PJO Hunger Games au

Pink Skies

Annabeth wasn't sleeping well. She stared up at the patterns on the ceiling and made them into different things. Clouds, a waterfall, a rooster on a light post, anything to ward off the fear. When she closed her eyes all she else was the hammer hitting Leo, the light fading from his eyes, his body bent on the ground. He was dead just like that. A matter of seconds. And in the next few days she probably would be too.

She rolled over to look at her allies. Reyna was silent and still, she slept like she was dead. Piper was curled on her side, breathing steadily. How much longer could this alliance last? She could kill Piper if it came down to it but about Reyna? She was a better fighter, taller, stronger, Annabeth probably wouldn't stand a chance.

The thought crossed her mind to kill them now, while they slept. It would be quick and easy. But then she thought of how many times Reyna has saved her, how Piper lightened the mood. They were useful. But to what end? She could draw her knife, she always slept with it, creep over to Reyna, stab her right in the heart. She would die quickly, soundlessly. Then move on to Piper, kill her too, wash the blood off her hands- Annabeth jolted herself out of her daze.

She shuttered, the games were getting to her. She couldn't do that, not tonight, not with a knife, not with everyone watching. She flexed her hands and realized how tight she'd been grasping her dagger. The lines in her hand took a long time to disappear.

The next morning the girls decided they could use a day to relax. Or relax as much as they could in a fight to the death. The sky had gone a weird a pink color, but besides casting a hue on everything nothing seemed to be off.

Piper placed her palm on the window and pressed gently, as if trying to crack it.

"You know, this pink sky business is kind of cool. It makes my skin look good."

Reyna rolled her eyes. "I bet it means some nasty trap or sadistic twist from the gamemakers."

"Maybe they just forgot to turn to the sky on today," Annabeth said. "And plus there's no sense worrying about it. We'll know when we know."

Piper gasped and yanked her hands back from the window. "I think we know." When she turned to face them her palms were already blistering.

Reyna's eyes widened. "Cover the windows, it's some sort of burning light!" Annabeth looked around but there was nothing to cover them with.

"We have to hide until it gets dark," Annabeth said, "avoid the patches of light."

With wide windows around them, a lot of the floor was covered with that eerie light. As the day went on, the sun was going to move... where? East to West, Reyna had said. Which meant the only safe place was a back corner on the south side of the room. They grabbed their stuff and crammed into the corner, laying their blankets out almost like a fort.

After bandaging Piper's hands, there was nothing to do but watch the sun patches creep across the carpet. Piper passed out, Reyna and Annabeth made a game where they throw bits of paper into a metal cylinder in the center of the room.

Sometime in the late afternoon, Annabeth rested her head against the cool glass of the south-facing windows. The pink light made the streets look fake, turned the scraggly trees gray. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even see the person until they crossed the middle of the street.

A boy with blond hair, staggering back and forth. He did a strange little dance before falling over, his skin was red as blood. Annabeth watched silently, with a strange fascination as he convulsed on the ground. He went still, and some time later the cannon went off, jolting Piper and Reyna awake.

"What was that?" said Piper.

Annabeth pointed vaguely below. "That guy. Can't tell who he is."

Reyna pulled out a strange, blocky item and looked through it.

"What is that?" asked Annabeth.

"Binoculars? They help you see far away." Reyna handed them to Annabeth. "Take a look."

She held them up to her eyes and with a little adjustment, could see the street in incredible detail. Sidewalk cracks, a fallen leaf aimlessly in the breeze, and the tribute. Lying on his back, staring blankly up at the sky. Face covered in blisters, eyes red and swollen. But there was no mistaking that head of blond curls.

"That's Will Solace," Annabeth reported. She remembered his bright blue eyes and friendly grin and felt hollow inside. "Who's left?"

Reyna pulled out a piece of paper.

"You have a list?," snorted Piper, "of course you do."

Reyna shot her a look. "Me from district one, Jason and Thalia from two, Frank and Clarisse from four, Rachel from five, Nico from six, Piper from eight, Charles and Silena from ten, Hazel and Grover from eleven, and Annabeth and Percy from twelve."
"Just fourteen left," said Annabeth, "almost half."

The sun finally set, and they could move freely about the building.

"If the sky is not blue tomorrow, I'm going to lose it," said Piper.

Reyna lay back in her sleeping bag and turned to face her. "I hope it's green."