The Capitol Games

Chapter 10

[Sorry for ANOTHER flashback. I promise it's important and that this one will be either the last one or the second to last.]

Two years ago. The 38th Capitol Games. The Arena.

"I'm glad you're my ally, Crim."

Two young lovers share a kiss under a willow tree, a quick but passionate kiss, like they've done many before.

"I'm glad you're the person I'm kissing right now, Zack."

Their romantic moment was interrupted by an arrow whizzing right past their heads, lodging itself into he branch next to them. Crimson got up and pulled the arrow out of the wood, notching it into her own bow and firing it back where it came.

Zack sprung into action as well, snatching his weapon of choice: some throwing knives.

Their attackers were some other Capitol kids who Crimson didn't know. This helped her fight ferociously, firing arrows and beating them up without any regret or mercy.

There were many of them, though. Too many. About 5 or 6, all fighting against Crimson and Zack.

"Aaaaaaugh!!!"

"Zack!" Crimson screamed, waching as one of their opponents thrust a spear into Zack's chest.

"No, Zack, no!"

Zack didn't respond. Crimson could still see his shallow but visible breaths, however, so she fought harder than ever to get by his side.

She knocked out several and killed one or two. When they all lay on the ground, Crimson collapsed on the ground next to Zack, who was just barely breathing.

"No, no, don't leave me here," Crimson sobbed, stroking his pale face.

"I... love you, Crim. I love you. I'm sorry."

"No. No! Don't die, please... please."

Zack's fingers dropped to his sides, where they stayed there, unmoving and cold, and the life from his eyes gone forever.

A few hours later

The hovercraft had come and gone. Crimson lay a few feet away so she wouldn't have been brought up too, although she debated doing that. But right now she just wanted to die.

Suddenly she heard a rustle in the bushes. Crimson whipped around, but it was too late. A knife ehad come hurtling from the bush, and it lodged itself in her back, and the world went black.

Another few hours later

Pain. That's all she could feel. Pain. Unbelievable pain. She hadn't felt this much pain since Zack had died.

She became vaguely aware that she was lying on a soft bed in a bright room, with other people inside it.

"The hovercraft took her away, and her cannon went off, but she isn't dead. I don't know what we're going to do."

"I don't know either. How she survived, I have absolutely no idea, but we can't put her back in the Games."

"And she can't live her normal life again. People will get suspicious."

"I have an idea..."

Present day

"And so they forced me to go back in the arena once I got better. So, here I am, alive but with many scars, and happy yet sad."

I stared down at my feet in disbelief. Crimson had just finished telling me about where she was in the past decade. I cantbelieve I had to miss being present at Reaping Day when I was thirteen. I would've seen her.

"Oh my gosh." I say, because it's the only thing I can think to say. "Oh my gosh."

I'm crying now. But they're happy tears. I'm finaly back with my sister.

Now how we're going to survive these Games, I don't know.