Author Games: Dacnomania Nexus Accourt

Task Five - 'Little' Pests - Males

District One - Laurent Bloom

The night had been unseasonably warm, a striking change from the bitter winds we had been getting. "Mama!" I shouted, my legs poking out of underneath the bed. With an inpatient huff, I wiggled out, sneezing violently as the dust found its way up my eight year old nose.

"She not coming." My head snapped around at Louis's words. He stood in the doorway, sucking his thumb, dragging his ratty blanket on the floor. I resisted the urge to correct his grammar. "She packed a bag. She packs for us too."

"Louis." I snapped, his eyes growing wide. "You are three, not stupid. Learn to speak."

My mother appeared behind him, her face scolding. "Laurent. Be nice to your brother." She held out a large bag filled to the brim with clothes. "Now let's go." Louis grabbed his own bag, sticking out his tongue.

"I telled you! We going on adventure with Mama!" I ignored him, making no attempt to move towards him, or my mother. A faint ticking filled the room.

I narrowed my eyes. "Where are we going? You're leaving? Why-"

"We're leaving, actually." She interrupted. Her face crumpled when I asked if we would ever return. "Laurent, please honey." She begged, grabbing onto Louis's hand.

I stood my ground, crossing my arms over my chest. "Tell me where we are going."

With a defeated sign, my mother looked down at her shoes. White, sturdy walking shoes. "There is a place, a few districts over." She admitted. "Underground shelter. People like us can go."

"People like us?" I snapped. I threw myself dramatically onto the bed. "I am not going. You cannot make me."

Mama glared at me, her eyes slits. "Your father will be home soon. We need to go before-"

"I am not leaving Dad!" I shouted, raising my eight year old voice. Very intimidating. "And you aren't very nice if you are going to leave him!" With one swift motion, she wrapped me up in her arms, kissing the top of my head. She took Louis in her hand, and disappeared.

"What about Laurie?" I heard my brother whine, followed by sobbing. "I want Laurie!" He shouted, his voice covered in tears. "I want Laurie!"

I awoke suddenly, my body covered in sweat. I couldn't quite decide if the drops on my face were from tears or sweat. I'd bet sweat.

"Wake up, sunshine." Bellona whispered, smiling softly. As cold and ruthless as she was, she understood. Vilmos was important to her. The one person in the Arena she could confide in. Now that Lynx was gone, she had stopped being a self-entitled bitch. I wouldn't expect rainbows to pour out of her mouth yet, but it was progress. She made what I did to Natalia justifiable. I remember thinking how her torturing the girl who killed Vilmos as cruel, and unnecessary. After killing Natalia as slowly as possible, I understood.

Khave was in the air, his bright teeth still managing to look sharp in the pale, yellow glow. "What do you think he is saying?" Bellona shrugged. She looked terrible; limp, greasy strands of brown hair, sunken, purple shadows clawing under her eyes. She scowled, but it was tired.

"You look pretty bad yourself, Bloom." Her sad smile drilled as hole into my heart. She looked so much like Pearl when she did that. So much like the girl I- "Holy Warwell!" Bellona snapped, scrambling to her feet.

I followed the motion, my eyes widening in fear as I watched the sky. Khave had vanished, his cool, spiked hair absent from the sky. Mutts. Mutts are nothing to worry about, my father always used to tell me. His district partner was killed by Mutts, years ago. More than half of the District One Tributes my dad trained had died because of Mutts. Lovely.