Task Description:

Tributes are chased by a Bigfoot as they try to survive their first night.

Dead faces lit up the sky that night, shining like the stars that illuminated the otherwise dark arena. I gazed upwards that familiar numb sensation overcoming me again. It seemed I was either on the verge of a nervous breakdown or suspended in this unfeeling limbo, like I was now ever since I had been reaped. This wasn't like me, but then again being crammed into a fight to the death had to do something to a human's mentality.

First it had been Lyric's face, her wide brown eyes glaring downward at the arena and everyone in it. Though I could of sworn her eyes bore directly into me. Yes, I killed you, I thought, emotionlessly.

Her partner's face followed her own, the young girl from 12. I guess I kind of killed you too, I thought studying the maniacal grin that was on the girl's face. I probably sound heartless, but I had simply done what I had to do. That was how my entire life had been, doing what had to be done in order to see another sunrise, it was nothing new.

Then came Naomi, followed by my district partner Jessie. I remembered Jessie's mother, I had talked briefly with her once in a while when she came into my father's butcher shop to buy meat. I stopped my trail of thoughts a second as I scoffed at my wording. It was my butcher shop. I did all the work while my father sat on his lazy ass all day. But back to the point, Jessie's mother was a sensitive women and I knew she must be distraught. I watched his face fade like the other's before him. Catherine and Kyle followed in Jesse's wake, their faces illuminating the night sky for a few seconds before fading until they were no more than echoes in my memory.

That would be me soon, I had no doubt. Soon I would be no more than a memory, but unlike the other's no one would mourn my death. I suddenly felt small and unremarkable, like nothing more than a grain of sand on a beach. I was completely alone.

I suddenly felt Revere's arms wrap around my shoulder, "Are you okay? You look distraught." He asked as if hugging me was ok. It was not ok.

"Get your arm off me!" I pushed him away roughly, more acting on the fact I was severely ticked than the fact Revere had decided it would be a good idea to camp in a huge tree. He screamed in horror as he toppled sideways off balance out of the tree. I lunged forward grabbing the back of his shirt, the momentum of his fall yanked me forward too. I bit back a scream as I tumbled forward in a freefall crashing through branches as they broke under my weight. I hit the ground and pain exploded through every nerve in my body.

I looked over toward Revere who looked about twice as bad as I felt. He was conscious, but he was biting his lip to keep from screaming. His eyes watered as they focused on me, I detected a hint of something in them.... fear. He was scared. Of me.

I closed my eyes again unable to move, I felt like a monster. He had been just been trying to help... in his weird, mentally unstable way and I had pushed him 30 feet out of a tree. I took a deep breath and forced myself into a sitting position, the world spun and for a moment I thought I might collapse again, but it slowly cleared. Slowly the pain started to ease and I looked over toward Revere who still looked looked like death.

That was when I saw it, the stick that had implanted itself in the mangled flesh of Revere's calf from where the shark had bit him. Once we had gotten ashore earlier we had found the extent of the bites. Revere's leg was virtually totaled from where the shark had pulled him under and he could barely move it. My thigh had fared much better, the shark's teeth had entered my leg and then let go pretty cleanly. Revere had not nearly been as lucky. Honestly I think I might have to end up cutting the stupid thing clean off. And now it had a stick in it. Wonderful.

"Revere." I said reluctantly, "I am sorry I pushed you out of the tree. Now I am going to pull the twig out of your leg, okay? Try not to scream."

His eyes widened in horror, "What? No not-" He broke off as I yanked the twig clean from his leg. He did scream, very loudly, my hand shot over to muffle it. He broke into small, silent sobs of pain, pressing his own hands in front of his face. Blood began to spill from his wound again, not nearly as heavily as at first, but it was still there.

I shakily got to my feet, and began to steadily climb up the tree to reclaim our bags. After all that screaming we were lucky the careers weren't already on us. My body throbbed as I pulled myself up, branch by branch. Eventually I reached where we had settled and began unhooking the backpack from the tree. Revere suddenly started screaming bloody murder again. I glanced downward at idiot as his antagonized yells grew. What the hell? He had been almost silent a second ago. I briefly considered throwing something at him to make him shut up but decided against it. We didn't need another object wedged in his leg today. I picked up the speed knowing I had to get down there faster now.

I was just slinging the backpack over my shoulder when something made me look down wards, when I did I caught my breath. I saw two tributes making their way towards Revere through the brush. Every foul word I had ever learned ran through my head, what the hell was Revere doing? Even with the advancing tributes he didn't shut up as if he wanted them to kill him. Then it clicked in my brain, in the brief time I had known Revere he had shown tendencies to think up plans and ideas and seize any opportunity handed to him. Revere had set a trap, using himself as bait and myself as the fatal blow without even running it past me first.

I was going to kill him.

I unhooked one of my axes from my belt, aiming it at the head of the more noticeable head which had messy red hair. I don't think I've ever hit anything from this far away before.... Well no time like the present to start, I thought grimly letting the ax go. To my genuine surprise the head snapped back as he fell to the ground. The other tribute began running, her brown hair bobbing. I threw my duel ax at her head, it sailed over her right shoulder. I gritted my teeth in frustration as I began my descent. It didn't really matter, she'd die anyway from the poison.

Revere beamed at me the second my feet hit the mossy soil. "Wasn't that awesome? it sounded really realistic right?" He looked at me as if he expected me to pat him on the back and congratulate him. "Go back up the tree and I'll do it again!"

I raised my eyebrows, "You purposely lured two tributes here? Are you retarded?" You got lucky they weren't careers!" I yelled in frustration, ripping my ax from the back of the five kid's head which now looks like a mutated pancake. My eyes scour the forest floor for my second ax.

Revere was silent a moment, "Please don't kill me."

I ignored him, knowing if I said or did anything it would not be kind. I moved over to the general area in which I knew I had dropped the blade. My chances of finding it in the dark were slim, still I crunched through the brush and began searching.

"I find the silence mildly frightening." Revere trailed on nervously, I could feel his eyes bearing into my back, willing me to turn around. Yeah that wasn't going to happen.

I let out a snort, "Well you should." I snapped turning over some more brush. I scowled, we didn't have much time before more tributes were on us. If I didn't find the blade in the next minute I decided I would have to leave it. I walked a few more paces kicking around dirt, I was about to turn around when I saw it. I ran over and bent forward to grab it- a huge bolder flew through the air where my head had been only seconds before. I stiffened, my head spinning to see the beast that had thrown it. My jaw dropped when my brain registered what the beast was.

It was Bigfoot- Flipping. Bigfoot.

I sprinted towards Revere, the rocks and debris wizzing past my head, too close for comfort. "Run! Get up Revere! Run!" I screamed waving at him. His eyes went wide when he saw the monster that was pursuing me, he attempted to scramble upwards. His leg gave out and he toppled forward, his face contorted with pain. I reached him and pausing only a moment I slung him over my shoulders. I was suddenly thanking God he was so thin, if he had been any heavier I don't think I could of carried him.

My leg throbbed as I pushed myself faster, a tree scraped my shoulder, throwing me off balance.

Revere yelled, his voice tinged with fear as he tightened his grip on me.

I can see that, you empty headed maggot. I thought angrily, but instead of going through the effort of wording it I fell back on the words I have said most since the games began. "Shut up!"

A flickering of red fire caught my eye in the distance, some idiot must be attempting to attract careers, I thought- then an idea hit me. I grinned and charged toward the dim light amidst the trees. My leg was really beginning to throb, I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself to go faster. I had to. I was not going to die so soon.

I broke into the clearing, leaping right over the fire and tripping over a backpack. I fell right into my face. My grace and coordination really outdid itself. I remained motionless with my face in the dirt, willing myself to get up.

"Oh dear. Would you mind removing that pointy object from my face?" Revere's concerned voice was what made me look up, my eyes focused on sharp knife that was hovering between my eyes. Or rather between my eye and my patch because I lacked an eye on one side.

The boy who stood with his knife to Revere laughed, "Oh thats not going to happen. You wandered into the wrong campsite." Noah, I think, began to trail his knife across Revere's face, digging the blade right underneath the skin. Man-bitch, I thought glaring pointedly at him.

His partner Jason who stood in front of me shook his head, "Come on Noah, lets just get this over with."

Noah rolled his eyes, "Whatever." He muttered, dragging his blade downward toward Revere's neck. I held my breath and slowly began to reach for my ax, hoping neither of the boys would notice the movement.

"Wait. Aren't you wondering why it is we ran willingly into your campsite?" Revere asked, clearly stalling. Jason's eyes darted over towards Noah, as if waiting to see his response.

Noah rolled his eyes, "No not really." He snapped, drawing his blade back to land the final blow... It never fell, but a bolder did. Without warning it crushed Noah underneath it, splashing his blood in everyone's faces.

Jason's eyes focused on something behind me- Bigfoot no doubt- and he shot to his feet charging the beast. I pushed myself upwards, dragging Revere with me and I sprinted deeper into the woods. Jason's screams linger behind us as I crash through the forest, eventually slowing to a walk when I was confident that Bigfoot was not following us.

I dropped Revere off my back, not really caring how injured his leg was. He yelped as he hit the ground, I collapsed beside him. ""That was brilliant! Distracting Bigfoot with those two buffoons while we escape! Did you think that all up on your own? Revere grinned.

I looked at him, "You think I can't think up plans on my own?" I demanded, though I was so exhausted I hardly cared. If I had been alert I would have slapped him, but honestly I could barely remember to breathe let alone slap.

"No. I just-" His face got red and he appeared uncomfortable. He looked at me apologetically.

"Shut up. Lets just get up the tree so I can sleep before dawn." I growled readjusting the backpack and hoisting myself up the nearest branch.

As I climbed towards the heavens that night, I made a silent vow. I vowed that I would never join the legions of faces what were broadcasted among the stars. It was an empty now, I know. One really didn't have much of a choice in the matter on whether he or she died, but in that small moment I had one of the fleeting seconds in which I felt like everything was going to be ok.