The Selection in the Hunger Games

Celeste - Chapter 26

My dehydrated and hungry body laid on the dying grass. The sun was blaring, turning its beautiful green to a harsh mud yellow. Where are Maxon and Aspen? I thought. I tried my best to not think of Marlee, Carter, or Rezo. I didn't even know him. But he was determined and passionate. He probably had someone waiting for him at home. Like me with May.

"Mer," Aspen declared. "Mer!" I cracked my eyelids open, waiting till I could focus on his image.

"Aspen," I said aimlessly. He looked really blurry.

"She's dehydrated. We need to get water!" I think that was Maxon. The words started flying above me. I was not cognisant of them.

I was being carried, tossed over someone's shoulder. My body bumped up and down, the person struggling to hold me.

"What are we going to do with her?" I didn't know that voice.

"Draw them in. They're the only ones left. Trust me, if not the other boy toy, Maxon will come after her." Was that...Celeste! Where were Aspen and Maxon? I opened my eyes.

I couldn't see the person carrying me but I saw Elise Whisks, and Celeste. How had this happened?

"Let me go," I mumbled. My throat was so hoarse.

"Put her down, Kriss," Celeste ordered. I was placed on my feet but fell immediately to the floor. The grass was all dead now, my body sinking into the mud.

"Uh!" Celeste groaned. "Don't be a drama queen."

"But," Kriss piped, "She hasn't had water."

"Uh!" Celeste groaned again. "Give her some and shut up."

Liquid met my dry lips which I gratefully drank. It was pulled away too soon, leaving me gasping. Kriss sat on her knees so that she was eye level with me.

"Is this the first time you've had water?" she asked, genuine worry filling her eyes. I managed to nod. She gave me more water quickly.

"Kriss! Come on," Celeste called.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Kriss questioned, still leaning down with me. I shook my head. I fell a couple of times but I was determined. I was getting up. I kneeled first then gradually got myself to my feet. I followed Kriss who thankfully, was going slow for my sake.

I felt much better about her alliance with Aspen. She had taken care of him.

"We need to get in before noon," Elise stated.

"It's amazing that you can tell time with the sun," Kriss complimented, walking near me in case I fell.

Elise took in the admiration. "I was taught that from childhood."

"We get it, Elise," Celeste hissed. "You're talented. You weren't the only one trained for this."

"Well, I am the only one with modesty."

Celeste fought the urge to attack her. Kriss met my eyes and we both giggled a little.

"Shut it!" Celeste yelled. Her hair was messy and loose but that wasn't it. It was her eyes. She had lost it. She had took a life with those knives. Her own.

We walked in silence until something horrific happened. The most horrific thing I had ever seen. A human leg collapsed from the sky to the ground, it tearing on its meeting. Then a knee. Then so many other limbs. We were getting the rain we wanted but not the right type. It was a rain. A rain of bodies.

"We need shelter!" I shouted, my voice no longer grating. The human remains plagued our bodies. Then I saw it. A human head, detached from its owner. It wasn't any head. It was Marlee's.

"Marlee!" I screamed. "MARLEE!" Kriss gripped my arm and dragged me with them. I could not stop screaming. These limbs. They were the tributes. There was a forest. At least the trees would hide their parts.

We entered the forest, the body parts no longer hitting us. Then a red sickly liquid hit my temple. I brought my hand to my forehead and wiped it off. Blood.

"It's blood," I said, careful to not open my mouth too wide. The girls' eyes widened. We huddled under a large tree, our bodies shaking. The forest was uncomfortably hot. But we were still so cold.

The blood rain finally ceased. Elise seemed disturbed and Kriss was openly bawling. Celeste stood far from us, staring at the stained foliage.

"This is ridiculous," I blurted, looking at each of them. "This whole thing is ridiculous. Why are we doing this? Why?" 

"America!" Elise scolded. "Have you no respect for tradition?"

"Tradition? Sure. Unneeded Death? No," I argued.

"You don't understand. This is the natural flow in which we must abide."

"While they sit and think of to torture us? They survive, Elise! We are the only ones dying from tradition." I declared. Marlee's head had flown from the sky. I had no remorse.

A long silence invaded the air. "She's right," Celeste agreed. The truth had finally hit her. "America's right."

Kriss wasn't saying anything, she was quietly fidgeting her hands. She had been hit the most.

"Kriss?" I whispered. She pursed her lips, shaking her head.

"I don't know. Please don't ask me."

We cleaned off the best we could, Elise avoiding my eye.

Gavril Fadaye's voice illuminated throughout the arena. "Tributes, there are only six of you left. You have made it. You are at the final stretch. Go to the middle of the forest. You will find the last level there now. Thank you tributes for the most thrilling and let's say, uh, romantic, Hunger Games yet."

"I'm not going," Celeste said. "I'm not playing their game. Not anymore." She searched her bag and kicked her knives in a bundle at me. "Take them. I'm done."

"No. We're almost done. Survive. Or at least try," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

She gave me a sad smile. It was the first time I had ever seen her smile. She moved her head to the left. She was pointing me to the center of the forest.

"Celeste, are you sure?" Kriss queried.

She nodded. Elise bowed to her. The two girls walked left and I turned to follow them.

"Wait!" Celeste exclaimed. I turned to her. Water was filling her eyes. "You're the only one worthy. Take care of him."

She was talking about Maxon. After waking from what I was guessing was a multiple day blackout, something in my heart had been made certain. Aspen was my best friend. But Maxon was, if he wanted to be, or if we both stayed alive, my lifelong confidante. My happily ever after.

"I will do the best I can."

I looked into the knife bag. One was missing.

**Did Celeste redeem herself? What did you think of her ending?**

**What will happen next? And wasn't that rain gross?**

**Final chapters coming up. I hope you guys have enjoyed this book, thank you for reading, and do you agree with America's decision about Maxon over Aspen?