Task Description:

Tributes wake up to find their partner unresponsive. They are informed they must go to the cornucopia to retrieve the antidote in a second bloodbath. If they do not retrieve their vile by sundown their partner dies.

I’m not going to say what you want me to say. I cannot tell a lie, (Ok maybe I lie a lot. It doesn’t matter that I said that, call it my creative license.) I was not even mildly upset when I woke up and found that Cole was unresponsive. I will actually admit I was thrilled, it didn’t even cross my mind that he might be dying.

See I had realized that he wasn’t responsive when I had woken up early and gotten bored so I began poking him. And spitting at him- you know to practice my aim. And when he wasn’t even twitching I began beating him with a pillow. That was when I realized he was in a coma. I did a little victory dance. My wish had come true!

I proceeded to drag him outside and bury his legs in the sand. I didn’t even notice that Ashlar was passed out on guard duty, I was too focused on my art project.  After I had finished burying his legs I molded the sand from his torso down to look like mermaid fins. After that I ripped off his shirt and placed two pearly pink shells strategically on his pecs. I sprinted back to the water’s edge grabbing a few handfuls of weeds and arranging them on his head to look like mermaid hair.

“Vo-la!” I said to no one in particular, stepping backwards to admire my masterpiece. It was fabulous, but then again I had created it so of course it was. I was considering finding a piece of driftwood to put in his hands and write “District 4 for the win!” on it and putting it in his hands when Sabrina came out of the tent looking flustered.

“Maver-” She stopped when she saw Cardamom’s mermified body in the sand, after a second her eyes flitted back to me. I half expected her to compliment me on my work, but to my disappointment she ignored it completely. “Maverick, I can’t get Ashler to wake up and by the looks of it Cole is out for the count too. Something fishy is going on here.” Her voice came out very hostile, as if she was going to kill whoever was responsible for this.

I glared back, “Fishy? Leave Maverick Jr. out of this. He’s not smart enough to outsmart us-” I made a note of looking Sabrina up and down. “Well at least not most of us.” I said emphasizing ‘most’.

She poked my chest with her freakishly long nail. “What.” Poke. “Are.” Poke. “You.” Poke. “Implying?” Poke, poke. She hissed, her eyes shooting daggers, behind her eyes I could practically see her torturing me on some medieval device. I was actually mildly freaked out that time.

I shrugged, partially turning away. “Well, not everyone is as intellectual and supremely perfect as me.” I flipped my ponytail over my shoulder, cracking a grin at the expression that implanted itself on Sabrina’s face upon seeing my theatrics.

She balled her hands into fists, her face turning a bizarre shade of red. “I am going to ki-” She was cut off by Bryant crawling out of his tent with a panicked look on his face.

“I can’t get Amethyst to wake up.” Bryant said running over to us. My heart dropped as I looked over to Amethyst’s tent. I pushed my allies aside and ran for it. I thought I heard  Sabrina snort, I ignored it though. Getting to Amethyst was my only concern.

I pushed open the tent and saw Amethyst cuddled in her sleeping bag, she looked as if she were only sleeping. I hesitantly reached over and touched the skin of her shoulder, gently trying to shake her awake. She didn’t move.

Outside the tent I heard Sabrina sigh, “It’s all of us. Only one of each pair is awake. This doesn’t sound like an accident.”

I felt my throat constrict and my eyes water as I took her soft hand in my rougher more calloused hand. They fit together perfectly. What if Amethyst died? I couldn’t imagine a life without her. I let out a grim laugh, I hadn’t known Amethyst a week ago and here I was declaring I couldn’t live without her. This had to be love, not a crush or lust, but the deep unconditional love that my parents spoke of when they looked into each other's eyes.

I didn’t ‘think’ I loved Amethyst- I knew that I loved her. I loved her more than life itself.

And now she was quite possibly dying. “Please wake up, Amethyst.” I choked, feeling my eyes spill over. “Please.”

“Now those of you who are awake can see that your partner has been….” I jumped, instinctively reaching for my bow. “Deactivated.” She stifled a laugh as if sharing a secret joke with herself. “The cures are at the cornucopia, the only way to save your partner is to retrieve one. Don’t take two or you will die.  You will be allowed to leave your partner, but if you do not return by nightfall you will both die.” It was Mayla. My heart raced as I looked down at Amethyst’s peaceful face. This means I can save her.

I carefully put her hand down, resting it on the fuzzy fabric of her sleeping bag, then I stood and exited the tent. I saw Sabrina and Bryant already wading into the water. I felt a little twinge of annoyance, or maybe even a little distrust over the fact they didn’t even wait for me. I ran up to join them, “Thanks for waiting for the guy who has your ride.” I snapped, splashing through the water next to them.

“We were going to find the entrance and wait for you there, that way we could save some time.” Sabina said almost automatically. Something about that made me uncomfortable, though I wasn’t quite sure what.

“Whatever SabSab, we all know this party can’t operate without me. I have nothing to worry about.” I grinned, whistling for Maverick Jr. who swam over and nuzzled my leg.

Sabrina took a few steps back gawking at him. “That THING is still alive? I saw it die!” She shrieked as Maverick Jr. took a notice of her and lunged at her, snapping his teeth. I grabbed his dorsal fin to keep him from eating her.

“No, don’t eat Aunty SabSab. Bad Maverick Jr.” I grunted from the effort of keeping him from turning her into a Saburger. He gave up and swam behind me, though I could feel him glaring at Sabrina though his adorable beady little eyes. Sabrina glared back.

“So lets get going.” Bryant said, eyeing my sharkie-boo cautiously.

I straddled Maverick Jr. and offered Bryant a hand, he took it warily as he got on behind me. “I never ever thought I’d ride a shark.” He choked out, his arms wrapping around me tightly, clearly he was terrified of falling and getting eaten.

“SabSab are you coming?” I asked securing the shark harness in place. She flinched as I used her nickname.

“Are you kidding? I’m not going within a foot of that thing. I’ll swim, thank you very much.” She snapped angrily, beginning her long paddle.

I shrugged, “Suit yourself. Lets get going.” I muttered carefully guiding my precious Maverick Jr. around Sabrina, then going full speed toward the shallow waters of the coral reef.Water rushed past us as a nice breeze blew on our faces as we sped forward. I kept Maverick Jr. above the water for Bryant’s sake who was tense as a deadman and he had a death grip on me that was so tight I swear it was cutting off my circulation.

We reached the shallow water of the reef within minutes. Bryant slowly let go of me and leaned backwards. “Now what? Do you have any idea of where the entrance we came out of is? I don’t remember….” He said hesitantly looking around.

I shrugged, of course I had no idea where the stupid exit had been. I saved my memory for important stuff, like how many freckles I had, or my sister-proof hiding spots for when she went on her ‘blood moon’ (as she calls it) and she rampages the town killing innocent people. However I knew Maverick Jr. could find it. He was smarter than Sabrina. I leaned forward patting his forehead, “Hey buddy, can you find us a way into the coral caverns down there?” I asked.

Maverick Jr. splashed his tail and jerked forward. I assumed this meant “Yes, I will take you to them!” though honestly I wouldn’t have been surprised if it meant, “Mmmmm I smell Sabrina!”

Bryant let out a groan, “You can’t be serious.” That ironically was the second I saw the opening in the coral floor. I sent Bryant a knowing grin and slipped into the water. He looked a little shocked when he saw the hole, but shrugged easy goingly and fell awkwardly off of the shark into the water next to me.

Bryant didn’t pause to wait for me as he dove downward through the water, I wasn’t upset though. Bryant was as slow as an old woman, (with the exception of my grandmother who was not slow in the least) he could use the head start.

I turned to stroke Maverick Jr. “Mav, if anyone tries to get through this hole- eat them. They are yours.” I grinned as Maverick Jr. waved his tail and splashed his fins in joy. Then I remembered that Sabrina would be coming through here. “Except you can’t eat Aunty SabSab.”

The splashing and the tail wagging stopped. He sunk low in the water in disdain.  I felt bad for him. “Hey don’t be sad buddy! We can’t keep Sab alive forever! When we have to kill her I promise you can do the honors.” This seemed to make him slightly happier, so I waved goodbye and dove downwards. I swam through the hole- which actually turned out to be a force field that was keeping the water from entering the now dry tunnel. I didn’t realize this until I was halfway through and falling onto Bryant and crushing him. Ops.

He moaned and shoved me off him. “Careful”  He muttered.

“Sorry, Bryant.” I said getting up and looking around. The tunnel stretched in two directions, I glanced downward at my compass, remembering glancing at it during the bloodbath. We had headed south out of the main chamber, so now this must mean to get to the chamber we should go north. I let the compass dangle limply, feeling very proud of myself. “We need to go this way.” I said starting north, Bryant rolled to his feet and followed me.

“You know.” He said speeding up his walk slightly to keep up with me. “I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you… Just haven’t got the chance to talk to you alone.”

I raised my eyebrows and stopped walking entirely. “I’m sorry Bryant, I understand my fabulous hair is enough to turn any man gay but-”

“No!” Bryant snapped, his face turning bright red, “Its not about me, I’m not-” he paused looking away as if the thought was too unspeakable to even think. “-you know. I want to know why the hell you and Cole are so into Amethyst! I’ve trained with her since I was eight and she's kind of like a sister to me! What do you want? To make her fall for you, have sex with her, then break her heart like the other guys in our district? Is this all for show to get sponsors? Let me tell you there is something screwy going on here! You and Cole have made it farther then any guy ever has! I have never seen Amethyst look at any guy the way she looks at you two, and I want to know what your deal is before you crush her heart!” He yelled jabbing his finger into my chest.

I didn’t move as a image of Amethyst’s sleeping body flashed through my mind.  “How could you think I was just after her body? Or putting this on for show?” I felt as if Bryant had just thrown an anvil on my heart and was squeezing out any joy or happiness  that might have been in there.

Bryant rolled his eyes, “Please Maverick. She has a one in a hundred body and probably legally insane. You can’t be looking at her for any type of long term relationship.”

“I’ve already named our children.” I said, unsure of why I felt the need for him to believe me. “And they will all have pet sharks. And I want to build a butter temple in the backyard for Amethyst to worship at. And I want to have the house in victor’s row that is closest to the ocean with two rocking chairs on the back porch for Amethyst and I when we get too old and crusty to move. And Amethyst can decorate the house however she wants, even if it’s pink and sparkly.” I paused. “And you know all this crap you're saying about Amethyst being insane, how you are implying that the only thing any guy could possibly like her for is her body- I want you to cut it out before I permanently mess you up.”

I meant every word I said.

Bryant looked at me with a perplexed expression on his face, “I didn’t mean it like that-”

“Whatever.” I snapped running a few paces to get ahead on him. If he tried to talk to me again I swear I will break his jaw and torture him brutally with coral by shoving it down his throat. My pace involuntarily increased even more as I inwardly continued making threats to Bryant. All I could see was red.

I didn’t even see the arrow until it was grazing my stomach, slicing through the outermost layer of my skin as if it was no more than butter. I yanked my bow from my back and loading it, swinging it around trying to see whoever had shot it. My eyes focused on an opening in the tunnel ahead of me that led into a cavern. I ignored the throbbing in my gut as I advanced, ready to impale whoever had had the nerve to slice up my poor six pack. I felt Bryant at my side and resisted the urge to shoot him.

I jumped into the clearing aiming my bow at the girl from seven who was pressed up against the coral wall in hopes we would pass. Yeah, she was dead wrong, I thought letting the arrow fly into her skull. She jerked backward and collapsed in a bloody heap on her bow that hung limply in her hand.

I looked around the cavern, Bryant was sprinting toward a cornucopia in the center of the cavern in it’s depths was a table that held three vials. The antidote.  I saw the male from six disappear into the tunnel. I cursed and sprinted toward the cornucopia, easily overtaking  Bryant scowled in frustration. I reached out and clasped the vile in my hands then I slowed to a halt, throwing the bottle into my near-empty quiver.

I turned to see Bryant’s hand grabbing one of the other bottles, only to be knocked over by the male from seven, Grey I think, who hit the table topping over it as he desperately grabbed the last bottle. Bryant pounced on him, attempting to pin him to impale him with his sword, but Grey grabbed his wrist and pushed him backward.

I considered helping him, but I was still pretty pissed about earlier and I did enjoy watching watching people who upset me suffer so I just watched wishing I had some popcorn to shove him my mouth.

Bryant was shoved from Grey as Sabrina appeared out of nowhere and pinned Bryant to the ground, her hands pried the vial from his fingers. Ok. This wasn’t fun and games anymore.

I ran forward and sent a jaw breaking kick to her chin. “Bad SabSab!” I growled as her neck snapped backward and she rolled off Bryant. Sabrina shot to her feet glowering at me.

“I’ve been wanting to kill you for a while now. “She hissed launching herself at me. I yanked my trident from its holder and our blades clashed. I pressed forward with my trident and threw her backwards, she landed in a neat roll and flipped backward, barely pausing before charging me and dropping onto her haunches and swinging her leg under my feet and knocking me down. My head cracked against the side of the cornucopia and I saw stars. I had enough sense to bring my trident around to block the knife that was speeding rapidly toward my head. The blades clashed again, this time though I saw Sabrina reach for another knife. I eased one hand off of my trident and reached for an arrow. I had to distract her before she stabbed me- which would seriously put a damper on my future plans with Amethyst.

“So SabSab,” What was the proper thing to say to someone who  is trying to kill you? I needed to come up with something fast. “Do you like pina coladas? And gettin caught in the rain? If you're not into yoga and you have half a brain-” I was cut off by her shrieking and knocking the trident right out of my hands.

Crap. I’ve made it angry. My pet shark had been right about her.

“I.Hate.That.Song!” She shrieked, her spit hitting my face, pinning me to the ground with such savagery (as embarrassing as it is) I forgot struggling was an option. She grabbed my face and held a knife to it. “I’m going to make you pay for all the long miserable hours I had to listen to your stupid mouth. I-I’m going to cut your tongue out! No wait thats next….” She grinned, flashing me her satanic little teeth that probably ripped throats out for fun. “First I’m going to cut off your ponytail.” She laughed maniacally I felt terror strike my heart.

I reached blindly the knife I had seen her drop. “You evil! Sick! Manic! Do not touch my luscious curls!” I yelled feeling my hands clasp the handle. “Just because your hair is ratty and dead and your grandmother probably beat you with her walker as a child doesn’t mean you should take it out on me!”

She glowered at me, pushing her knife against my curls, “I’ll do whatever I want you impudent creature!” She flashed me a grin, I flashed her one back and sent the knife hurtling into her stomach, she leaped backward getting out of range. She looked down at her stomach as if she couldn’t believe I had actually stabbed her. She pulled the knife from her stomach slowly, dangling it in front of her face, watching the blood drip from it. I waited for her to collapse, it was a gut wound after all. They were pretty fatal.

Suddenly she shrieked and sent the knife hurtling at my head, like the madwoman she was.  I rolled out of the way just in time, it pegged the end of the my ponytail. She turned around and started sprinting away, “This isn’t over! Ya hear me?” She yelled, “I have this game in the bag!” Her voice echoed off the walls of the cavern.

“Well I have a shark!” I yelled at her as she disappeared into the tunnel. I slowly got to my feet my head ached in protest. I went over to where Bryant lay with a huge welt on his head. The bruise was in the smack center of his forehead and it was very swollen, making it look as if a unicorn horn was on the verge of sprouting free. It would be so cool if I had a unicorn horn I could stab people with.

I shook Bryant roughly and he groaned and his eyes fluttered open like a princess in a  fairy tale who was just awakening from a cursed slumber. “Oh. Its you.” He said flatly sitting up. “What happened? Please tell me you killed her.”

I shook my head, “I will though.”

He buried his face in his hands, “She got the antidote.” He moaned shaking his head.

I looked away, if he didn’t return with an antidote… Amethyst would die. I looked over at him reluctantly reaching for the bottle in my quiver, if I didn’t return with a vile I would die. It was hardly a question, I tossed the bottle to Bryant who caught it with a shocked look on his face. “Why…?”

“Amethyst.” I said simply, “Go back to camp and save Amethyst. Tell her I was a way better choice than Cole and  that I’m a total hunk and that my angelic presence will be hovering over for the rest of her life. Oh and tell her to take care of Maverick Jr.” I said raising out of my crouched position and unslinging my bow.

He still looked dumbfounded, “What are you going to do?” He asked.

“I’m going to go try to catch up with Grey or Sabrina or that side from six and steal their vile.” I said taking off in the direction I had come. Sprinting at full speed through the tunnels, following the blood trail Sabrina had left, half expecting to see her dead body somewhere along the way. I saw nothing.

I made my way to the end of the tunnel where we had entered, I jumped through the forcefield and into the warm waters of late afternoon. My head broke the surface and Maverick Jr. was almost instantly up against me, rubbing me. “You can eat SaSharkBurger now.” I said to him lifting myself onto his back. Maverick Jr. threw himself out of the water like a dolphin in joy. “Woah buddy, I need you to get me to shore, ok?” In response he instantly dove beneath the waves and sped through the water.

I hopped off of him in the shallows, sopping wet as I sprinted through the career camp and into the woods, searching for some type of trail. I found a piece of fabric caught on a tree and I was instantly on the trail of Grey or the six male- most likely since I hadn't seen any blood around here. I picked up my pace, bushwhacking through the woods as fast as I could.  I lost the trail at one point and had to backtrack.

It took me a half hour to reach them. They sat in a small clearing, Grey was kneeling next to his sleeping giant of a partner uncapping the vile, preparing to save his partner.

I don’t think so.

I raised my bow taking aim, a branch broke under my foot as a shifted my weight. Grey’s head shot over, his eyes becoming disks as they set eye on me. It was too late though. I let the arrow fly and it pegged him between the eyes. I watched as his body crumpled to the ground and his eyes glazed over. The vile rolled from his slack hand onto the ground. I let out a small sigh of relief as I went to claim it.

<><><><><><>

The suns rays were casting their final glows on the arena as I broke the into the campsite- and was instantly bombarded from the side by Amethyst. She thhew herself at me, the momentum made me fall backwards into the sand. Amethyst pressed her lips against mine, kissing me. I felt little butterflies of joy throw a party in my stomach. I would have laid with her like that, but I had to get the vile to Cardamom- who was still in mermaid form.

“Amethyst, I love you but I have to give this to Cole or I’m going to die.” I said gently pushing her off of me and scrambling over to the little mermaid, I roughly opened his mouth and uncapped the liquid, letting it dribble down his throat.

She sigh, “Its ok. Hes already immortal. His body conformed back into its natural form, a mermaid.” She shrugged uncaringly.

Below me Cole groaned sitting up, “W-what? Whats on my head? Why are there clamshells on my pecs? Why am I covered in sand that was sculpted to look like a mer-Maverick.” His eyes narrowed as any previous delirium wore off. He turned around his eyes locking on mine. For half a second I thought I was going to get my throat ripped out, but his eyes focused on Amethyst and his eyes got softer. “Amethyst… Would you be my girlfriend?” he choked out suddenly, looking away as soon as he said it.

She looked at him and I grabbed her shoulder, “No, be mine please Amethyst. I love you!” I looked at her desperately, my heart thudding in my chest. This was it. This was really it.

Amethysts head looked from me to Cardamom to me again. Finally after a few long minutes she said, “I choose….” I held my breath. “CURLY BUTTER BOY!!!!” She cried flinging her arms in the air.

My heart dropped, she was abandoning us. Two  perfectly real, perfectly suitable guys for whoever the hell this ‘Curly Butter Boy’ was. I was going to kill him- you know assuming he was real.

“No Amethyst, you have to choose one of us….” Cole groaned looking at her pleadingly.

Amethyst looked at him blankly. “I did choose one of you. Apparently you don’t speak ‘butter.’ Do you Maverick?” She asked, I forced myself to shake my head. “Well then you shall learn…. You see Curly butter boy is…. Maverick!” She cried throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back, letting out a small breath of relief.

I couldn’t believe it. We were finally together. It felt so utterly perfect. So… meant to be. I was not going to let anyone destroy what we had, not the storms, nor the tunnels, nor Cole or even Mayla could destroy it. We were too strong, we were unbreakable.