Task Description:

Tributes must face their worst fear.

I’ve heard it said that it’s that when you fall from cloud nine you wake up on the concrete. I personally wouldn’t know. I think cloud nine is allergic to me or something because I’ve never been on it. Anyway point being, I was under the assumption that when you fell off a building you didn’t wake up at all. Or at the very least I thought if I woke up, I would wake up in the concrete bloody and battered and near death. I didn’t think I would wake up on cloud nine.

Well, let me rephrase that. It was only my initial assumption that I was on some type of cloud. It turned out to be a bed… and something boiling was running down my throat.

It was probably poison.

I spit it out, I heard someone scream followed by a loud crash. “Ahhhh! My f***ing eyes! What the f**k is wrong with you, weirdo?!” A boy’s voice screamed.

I scrunched my face up and forced my eyes open. A splitting headache seared my scalp as sunlight streamed into my eyes. I hated sunlight. My eyes focused on the kid from hell. Yes, the one I had accidently pushed off the roof yesterday after he had tried to quote, ‘push me off the roof to watch me go splat.’ He sat on the floor clutching his eyes moaning.  My hands flew to my throat, they ached painfully even from the slight movement. “What did you just pour down my throat? That better not have been acid, you psychopath.” I yelled, my voice coming out horse. I forced myself to sit up, cringing from the pain that agonized my body. I extended my arm, staring at the deep purple bruises that ran up it. My entire body was trembling involuntarily, probably from some type of nerve damage. Beautiful. Not that it really mattered.

“You’re the psychopath! I’m trying to help you freak!” He yelled throwing his hands up in the air in, exasperated. I noticed that he didn’t look much better than me, he was heavily bruised and a large gash was in his forehead. “You don’t spit boiling water at people’s face!”

Freak probably dragged me in here to perform some inhumane experiment on me…. My eyes darted around the room, it looked just like any other decaying room in any building. I didn’t see any torture devices. They were probably under the bed. “You don’t pour boiling water down people’s throats!” I snapped, trying to get out of the bed- but promptly fell on my face. I moaned, my nose scrunching up against the carpet. I hate my life.

Alex simultaneously scowled and shrugged, “I don’t know! Do I look like a nursemaid?-”

I turned my head and glowered at him, cutting him off. “A nursemaid from hell!” I growled, spotting my backpack. I got on my elbows and began dragging myself toward it, pitiful? Yes, but I figured I should kill myself before the blonde devil did.  I mean if jumping off the building didn’t work, I’d just have to get my hands dirty and slit my wrists. I was stupid, I was useless, I was naive and a clear waste of oxygen, it was time to be brave and do it. I flinched as the clone’s words came back to me, stinging my heart. This time I won’t fail. This time it would all be over, all the pain, the guilt, and the failure.

Satan in child form jumped to his feet, “Look here, I freaking dragged you here after I woke up, I put you in a bed, and I even tried to feed you boiling water like my mother always did when I was sick- Don’t you dare reject my hospitality.” He yelled scornfully, his beady black eyes dared me to move.

I rolled my eyes and laughed like the mentally unstable person I was. “That doesn’t make up for the fact that you tried to push me off a roof!” I said sarcastically, emphasizing the last part.

I never could grasp how after some people betray you, they just expect you to forgive them. Its like throwing a glass plate on the floor, then telling it you're sorry and expecting it to magically be whole again. The world was teeming with insensitive morons. It wasn’t even like I was mad at him for trying to kill me- hell I was trying to kill me! Rather it was more of the fact that he had lied to me and then betrayed me after I had saved his life.

“Don’t take it personally! I try to kill everyone.” He begged, if I had been in a balanced state of mind at that time, I might have realized that he obviously wanted something from me or he would have killed me. Instead I just reached forward and grabbed the canvas of the backpack and unzipped it; my hand scurried around until I found the dagger. I grasped it by the blade and pulled it free. The sharp blade sliced my palm as I yanked it free, I didn’t even flinch.

I hovered the blade over my wrist for a second, staring at it fearlessly. Finally, finally there would be no more pain. I brought it downward- it was suddenly kicked from my hands. “What the hell?! You can’t kill yourself!” He growled angrily.

I rolled my eyes and reached for another blade, “Bite me.” I said flatly, “Bite. Me.” He crunched his boot down on my wrist while it was midair, pinning it to the ground. Pain shot up my arm from the already bruised skin, I yanked my arm out from under him and he fell over. On a strange impulse I couldn’t pinpoint I hissed, “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill myself.” I narrowed my eyes glaring at him. “One reason.”

The child from hell curled his lip and looked away. “Because. Because when I fell off the building I think I broke my right arm. Its not moving. I… need help.” His face turned a bright shade of red as if it killed him to even admit. He turned back to me glowering, “But don’t think for an instant that I am weak! I killed a man with just one thumb, so don’t test me.”

I laughed again, about to ask him why I would even care. I don’t think I really have cared about anything since I woke up. Its like my heart had been ripped out and replaced with a bottomless abyss of nothingness. We were all dead. Our world was in ruin. There was no hope.

Thats when the voice tickled the back of my mind- I don’t mean a memory, or a thought, no. I mean I heard an actual voice.

Stone. Don’t you dare kill yourself.

My eyes darted over to Alex, he still was looking away in shame. He wasn’t acting like he was hearing anything…. I looked around the room trying to see if I was missing another person entirely. It was empty. “Ummm, person talking to me, are you in my head?” I breathed very lowly, below even the most silent whisper.

Stone, you are impossible. Maybe the freaky-ass kid can’t give you a good reason as to why you can’t kill yourself, but I already did and so help me God if I have to say it again.

I froze, my eyes widening. My brain was flooded with the image of Petra kneeling over me after I had flung myself off the building, light surrounding her as she told me to live because my time wasn’t up, because the arena still needed me. To hell with that, nobody needed me. I was running around trying to save people who couldn’t be saved. It was pointless. I heard it once said that good would always triumph over evil, but I had seen far too much of evil let to run rampid to believe that. This world was too cold for anyone to survive. “Petra… is that you?” I whispered, mildly creeped out.

No Stone. It’s Santa Claus. Ho ho ho- Hell, yeah its me!

I stared forward blankly. This was not good. It could not be normal to have your dead sister talking to you in your head- heck I was pretty sure hearing any voice in your head was the first step on a short flight of steps to insanity.

Alex turned back to me, squinting his small black pits of hell at me. “Who are you talking to?” he asked, hesitantly.

I glowered at him, pushing myself to a sitting position. I let out a groan from the pain that throbbed against my body. “No one. You are clearly delusional.” I growled coldly, glancing over at the dagger.

Don’t you even think about it. Don’t. You. Dare.

I sigh, glancing away. Guilt tugged mercilessly at my heart, as I remembered driving the knife into Petra’s heart. I owed her. I guess it wouldn’t make a difference if I did it later…. Half of me screamed that I was crazy, the other half said that the voice in my head was legitly Petra, urging me forward. I scowled looking back in the blade, Petra had always been such an idealist.

I’m dead. I know pretty much everything now, besides, I’ll always be your big sister, and that means you have to listen to me, okay?

I felt tears begin to brim in my eyes, I quickly wiped them away. What happened not caring? God, I was too sensitive. Weak and sensitive.

“Whatever, freak.” Alex said, I jumped, a wave of embarrassment washed over me. I had forgotten he was here at all. “You want some painkillers?”

I made a show of dabbing my eyes, “Yeah- thanks. Man, the pollen level in this arena is high!  Just got two clumps in both eyes….” He gave me this really solum ‘I-can-see-into-the-depths-of-your-soul’ look, as he pulled a white capsule from his bag and tipped it as several blue pills fell out. He tossed one to me and I grabbed it.

I gulped it down my throat without questioning them, if they were acid, so be it. “Where’d ya get these?” I asked, the painkillers seemed like they’d be a little expensive to just be in a backpack.

“A sponsor.” He said curtly.

I nodded as the pain suddenly vanished, washing away from my body and replacing it with a normal feeling body. I looked down, my body was still bruised and trembling but it didn’t hurt anymore. Wow, that painkiller was strong. “Okay. Rules for this temporary alliance we are forming before I die, don’t look at me, don’t talk to me, and give me more of those painkillers when these wear off.” I paused, “You smell. I’m going outside.”

What are you? Four? Be nice to your new friend!

“He’s not my friend, freaky voice inside my head.” I grumbled as loud as I dared, glowering at the air in front of my face.

His left eye twitched as I stood up wobbly and began making my way to the door, leaning on the wall as I went. “Woah. Who says you get to make the rules?!” Devil child said, looking moderately homicidal.

I raised an eyebrow. “Me.” I said simply, barely pausing in my geriatric waddle to the door. I grasped the doorknob as Alex snapped something back at me. I have always found that whenever someone it attempting to make you do something you don’t want to do, the answer is to simply ignore them and keep on doing what you’re doing. I swung the rickety old door open and stepped outside into the light that warmed my face.

Thats when I heard it. My entire body stiffened as a terrified scream reached my ears.  My head spun around to see the career herd attacking a boy about my age with brown hair. The boy was knocked to the ground and the male from six, raising his huge sledgehammer over his head, the other members loomed around him, their eyes watching  with bloodlust for him to make the final blow.

I stared for half a second, should I let him die? It was pointless to let him live. The careers would only kill him later, like they did with Jadine.

A life is always worth it.

The voice echoed in my head, sending shivers down my spine. Adrenaline ran through my veins like a herd of wild horses, strong, fearless and unstoppable. I felt Alex tug on the back of my shirt, “Don’t you dare, get inside before they see us…. or let them kill him then we can track them from behind and pick them one at a time. Don’t be a-” It was too late.

I was running. I was running with no weapons, no plan, and absolutely no chance. And so I was spurred forward in my pointless charade run by the cruel master known as hope. Hope for humanity was the only thing that kept me trying. I don’t know why I cared so much, why couldn’t I just be selfish? I pumped my legs faster as the girl with the blue hair turned, her eyes widening as she saw me. Perhaps selfishness was a gift in disguise that protected you from being like me.

I watched the sledgehammer go crashing toward the boy’s head. He cowered, realizing that this was the end for him. I dodged the small blond girl and barreled into the boy with the sledgehammer, he was bigger than me but that was no match for the momentum I had built. It sent us tumbling to the concrete, the hammer skidding from his clutches. I tumbled  to the concrete at his side. “Wha-” He gasped as we locked eyes.

I tried to smile at him, it came out more like a grimace. “Hi.”

Pain exploded in my face as he pummeled the side of my face. My head snapped back as he tried to crawl over me to grab his sledge hammer. I grabbed his wrist, stopping his fingers from reaching the fatal instrument of destruction. He let out a groan trying to force himself forward, my grip gave a little as perspiration leaked from my hand.

I kneed him in the stomach pushing him off me, rolling over trying to pin him down. He gunted, rolling over, pushing me to the ground without problem.

“Aero! Hold him there! Flora will shoot him.” A girl’s voice rang out tensely. Aero looked over to make eye contact with whoever his person was. I bucked my head forward and it cracked against his skull. He winced, sifting his balance. I pushed him off me yet again, this time though I didn’t try to pin him down. I punched him in the jaw, as hard as I could. His eyes glazed over slightly stunned. I could have killed him right then- I didn’t want to though.

“We don’t have to kill each other.” I gasped, my breathes ragged. I looked around at all the people who stood, surrounding me. They stared downward, a few seemed surprised that I had talked. My eyes fell on the district one girl’s arrow that she loaded, right at me. I scowled, glancing at Areo who lay next to me clutching his jaw.  “Hell! Don’t you people realize that you are letting the gamemaker’s strip you of your humanity? Don’t you realize that if you play their stupid game only one of you will come out alive? Don’t you realize that if you win nothing will ever be the same?” I felt the words drip off my tongue like venom.

There was silence, a lengthy drawn out silence.

The girl from one smirked at me, locking her arrow on my heart. “The funny thing about that statement is that I never had any.” She said harshly. I didn’t move. I had no desire to move as I stared at the cold faces around me. This was humanity, the thing I fought to save, a bunch of heartless people.

Flora suddenly pitched forward, her eyes widening in alarm as her eyes glazed over and a pool of blood dripped from her mouth. I jumped a little as I stared, startled, to see a large dagger protruding from her back and a child with eyes that resembled the pits of hell standing behind her. “I am the only one who is allowed to have no humanity in this arena.” His very familiar monotone voice rang out.

The girl from seven shrieked, letting out a warcry, attacking him. The blue-haired female from  four followed with a fierce yell. The male from seven grabbed Aeros stray sledge hammer and ran offensively at the district one girl’s partner who met him with a fierce stance of agility and readiness.  

I stared numbly as everyone around me collapsed into war. Depression hung over me like a dark cloud, sinking lower and lower towards the ground. I felt rather than saw Aero get to his feet. An odd statement, I know, but thats the only way I can describe it. I shuddered turning to face him with no desire to fight him.

Sadly, he didn’t feel the same. His fist came barrelling into my jaw, I fell backward my head cracking against the cement. It felt like all the fight had been sucked out of me, no. The fight had been sucked out of me a long time ago. Now I was just running on a faulty generator.

Stone, you idiot! Do something!

I shook my head numbly as  Aero’s hands grasped my neck in a viselike grip. His heart wasn’t in killing me though, it reflected in his eyes. “Shit,” he choked, “Why the hell don’t you fight back, it’d make you so much easier to kill.”

I looked at him blankly. “So you have to see someone kicking and screaming for their life in order for you to be able to kill them without guilt?” I demanded flatly.

He hesitated and shook his head, “No. Its not like that- Hey I have a family to get back to, okay?” He snapped uncomfortable, his grip on my neck tightening with his growing anxiety.

I snorted indignantly, “Like all those kids you murdered didn’t?” I demanded, feeling a swell of annoyed, righteous, frustrated- whatever you want to call it anger well inside me.

“You know what? I don’t owe any explanation to you? Why am I-” He started, spitting venom as he gripped my throat tighten, borderline cutting off my air passages.  

I cut him off, “Would you shut up and f**king kill me already?!” I demanded furiously, what the hell does it take to get killed around here?!

He started to snap something at me as his head exploded, my eyes widened as a sledgehammer barreled into his scalp. It caved in on impact, pieces of bone and brain flying everywhere. I resisted the urge to hurl as I stared at blood that cascaded onto the ground. I felt a hand try to tug me to my feet. “Are you okay man?” I looked over to see the boy I had saved. He was much taller than I had originally realized with big watery, chocolate-brown eyes. So basically he looked like a giant, needy puppy. I hate puppies.

He didn’t give me time to respond before yanking my wrist and pulling me away from the fighting. I threw a glance over my shoulder to see Alex chasing after us, bloody and a look of murder sprawled across his face. However it was what was behind him that caught my eye- I saw the girl with the long blonde hair kneeling over the male from six’s body crying.

*Flashback*

Blood spattered, staining the wall behind him as my father’s 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.

*Flashback Over*

I forced myself to look away as I turned, trying to yank my grasp from the human puppy dog's grasp. It wasn’t budging. I cursed and tried to pace myself with him. He pulled me into an alleyway and let go of my wrist, doubling over with ragged breaths. Alex’s footsteps pounded into alleyway behind me. I felt him walk over and stand beside me, I thought it was pretty safe to say he was looking at this weird puppy man like he wanted to kill him. He always looked like he wanted to kill someone.

The boy smiled at me, “I’m Aspen.” He stood up and before I could fully register what exactly was happening his arms wrapped around me and he squeezed me tightly. “Thank you so much, like I don’t even know what I should say. Like why would you do that?” He rambled, though I barely processed what he said.

“Who the hell gave you permission to touch me?” I demanded stiffening up, glowering at him out of the corner of my eye.

He let go and took a step backward quickly, raising his hands apologetically. His smile morphed into something sheepish. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were one of those anti-touch people. I didn’t know. I just got excited, I haven’t talked to anyone since my friends died in the bloodbath. I’m sorry. I was just- its lonely being alone.” I almost felt bad… he seemed kind of nice- but he was no better than anyone here. I had seen him smash a career’s head in mercilessly. Then again I had killed too. We all had. I recoiled within myself in disgust.  Aspen looked over to Alex, “What about you little guy?” He asked, opening his arms to him.

Alex didn’t move. “You try to hug me, or you call me little guy one more time and I will cut out your tongue.” He said flatly as if he was merely suggesting we eat one food instead of another.

Aspen looked as if we had ripped his heart out and beat it with a sword. He hung his head, “Okay then, I wouldn’t want to be a burden on you guys. See you around.” He smiled sadly  and started to lope away toward the street.

Stone. Be nice.

I sigh turning to face him, “Aspen, just because we don’t want hugs doesn’t mean you can’t-” I paused trying to force the words from my throat, “be our friends.” I nearly vomited from saying that. My mouth was polluted. I needed to sanitize it.

His face lit up, “Great, it will be so nice-” He stopped, his face falling in horror at something behind us. His complexion faded until he looked like a corpse. “Run!” He yelled disappearing around the corner.

I froze as something blurred past me in hot pursuit of him, I glanced behind me to see if there was more of whatever was chasing him behind me. The alleyway was empty, just a few dumpsters, rotting boxes and a huge brick wall that sealed it off. I heard Alex scream, I spun around trying to find him but he was gone. I sprinted over toward the rim of the alleyway looking out into the crumbling street. Neither of my ‘friends’ were anywhere in sight. A lone dead leaf tumbled across the road in the wind. I let out a nervous laugh, “Okay… thats wierd.”

Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew behind me, whipping dead leaves past my my ears, pulling at my short hair. I turned around, anticipation ripping underneath my skin. A huge swirling vortex of black clouds spun ominously in the brick wall. I took a step toward it, even though every shred of common sense screamed at me not to go near it. I stepped toward it as if I was no longer in control of my body. I advanced slowly, reaching my arm out toward it as a sickly sweet smell I hadn't been aware I was smelling became stronger. ‘Shit. Drugs.’ My brain realized as I continued advancing helplessly toward the cloud of imminent death. I. Hate. My. Life.

My hand reached out toward the swirling mass, the clouds were cold and wet against my arm. It went right through where the wall had been, my heart skipped a beat. This was not good. My entire body shuddered as I stepped through the portal, if thats what you would call it.

Freezing air rushed around me as I took the quite possibly fatal step.

I emerged in a graveyard that stretched as far as the eye could see, overgrown tall grass waved in the breeze. I spun around to see the portal fading rapidly into nothing more than an endless graveyard. I ran toward it- it closed and I tripped over a headstone.  I groaned getting to my feet as fast as humanly possible- okay fine. Graveyards creeped me out- in fact I hated them with a vengeance. Then again I also hated sunshine.

I turned around, shivering. What the hell was this for? Did they transferred us to another arena? My eyes focused on the inscription on the headstone that I had tripped over and I froze completely.

Stone Peter Everglade

In The Year Of Our Glorious President 45 ~ 62

Died in The Hunger Games

District 11 Male Tribute

My heart started beating fervently on my rib cage as if it was trying to break out of my chest completely. I took a hesitant step back and I felt the soil give way as the soft ground crumpled under my foot. I screamed as the entire ground gave way beneath me and I tumbled into the black abyss below. I hit a softly cushioned bottom. A casket. I looked upward in time to see dirt falling downward as the roof of the casket I had fallen into slammed shut above me, trapping me and engulfing me in darkness. I heard dirt crash against the top of the casket, shovel full by shovel full.

I pressed in the top of the casket, trying to lift it frantically, my breaths coming in short gasps as the walls seemed to shrink, crushing me. I felt nausea flip in my stomach as I reached out to test the sides. My right hand touched a solid wall covered in fine silk inches from where I lay. The other touched a writhing mass of something, a writhing mass of scaley, very alive snakes.

My heart stopped as I felt one slowly weave its way up my arm. I let out a scream and banged on the roof of the casket, desperately trying to break it open. “Help! Help! Please!” As more snakes twisted around my body, weaving me into their mass. I screamed again, tears starting to run down my face from the terror of being buried alive in a small box filled with snakes. They entwined themselves with me, nuzzling their little demonic heads against my skin and forcing their way underneath my clothes. I felt a snake stick its head into my open mouth and try to force its way down my throat. I gagged, trying to rip it free only to grab the tails of several other snakes before finding the one that belonged to the snake that squirmed itself deeper and deeper down my throat. I coughed as the stale air from the casket rushed into my lungs. I clenched my teeth shut before another one could weasel its way down my throat. I pounded on the roof of the casket again vainly. My heart beating so fast I thought I might pass out.

Stone. Calm down, you're stronger than this.

“F**k! What the hell do you know about me?! Your a freaking voice inside my head! God I’m crazy! I am so f**king crazy. I’m off the deep end, I’m insane.” I screamed at the top of my lungs as shudders began to rock my body. I clasped my hand to my head, all my emotions exploding from the depths of my heart. “I’m crazy. I’m crazy.” I whispered repetitively.

Stone, if you calm down you can get out of this. Its just a test.

I shook my head numbly, “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.” I felt a snake sink its long teeth into my flesh. I flinched, banging my fist against the wall one final time before letting my arm fall into the masses that instantly entabled it pulling it every which way. I was insane. I took a deep breath, I had to get out if here. I had to calm down. I refused to die like this.

I had no weapon, no tool I could use to pry the lid open. I swallowed hard and reached upwards, feeling along the lid for a latch- my fingers found a small indent in the wood. A keyhole. I just had to find something to pick it with. I knew I had nothing useful on me. The snakes swam around me, only seeming to increase. I grunted as another one sunk its fangs into my neck- and in that instant I knew the solution for my problem.

I inwardly cringed as I felt the snake bodies trying to find a large one.  I hate snakes. I hate them more than sunlight and small caskets combined. My hand grasped a large one’s  neck,. I felt it snap furiously trying to get free. I hesitated before plunging my other hand into the things mouth, grasping one it’s fangs and yanking it. The skin let out a little ripping noise as the fang fell free. I let out a small breath of relief, letting the snake go. It lunged forward and bit my arm.

I shuddered, pressing the fang up into the lock and giggling it. I held my breath, this had to work, this had to work…. I heard a click and shoved the top of the casket open, it was heavy from the two feet of dirt that had piled ontop of it. I stood up on top of it and forced the casket closed with one final shudder. I shook the snakes that clung onto my clothing off, making little “Ew.” noises as I went. I know I probably sounded like a prepubescent girl when we saw a spider but I really don’t care. Snakes are… snakes are what would happen if the devil and Antonio had a child. A pile of dirt fell on my head as I hoisted myself free from the grave.  I lay on the grass shuddering. I looked up at the sky shaking, I raised my middle finger at it. I hoped Antonio saw it.

Another portal appeared a few feet away from me and I wasted no time in jumping through it. I stumbled out back into the alleyway- right into Alex who was looking terrified and covered in feathers. Aspen looked slightly less rattled and stood beside him.

“Where did you come from?” He asked looking alarmed.

I glowered at him. “Hell.” I growled, “I’m going to go find that ocean and decontaminate myself.” I shuddered remembering the snakes rubbing up against my skin.

“Oh… well do you need to talk about it? I was just helping Alex here with-” Aspen started but was cut off with Alex’s shoe hitting his face.

I glowered at him, “I don’t want to talk about it.” I growled walking toward the exit of the alleyway, I was dimly aware of them following slowly.

You really should be nicer to them.

The annoying voice that was possibly Petra informed me. I rolled my eyes and continued walking down the crumbling streets. Then the voice told me something that made me stop dead in my tracks.

Stone stop dismissing me like this, don’t you see? Don’t you remember when you used to run around helping people calling yourself a groundlifter? Well, these are yours.