Alyssa of Nine (Reimagining the Hunger Games)

Chapter Seventeen: A Deadly Banquet

Once Claudius Templesmith ends the announcement, I look at Matthew, Jayden, and Marina. "That settles it. I'm going to the Sphinx, I'll see if I can find something else I might need. There probably will be." I say to all of them. Better to go our own separate ways now than for me to stay, if it turns out that I will only end up having to kill any of them. I don't want to be the one responsible for that inevitable cruelty.

"Alyssa, no way in Hell are you leaving us now. We all made our deals, see when you're part of an alliance, you have to stick with that alliance no matter what. Otherwise, you'd be no better than the Careers." Jayden tells me. But I say, "I don't want to end up killing any one of you. Don't you understand that? The longer I stay, the more I get afraid that that is exactly what is going to happen. I intend to survive, but I don't want to be a murderer just because that's what the Hunger Games are about. I'd be no better than any of them if I do what they want."

Marina, Matthew, and Jayden all look at me as though they are fearful that President Snow may order any one of the Gamemakers to blow me to bits at any moment. "Alyssa! Are you an idiot? That way of thinking is something that's forbidden! Do you want to bring trouble down on your own district? Because that's what it's beginning to look like!" Matthew says angrily. "You don't have a choice but to play it their way. It's not about compassion, humanity, or trust. It's about staying alive, to quote something Noah Linwood once said after he won his Games. And you still need us in order to survive." I can't argue with this because Matthew's right. We still need to work as allies in order to survive. Just like the fact that sooner or later, I'll likely be forced to kill someone in order to stay alive. Be it a Career, one of my team, or one of the last other tributes standing, wherever they're hiding now. That's the Hunger Games.

After Matthew says that, he turns to Jayden and Marina. "I think you'd both better come along with us. From what the Head Gamemaker just said, there's going to be a lot of danger at this so-called banquet. It will be safer if we are all there as a team in case the remaining Careers come along to try and murder us, and it's very likely they'll be drawn to the banquet on the hunt for not only us but any more supplies they can get their hands on." Marina says to this, "Of course you're right, Matthew. Are you still with us?"

"Like you would even have to ask. I've been looking forward to the opportunity to take out another Career or two. The more tributes that go, the closer these Games get to the conclusion. Let's do it." Matthew says with a steely look of determination as he grabs his bag and picks up his ax. And it is decided, all of us pack up and move out toward the Sphinx.

***

As soon as we enter the Sphinx, what at first appears to be almost total darkness flares into brightness as several torches light around us. And we see a massive table that appears to be made of solid gold, with at least hundreds of different items waiting on it. Bags of desert camping supplies, medicines, weapons, even glittering jewels and the makings of a mouthwatering feast, spicy meats, hummus, breads, cheeses, sesame cakes, fruits, and goblets of wine. But there is also a sign nearby which Marina tells us to read with her. So we all gather around it.

Behold young tributes this table of gold,
Contains an assortment of supplies you'll need to grab and go,
Weapons to kill, remedies and tools to survive,
But not everything on this table would save your life,
Which is why in order for any of you to advance,
You must now be put to a different test,
Do you have what it takes to avoid falling into this trap?
Beware of temptation, vanity and gluttony mask the Reaper in wait.

"I think by vanity they mean the jewels, and by gluttony that's the food and wine. The feast must be poison, as for the jewels I don't know, but it's clear that whatever would happen in that case is also fatal. So we'll have to take only what we absolutely need to survive in the long run, which would be anything in the bags and the weapons. So anything you think you need, better grab it now so we can get out of here." Jayden tells us.

"But why are you in such a hurry?" Someone else asks. We all turn around to see that Taffeta and Emerald are here, and they are both advancing toward us. I also know for a fact that Emerald has at least twenty or so different knives hidden away on the inside of her jacket, and Taffeta has a frighteningly sick talent for thinking of ways to strangle people. But there is more of us then there are of them.

"You're a bit outnumbered One and Two. Is Adonis cowering in fear somewhere because he saw what Matthew did to your friend Roland last time we met?" I ask Emerald and Taffeta tauntingly. "Or did he leave you girls to do the dirty work because he's lazy as well as an arrogant sleaze?"

"Alyssa! Be careful, they're still lethal!" Marina hisses. Emerald smiles a cruel smile. "Your little weakling friend is smarter than she looks. You should listen to her. But we found you this easily since you're right where we expected you to be. So on second thought, I guess you're all not so smart."

Emerald then pulls out a knife from her jacket. "Adonis gave us a job to do. As long as we promised to leave you alive orphan, for him to take care of later, he said we could kill any of your friends we want. It's too bad it has to be this way. Too bad for your friends from Four, anyway."

Before Matthew and I can retaliate, Taffeta grabs hold of me, holding my arms tight behind my back with one hand and her other hand holds another blade at my throat. Matthew moves to rescue me but Taffeta says coldly, "Make another move lumber boy, and Alyssa of Nine dies too. I almost let out a yell of pain as Taffeta presses the blade even harder, hard enough to draw some blood, from the feeling of it.

Emerald yells, "No! The District Nine orphan trash is Adonis' kill, remember?" Then she looks at Marina with bloodlust and cries, "But you shall be mine!" And Emerald moves for Marina, poised to stab her to death, but Jayden yells, "No!" and gets in her way, standing between both girls. And I am helpless to do anything as Emerald stabs Jayden once, and then twice. And he collapses onto the stone floor.