Author Games: Memoranda Of Terror

Quarter Finals - Memory Lane - Females

District One - Diamond Fabulo

There's no moon tonight.

Thats fine. The darkness fits my mood well anyway. At least this way my new partner can't see me crying, I look ugly when I cry.

There are only three faces in the sky tonight. Piper and Solum are among those faces. Fresh tears pour down my cheeks.

Piper and Solum were my allies. Forced, yes, but allies just the same.

I had grown to trust them, to feel a bond with them even. We had laughed together, cried together and even the Gamemaker's twist that made us suffer the same injuries brought us closer.

But now they're gone. I trace a finger over my hand, where their names are engraved. I hope it's permanent. I don't want to forget them, not ever.

But now there is a third name on my hand. Elmo Wattson. The tough-guy from District 5. Ew.

Alithia Warwell appears in the sky next and congratulates us on making it this far. She tells us to think about those who have fallen, as if I haven't been doing that since Piper and Solum..... My eyes sting as more tears fall.

In the pale light cast from Alithia's screen, I sneak a glance at Elmo. His face is stony and uncaring. Nymphadora was his allie, doesn't he care? Does he care about anything at all? I highly doubt it.

Alithia is still speaking. After she explains to us that our bonds will be broken in 24 hours, I'm relieved. When she says the scars are most likely permanent I begin to cry again. Happy tears for once. I can keep Piper and Solum with me.

Alithia says that our families will be interviewed, but she would like for us to tell our stories as well. Oh joy...

"We should get moving. It's not a good idea to stay in the same place for too long." Elmo says as he rises to his feet.

"Right, okay." I stand too, stretching. We had been crouched behind a large rock for the last hour and I was happy to move.

As we walked I told him my life story, and to his credit he at least managed to act a little bit interested. "Now what about you?" I ask him, "Tell me about the life of Big Bad Elmo."

Elmo sighs heavily, then says unenthusiastically. "I was raised by a band of wandering gypsies in the sewers of District 5." I look at him wide-eyed.

"Really!?"

"No, stupid. I was being sarcastic." Elmo rolls his eyes.

"Oh." We find a new hiding spot, but both agree not to stay there when we see the freshly dead body of the boy from my district. Apollo.

We continue to walk in total silence and I think that's the end of it. We find a new area that seems relatively safe and make camp for the night. I fall asleep quickly, but then thoughts of my allies come and I wake up. I sit up, grumbling about my inability to sleep, when I see Elmo huddled to my side fully awake. It doesn't even look like he tried to sleep.

"Elmo?" I rub my eyes groggily.

"I'm sorry." He replies, "About not giving you a serious answer when you asked me to tell you about my life."

I sit up straighter to listen to him.

"I'm just used to playing a part. I've been playing it for so long that it's hard to get out of. But I've been thinking," His eyes are far away, "This is the final eight, the game starts for real now. And if I don't make it through, which is the most likely result, I don't want to die as someone else. Even more so, if I win, I want to win as the real Elmo... Not the person everyone thinks I am."