Contest: The 140th Hunger Games

Host: THGF1234

I wasn't strong enough for this. I'd barely survived the first time and now they expected me to do it again? I already knew I was going to die, there was absolutely no way I was going to let Mia fall victim to the cruelty of the Capitol. But that didn't make this situation any less terrifying.

Throughout everything; the training, interview, parade, even the Reaping, I saw red. Since the moment I'd heard our names called I'd been filled with overpowering hatred, one that burned brighter than the very depths of my fragmented soul. Every ounce of my body had been denying my new predicament; until the moment my platform rose up into a feverishly cold winter wonderland of terror.

A loud ringing resonates throughout the arena and a sixty second countdown begins. Twenty-six tributes were lined up around a huge metallic building; the Cornucopia. I breathe in deeply, sinking down into a defensive stance. A whirl of wind slams against my face, whipping my face away from my face and sending a dazzling tornado of shivers down my spine.

I reflexively search out Mia, looking anxiously for her frail form and feeling a surge of worry come over me. We were standing on ice, frozen over water; something she wasn't able to handle well. Finally, I find her and watch in frozen shock as she hovers one foot over the edge of the platform. A furious yelp gets stuck in my throat just as she jerks back and stumbles away from the edge.

"Dammit Mia!" I growl, barely audible as I come out of the terrified trance. A frustratingly shrill voice barks through the arena and I lunge forward, digging my heels into the ice and dashing across the frozen surface with a narrowed determination. Without thinking, I rest my hand down on Mia's shoulder and she lets out a surprised squeal. I'm completely unprepared when she swings her arm back and catches my wrist in her hand, ready to snap it in two. The muscles along my arm tighten reflexively.

"I swear if you break my wrist I'll leave you here." I snap, keeping my voice low. Mia's spine stiffens and she glances upward, staring directly into my eyes.

"Sorry." She whispers, releasing me. I nod in response and glance toward the Cornucopia, watching with anxiety as tributes engage in a captivating dance of blood and fury.

"We need to move Mia, now." I urge, feeling a sense of unease clawing along my skin. Mia jerks and stumbles away from me, her arms pulling her legs against her chest fearfully.

"No, I'm not moving from here." She cries, her voice bitingly cold and scared. I tilt my head slightly, exhaling a tiny sigh and relax my stance.

"You'll freeze to death." I reason.

"I'd rather that than drown." She bites, I roll my eyes and step back from the platform, jumping up and down on the ice with vehemence.

"You won't drown, Mia. The ice is solid. See?" I jump again and feel a tiny crack beneath me. Quickly, I kick my heels against the surface to secure myself and hide my shock from Mia. As far as she could know, the ice was solid. "Come on Mia, we need to move." I snap, frustration building up within me. She couldn't sit here all day, she was going to get us killed. I reach over and grab her upper arm, trying to slide her onto the ice but she starts to quiver intensely and stiffens under my grasp.

"No."

"Mia, please." I beg with a sigh, Mia's lips part slightly and her eyes un-focus for a split second but it's enough to send her into a downward spiral of terror. She jerks, an ear splitting shriek ripping through the air and covers her face in her hands. I stumble back, tearing my hand from her arm with surprise.

"No! Go without me!" She growls, I blink with unabashed shock and nod involuntarily. I didn't want to leave her here, but we needed supplies and she clearly wasn't moving. Sighing softly, I turn away and sprint toward the Cornucopia, hoping with everything in me that she'd still be alive when I got back.

The closer I got to the bloodbath, the more adrenaline began to pulse through my veins. Fear overcame me and with it came a surge of heightened senses. The world whirled out of focus for a split second before coming back into view, with brighter colors and slower movements.

Something strong slams into my side and sends me flying into the ice, a loud crack erupts beneath me and the surface below me shatters. I jerk and blindly roll to my left where a layer of floating ice was waiting to catch me. A trickling of blood travels down my left eye, probingly I touch my hand to my face and come away with a streak of red liquid.

A growl comes from somewhere to my right and without a second's thought I kick my leg out and hook it around the person's ankle. They tumble to the ice, slamming the back of their head into the frozen surface. I push to my knees, feeling the freezing water running over my exposed fingers.

"I'm really not up for a fight, can we not?" I question, jumping to my feet and balancing along the surface of the ice. The person laughs a cold, bitter sound and rolls their eyes, also stumbling to their feet. He levels a glare at me and spits a mouthful of blood into the water.

"On the contrary, I'm looking forward to this." He growls, sending a flurry of shivers over my skin.

"Fine." He lunges and I dodge to the side, losing my footing and sliding to the edge of the ice fragment. My opponent puffs a gust of cold air and kicks out randomly, I snatch his ankle in my hand and tug, pulling the slippery surface out from underneath him. He falls for the second time but this time he's ready and he twists his body in mid-air, jamming his palms into the ice and pushing to his feet. I let out a growl of frustration and surge to my feet, feeling the surface beneath me tip unsteadily.

We were still floating along the ice, traveling at a painfully slow pace and swimming in the below zero water was not an option. But I needed to get off this ice fragment. Now. Suddenly, a blossoming idea begins to sprout in my mind and I begin to rock the ice, pushing my weight into my legs and switching between them.

The other tribute halts in his steady advance and frowns, keeping his balance on the rickety surface. But then, the ice fragment slams into a layer of solid ice behind him and he goes flying; consequently directly at me. I jerk, eyes widening a fraction and duck down, crawling systematically toward the solid ice. He gives a yelp of fear and reaches out to me, catching the collar of my jacket in his hands.

My back slams against the ice and he lands half on and half off the fragment, gurgling slightly from the sharp edge now embedded into his shoulder. The fragment tips dangerously as the tribute reaches out a bloodied hand and swipes it along my side. I scurry upward from the ice and lunge forward, slamming my side into the solid ice as the fragment flips and shatters on the other tribute's head.

A loud cannon resonates throughout the arena as I pick myself up off the ground, brushing the ice dust from my jacket.

"Sorry." I whisper to the dead tribute, regretting my part in his violent death instantly. But it had to be done. To stop myself from dwelling on it anymore, I lunge forward and forget the boy instantly, dodging into the mass of tributes fleeing the Cornucopia to snatch up two fleece jackets, a cross body knife set, a pack of poison darts, and a pathetic looking backpack. My eyes scan the remains for a bow but come up empty, whoever was here before me got it first. Which means I'd be weaponless unless my aim improved within the next few hours and I could magically throw a knife.

I duck my head and cover my ears as a blood curling shriek penetrates the cold air, erupting from the depths of some poor girl's throat. Quickly, I glance toward the sound and find Mia doing a funny looking gig on the icy surface. Abandoning my search for a bow, I break out into a sprint and grasp ahold of her waist, spinning her around and breaking her from her horror filled trance.

She jerks and gives a squeal of surprise, her eyes narrowing in on me to travel the length of my body. With horror, her gaze widens on the blood peppering my side. I shift uncomfortably as the dead tribute floods my mind.

"Are you–?"

"It's not mine. I mean, the head wound is mine but the blood there," I I gesture to the red sticky stuff drenching my stomach. "is not mine. Though I imagine the owner's in need of it." I respond, trying to mask my discomfort as the idea of taking another person's life. Mia relaxes and I take her hand in mine, attempting to pull her along with me.

"Come on, time to go."

"Wait." She snaps, pulling away and walking off to face a girl gasping on the ground. There was a puddle of blood erupting from a puncture wound in her chest and laying not too far away, was a bow and quiver of arrows. A streak of excitement rushes through me as Mia picks the weapons up and faces the girl with a bitter expression.

"Thank you for your cooperation." She mumbles and I watch the humanity in her eyes disappear, dissolving in a mist of bloodlust. But all too soon she jerks and shakes her head, allowing a heavy feeling of consciousness to descend upon her. Mia pinches her lips together and pulls her foot back, slamming it into the girl's fragile looking skull. I cringe slightly, feeling a mix of emotion as Mia calmly walks away from the girl, her face expressionless.

"Is she dead?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

"No, but should I check?" She asks, a bored look on her face. I nod and watch her bend down, pressing to fingers against the girl's throat. She smiles softly and stands up, stepping over her body to get to me.

"No, she'll be fine. Probably wake up with a killer headache though." I sigh and feel my shoulders sag forward slightly; she was alive.

"Can we go now?" I ask, switching the backpack from one shoulder to the other.

"Yeah, let's go." She says, holding her hand out to me expectantly, gesturing toward the backpack.

"Mia, I got it." I snap and begin a fevered walk across the ice, feeling a tiny pain erupt through my ankle. I must've twisted it. Mia huffs behind me.

"Stop being so self-righteous and give me the damn backpack. You can wear the bow, I have no talent for it and you'll need it if we come across someone. Here." Her words send a sliver of fear through me, she expected me to murder again and she didn't even know about the first. I grumble bitterly under my breath and pull the backpack off, grabbing the bow from her fingers.

"I got this for you too." I comment, handing my sister a set of knives and a bundle of poison darts.

"Aw, weapons. Thanks big brother. Jacket, yes?" She comments childishly, her face lighting up with a grin. I nod, pulling two items from under my shoulder and tossing one to her.

"Fleece, it's thin so you can move easily in it but warm, so you won't freeze." She catches it deftly and pulls it tightly around her shoulders, shoving her arms into the backpack. Finally, we come to the edge of the pond and take the first steps on solid ground. I sigh with relief, glance backward at me as I strap the bow and quiver over my body.

"Oh thank goodness." Mia mumbles, sagging with relief. I smirk and roll my eyes, sighing heavily.

"So, where to princess?" I question, knowingly pressing on one of her buttons by using her hated nickname. Her eyes narrow and she pinches her lips together, choking on a sharp response as she glances around the arena with sharp, clear eyes.

"East."