Safe and Sound - Hunger Games AU

The Bloodbath - 6

During the trip to the arena nobody said a word. My hand remained over John's, trying to comfort him and stop him from shaking. Once the vehicle had landed on the island where the arena was located, we were each ushered to different rooms. John and I were in rooms next to each other and I could hear his panicked gasps through the wall. “John, breathe...” I whispered, trying to listen to any signs that he had calmed down.

“I can't... Shit, Sherlock. I love you... God, I might die-...” His voice was weak through the wall, but I could tell from the sounds that he was leaning on the same side I was.

“Don't say that. Okay, five more minutes until we get in there. We'll find shelter and run, yeah? We'll live, love. I promise.” I assured him, hearing the bell that signalled us to step onto the platform that would bring us up into the arena. “I love you.” I said before stepping onto the platform.

When it rose, I was exposed to the harsh sunlight. The arena was moderate temperature, almost everyday conditions. Though there had to be a catch. The area we were stood in was a clearing in a seemingly vast area of forest, the cornucopia presenting various weaponry and supplies on a slight incline. Turning my head, I noticed a backpack to my right with a sleeve of knives. I caught John's eye as the timer began to count down from thirty to zero. In the final five seconds, I watched the panic on Sarah's face. She hadn't yet stepped off the podium and I silently begged her to stay on it, giving her a pleading look. John was trying to remain strong, I could see it in his eyes. He seemed to have his sights set on a backpack behind him. The others seemed to be focused on the cornucopia, the weapons there that would help their survival.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Tributes stepped off their podiums, making a beeline for the cornucopia. In no time Pastel from district eight had acquired a spear and had killed off Nicholas from district four. I watched John run into the forest, gripping the backpack on his way. I took the backpack and sleeve of knives and ran after him, ensuring no other tributes saw our whereabouts. Sally had been running when she was hit with a knife, a forceful blow to the back of the head that sent her to the floor. Another tribute ran and took the knife, desperate for any sort of weapon. Sally was the fourth fallen tribute, one of the unfortunate ones to have died in the bloodbath. Phillip Anderson, a man from district ten that had began talking to Sally had tripped the tribute that had thrown the knife and attempted to kill him. He then ran after Sally, trying to bring her back. He looked distraught. The rest was missed by me as I ran through the forest, trying to locate John.

“Sherlock?”

I looked up into the tree and sighed in relief, scaling it quickly. John was already making quick progress on a trap that he would lower down from the tree and hopefully snag an animal or tribute that had be unlucky enough to cross the path. “It's alright... It's okay. We'll stay here until the cannons sound.” I whispered, bringing him close to my chest and running a hand through his hair. From here, we could see the top of the cornucopia and the remnants of the bloodbath. It was calming down now, a lack of tributes. From my position in the tree I could see Sarah, the shy girl from my district, going in to grab whatever she could, knives, ropes, food supplies. She was smart. She'd make it out. “I need a bow.” I murmured, watching the tributes disperse throughout the arena. Most had gone towards the east, while John and I were in the southwest corner. The tip of the cornucopia was facing north going off the position of the sun. I knew where I was. John gripped my hand tightly, “Don't you dare leave me.” he whispered, and I nodded. I'd go when it was better, no potential threat. I could find one, or steal one from a fallen tribute. However, my thoughts made me despise myself. Ten minutes into the games and I had become almost animalistic, contemplating stealing weaponry from the dead. It was unfair. But I needed to fight so I could keep John alive. John was all that mattered to me.

When the cannons sounded, I winced. Twenty eight tributes killed in the bloodbath, leaving twenty in the arena. Included in the twenty were me and John and Sarah. The anthem sounded, 'Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever' written under the names and districts of the fallen tribute. Every tribute from district six were down, likewise with district eight. John was shaking beside me. “We're still here, and they aren't... I talked to Lucia from twelve. She was nice... Not very strong. She scored a four, quite weak... She was nice. She didn't deserve to die.” John whispered, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. He held me tightly as the projection faded from the ceiling of the arena, the large domed surface reinforced with layers upon layers of thick glass and plastic so it was practically indestructible.

“Nobody deserves to die, John. But it happens. If I could stop it, I would.” my tone was soft, trying to keep him calm and prevent any possibly panic attacks so we were still well hidden and not loud enough to be found. Three tributes, presumably the ones from district two, were walking under the tree John and I were situated in, unfortunately avoiding the trap John had set down. Just three more centimetres to the right and two of them would have been caught and able to be killed, or at least injured by John or I. I clapped a hand over my mouth and held John tightly. The first three districts were brutal, all prepared to fight in the games. The children would have trained since being toddlers, eager to get a taste of blood in the games. Some volunteered to be in the games, desperate to win. The small group left and a shreik sounded. A shreik similar to that of a monkey or gorilla, probably one of the Capitol's engineered animals placed in the arena to rid it of tributes if the games continued for too long. Shortly after, one cannon sounded. Titan Hasbrila from district two had been killed. I stroked a hand through John's hair, just trying to calm him, to silence him as well as possible through the night.