The Last Hunger Games

Chapter 22 - Disappearing Tributes

"Are we allies or what?" I say, and Violet shrugs.

"Sure," says another voice from the back of the horn. "Why not? I mean, we could use some more manpower on this team." I facepalm myself as I realise who it is. Servius Sangria: the stuck-up, arrogant, fat little pig from Celestia's year, who thinks of no-one but himself and has the survival skills of a flea. I'm surprised he's lasted this long. I can see Jack looks annoyed too.

"Sorry, forgot about him," say Violet. "Ser-" but Jack cuts her off. 

"Yeah. Too busy stuffing his face to realise he could be killed at any moment!" he says. I don't let Jack see me amused at his comment. 

"Servius, get out here right now or this mace will be buried in your chest!" I say, and suddenly I feel Jack's warm breath by my ear. 

"Yeah, do it, then we can all have pork chops for dinner," he whispers, and I can't help laughing at that. I see a round figure coming out of the horn, and decide that I'm not putting up with Servius' snarky remarks any longer than I have to. He walks out towards us, loaf of bread in hand, then stops in his tracks, staring. 

"What you staring at?" says Jack, and I notice his shoulder is practically touching mine, so I casually walk a few metres away from him. I feel his eyes glance in my direction but I don't look back at him. Servius points to a building at the edge of the circle, and we all spot it at once.  

It's another tribute. They disappear as soon as they see us looking though, so I don't get a chance to determine who they are.

"Really, Servius? You had me worried for a moment there," Jack says. "What a wimp."

"No, not there. There!" Servius almost yells, and at that moment an arrow comes whizzing over our heads, and we duck just in time. Whoever shot that arrow had extremely good aim; I wonder who it was. We all cower back into the darkness - a stupid idea, really - and dodge the next three arrows that are shot at us. The tribute firing gives up after that and disappears like the other one did. 

I step back out of the horn and say, "Come with me." Servius, Violet, and even Jack obey. Huh, maybe having Snow for a surname gives me more authority than I thought; I make a mental note to use it as leverage during an argument with Jack that will no doubt occur soon. I lead us around the side of the Cornucopia that's in the shade, and stand back to try and get a better look at it. The middle sector looks much to vertical - Violet and Servius would never get up that way - so instead I decide to go up the right hand side, nearest the mouth, where the metal doesn't seem quite as difficult to scale.

Jack has figured out what my plan is by now, so - as if he can read my mind - he come over to where I am stood to give me a foot up. He laces his fingers together, I put the heel of my foot in them, and he launches me up.

Well that was not the plan. 

My plan was that I would gracefully step up, using Jack's hands as a foothold, and get onto the top of the Cornucopia with ease.

That, however, has not happened.

I am currently flailing about, trying to find something to grip onto with my hands, whilst Jack strains under my weight. I manage to get my left knee right up onto the top, and then I use that as leverage to heave the rest of myself up. I hear Servius snort with laughter at the undignified position I'm in, and so I say, "I'd like to see you do any better."

"Pfft, won't be hard to beat that," he replies, walking over to Jack. How he's going to lift Servius up here, I haven't a clue. Somehow he manages it, and Violet gracefully follows. OUt next challenge is to get Jack up here without someone killing him first. After a lot of pulling and heaving we manage to get him up, and then we sit down at different parts of the horn so we can keep watch at the same time as talking. 

"So...what now? It must have been nearly an hour by now; anyone know the time?" asks Servius. Violet looks up.

"I think we've got around ten minutes," Violet replies. We look at her, our eyebrows eyebrows raised. "What? I learnt how to tell the time from the sun in Training."

"Smart ass," Jack says cruelly and Violet doesn't reply. I feel bad for her, having to put up with him for an older brother. To be honest though, at times they can be just as annoying as each other. 

"How long have you lot been allies for then?" I say, changing the subject quickly. "You can't have been hiding in there the whole time, right?"

"Wrong," Servius says. "I stayed in there for the whole time. I snuck in after everyone else fled the bloodbath." I don't know why he seems so proud of himself, what he's been doing completely destroys the concept of the Hunger Games. I decide to ignore his monologue and go and sit at a different part of the horn, fighting tears back. I'm going to have to tell Violet about Celestia's death soon, although goodness knows how. She's only twelve, how do I tell her that one of her best friends is dead? 

A/N: Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in a while, homework is such a pain.

Just want to know, have I introduced new characters too quickly? Because sometime in books people introduce new characters so quickly you never get to know who they are, so have I done that with this? If so, let me know and I'll edit it. Hugs from me! :)