The Capitol Games

Chapter 19: The End

I sit frozen as I stare at the two boys, engaged in a fist fight. Dart had knocked the knife loose, that's good. I see it gleam in the sun, and I dive for it, pushing the outstretched hand away. I grip the knife tightly and hurry out of the way, narrowly avoiding a flurry of bloody fists.
"Stop it you two! You'll get yourselves hurt! Stop! Stop it!" I scream, tossing the knife far behind me and trying my best to pry them away from each other. A fist finds its way into my gut, knocking the air out of my lungs. I fall back, shocked and hyperventilating. My eyes widen, I gasp for air.
Slowly, I regain my breath, but by then, it's too late. Both boys have a knife and are going at each other like they've been possessed. They don't even look human anymore. Now, they're just a blur of red and tan and silver weapons.
I come to my senses and bolt up to my feet, grabbing a knife of my own and running towards the two. By now, they had moved into an empty field, stained red with the two's blood.
Then comes the howling. Glowing red eyes appear all around us, creating a slowly shrinking circle. They are closing in, and as they get closer, my heart sinks. They are skeletons. Skeletons of wolves with glowing red eyes. I have no clue as to how that's possible, but I don't dwell too long on it.
The two boys are oblivious to the snarls and howls that are, somehow, coming from the demon dogs as they close in. They snap their jaws, making an eerie clacking noise that sends shivers down my spine.
Finally they reach us, and I fall, a scream erupting from my throat as a demon dog clamps its skeletal jaws on my calf.
My scream seems to bring the boys out of their trance. They turn to me and raise their knives, running at the beast that attacked me. I watch as they're tackled by their own dogs. I take my knife and slash at the dog, trying to kill it, if it was even possible. The demon dog releases my leg and pounces at my face. I roll out of the way just in time, and struggle to my feet, only to fall back to my knees. I twist my body to face the dog, and gasp as I am pressed harshly into the grass. It's hard to breath with the dog pressing heavily onto my chest, crushing my ribs. I hear a crack and a stinging pain that makes my lung feel like it's on fire. With as much strength as I can muster, I jab my knife up between the dog's ribs, and lodge my knife in its spine. I see the red glow die out and the skeleton collapse into a pile of bones on top of me.
No sooner had I uncovered myself and struggled to my knees, then another demon dog was attacking me. I slice through two bones connecting it's leg to the rest of its body, and swerve out of the way of falling bones. Two more swipes and it's dead, decapitated from my small blade.
Screams sound from behind me, and I whip around to see the two working together to fight off three dogs. Then, before I know it, I'm flat on my stomach, my tongue bleeding from where I bit it. A demon dog snarls in my ear, and I stifle a scream. My arm is on fire, I can't move it. The dog snapped the bone. It hurts so, so bad. Tears stream down my grimy dirt covered cheeks. I struggle to find my voice as I see the two losing the battle.
"The joints! Cut between the joints!" I yell, before being silenced by another bite on my left shoulder blade. I can't hold it back anymore, I scream. Loud.
The dog rolls me over with his skull, most likely so he can rip out my throat. I take my chance, and, using my left hand, I stab right under his skull, killing the demon dog.
I see my arm above me. So pale and bleeding rich red blood. My knife falls from my hand, it shaking too bad to be able to hold anything. I'm losing so much blood, I can feel it. A tiredness comes over me, and I struggle to keep my eyes open. With my blurring vision, I look to the two boys to find them beaten, bloody, and broken. I can tell at least one was dead, but I'm not sure which. Still, a deep sadness washes over me, causing more tears to slide down my bloody face and onto the soft grass. My eyes are growing heavier by the second, my veins pumping out even more blood. I am so cold and pale, I know it. My last thought as I close my eyes is:
Halsie, please be safe.