Ethan McKenzie, 6 “Rebecca we need to get out of here, that tracker among them could be on us in seconds.” “Relax Ethan, we need food! Even if we do manage to get away from them Scott free how are we to live without nourishment?” I groan in exasperation as she digs her fingers along the ground searching for any type of food source for the two of us. Her long blonde hair hangs in tatters after our first run in with the three. The boy, Tony I think, had slashed wildly at us as we ran, grazing not only my back but Rebecca’s long locks. If it hadn’t been for that scare tactic of hers with the axe, we never would’ve gotten out of there. Uneasy, I sit perched beside her, scanning the woods for any signs of attack. I know we haven’t lost them like she thinks, they’re much to clever for that.Minutes pass and no threat from the scorching abyss comes to pass, and yet I cant help but feel I need to stay alert. Suddenly a swift crack comes from our right and I push rebecca’s back sharply, all the while hissing, “hide, now!” she instantly does as I say, her eyes widening with fear. Though I already know this doe-y eyed look is all an act, deep down shes just as cold as the careers. A murderer if you ask me. And yet its still better to have her help rather than not. I try to leap into a nearby bush, though im too late as I fall short and the towering figures of the tributes hunting me wash along the forest floor. The boy from district 3, Tony leads the pack. Ariel the girl from three following suit as the tracker, Ruby also walks into the light shed upon the small clearing. I knew we should’ve waited till they were sleeping before stealing the canteen from their camp. “Where is she?” Tony demands, his face abrasive as he turns to point his long, gleaming sword at my throat. “Where is who?” “Cut the crap district 6, the girl, the lumber jack!” Ruby cuts in, the annoyance plainly written across her features. “ i- I don’t know who your talking ab—“ my voice cuts off into an agonizing scream of pain as Tony stabs his blade down on my left knee. My nerves come alive with pain and all my thoughts can focus on are the excruciating signals sent from my leg. Pointlessly, I reach down to hold my leg as if my hands have magical healing properties, hoping to ease the pain even just a little. Then from the corner of my eye I see a flash of gray, choppy yellow locks following suit. She looks once behind her, her eyes pleading with mine before she faces ahead of herself and runs like her life depends on it. And at this point it does. With a sigh of frustration, Tony looks pointedly at the two girls, Ruby and Ariel, “you stay here, watch him. He wont be able to go anywhere with that leg, but just in case!” and with that he shrugs of his thin gray jacket to reveal the plain white tee beneath covered in muck and sweat. It doesn’t take long before he too charges away from the clearing, tearing up the forest after Rebecca. As the sounds of the running feet fade into oblivion, I turn my head to look at the two girls, throwing them a sheepish smile. Ariel smiles sympathetically in return though Ruby just scowls. We sit there just staring at each other until Ariel turns to whisper in the other girls ear, her curling burgundy hair trailing in her wake. I strain my healing to the brink as I hear her whisper to her partner in combat, “you know that canteen wasn’t that big of a deal, we can just let him go.” Ruby’s face contorts at the mention and she whips her body around to respond to the district 3 tribute when suddenly the voices are heard in the forest. From out of the woods a lone figure comes charging at us. I recognize the yellow hair atop his head from the shy boy from 12. He stares at the four of us briefly before continuing his run. Only pausing to tell us, “run.” Dumbfounded, all three of us silently stare at his retreating back, not knowing what to do with ourselves. When suddenly the raging voice of Lustro sweeps through the clearing. It takes only seconds before the girls run off after Tony, terrified for their lives, just as Lustro and his burly gang march in. Oh, great. This is just great. “Cassava, follow the rat,” Lustro bellows as he turns his head in the direction of the fleeting figure of Chase, the boy from twelve. She doesn’t hesitate, a high pitched cackle spewing from her mouth as she runs after her quarry,“ Isaiah, you know what to do.” Lustro finishes just as a weasel-ish smile spreads across the features of the male district one tribute. “After them.” And Isaiah complies, charging after the two girls, Tony and Rebecca. They’ll all be dead if he catches up to them with that devilish smirk. “And you.” Lustro turns to look at me, his silvery eyes flashing with joy at the sight of my crippled body. “Where are the two girls heading?” “I-I don’t know,” I stammer as he pulls out a short machete, letting the filtered sun light reflect off its sharp blade. “You know, this could’ve gone down in a much nicer fashion.” He snarls as he turns the point down, thrusting it into my lower abdomen. A painful yet not fatal point of contact. He wants me alive. The only question is why. “You wanna speak the truth now,” he looks down at the badge on my jacket only to continue, “district 6?” “I- I already have.” Sighing the beast of a man stands, looking down at me with no emotion in his eyes and swiftly says, “nighty night.” Before proceeding to kick my head as forcefully as possible into a nearby tree root. I wake abandoned near a giant oak tree, my head pounding and some sweet, sickly fluid dripping along my face. I try to sit up but I cant help but fall back onto the cold soil. My leg aches with pain and it all comes flooding back to me; Tony, Lustro…Rebecca. And my body begins to overflow with anxiety. I raise my head only to find my jacket stained with my own blood. It takes all my strength to heave myself into a sitting position against the gnarled root. And I futilely try to get up until I realize all I can do is wait. Wait for life. Wait for death. Wait.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 23:16:46 +0000
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