The 151st Annual Hunger Games

Games~Day 5~Part 2

Silver Hale's POV:

I sit on the edge of the stiff Capitol couch. It's a maroon colour, with the velvet surface well-worn in places. Merida is sitting in a similar armchair across from me. The Games are playing on the television screen in front of us, our tributes standing in the clearing for the feast. Our only two tributes left are Deston and Red, both ruthless and determined to win simply for the glory.

The feast is about to start and the tributes stand around the cornucopia, watching for someone to make the first move. There's 10 left, 2 can't make it out. Some of the tributes look so scared they're almost in tears and others, like our stone-cold tributes, look unfazed.

After Killian and Mayella's cannons go off, people seem to awaken from the trance this Games has put them in, whether good or bad. Deston grips an axe tightly, smirking. Inuk shivers in fear, her only weapon being a small dagger which she holds in front of her uncertainly. Corie seems just as crazy as ever, holding her throwing knives she laughs. Laughs. Half the Capitol is probably laughing right now too.

I glance over at Merida, who only half pays attention, as she chews her nails. Neither of us are particularly enthusiastic about our tributes but we're still nervous for this feast's outcome.

My gaze never leaves the screen, even when it shuts off and lights up again with the Capitol seal. President Jean's face is illuminated on the television, a smug grin and sharp eyes causing a sick feeling in my stomach. "This is a message for you Silver. Your sister is gone. I warned you. Stop your efforts or you will provoke me into doing something I know you don't want me to. All of you have done this to yourselves. You have no one to blame." Each sentence is detached and cold and it makes it's way into my very bones. My gasp is almost silent as I lean forward in my seat, the President's face disappearing just as fast as it came.

"Wh....what..." My eyes fill with tears as Merida looks at me sympathetically, standing up to wrap her arms around my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry." She whispers in my ear.

Chloe Bloom's POV:

My apologies would never be enough. I killed Killian. I left Inuk alone. I left her without the one person she cared about. Without the one person who cared about her. I hadn't meant to...

If I live past this day I don't think I'll ever forget what I've done in these Games. How will I be able to take care of Airyn...

I don't have time to think any more into my uncertain future as Inuk starts to whisper something.

"Put down your weapons." She says. I glance up at her in pity, watching how she stares into the ground, her eyes glazed over.

"What did you say?" Deston says harshly, walking over to her in long strides. She looks up at this, terrified, as Deston grasps her hair. "We. Do. Not. Surrender. To. Weakness."

Inuk looks him dead in the eyes. "Maybe if you did, we'd all live another day."

Anger flickers across Deston's face and Inuk hits the ground so fast we all stand there with nothing but shock. She stills as Deston's dagger puts an end to what she was trying to say. Beside me, Ashlyn brings her hand up to muffle her gasp, the cannon making her flinch.

This feast is going to end quicker than expected.

"Anyone else want to try and stop me from playing these Games?" Deston to says, turning around with his axe swinging from his wrist. No one speaks, the only sound being Corie's giggles. She looks impressed as she claps for Deston.

I twirl my throwing knives in my hand, watching all the other tributes. What's stopping me from finishing this feast? Why am I not throwing this at Deston the second I get the chance? I spin the blade faster and faster, the weight of it egging me on. Deston walks back to the cornucopia nonchalantly, as if he doesn't even care about what he's done.

I glance at Ashlyn, nodding slightly as I steady the blade on my hand. I throw it as fast and as hard as I can, hoping to make the distance between myself and the other tribute. The incessant laughing stops, the wide smile disappears and the mocking sound of her hands clapping stops as she falls to the ground. I look at Corie, shocked at what I've done. Her cannon goes off and when I glance up at the cornucopia Deston is standing against it with his arms crossed, a smug expression on his usually emotionless face. He looks like he's contemplating whether to walk over to me but his thoughts are thankfully interrupted by a voice coming on over the arena. However it isn't the President's voice, instead it's one I don't recognize.

"Three minutes, you have three minutes. Run."