Every face around this Feast I recognise, and that is what scares me the most. Before the rebellion, before any of this started, we were all just children: playing and chatting. None of us would ever have predicted that we would be situated into the Games we favoured so much.
Every tribute is staying at least a metre apart from the nearest person, and we all just stand in silence for a while, gathering food. It's not long before most of it is gone; the only things left are the things that nobody likes: some vegetables and a strangely coloured, lumpy soup-like substance. When all the food is gone, no-one wants to be the first to go. Well, I'm not planning on our alliance moving to anywhere but the Cornucopia, as in my opinion it is the safest place to be in this Arena; no pods as far as I can tell. Walking backwards is probably what I would do to back off into the derelict city, but clearly none of these guys have had that idea, as they're all stood there glancing awkwardly round to see who's going to make the first move.
This continues for a good minute or so, until Jack says, "Lovely weather, am I right?" tossing his spear from hand to hand. There are a few murmurs from around the table.
"Jack," I say, elbowing him in the side.
"What's your problem, Avita? I'm just being friendly. After all, I'm rather fond of a bit of small talk," he says in response, and I want to slap him so bad I have to physically stop myself from doing so.
"Heart of stone, this one," he sneers as he nudges me back. I notice some stifled giggles from around the Feast.
"Yeah, well you won't be laughing when-" but then something bizarre happens.
Strange. Peculiar. Extraordinary.
The sun switches off.
All light goes out, the only luminescence remaining is the dim glow from scented wax candles dotted around the table. They smell like home, but home is the last thing on my mind right now. Without really being conscious of it, my hand finds Jack's in the darkness and he holds it tightly. He lets go briefly to life Violet up onto his shoulders, but then slips his hand back into mine and we start to worry.
Why has the sun gone out? Is that even possible? What are the Gamemakers doing?
My eyes search and hunt the darkness that has engulfed the arena for Servius. As he's part of this alliance I should probably keep an eye on that pig.
"Where's Servius?" I ask the others. Violet's head cranes round to look back at the Cornucopia, and that's when we hear it. Shrill, penetrating screams pierce the darkness, filling the air, and they come from round the side of the Cornucopia. No matter how high-pitched those screams are, there's not a shadow of doubt in my mind that they belong to Servius.
"Think I found him," says Jack, and I clutch his hand even tighter, never letting my eyes deter from where the wailing is coming from. But then it ceases, and the arena goes deathly quiet all over again. I guess, at least it was a quick death.
Pulling both Egnatia's with me, I start slowly into the direction of Servius' death place.
What could have killed him? That was no rabbit or squirrel, even Servius isn't that scared of those. Then what else could it have been? Surely not...
"Mutts," the word is out of my mouth before I can stop it.
(A/N: Sorry this one was so short, I'm saving the action for the next chapter! Dun, dun, dunnnnn!!)
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The Last Hunger Games
Fanfiction'They say the Games change everyone. But that's not my plan.' When 12 year old Celestia Snow 'overhears' the conversation about holding the final Hunger Games, she is shocked. Especially when she finds out that the Games will still go ahead. With a...
