Author Games: Dacnomania Nexus Accourt

Task Three - No Place Like Home - Females

District Two - Bellona Blake

I am the only girl in the alliance still alive. Sirena was surprising, but not shocking. But Shardonnay… Her quick death reminds me that nobody how skilled you may be, no one is safe in the arena.

“Two of us gone in only one day,” Laurent mutters. “We need to step it up.” I agree. With the Careers split almost in half by death, the other tributes will be quick to take advantage if any of us shows any weakness.

I scrape my fingernails through the hard dirt. Due to the suit, my fingernails don’t actually make contact with the dirt, but the action still helps me focus.

“We need to go hunting,” I announce, rising to my feet.

Orchid and Lynx, having a discussion inside the Cornucopia, turn to look at me. Laurent stops his pacing to focus on me. Vilmos looks up from his seat outside the Cornucopia entrance.

“Vilmos and L-“ I almost say Laurent, but it occurs to me I need someone I know has trained vigorously to guard the supplies and instead say, “Lynx, will go hunting that way.” I stick my hand out to the right of the Cornucopia.

I continue, “Orchid and I will go that way,” I point in the opposite direction. “Laurent will stay and guard the supplies.”

Orchid chooses to take a simple knife with her. I prefer to take the same sword I used in the bloodbath.

As we head out into the arena, Orchid continues to babble. For a moment I contemplate killing her to get her to shut up, but it’s not worth it. Orchid’s cheerfulness is almost cute in the way toddlers are cute, and anyway if I killed her Lynx and the Capital would not be pleased.

I squint. Standing tall and proud in the dust. Is that what I think it is?

I turn to consult Orchid, but she’s gone, running off after another form in the distance. The form is obviously too big to be a tribute or animal, so I roll my eyes and turn back to the first figure.

There’s no way to tell from this distance, so I keep walking closer. The closer I get, the more it looks like my house.

A chill sweeps over me. Why would a copy of my house be inside the arena?

Pandora’s voice begins to speak. Her words confirm that the house I see is intended to resemble my home. But why?

As if she had heard my mental question-which isn’t entirely impossible considering some of the abilities given to tributes- Pandora says, “We just thought it fitting to remind you that everything you hold dear is not free from destruction or decay. I do love a bit of psychological torment.”

The words spin in my head. Everything you hold dear is not free from destruction or decay.

I run to the house. It takes all my self-control to not use my super speed to get there faster. By the time I step through the front door, my heart is pounding.

The grandfather clock that normally stands at the front of the house has fallen. Glass litters the main hallway that Mother always loved to be pristine.

I step over the clock and continue toward the kitchen. I am careful to avoid stepping on any glass slivers. The last thing I need is a cut on my foot.

When I reach the kitchen and dining room, I see more chaos. The refrigerator has fallen onto the floor. Broken dishes litter the counters and table. The dinner table is overturned. The inside of the dinner table is filled with dark red dried globs.

I swallow hard. I know the color dried blood well. I force myself to keep going into the living room.

My mother’s favorite chair is nearly shredded. The sofa is flipped. The baby grand piano is crushed. On the ground, something catches my eye.