The 55th Hunger Games

Chapter 16

        I stare bewildered as my fellow district partner ducks and hides behind the rim as she moves along it, moving closer towards the two Careers. Then when she is above them, she lies down on the ground like us. Almost immediately I know what she is scheming.

        I grasp Aponi's arm but by the time I do it is too late. Samantha has leaped from her hiding place and is sliding with great speed down the slope, axe in hand, towards the two stunned Careers. The two Careers see her and startle, but perhaps not in time because Samantha is upon them in a matter of seconds screaming a battle cry as she raises her axe above her head, ready to throw it.

        Neither of the two Careers hold a weapon and seemed to be too stunned to do anything. Pearl reacts in time to dodge out of the way, but Samantha doesn't seem to be going for her anyway. She goes for the large brutish District 2 boy, Pride.

        Aponi and I watch, glued to the snow, as Pride only just manages to stumble aside in time to avoid the axe. As Samantha recovers from the momentum, Pride -who lies in the snow- manages to knock her feet out from beneath her.

        She falls to the snow too, the axe out of her reach, its sharp edge buried in the snow. She does not have time to recover it as Pride instinctively engages in a combat of strength with her. They wrestle each other on the ground, trying to hold the other at bay and inch themselves a little closer to the axe.

        Then my stomach drops as I see Pearl's eyes glitter upon the weapon in the snow. No one is fighting her so she lunges for it, grasps its handle and yanks it out of the snow. Meanwhile Samantha is still groping with Pride and does not seem to realise the danger behind her. Pearl raises the axe triumphantly, and I am a second from screaming out a warning when she throws it.

        It seems to sail very slowly through the air. My heart races inside its cage. Aponi makes a move to cover her eyes. Then at the very last second Samantha dives aside, dodging a punch from Pride just in time to avoid the axe she had not noticed was in the air. But then I witness a scene which I think I will never forget.

        With Samantha no longer in the way, the axe sails through the air and buries itself deep into Pride's temple. He falls senseless to the ground instantly and the sound of a cannon blast rips through the air.

        I look away, but only for an instant and look back to see Samantha's shock.

        "Pride!" The District 4 girl screams, moving towards his body. "Oh Pride, I am so sorry!"

        But the next second Samantha seems to have recovered from her shock. She leaps to her feet and reaches out to the axe, now buried inside the dead tribute's forehead. Pearl seems to realise her danger instantly. She lunges with all speed at Samantha. Her groping hands are inches from Samantha and I cringe as in the last second Samantha pulls the weapon free, and swings it around, severing the girl's neck.

        When her body drops to the ground her head is hanging off her shoulders at an odd angle. Another cannon blasts. My chest convulses with shocked and grieving sobs.

        Samantha glances around her, seemingly very much in shock as well. Then as though in a hurry she gets to her feet with her blood stained weapon and heads towards the tents.

        I feel I can barely move, and I do not have the heart to. I am stiff and frozen in the snow. My breathing is very heavy, and I feel very light headed. Aponi lies close to me, my only source of heat. My hand is still clutched around her arm and I realise I have been squeezing her very tight. I try to relax my grip a little, but barely manage it. My fingers feel frozen as ice.