Task Description:

Gamemaker sends clones of the tribute's loved ones into the arena to kill them.

There are a lot more sico’s in the arena than I originally realized, like that devil child from 5, Alex. I had thought he was moderately normal until he decided to push me off the roof of an of building- Forgive me I’m getting ahead of myself, I do that sometimes. See it all started when I woke up with a knife in my face.

Well to be more precise it was barreling toward my face rather than in it, though if I hadn’t woken up when I did it would have definitely been ‘in’ my face. I let out a strangled gasp and rolled backward- off the bed I had passed out on. I hit the cold floor, not entirely sure what the hell was going on but knowing I was in huge trouble. I struggled to get up but my legs were entangled in the sheets.

My eyes shot to the bed, upon which David loomed over me. Yes David. The one I had killed yesterday. I gazed at him in horror.  He certainly looked undead, his shirt bloody and his eyes bloodshot, the maniacal grin plastered on his face didn’t make him look any better. I scrambled backwards, the bedsheets falling free of my legs.

“You stole my backpack.” He growled, “But don’t worry, I got it back.” He laughed, jumping down from the bed and advancing. He certainly had found it, I noted by the large sword he had in his hand. My back hit the crumbling plaster wall. I leaned against it, pushing myself upwards, unable to take my eyes off of David. I tried to force my brain to do something, to think, but the only thing I could manage was, “Thats a really pointy blade.”

He laughed as if I had just told a really funny knock-knock joke- which I hadn't. My eyes fell on the door that sat behind him, I had to get there. I grabbed the porcelain lamp that stood on the desk next to me I threw it at his face with all the force my arm could muster. It sailed through the air toward his face- without warning it jerked to a stop, swinging to the ground and shattering at his feet. He stopped laughing, startled.

‘I think my ‘lamp throwing operation’ would have been a lot more successful if the lamp hadn’t been plugged in.’ I concluded looking at the taunt chord that was attached to the now broken lamp.

David charged me, I ducked hearing him grunt in effort at the sword impaled the wall where my head had been only seconds earlier. I dodged around him and sprinted toward the door, I heard the splinter of wood as David managed to pull his sword free. I ran into the decaying hallway and flew down the creaky stairs, I heard David pounding behind me.

I swerved into the adjoining room, deciding that if I left the building I would probably only run into more psychopathes. The room was a kitchen, I scanned the fully supplied room for the knives, I clumsily grasped a huge cleaver and ducked inside a cabinet., holding my breath as I waited to hear him enter. It took longer than I had anticipated. Too long.

I was about to open the open the door to see if he was still there when David’s heavy footsteps thudded into the kitchen.  “Alright 11. I know you're hiding, so I’m prepared to bargain.”  He said, I heard his footsteps move forward until they were right in front of the cabinet in which I hid. That creeping deep seated terror embedded itself in my soul and stopped me from moving completely. “See after that dumpster incident, when I woke up and managed to make it up to the roof…. I saw you waste my spear on some career so the ten pair could escape…. I realized you were perhaps even more messed up than me, but in a very different way. You’re… Saving people.” He paused, “So I’m going to give you a chance to come out of wherever you are hiding and save this little kid here. Say something kid so he knows I’m not bluffing.”

“No.” The kid growled.

My heart was pounding. I was scared. I’ve been scared a lot over the course of the games, but I’ve never necessarily have been given the choice between remaining safe and sacrificing myself for someone else. It had been my ultimate goal, but once again when death was in my grasp I was virtually paralyzed with fear. I had had this happen only once previously in my life… A stormy night seven years ago.

*Flashback*

The peacekeepers shiny boots clicked as he paced the creaky wooden boards of my home. Back and forth, back and forth. I could feel the warm sticky blood dripping from my throbbing nose, my hands were secured behind my back, every muscle in my body tense.

Finally the tall birdlike man spoke. “The head peacekeeper is not a happy man. Do you know why that is?” He asked, his eyes burning into each member of my family who were lined up next to me. Petra looked downed at me reassuringly, her crystal blue eyes were warm. I wanted her to hold my hand.

The peacekeeper smacked her and her head snapped back. She glowered at him but he continued forward as if he hadn’t noticed her death glare. “Can any of you explain this box to me?” The birdman asked gesturing to the chest they had ripped our home apart in order to find.

I knew that chest very well.

My father shook his head, his face the picture of confusion and fear. “Please! Sir! We have never seen that box before in our lives!” He said shaking his head, his eyes pleading for the cold man to believe him.

The peacekeeper barely flinched as pulled out a gun and aimed it at my father's head nonchalantly, “Lies. We found it under you and your wives bed.”

My father shook his head, his eyes starting to water, “Sir, I have no-” A loud bang filled the room making me jump, I watched in horror as my father’s head exploded. Blood spattered, staining the wall behind him as his body collapsed on the floor. My mother let out an inhuman wail as she fell forward, her head resting on my fathers dead back, “Please… Please let this not be real… Please….” She wailed as she sobbed, the man she had loved unconditionally since she was eighteen was dead, dead because of me.

I felt my eyes water and my body begin to shake, unlike my mother though I couldn’t bring myself to go near the broken corpse that was once my father. Instead I moved toward my sister, nuzzling myself close to her. I felt hot tears run down my face as I whispered, “Petra, it was me. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I really didn’t know.” I cried hugging her tightly. I felt her body go rigid.

The peacekeeper put his gun away. “Last chance to tell me where you got this box before I have to blow someone else’s head off…. Say the little boy.” I will never forget the feeling of his cold hand wrapping around my arm, yanking me away from Petra's warm embrace.

There was a pause. A very long pause. “It’s my box. Leave my brother out of it.” Petra choked out, locking her eyes with the birdman’s.

He smiled smugly and shoved me away. She looked at his sternly, refusing to have him stare her down. “Come here, my dear.” The peacekeeper said with fake kindness. I remember screaming at her to stop, watching her footsteps drawing her closer to what would come next….

*Flashback Over*

As I sat in the cabinet my heart pounded as David clicked his tongue impatiently. My entire body shook from the flashback, I had never had one before. It rattled every fiber of my being, ‘It happened again. It happened again.’ was the only thing I could manage to think.

“Make up your mind eleven. I’m counting backwards from 10, if you don’t show yourself I’m killing him and then coming to find you.” David grunted in annoyance as he started his countdown.

I tried desperately to get ahold of myself, I couldn’t. I felt the other memories of that night trying desperately to resurface, I used every inch of my willpower to push them down.

“Five seconds.” David snapped.

I took a deep breaths grasping my cleaver tightly, unable to get the memory of Petra ignoring my screams and stepping forward bravely. She had always been stubborn, Mom and Dad used to tease her, telling her that her name meant ‘rock’ and she may have less hard if they had decided to name her Daisy. The word rock described Petra perfectly, and like a rock she would not be moved.

And in that instant I found the resolve to decide I would not be moved either.

I kicked the door as the final digit left David’s lips, my foot hit the side of his leg and he toppled over, I pushed myself through the door towards him as the kid he was holding managed to wrench free. I threw myself on David sticking the cleaver into his neck.  Blood cascaded from his neck pooling onto the old tiled floor. He gagged as blood gurgled from his throat and dripped from the corner of his mouth joining the thick layer of blood that was already in the floor.

I let out a breath of relief, knowing the only reason I had been able to overpower David had been the suddenness of my attack. I pried the backpack from his back and picked up the sword that had clattered on the floor. The pack felt much heavier on my back then I remembered. I stepped toward David and ignoring the flip of my stomach stabbed him an additional five times to make sure he was dead.

I was about to leave when something made me look to my left, to my surprise I saw that the kid I had rescued from David was was still there. He had wavy blond hair and couldn’t have been more than 13 or so. His eyes kinda creeped me out, they were black and beaty and almost exactly like what I imagined gazing into the darkest pits of hell would be like. I shook the creepy feeling from my mind, after all, he was just a little kid, it wasn’t his fault he got the crappy end of the genepool.  

You know how sometimes you look back on a situation and you just wish you could tell yourself something that you know now? That was one of the moments I wished I could go back to and say, “That is an evil child. His eyes probably ARE the pits of hell. You better run.” But of course I had no way of knowing that, so I just kind of looked at him awkwardly wanting to what the hell he wanted.

“I’m scared.” He said, though he didn’t look scared in the least. He looked like he wanted to rip my throat out. Of course I dismissed this as shock or whatever, after all I had always sucked at interacting and reading other people.

I looked at him uncomfortably, “Ummmm…. What do you want me to do about that? I already saved your neck. Why don’t you go hide somewhere far away from me or something?” I said more than asked, I really wasn’t the type of guy to run around skipping through flowers and making friends with people who were most likely going to die.

The kid looked at me as if he wanted to kill me- which he totally did want to do, though I was pretty clueless at the time. “Please, just stay with me for a little while longer. I am really scared.”

I sigh and let my neck fall backwards in defeat. “Fine. Whatever.” I growled, the mushy marshmallow aspect of me getting the better of depressed introvert me. It was only for a little while after all….

“Great.” He smiled. It looked like the simple action pained him. “I need some fresh air, can we go up to the roof?” He asked looking moderately excited, which should of probably terrified me.

I looked at him and grimaced, “The front door is right there. Can’t you just walk outside to get fresh air?” I asked flatly raising an eyebrow.

“Well yeah, but even I know that being up high is a strategic advantage. We will probably end up there anyway.” He said walking past me toward the stairs. I shrugged and followed him, he was right. No matter what was happening I had generally ended up on a rooftop.

The building I had crashed in was noticeably smaller that the other ones, still taller than anything I had seen in District 11, but notably smaller. Unlike the other buildings in the arena it appeared to have been constructed for only one person… a very rich person might I add. The roof sloped in multiple places and was shingled. The only way to get onto this roof was to climb through a window, being from eleven I was a good climber. Alex, as I learned his name was, had a little bit more trouble, but managed. I climbed up to the highest point of the roof and we stood.

“Feel better?” I asked wondering if I was free to leave him now.

Alex dodged my question with another, really random, question. “You know what I have always wanted to do?” He grinned at me, though his grin still looked pained I knew it was genuine.

I sigh unenthusiastically, “Do I care?” I asked harshly, sounding like a total jerk… which I guess I kind of was.

He ignored my question and when on, “I have always wanted to push someone off a building and watch them go splat.” He said dreamily.

I gave him a weird look, “Thats a disturbing aspiration. You might want to go to a psychologist or someth-” I felt his hands shove me with all of his might, I yelped attempting to grab something to regain my balance. My hand found the collar of Alex’s shirt yanking him downwards with me, we tumbled down the sloping roof and over the edge. I made one final grab something- anything that would stop my fall. I felt my fingers hook around the drainage pipe, jerking my fall to a halt as I dangled perilously over the concrete four stories below. I heard Alex’s screams come to an abrupt stop as his body smacked the pavement. I felt my stomach flip again.

Slowly I pulled myself upwards onto the edge, staring numbly at Alex’s corpse, his legs and neck at odd angles, a splatter mark of blood marked where his skull had cracked the pavement. I felt my ever present companion known as depression creep up on me. For those who have never experienced it, depression feels like an anvil has been strategically placed on your heart, slowly deflating it as it is crushed under the anvil’s immense weight. It saps every inch of energy and resolve you have and you just have to wonder what the point of living even is- we are all maggot infested corpses in the end.  

As I sat there in gloomy silence I realized I was very confused. One second I want to live, the next I want to die. I try to save people, but I only manage to kill more in the process, and for what? So I can just prolong their struggle til I’m not there and they die anyway? I remembered seeing Jadine's face in the sky last night, I had saved her only she could die in the fog. I remembered yesterday plunging back into the fog looking for survivors, only to find more mutated corpses.

It was sick. How could anyone enjoy watching teenagers breathe in toxic gas and vomit their guts out until they died? How could anyone enjoy watching kids be stripped of their humanity to go fight in a game in which no one comes out alive. Maybe it’s things like this that make me hate the world so much.

That was when it happened; a booming voice flooded the arena. I jumped in surprise, almost falling off the roof.

“Hello tributes!” Antonio appeared in the sky, his face being broadcasted over the entire sky. Not his shoulders, or even his neck, just one giant floating head that was flashing us a pearly white grin. I blinked. Man that was creepy. “We at a capital have a special treat for you.” With that 14 beams of light shot down from the sky. One of them beamed down onto the far side roof that I was sitting on, the slopes prevented me from seeing what it was. I looked at Antonio’s ugly vampire face, resisting the urge to flip him off. He can cram whatever the hell he wants to give me up his surgically altered booty. “Just remember- Trust no one.”

He disappeared and I sat numbly on the edge of the roof, my head bowed. That was when I heard the footsteps behind me. I didn’t move.

“Hey, Sunny.” A crisp female voice said from behind me.

I stiffened, hesitating, something stopping me from turning around. Was it her? It couldn’t be her. She was dead. But...it had to be her. Nobody else had ever called me Sunny.

Slowly I  turned around. A knot formed in my throat as I saw the familiar, willowy figure perched on the highest point of the roof. Her long silky black hair was tossed by the wind and her blue eyes sparkled with life. I gazed at her.

Petra.

My eyes filled with tears, I tried to blink them away but in turn only felt them run down my cheek. I wanted to hug her, I wanted to tell her how sorry I was, I wanted her to forgive me…. for the first time in a long time I wanted to be okay. The corners of my mouth tighten in a way they haven’t in I don’t know how long, it felt good as the smile spread across my face.

I stood up shakily, my mind not even considering that this might be a trick of some type. Petra was my sister, she would never hurt me. As I stared she smirked at me and opened her arms, I felt my heart leap. She wasn’t mad. She still loved me. As I started forward a strange memory occurred to me, I remembered her rubbing my head playfully and assuring me she’d always be my big sister- we were the same age now. I guess when you’re dead you don’t age. I swallowed hard. She was dead because of me. A rock fell into my stomach crushing any relief or happiness I might have felt a second before.

I stopped moving completely and took a step back, my face going slack. I didn’t deserve her forgiveness…. What if I hurt her again? I shuddered and forced a scowl on my face. “Get away from me me.” I snapped, trying desperately from keeping my voice from breaking. I looked away and began forcing myself to walk away as quickly as I dared along the edge of the roof toward the window I had come through.

I heard racing footsteps behind me. “Wait! Stone! Please, I want to apologize!” She called as she neared me.

I spun around and glowered at her, my cheeks wet. “Sorry for what? Every thing that happened that night was my fault. Dad is dead because of me and- and-” I stopped and looked away, resisting the urge to throw myself into the comfort of her arms like I had done so many times when I was young. Hell, what was wrong with me? I wasn’t some innocent ten year old anymore, I was a killer. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at her.

Her eyes lost the warmness that had used to fill her in life, “Yeah…. I guess it is. It is all your fault. You didn’t speak up to save your own father, you left your own mother alone to support her ten year old kid, and… well we all know what you did to me.” She sneered making me take a step backward,hugging my arms closer to my chest. “You are sick. I can’t believe you're my brother.”

Her words stung like knives being thrust into my heart. I sunk to the ground trying to hold back the sobs that I felt strangle my throat. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen.”

Petra crouched down beside me and smirked. “You’re ugly when you cry.” She poked my shoulder mockingly. I hung my head pulling my legs into my chest. All the sadness I had pushed downwards for years seemed to resurrect itself in my chest, my heart seemed incapable of holding it all as it throbbed.

I should have realized this…. thing was not my sister. Not even the capital can raise the dead, and Petra would have never treated me like this. I believed her because her words echoed exactly how I felt; like a terrible excuse for a human being.

“Now, Sunny,” Her words rolled off her tongue with venom, “I understand you were a traitor to your own family, I know you hid that box under Dad’s bed, I just want to know where you got it and why you took it.”

All I wanted to do was disapear. I wanted to shrivel up into the empty skeleton I felt like. I wanted to die. My eyes shot over to the edge of the roof….

“Answer me!” Petra shrieked shaking me.

I stared at the pavement below me, I stared at Alex’s body. It was broken physically in the way I was mentally, there was no hope. There never was any to begin with, though. I opened opened my mouth and the words began to drip out. “Remember when I was eight? Remember when Mrs. Pine hung herself after her daughter Chelsea died in the games? I was upset. I didn’t understand why anyone would want to die and leave this ‘beautiful’ world we are in.” I let out something between a laugh and a sob before I continued, “I asked you, and you told me that we all had ropes around our necks. Mrs Pine’s world upon she stood had begun to crumble under her feet until she had nothing left to stand on and the rope tightened around her neck. I was devastated, but you put a finger under my chin and lifted my face upwards. “We don’t know whose worlds are crumbling, but it only takes one person to lift a small piece of ground to help that person stay standing.” You said, and from that instant onwards I decided I would be a ‘Groundlifter’. No one else would ever be so alone and sad that they would die.” I paused looking upwards at the sky. “I was happy. I wanted others to be happy too. I was known to skip through the town lending a hand to anyone who might need it. Old people, young people, anyone. I was used a lot, but quite honestly I didn’t care. I would do anything to bring someone else just a little happiness and lift up some of their ground. I remember loving the way the peoples eyes would light up with hope and joy, it was reward enough. My younger self loved eyes.”

“You were delusional.” Petra scowled, “Now cut to the chase.” She tapped her foot on the loose shingles impatiently.

“Mr. Derulo gave me the box. He just came up to me one day and asked, “Could you keep something safe for me? Some of those darn peacekeepers want this box I have, it was my wifes. They are coming to steal it from my house soon, would you keep it safe for me?” I had nodded, “Of course!” I didn’t question it, I didn’t ask for permission, I didn't even open the box to see what was inside when he gave it to me later that day. Perhaps if I had this all would of ended different. Perhaps I’d still be a Groundlifter. I had dragged the abnormally heavy box into our shack and I hid it under the only luxury our family had which also the only good hiding place in our shack; my parents large okan bed. After that everything was fine for a few days and I was only tempted to open it once, but resisted feeling it would be an invasion to look upon the only object the poor old man’s wife had left him.  I went about my everyday life hardly giving the mysterious box a second thought, little did I know I was in silence before the storm…. And then…. You know what happened.” I choked feeling the tears come faster now.

Petra threw her head back and laughed, “You were stupid, naive, pathetic and useless.” She spat, “And,” She leaned in closer to my ear, her lips hovering above it. “I’ll let you in on a secret. Nothing’s changed.” She smiled, a sick feeling entered my stomach. She was right of course. “I just used you to get the name of that rebel. He’s probably being shot as we speak. And I’m not even your sister, merely a clone. I can’t believe you mistook me for her. Petra would be so disappointed in you. The gamemakers sent a bunch of us clones in here, to kill you.” She smiled as my eyes widened in realization. “14. One for each tribute. The other clones took weapons, I refused. I don’t need to kill you, you're  your own worst enemy. I see you for who you truly are; a weak coward who is just like these crumbling buildings; one little shove and you'll crumble to the ground, nothing more than dust…. No- You’re lower than dust- you stood by and watched your father die, you murdered your sister, and you can’t even find it in yourself to take that one, final step.” She pointed at the edge of the roof and waited.

I did nothing, I felt her eyes boring into the very essence of my soul. My brain wheeled with all the words she had just said, with all of my failures, all of my idiocy. Suddenly the stress of it all was just too much for me, I broke. I felt my sanity shatter within me like glass spewing in all directions. Nothing seemed to matter all of a sudden. It was all pointless anyway. I threw my head backward and began laughing hysterically.

“I-I’m not scared anymore.” I grinned, suppressing the giggles that tried to force their way out of my mouth.  “I’m not scared!” I broke into laughter again, grabbing the front of the clone’s shirt. “But, hell, you're coming with me!” I yanked her over the side with me as I let myself tumble into oblivion. She shrieked as the air coursed around us, I loved it.

Now when one is about to die, people talk about seeing their life flash before their eyes. Not me. My brain settled on showing me my deepest, most buried memory…. The one I hated most….

*Flashback*

The birdman struck my sister again. “Tell me where you got this!” He shrieked gesturing to the box that still sat in the corner of the room.

She shook her head, tears running down her face mixing with the blood that dripped from many wounds. “Its mine. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She gasped heaving on the floor. My mother’s wails filled the house every time the birdman had hit her daughter. Everyone here was covered in blood. Mother in father’s, The birdman in Petra’s and Petra’s in her own. Everyone but me.

The birdman shook his head finally backing away, “She’s useless.” He growled to his partner who was guarding the door.

“Then kill her. We have no room for treasonous scum in our district.” He growled, mother’s wailing increased. It sounded like the cry of a wounded animal. She fell to her knees and covered her face in her hands and sobbed.

I swallowed hard. “L-leave her alone!” I found the courage deep inside me  to yell at the birdman as he pulled a dagger from his belt.  

He paused his eyebrows raising, he walked over to me. “Alright, I’ll leave her alone.” He said his eyes glinting sinisterly at me.

I felt relief rush into me. “T-thank you,sir-” I choked out as he unbound my hands.

He slapped me, pain exploded in the side of my cheek. I looked away scared as I felt the dagger shoved into my clammy hands.  “Don’t thank me. I’m not going to touch her, but you are.” He said smiling, gesturing to Petra.

I began to shake, “No! You can’t make me! Please don’t hurt us! Please just leave us alone! Please!” I cried as the birdman slapped me again, I felt his fingers curl around the front of my collar, jerking me forwards until I was inches from his face.

“Listen to me very closely. I am being kind. Prove to me that you are loyal to the President by killing your sister, and I will spare you and your mother.” He screamed, shaking me.

I felt myself nod as he let me go and I walked towards Petra. My entire body shook as I moved forward, one step at a time. I stifled a sob as I leaned over my sister. She smiled at me, though her eyes were filled with fear. “I-its ok, Stone. Take care of Mommy, ok?” She said forcing a smile on her face, though tears still streamed down her face.

I began to sob, dropping the blade to the floor and hugging her. She flinched in pain and I let go. “I’m scared.” I choked out between sobs.

The birdman took out his gun and pressed it against my head, the nozzle feeling cool against the skin. I stiffened as he screamed in my ear, “Do it! Do it now or you’re all dead!”

Petra picked the dagger off of the floor and angled it over her heart. “Don’t be. I will always be with you, even if you can’t see me. I love you.” She leaned forward just enough to kiss my forehead then fell back to the ground. “Do it.” She said, her body tensing.

Shaking I took the handle. I hesitated for a second, staring into my sister’s terrified eyes. I looked away and forced the blade downwards, feeling it puncture the skin, crush the bone and delve into her soft organs. I heard a strangled gasp as her body seized for a second and then went still. I buried my face in my hands as the gun removed itself from the back of my head and the birdman and his friend laughed. “Don’t ever cross the capital, kid!” One laughed as the door slammed shut behind them.

“Honey? Honey come untie Mommy.” My mother's grief stricken voice called. I didn’t move as sobs racked my small body. I didn’t move until well into the night after my mother fell into a fitful sleep. I forced myself to finally look at what I’d done.

Her eyes were empty, and her skin a sickly blue color. Her blood was everywhere, the dagger that had killed her still sat  in her chest. I felt my gut heave as I reached forward and grabbed the handle, pulling it free. I stared at the blade, it was covered in a thin layer of blood. I brought the blade up to my forehead and pressed it deep into the skin, dragging it down my face. When I reached my cheek I dropped the blade breaking into a another sob, the tears streaming down my face stinging the new wound.

Now I looked like they monster I truly was.

*Flashback Over*

There was one small problem with my suicide attempt; it didn’t kill me.

I landed on top of the clone whose head exploded from impact, splattering blood all over the pavement, her body cushioned my fall enough to keep me from dying, but the hitting that pavement was no less painful, agony exploded throughout my body.

I lay unmoving for a second, in shock. I lifted my head dizzily, my vision throbbing and spinning, through it all I saw a slim black haired figure in a white dress walking towards me, light surrounding her.

Delirious I squinted my eyes trying to see her, “Your time is coming Stone, but it is not now. This arena still needs you. Remember I will always be with you.” She faded away along with my vision as I was plunged into the black abyss of unconsciousness.