Task Description:

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

“Nobody understands me,” I said addressing the shark that bobbed in the water in front of me. “But you do, don’t you Maverick Jr.?”

The shark said nothing. Ever since I ‘tamed’ him he hasn’t tried to maim me. (Though he did attempt to eat Sabrina several times) In all honesty it kind of freaked me out at first, I thought he was biding his time before he made mincemeat out of me. After ten minutes though I was convinced he loved me. He was like my soul mate in shark form.

After we had gotten ashore we had set up camp on the beach, setting up camp right on the water. Ashler had been put in charge of making us shelters, though judging by the sound of Sabrina’s enraged screams he couldn’t be doing very well. I glanced over my shoulder at the campsite where Sabrina had Ashler in a headlock and was yelling profanities into his ears.

Cole was approaching me, I smiled and waved. “Hey man!” I said patting the sand next to me.

He flashed me his freakishly white grin and sat beside me, eyeing my sharkie with concern. “Hey Maverick. What are you doing?” He gestured to the vines I was weaving on my lap.

“Shark reigns, you know so I don’t have to use my bow?” I grinned continuing my work, my fingers dancing in and out of the vines, securing them in place.

“Interesting.” It was obvious he wasn’t thrilled with the idea though.  Gosh. Cole went back and forth from being the funest guy around to the stiffest and most paranoid. He must be hanging about Bryant too much. “Well, I just wanted to drop by and call dibs.” He added nonchalantly, his blue eyes looking away.

I furrowed my eyebrow, “Sure man, who are you after? Sabrina and you would make a cute couple.” I grinned wondering who the lucky girl was.

Cole gave me a weirded out look. “Eww, not Sabrina. She would strangle me in my sleep! Amethyst! I call dibs on Amethyst!” He said giving me a playful shove, then he stared out at the ocean a distant look coming into his eye. “Ever since she punched me in the bloodbath, I knew it had to be.”

I laughed, “Sorry, shes already taken. Me and her? Its true love.” I shoved him back only half kidding.

“Dibs override true love!” He exclaimed his arms pushing into me with all the force in his body. I fell over sideways.

“Oh, but I override you. I reek of sheer awesomeness and you don’t. You reek of a dentist's office. I bet your Daddy was a dentist!” I accused pushing him back and he got a faceful of sand.

“You take that back!” He screamed and threw himself at me, his fingers clutching my neck. I was about to kick his sorry butt to District 12 and back, but our conflict was interrupted by a giggly voice saying, “Oh! Mortal kombat! I love this game!”

Both of our heads snapped around to see Amethyst standing there with a huge sword raised above her head. I threw Cole off of my back. “No, the games over. I won. Oh so Amethyst did anyone ever tell you you're drop dead gorgeous?” I grinned, flashing my not quite as pearly white as Cole’s teeth at her.  

Coles hand was suddenly thrust in my face, “Allow me to be the first beloved Amethyst.” Coles voice dripped into my ears as I pushed his hand out of my face. He bent forward and kissed her hand delicately. “You are the single most beautiful girl I have ever set my poor longing eyes upon.”

He was good. Too good.

“I know. I am the single most beautiful girl in the universe! Ha! And Sabrina is not pretty in the least!” She growled her eyes shifting over toward Sabrina who had now cast the 12 boy aside and was looking in our direction very intently. Her eyes locked on Cole again. “Say Sabrina is not as pretty as me. Say it!” She shrieked.

Cold looked at me for help, I shrugged at him. He had dug himself into this hole. “I only have eyes for you my love….” He said hesitantly turning back to Amethyst.

“No! Say Sabrina is not as pretty as me!” She screamed in Cole's face, lifting the sword threateningly. I resisted the urge to laugh at my new found enemy’s facial expression, which was one of utter horror. I had no doubt that she would use the sword if Cole refused to co-operate.

Yes, I am aware that the girl I was after was mildly stupid, and more than likely mentally unstable. I am aware this should of been sign enough for me to just let Cole have his way. However I was a career and a proud owner of a pet shark. I loved dangerous things! It seemed only fit that my future wife should be dangerous too so we could have little dangerous babies that rode sharks to preschool- Not that I was thinking that far ahead. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks as the words I had thought truly registered in my head.  

“Fine! You are much prettier than Sabrina!” Cole said raising a hand in front of his face protectively. 3 knives cut into the sand surrounding Cole and he jumped. Sabrina stared coldly. Amethyst too stared coldly, her eyes squinted and for a second I wasn’t sure if she was going to chop him to bits or not. Then she smiled and skipped off rather suddenly.

I stood up dusting the brush off of my clothes, “Great going Cardamom.” I grinned as I past him walking over toward the other careers.  His face flushed red from a combination of anger and embarrassment. I would win over the lovely Amethyst and on the off chance we ever got married Cole could be our flowergirl. I smiled at the thought, not so much the wedding as Cole in a dress throwing daisies.

“Hey SabSab!” I yelled at Sabrina whose body tensed when she heard her new name that I just come up with 3 seconds ago.

Hey eye twitched as she took three steps toward me. “SabSab?” Her voice was edged with rage, “SabSab? If you ever call me that again I will stick a knife through your heart!” She hissed and I had no doubt she was serious.

I realize now that it should of scared me a lot more than it did then. “Yeah whatever SabSab. Anyway I’m thinking while Ash-Diddle-Diddle-Dee over there is attempting to put up our shelters, we should go tribute hunting.” I said, casting my uncompleted shark harness aside.

“Can it, Maverick.” Sabrina growled glowering at me more than usual. “I can’t go more than 30 yards from Ashler without dying- and you are not going tribute hunting without me.” She gave me her evil eye daring me to challenge her.

I was on the verge of saying that ‘women folk’ should stay at home and tend the houses anyway, not because I actually thought that, but because I wanted to challenge her like she had just dared me with her eyeballs to do, however Cardamom cut in. “Well what if we set a trap, chasing the tributes to you?” He suggested.

“Yeah. Lets use Cardamom as bait!” I said pouncing on the opportunity to annoy him.

Cole’s eyes blazed, “No, dear Maverick, I believe you are more suited to be the bait due to your apparent lack of intelligence and bright red hair…. seriously did you dye it? Is it even real? Are you wearing a wig?” He spat tugging at a curl sadistically.

I narrowed my eyes, “Don’t you talk about my naturally curly hair like that! Its real!”I paused half a second and grinned, a spark of brilliance igniting my brain.  “Your one to talk to, especially after you told me about your fake balls. That tragic accident at birth really was sad….”  Lies of course, but effective all the same.

Sabrina, who looked shocked at nothing, got a strangled look on her face as her wide eyes shot to the space between Cole’s legs. “You’re kidding me right?”

“Oh my I really shouldn’t of said that Cole. I am very sorry. We all understand though.” I said trying to look genuinely upset, which was really really hard because all I wanted to do was break into hysterical laughter at the look on Cole’s face.

Cole looked as if that was exactly the last thing that he had expected to come out of my mouth. He recovered quickly though. “You dirty liar!” He accused swinging at my head, I ducked.

“Dude! I said I was sorry. We are all here for you.” I said, attempting to dodge another well aimed punch. I failed this time tumbling into the sand with an aching side.

“Cole! Stop it. Sabrina and I are just going to pretend we didn’t hear that.” A voice said from behind me. Byant. I hadn't realized he had been listening. Mwahahah! I love it when my plans come together!

“Its not true though!” Cole shouted throwing his hands in the air and then letting them fall to his sides in temporary defeat. If looks could kill I would of been neck deep in a pool of burning acid with piranhas attacking me. Even I who once in a great while has issues taking social hints understood this was far from over. He turned to Bryant with a sickly sweet smile on his face, “You’re right. Lets move past this. Maverick? You’re the bait.”  

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I didn’t like being bait. Quite honestly I didn’t see how anyone could misinterpret me for bait. I was a six foot five career with unmistakable fluffy red hair. I was covered with blood (Which came from Sabrina who so willingly cut herself open and laughed giddily as the blood seeped out… She was definitely an Alien.) and according to Sabrina I was supposed to wail in agony then flee to where the other careers were waiting in an ambush.

It beat Coles suggestion of handing me a basket and telling me to skip around innocently picking flowers.   

At first I did the moaning and groaning thing, I writhed in fake agony, rolling around on my stomach. It got old fast. I let out a deranged honk just to amuse myself. From somewhere in the bushes I heard Amethyst honk back, followed by a loud smack. Yeah, we were totally soul mates.

I grasped my throat and reached up at the sky, “Oh help me! Help me! I cannot breath!” I said in a my best ‘grandmother’ voice. Then I went limp, ‘dying’. I did this at least several times, each death getting more and more exaggerated and brutal.

Finally someone yelled “Maverick nobody is going to fall for that! Just lie on the ground and don’t move!” I think it was Cole.

I obeyed reluctantly, realizing it was my duty as leader to (in addition to being fabulous) use my wonderful acting skills and to put myself in danger for the sake of my pack. I sigh lying still as it grew dark. I heard the anthem play and watched as some tributes I never bothered to learn the names of appeared along side the bright stars. It was a shame my life was linked to stupid Cole’s or he would probably be up there too.

A few minutes after the sky faded back to its inky blackness the creepy noises started. Owls hooted, the strong winds rustled through the trees, strange inhuman high pitched screams echoed through the arena. Yes this was definitely on a one way path to creepsville. I wasn’t a creepsville type of guy and besides, I needed my beauty sleep, I was about to call out to the other careers to see if they wanted to call it a night when the screaming started followed by an bearlike growl. The growl was so loud it vibrated the ground, heart thumping I jumped to my feet drawing my bow which I had been laying on.

My eyes darted from side to side, taking in my surroundings ready to shoot anything that moved. Even Cole. Especially Cole. Whatever it was it was getting closer rapidly, only for some reason I couldn’t figure out which direction it was coming from. Suddenly Amethyst, Cole and Bryant were around me each with their weapons drawn.

Bryant laughed nervously, “Whatever is attached to that growl is huge….” His eyes darted between me and Cole, hoping one of us would share his concerns. We didn’t. Whatever it was we could definitely take it. And maybe we could even adopt it!

“I want to kill it!” Amethyst informed us giddily.

Cole pounced on the opportunity to please Amethyst, “You can kill anything you want, dear.”

I rolled my eyes, “Of course she can kill anything she wants! She doesn’t need your permission.” I snapped at Cole, liking the look that flickered for a second in Amethyst’s eyes when she looked at me.

“Can I kill you two?” Bryant’s voice growled suddenly halting our rivaling.

“Sorry dude, you aren’t a hot girl…. Well you’re not hot anyway.”  I said trying to keep the annoyance from rippling into my voice. I failed.  Stony silence was the only reply I received for my insult…. Which was a bit disappointing.  I had been hoping for an excuse to punch something.

The noises had grown louder as we spoke, I realize now that they were almost upon us and maybe I shouldn’t of been provoking Cole and Bryant. Two tributes exploded from the brush in front of us, I acted out of instinct more than thought, raising my bow and shooting the male from 9 in one fluid movement.  His partner from 8 was hit with a flying rock right in the head, his skull caving in from the impact.

That was when the ground shook again with that beastly roar that nearly blew my poor eardrums out. If I got out of this alive I was going to slap Mayla for this- hot or not. That noise was worse than my sister in hysterics while she murdered innocent cows. (Which is worse than fingernails on a blackboard, for those of you from other districts who have never heard it.)

A huge tree trunk flew through the air at us from the concealment of the trees, I threw myself to one side as the tree crashed into the earth of where I was only seconds ago. Breathing heavily I looked in the direction that the tree had come from, there, hidden amongst the depths of the foliage I saw an oversized version of my grandmother. My eyes widened in horror at the freakishly accurate detail.

“Bigfoot!” Cole yelled his eyes widening as the looming creature that was lumbering toward us with a bolder in hand. Ok so it wasn't my grandmother, people often confused the two. It was a natural mistake most everyone made.

“Smallfoot!” Amethyst giggled pointing at her foot and lifting it a little off the ground to display it. She had to hop a little to keep balance.

Cole shook his head frantically, “No thats his name-” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bigfoot hurl the rock. He hurled the rock right at Amethyst. I threw myself at her, knocking her out of the way as the bolder crushed the ground behind us.

Amethyst shoved me off of her roughly, “That was rude.” She proceeded to punch me as another tree flew over our heads narrowly missing us.

“Look…. I’ll make it up to you.” I said, aware of the fact I didn’t have time to argue with her over the fact I had just saved her neck.

She nodded gravely, “I’ll think of som- Oh! Can I play with your hair?!”

My  heart dropped as my hand flew protectively to my hair, “What do you mean? I asked in dread.

She grinned happily. “I want to put pretty sparkly bows in it, and comb it, and braid it… I’ll make you pretty!” She looked at me as if she expected me to be happy about the arrangement.

I didn’t care how pretty she was. No one was touching my hair. “No.” I growled hardened my resolve and standing up as a skull sized rock grazed my shoulder.

Her doe eyes came out and she stepped forward. “Please…..? Your hair is so…. red. I like red.” A trunk flew inches above her head and she didn’t flinch. Somehow in that moment she never looked more utterly perfect.

I tried to fight it. I really did. Man this would of been so much easier if she had punched me. “Fine.” I said before I realized I had said it.

“Yay!” Amethyst yelled jumping up and down, her timing freakishly allowed her to avoid getting hit with debris flown her way. Then she turned to Bigfoot and charged it screaming: “For butter!”

I aimed an arrow at Bigfoot’s chest and let it fly. The arrow arched, speeding toward the furry mass of hair and it passed completely through. I squinted my eyes- that wasn’t right. I shot another one, the image rippled for half a second as it sailed right through… It was a hologram of some type. That meant we couldn’t kill it. We had to get out of here. “Fall back!” I yelled.

Bryant, the only smart one obeyed,dragging a protesting Amethyst as fast as he could toward the camp. Cardamom had other ideas. “Don’t be a coward! It’s a hologram! There must be an off switch somewhere!”

I raised my eyebrows, “No, duh! But is finding an off switch worth losing half the career pack in the process?!” I demanded trying to dodge a bolder, but Cardamom grabbed the from of my shirt and pulled me closer jabbing a finger in my chest. It would of been a lot more threatening if Cole had not been shorter than me. I felt the bolder graze my back, tearing leash off with it. I tried not to flinch.

Cole rolled his eyes, “Depends on what half- Ah!” His neck snapped upwards, “Tree!” He pushed me in the wrong direction, I pushed back, risking a glance upwards at the object hurtling toward us. It was a huge hollow old log soaring toward us at lightspeed.  He shoved me back one last time and the tree hit.

It hit us. I felt the momentum push me against Cole, constraining any movement we might of had, my arms were pinned to my sides, his arms pressing into my chest mid-push. This was not how I thought getting squashed would feel…. Then I realized the oddest thing….. We were still alive. Then it clicked. We were in the hollow part of of the log.

(Now after this point there is a lot of swearing, and realizing that there are young children reading this I have taken the liberty of replacing all the swear words we said with popular foods. After all, who doesn't love food?)

“Skittles!” I cursed glaring at Cole who was doing the same, “This is all your pizza’n fault!” I yelled as the log fell sideways. The impact rattled the entire log, making my back throb more.

Cole got a ‘I-am-so-angry-and-I-find-your-incompetence-unbelievable’ smile on his face. “My fault? You giant bag of chips! You brought this upon our cupcake necks! This honestly couldn’t get any worse. You hear me you casadia?” I know from experience never ever to say something couldn’t possibly been worse. It can always be worse.

At that moment Bigfoot lifted the log in the air and began shaking it vigorously up and down, trying to shake us free. It actually really fun- minus the fact I was crushed up against Cole and that the Bigfoot was trying to kill us. Cole let out a stream of profanities, “Mother of pizza! Tortillas on you burger Maverick!” He looked sick.

Then came the whacking- which was not fun in the least. Frustrated Bigfoot began pounding us against a tree. The log wouldn’t give. “Bread!” I gasped, starting to feel a little woozy myself.

Cole threw up, the vomit cascading from his mouth. The warm… mush spilled everywhere, flying with the movement of the log, It was now my turn to let out a list of unspeakable profanities.

Then the log stilled, beyond the throbbing of my head I heard footsteps running. Oh pepperoni! I felt the beasts arm draw back, Cole and I both started screaming ‘No’ repetitively as is it would listen. It didn’t listen very well.

We were propelled through the air for half a second, then we were crashing to the ground, the sounds of a strangled scream and crushing bones beneath us. A large crack appeared in the log and someone’s blood seeped through.

Neither Cole nor I said anything as we heard the beast chase the person’s partner away, it’s footsteps fading into the distance. I let out a deep breath.

“Ok let’s each lean a different way and see if we can snap this log right open.” Cole said and I agreed only because I wanted to get the heck out of there. The log snapped open with relative ease. I rolled away and began laughing with relief. I stood up and began to shake the tightness out of my body.  I glanced down to see the tribute from five, the female crushed and broken on the ground. I decided to bring it back as a midnight snack for Maverick Jr., after all I had to find some way to feed him.

Cole looked over at me as I hoisted the dead body over my shoulder, “What are you doing?”

“Maverick Jr’s snack.” I explained glancing down at my gold compass that hung limply from the chain around my neck. I easily determined which direction led back to the camp. I began to walk, Cole followed closely.

We stumbled into camp about ten minutes later, with a “Darn!” from Sabrina and a happy wave from Amethyst. I waved at Amethyst and throwing the corpse to Maverick Jr. (Who ate joyously) I resisted my natural instinct to go and harass Sabrina and made my way into one of the dangerously unstable shelters that Ashler had constructed. I collapsed on the cool sand, and let me tell you, never was sleep more welcome.