The Writers' Games: The Phoenix

Round 8 - Final Three Entries: Mailee Chao

Final Three - Mailee Chao 

There was warmth spreading throughout my body.

It had been awhile since I felt anything close to safety, but I felt it now. I lay in the meadow, feeling the sunshine touch the tip of my nose. I smiled; this was nothing I could ever describe.

That's when the warmth got more intense. I squirmed slightly and turned around, trying to get rid of the heat. It increased even more, and soon enough, the heat was unbearable.

With a gasp, my eyes flew open and all I saw was blue.

"Welcome, tributes," a booming voice rang. "Twenty four of you entered the arena, and now three of you are left." The voice paused. "Now. It's time to . . . er, eliminate the others." There was a cruel laugh. "And as we say in the Capitol, may the odds be ever in your favor!"

A beep indicated the end of the announcement, and I got up, panic quickly filling my entire body. My black hair dropped into my face and I pushed it away.

I was standing on a bright red metal square, fire tingeing the outsides of it. Ashley and Amberlynn stood across from me, also blinking and disoriented.

Fire. I felt my heart jump into my throat.

Over the roar of the fire, Amberlynn said: "Look, I don't want to kill anyone here."

Shocked, I gaped at the blonde, and Ashley did the same. I mulled over my options and sickenly realized that I wanted nothing but to end this game.

Ashley seemed to have the same thought. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely audible. With a scream, she ran straight towards Amberlynn, knife out in a flash.

In seconds, Amberlynn was stabbed. Blood splurted out and I screamed loudly for no reason. Ashley spun onto me. 

Wordlessly, she ran towards me and it took me a split second to realize that I needed to speed away from the corner.

She shoved me and I fell onto the metal floor. Pain flashed on my arm and I felt my stab wound reopen. I kicked her in the face and I heard her shriek louder. The only words in my head were: No kill, no kill, no kill. A sob racked my body and tears streamed down my face. I didn't want to kill. 

Ashley fell onto me and I saw Amberlynn standing above her, tears also sliding down her face. She wiped the blood off her knife and screamed. I choked on my sobs and pulled my knife out of my pocket. Throwing it off the square, I spat, "Just kill me."

Amberlynn stood there, fire shining in her eyes. She gasped for air loudly, spun around.

And she jumped.

A scream tore from my throat and I pushed all the pain and fear away and leaned over the edge of the square, barely noticing that the fire had gone out. A tiny speck flew down and then a cannon went off.

I cried and shrieked, not caring who saw. In the distance, I heard: "Congratulation, Mailee Chao of District Three! You are the victor of The Phoenix!"

Mailee Chao.

I'm not Mailee Chao.

I'm a killer.