Task Description:

Tributes must survive the freezing night.

Theres nothing more chilling than staring up at the sky and watching the faces of the dead fleet across the sky, the faces of people you knew had been alive just hours ago. I hadn’t bothered to get to know any of them, but now I couldn’t. I shivered fiercely as a gust of wind tore through the branches, ripping the snow from the branches causing it to dance across the sky like glitter.

I felt a sudden heaviness in my heart. Most of the faces had been of the stronger kids, the ones who I had assumed in order to die would have to be cut down with a sword. Who would have known that the sharpest blade would be the environment?

We were still walking, each step felt as though an anchor was dragging behind me, begging me to give up. I couldn’t though! It was my obligation not to die so that the capital would not revert to being styled by some trigger-happy color crazed weirdo. I shuddered involuntarily at the thought. Besides, I was too young and beautiful to die! I wasn’t a nobody with no future, my father was the mayor of District 8, I had been educated by some of the best tutors my father’s money could buy, I had worked my way from a assistant to the chief designer in District 8! I couldn’t die!

But had the now dead careers thought the same things? Shivers riveted down my spine as that thought struck me, I pushed it aside though, cramming it into the darkest depths of my mind. I couldn’t die.  

Suddenly the Brooke (as I had learned her name was) shrieked, I spun around to face her, her hands clasped her head and an expression of sheer terror was splayed across her features. “Calico’s gone!” She cried, tears starting to form in her eyes, only to be frozen as soon as they tried to leak from her face.

I really felt like I should have felt bad. Really I tried to feel bad. I even forced myself to say, “Oh dear!” But my heart wasn’t in it. Calico was really a dreadful little beast who had kept jumping around me, laughing and threatening to set me on fire.

“We have to find him!” Venus cried, her blue eyes alight with worry on her rose flushed face. I noticed Brooke casting me a sidelong glance, as if to wonder why it couldn’t be me who was missing.

I frowned and looked away, resisting the urge to snap something unkind at her. I really couldn’t figure out why I had such awful luck with humans, it seemed as if I cursed. I merely spoke a few lines and most people turned up their nose at me as if I was some work-obsessed, arrogant bastard- which I was not.

Suddenly I heard a low maniacal laughter from behind me, I spun around just in time to see a huge fireball barreling toward me. My heart jumped into my throat as I flung myself to one side, as it sailed past me in a rush of hot wind. I didn’t even have to look to know who it was: “Demon-child.” I growled, turning to look at the scrawny silhouette holding a huge blow torch.

He grinned, his eyes alight with madness, “I almost had you that time.” I do believe he might be possessed.

Nobody seemed to be overly upset that he tried to kill me. Brooke ran over and threw her arms around him, nuzzling her head into his chest. I would never understand females. Venus laughed and came over to me, offering a hand to help me up. I looked at her, unsuccessfully trying to keep the horror from my face. “W-hy are you laughing? You do realized he just tried to kill me, right?”

She laughed, “You’re taking things too seriously, he’s just a kid. Besides your expression was hilarious.” She said her eyes twinkling as she turned to look over at Calico as if he was some innocent baby just taking his first steps.

I let out a nervous laugh running my hands through my ice coated hair. “I repeat; you realize he just tried to kill me? Right?” I said, dusting the coat from my jacket that was now both torn and soaked with snow. Wonderful, now I was going to become hypothermic and die and these bastards would laugh and point saying that the snow was ‘just being snow’.

Venus rolled her eyes as if I was a moron, “You’re cute when you’re scared.” She said sheepishly, walking away leaving me utterly dumbstruck. Well that had made me feel safe. Was she going to chase me with a knife so I looked cute?

Calico waved his arms around wildly. “Guys! I almost forgot!” He squealed as if someone had just given him a new puppy. “I made fire!” He giggled happily.

I sigh, “What innocent bystander did you brutally scald now?” I groaned, irritated at everyone here.

They all turned and glowered at me as if I’d just spoken treason, but Calico started speaking and instantly captured their attention back. “Well I got bored and walked off and found this lean-to and-”

“You burned it! You imbecile! You realize we could have taken cover there for the night, don’t you?” I snapped and once again got the death glare. This time I glared back, they’d just have to deal with it.

Calico raised his hands as if he was innocent. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“Fine.” I growled crossing my arms over my chest, trying to ignore the cold.

Calico smiled, “So I come across this lean-to, and I walk up to it and burn it. See, theres the plume of smoke right over there.” He said proudly pointing from the direction he had come as if he expected us to smile and give him a gold star.

Even Brooke seemed disturbed, “Cal… where are we going to sleep? We will freeze out here.” She muttered looking betrayed and a little confused. I was genuinely surprised it had taken her this long to figure out that Calico was crazy.

Venus bit her lip, staring at him sternly. “You messed up big time. We have to get out of here before that smoke signal attracts other tributes.”

An idea struck me as it usually does when I’m in any kind of crisis that could threaten my life or career. “I think Calico’s love of fire has cost us dearly.” I said dramatically, “However we can use this to our advantage. Let’s use the fire as bait for other tributes, we will wait there for them- perhaps use Calico as bait- and then jump them when they least expect it. Because we are warm and they will most likely be near death from cold we can slaughter them easily.” I said slowly, gauging the people around me.

Calico jumped up and down, “Yay! I’ve always wanted to be bait! Can I burn people? Yes I can! Come Brooke, lets be bait together!” He grabbed her wrist and took off running in the direction of the smoke.

He was crazy.

Venus set her jaw, “I guess I don’t have much of a choice.” She said shrugging grimly. “Come on!” She said sprinting off after the maniac and his abductee. I followed her, willing my limbs to move, they ached from the cold, but after a few steps I was able to catch up. Tripping and slipping I ran through the brush until a huge fire loomed before me, warming my body. I let out a small breath and looked over toward Venus who had removed her sopping wet coat and hung it to dry on a tree branch. Calico was dancing around making buffalo noises and waving a flaming tree branch, Brooke giggled at him as if his behavior was completely normal.

I looked down at the formally adorable coat that now looked as if it had been through a warzone. Yes, it was time to take it off, rest in peace little guy. The Hunger Games were truly abusive to clothing, I wondered why anyone would want to send a gorgeous coat into an arena to get destroyed. I shrugged it off and went to hang it up next to Venus’s.

“Finally taking it off?” She asked in amusement.

I smiled a tad, “I failed it. It shouldn’t be hard to stich another one up though.” I said in a lame attempt to be funny. Funny wasn't something that came naturally to me.

She sigh, “We’d better hide soon before people start showing up. Why do you have to be such a a-hole?” She said distractedly, hoisting herself up a tree.

I let out an indignant snort as I followed her. “I’m not an a-hole! Why does everyone call me that?” I said perching myself on the branch beside her. It was something I truly did not get… I mean I thought my behavior was acceptable.

She raised an eyebrow, “Whether you know it or not you like you're better than everyone else.” She frowned gazing at the dancing flames and the silhouettes of  Brooke and Calico.

I frowned scrunching up my brow, I hadn’t known that irritated people. “I am better than everyone else… but if thats why people don’t like me I guess I can try to act like I’m not aware of the fact I’m the best.” I said slowly, reluctant to make the commitment. My father had always told me it was important to act your rank, but in retrospect most everyone I talked to looked as if they wanted to punch me as soon as I opened my mouth. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try it…

Venus sigh loudly inching closer to me, “You’re definitely a fixer upper.” She said leaning her head on my shoulder. I stiffened unsure what to do, after a second I relaxed becoming accustomed to the new feeling that sent this novel electric feeling racing through my body. A small part of me wanted to scold her and tell her facial oils were ruining the fabric of my shirt, but I ignored it. I liked the feeling of acceptance too much.

With no fair voting (or even posting the responses) The Gamemaker declared the games over and gave Paris and my alternate character 2nd place.