The Bender Games

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter 21: Tracking

P.O.V: Axel

I run through the dark abyss that is the nighttime. I have always hated the nights. As a firebender, I have always drawn my strength from the sun. Its warmth has always filled me with energy, and I am able to unleash it as my own fire. But during the nights, I feel weak. Especially now. The shadows on the ground remind me of my inability to see. The dew reminds me that a waterbender is stronger than me.

The cold makes me shiver. I can't do anything about it, though. At home, whenever I would feel a chill, I would breathe fire to help warm me up. My father tried to explain how that worked to me once. He said something about my inner chi being able to channel the fire through my veins...or something like that. But out here, a single spark can let someone be aware of my presence. So I deal with the cold, and curl up in a ball, trying to keep warm. I hold my knife close to my chest as I run. Some might think it is stupid of me to be running around with a weapon when I can bend. I, however, think it's smart.

Picture this: you come across another contestant. You sneak up behind them, and instead of bending and making everyone else aware of your presence, you stab them. No sound, no bright lights of fire, no nothing. Just the knife going through their heart, and the thud they make when they hit the ground.

I'd like to think it's a bright idea, but I don't know if it will even work. I hope I don't have to run into another contestant anytime soon. The elementor was good enough for me. That thing was a horrifying bloodbath. I can feel my heart racing just thinking about it. The way everything exploded once the countdown stopped froze me on my pedestal. For about a minute I watched in horror as the contestants in front of me were brutally murdered. Then I told myself I would be killed if I didn't move. So I ran...towards the elementor. I don't know what I was thinking. Augustus and Geminite came after me. I was lucky to be able to dodge their attacks, and grab a few supplies in the process. As I was running away from them, though, a kid from three got in my way. He started hurling chunks of rock at my head. I fought him off, then stuck a dagger of fire into his chest. He burned to death. I watched him scream in agony as the flesh on his skin began to blister and slowly peel away.

I shiver, and not from the cold.

I never wanted to do this. I never wanted to do any of this. I keep telling myself I should never have volunteered for these damn games. So why did I do it? I know Ariel continued to pester me about that, and I never answered her. I don't have to, it's my own damn business.

I can feel my stomach twisting in knots just thinking about Ariel. That girl drives me crazy and irritates the crap out of me. She is too innocent for these games, why did they have to pick her? Out of all the waterbenders in province 5, they just had to pull her name out of that bowl. Seeing her up there, shaking and turning pale, she just looked so terrified. I remember when she was little, and we would play together all of the time. We were close. Both of our mothers were taken as kids, so we were able to relate to each other. The only problem was that she clung on to me like a moth to a flame. It was annoying. Then my dad got sick, and I had to start working in the factory; I was the youngest ever to work there. As the time went by, I began to realize that I missed that little girl with crazy brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Then Ariel became a healer, and I would see her in the factory more and more. I remember wishing I could take a break just so I could talk to her. Because even though she was kind of annoying when she was a kid, I missed her like crazy. Then the drafting came, and we were both brought here. She came here because she had to, I came here by choice. Again, I have my own reasons why, though.

However, I figured while I was here, I would try to help her. It seemed she didn't want my help though. Every day she left the apartment to go to the roof, and came back late. I barely even saw her. Then came the night of the ball, and she almost resisted dancing with me. I didn't know what was her problem, I just wanted to take the opportunity to talk to her, since she managed to avoid me all week. Even when she fell off the obstacle course, she gave me the cold shoulder like she didn't want my help.