Tomen and Lexa laughing from their spot in the cornucopia's saftey.

Avery took that opportunity to ready her spear. The second she heard the cannon sound she threw her spear landing dead center in Lexa's back a second cannon sounding.

Both Bella and Tomen whirled around Bella smiling like a cat.

"Winters is mine!" She called sprinting at the girl. Tomen then taking out his own sword to meet Jasper.

Avery threw two knives at the girl while trying to position her leg into a fighting stance that didn't hurt. The ground shaking under he feet making her whole body feel like it was vibrating as tree in the forest fell left and right

Both missed as the district 2 girl rolled out of the way her twin blades out in front of her.

Avery pulled out two more reading herself when Bella jumped at her.
The sound of metal clashing was ringing throughout the field as they fought.

"I've been looking for you everywhere 4!" Bella laughed catching Avery's arm as she stole a glance at Jasper.

The sounds of the forest started to die down. Signifying that the gamemakers must know its is the end.

"You've been my goal this whole game, everyone else just kept getting in the way!" Bella continued slashing at the younger girl, succeeding in knocking one of the knives from her hands but also tiring herself out.

"Careful there Bells you sound a little obsessed with me! You should know I'm happily taken!" She said slashing Bellas right arm deeply, rendering it virtually useless and making her drop one of her blades.  Just then Avery heard it.

"Boom."

Her stomach dropped. Taking her eyes off of her opponent, and watching Jasper hit the ground Tomen on top of him.

"JASPER!? she screeched just a second before her back hit the ground sending her other knife flying from her hand.

"Awwh poor little Winters, did Tomen kill your boyfriend?" Bella taunted while sitting on top of her, twirling her other blade with a wicked smile.

Avery took that opportunity to grab her last knife. The one Jasper had given her in the woods. Plunging it into the girls ribcage.

"That's for Jasper!" Avery said letting the girls body fall onto her own. And letting out a sob as the cannon sounded for he girls death.

She wasn't ready to face her District partners killer. Jasper had become her friend. Just as she closed her eyes letting a tear fall she heard it.

"AVERY!!" Jasper shouted pulling the dead girl off of her, and pulling her into a sitting position.

The second she was up she engulfed the older boy in a hug.

"Jasper, thank God! I watched you go down!" She said smiling despite her tears.

Then looking around she realized they were the last two
"We did it!" She said as he sat down beside her multiple sab and slice wounds on his arms and torso.

"Jasper you're bleeding! Give me the medicine, I'll patch you up." She said

"Dont worry about it Wint- Avery." He said a smile on his face as he pulled his bag out.

"Here have some water." Jasper said pulling out both of his bottles.

"I can't kill you Jasper.. not after everything." She admitted taking a few sips as he did the same.

"I know Avery.. I can't kill you either. And I won't make you kill me." Jasper said smiling sadly at the girl.

"Then what do we do?" She asked, surely the gamemakers would force something.

"We wait." Jasper said looking at the colorful skies.

"For what?" Avery asked again.

"For this." Jasper said holding out one of the two iodine tablets she had him take when refilling the waters. He didn't put one in.

"Jasper what did you do?!" She said sitting forward as the boy started coughing harshly, blood coming from the corners of his mouth.

"You're going home Avery, I was always going to make sure you went home."

"Jasper no no no no!" She said trying to catch his weight as he doubled over. More blood leaking out of his mouth and nose as she laid him down.

"Thank you Avery. You were the best partner, I couldn't bare having you on my list. and I wont have myself on yours. " He said the light leaving his eyes but his smile remained.

"This was my choice.." He said and if Avery hadn't have been so close to his face she wouldn't have heard it over her sobs.

"Boom."

"We have our winner of the 67th hunger games, Avery Winters!"