Black Ice (The Hunger Games--Fanfic)

e l e v e n

We stand around for a while, fighting off all of the people who attempt to come near to the Cornucopia, and eventually it seems as though we have managed to scare most of them off. For now at least.

"Right," Nellie smiles "Let's get killing."

The others laugh, like they're possessed by some kind of overwhelming desire for the taste of blood. Blood on their weapons, on their clothes, and in pools by their feet. But the only blood on me is the blood on y hands. The guilt. I've just killed someone, and I'm sure I'll have to do it again at some other point, if I want to survive.

"Come on, let's find somewhere to set up a camp for the night. We should start now, so that we don't run out of time." Shadow says, and the others all murmur in agreement.

"Surely," I decide to speak, and they all turn around to look at me "If we set up a camp, then we're easy targets? Like sitting ducks. They'll kill us."

"No one will kill us. They're too afraid."

"Okay."

So, I follow the others through the long grass, which blows about softly in the wind. It seems like a paradise almost, and I know that for many tributes it will be. An escape from the hunger and poverty that they live in back home. An escape from the damp, dark conditions in which I've heard many people who aren't from the career districts live in.

Hell.

A cannon goes off somewhere in the distance, followed by yet another two and I've lost count now, but I know that the number of deaths so far is pretty large. Not just from within the bloodbath. People must've run away, seeking somewhere to hide out for the time being, while they wait until things have calmed down a little bit, only to encounter others while doing so.

"Wait." Mimi calls us all to a halt.

"What is it?" Josh asks.

"Don't you see?" Arlo smiles, standing beside her, and looking over the grass.

"See what?" Josh frowns.

"They're right," Shadow calls.

"Will one of you please explain what you're talking about?" Krystal snaps.

"The grass is long."

"Well, I know that."

"There are prints." I realize "Tracks. The grass gets squashed down when people run through it, right? And the area over there," I point in front of us "Is flattened down. So-"

"So someone must've run through it." Krystal nods "Nice one, mermaid."

I nod her a quick thanks and then we make our way towards the area where someone has run.

"Okay, so we're going to follow it through and kill whoever we find. Sound good?" Shadow says.

Everyone nods, and he leads us through the grass, picking up a pace, as he begins a run. We all follow him, and we run for what seems to be miles before we get somewhere.

"A lake?" Nellie frowns.

"Maybe it's your fish friend?" Josh laughs.

"Yes, but look, they didn't turn off there," I point at a path turning left, only seconds before the opening towards the lake.

They all turn and see where I'm pointing. Shadow pushes past the others and leads us on down the path, following whoever it was that left the tracks.

We keep going on and on, and I'm getting convinced that it'll be dark soon, and just as that thought crosses my mind we all stop, and crouch. I see Nellie ready her bow and arrow as she positions it as best as she can through the grass, pointing it at someone on the other side.

Krystal has a devious grin about her and she seems to be eager to witness the death of a tribute. Whoever it is seems to be just standing there, like they know we are here, and they are waiting for their death. 

I want to scream out, tell them to run, but I can't, or it'll be me next. I know it's selfish for me to think that way, but I'm not going to make stupid mistakes, and let my family down or bring shame and embarrassment to my district.

I watch Nellie's hand as she draws back the string of the bow and holds the arrow between her fingers, her hand is steady, unlike mine which shook like an earthquake as soon as I did so much as pick up the bow.

Suddenly, she releases the string, and lets the arrow slip free from the grasp of her fingers. The arrow goes flying through the air and hits whoever it is right between the shoulder blades. There is a loud groan, and then the buckling of knees, and they crumple to the floor.

BOOM.

The cannon goes off in the distance. Shadow pats Nellie's shoulder halfheartedly, before he walks through the grass and over to the body. He tugs out the arrow and chucks it down beside him, where Nellie runs over to and picks it up. Then, he kicks over the tribute, onto their back, and looks at their face.

It was Rose. The girl from district 11.

I feel a twinge of pain in my chest, but try to ignore it.

As we all lay down beside the fire we set up, I listen out for the anthem that starts playing, and see the faces of tributes in the sky. I count eleven.

Eleven people are dead already. That means just over half of us are left, and I have let twelve more people die if I ever want to go home or see my family again.

I know everyone else is thinking the same. But I'm also beginning to wander at what point do we disband from each other and begin to run, constantly dreading being killed by each other.