Growing Flower

Chapter 12

A cannon booms. Starr killed Jada. My stomach lurches and I keep running.

I stop by a tree and hang on the trunk, panting. Why? That's all I can ask. Why would Starr kill Jada?

My mind is racing as I run off again. I'm betting Starr will follow.

I stop when I notice no one behind me. Hmm. I look around my surroundings and nothing seems familiar. Great. I let my eyes flicker around trying to see where I am. I believe I'm far from my campsite.

I take step back and look up at the canopy of trees to make sure no tributes were lurking around. I notice nothing so I turn around so I can begin moving.

Turning around was a mistake. Right in front of me was Starr. She always had quiet feet. I take a step back. My fingers wanted to raise my bow but I can't bring myself to shoot Starr.

Starr smiles at me. Not a friendly smile but, a "I'm-going-to-kill-you"smile.

"Hello Jasmine." she says. I shiver at the coldness in her voice. "I told you next time I wouldn't let you off so easy." She pauses for a moment to pull out a knife. She runs her finger over the blade. "Sorry I have to kill you." she says in almost a purr.

I let my feet take another step back. I allow my hand to hold up the bow and pull back the string with an arrow loaded.

"I'm not stupid Jasmine. I know what I'm doing. I also know you won't shoot me." Starr says.

She's right. All I can do is raise the bow. Starr always knew me better before I knew myself. I felt like crying but that would be stupid. I stand there watching as she advances a step. I can't move. In frozen.

Let the real games begin. I think sadly to myself. Even though she'll advance, I take a few steps back.

Starr stands where she was. I take one more step and her knife flies right by my ear, barely missing it. I turn to see the knife lodged in the trunk of a tree beside me. Right as I turn back to face her, another one of her knives scrapes my side. I yelp and bring my bow down.

I cringe as that brings a smile to Starr's face. What happened to my best friend? The Games are what happened. I bet the Gamemakers and Capitol people are happy with this twist. Well, there is probably at least one person who feels sympathy for a Tweleve year it. It's a very low probability.

I back into the tree, my quiver digging into my spine. My arms are limp at my side, my fingers clutching my bow for support. I'm trapped.

Starr throws another knife and I duck, the knife inches above my head. My side burns like fire now and it seems the knife she threw earlier didn't just graze my side, it cut me. I see the knife in my side. Blood pooled from the wound and I felt like everything would spill out of me as I painfully yank it from my side.

"Aw Jasmine. Your bleeding heavily. To bad you don't have anything to stop it." Starr hisses and I clutch my side.

She picks another knife from her belt and she tosses it from hand to hand. She's ready to deal the death blow. "Let's put you out of your misery."

Starr grins and prepares to throw the knife. Suddenly, I see something out of the corner of my eye. Right as Starr was ready to kill me, a knife flies through the air and stabs her square in the back.

Starr gasps and the knife drops from her hand. Blood forms around the knife in her back and flows down her back. She falls to the ground, her eyes losing their color. A pool of blood begins to surround her. Then her cannon booms.

I should feel sorrow because someone just killed my best friend. But what kind of best friend would try to kill me? instead I feel relief but it soon vanishes. Who killed Starr?

My eyes look to the figure that threw the knife and ended Starr's life.

Sirvantize steps out of the shadows.

----------------------

What do you think? Plz comment!!

Thanks so much for the views and votes! keep 'em coming!

Plz check out MockingJAYJAYs version of this story called "The Start".

Thanks u guys! ~ Peyton