✮ ༄ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ༄✮
ACT I CHAPTER 5
( everything you lose is a step you take )

THE COUNTDOWN BEGAN AS EVELYN FRANTICALLY LOOKED AT HER SURROUNDINGS ON THE PODIUM SHE STOOD ON. The arena was a forest with a few hilly mountains. Facing forward, her eye-line showed a backpack mixed with the grass, and a set of knifes resting on a crate next to the mouth of the Cornucopia.

Searching some more, her eyes landed on Ace who was three podiums over, he already had his gaze set on the oldest twin. He gave her a nod and followed the path to the bag with his eyes.

"30, 29, 28, 27..." A voice echoed into everyone's ears.

BOOM.

On the end of the line of tributes, the girl from District Five stepped off the pedestal early, blowing her sky high.

Evelyn's heartbeat went faster as the explosion caused the ground to shake slightly. She tucked a few hair strands behind her ears, and set her hard stare in front.

The voice no longer talked as the timer above the Cornucopia counted down from ten seconds. Five seconds. Zero seconds.

Evelyn ran as fast as her legs could take her, getting herself to the backpack. After quickly putting it on, she looked around for Ace among the bloodbath. Everyone was chasing each other, murdering one another. The blood that splattered throughout the air caught her attention when Ace killed a boy.

She ran his way, until a person tripped her over and the girl from District Three landed on top of her body. A knife was about to be driven into Eve's skull before rolling the two over, causing the weapon to fall out of the girl's grasp.

Evelyn quickly grabbed the knife and sunk the blade into her head. A look of horror expressed on her face when she realised... she's done her first kill.

Slipping the blade in the side of her belt, she raced over to her twin, grabbed his wrist, and ran into the forest.

Ace was sprinting the quickest he ever has since Evelyn had ahold of him. They got deeper and deeper into the forest as the cannon continuously went off.

Evelyn's chest heaved up and down while bushes and branches brushed against them. There was a slight breeze and no sun but the temperature would probably get warmer during the nights.

The duo stopped, catching their breath. Evelyn looked around and saw how the Cornucopia was no longer in their sight.

She sat on the ground and leaned against a tree, it's thick bark scratching against her coat. Rummaging through the bag, a rope, wire, matches, and a flask came in view. Evelyn rapidly pulled out the flask and was about to take a sip, but no water came out making her frown. Of course there'd be no water.

"I counted thirteen." Ace stated, his breaths heavy. "Thirteen cannons."

Evelyn faced him before nodding towards his bag. "What's in your bag?"

He emptied it and showed a rope, another empty flask, and a waterproof cover which can be used for shelter or a short blanket.

"Let's go find water." Eve sighed.

The pair weren't talkative on their journey for water. After what seemed like ages, a stream appeared. Evelyn dropped to her knees and filled both silver containers while Ace made a snare. She splashed a bit of the water over her face and exhaled a breath.

"At least we don't have to worry about water." Evelyn chuckled.

As the sky grew darker, a squirrel died by the trap and the twins ate it for dinner. The flames were small while the sibling duo ate. Ace finished his food quickly and after a few bites, Evelyn decided she wasn't hungry.

"Here." She softly spoke, offering the cooked meat to him. "You can have mine."

Ace reluctantly took it, "Thanks."

Once he finished, Eve stomped the small lit fire out with her boots and dissembled the snare so they could cover their tracks. They walked for a bit until finding two rather close trees where they'd sleep.

"Want me to take first watch?" Ace asked.

"No, it's okay." She smiled to him.

Climbing separate trees, Evelyn wrapped a rope around her legs so she wouldn't fall out of place if she decided to move, and nestled carefully. She looked over at Ace who did the same and rested his eyes.

The anthem for fallen tributes began playing, bringing Evelyn to look up at the sky - or the top of the arena.

The girl from District Three was the first to appear, making Eve's face wash with remorse. She kept reminding herself: 'she was trying to kill you first' but it didn't help.

It seemed like the holograms of the dead went on forever. The other tribute from three, both from five, one from six, two from seven, the ally Ace made from District Nine, the pair from Eleven and Twelve, and one from District Ten.

That meant Clay and the rest of the Careers, her and Ace, one from six, nine, ten, and both from eight were left.

BOOM.

Another tribute, dead.

Only ten remaining in the games.

With a sigh, Evelyn placed her bag behind her head as use for a pillow and kept herself awake. If she chose to sleep, there'd be no doubt she wouldn't have been able to.

✮ ༄ ✮༄✮

Morning came quicker than expected, and Evelyn didn't sleep a wink. Call her paranoid, but if her brother's life is in danger, she'd do anything to make sure he stays alive. Even if it includes loss of sleep.

Untying the ropes around her, she jumped off the branch she led on and her boots made a thumping sound as she landed. Evelyn grabbed a small pebble and chucked it at Ace's sleeping body.

The male twin jolted awake and frantically searched the area until his eyes landed on his sister, shooting her a glare. Evelyn laughed at his actions.

"That's not funny." He grumbled and undid the ropes before climbing down to be with her.

Evelyn drank the last out of her flask since she drank most of it during her watch. "We need to take another trip to the river. On a scale of one -ten, how hungry are you?"

Ace thought for a moment, "Surprisingly, a four."

Giving him a weak grin, she packed away her things and placed the midnight coloured bag on her back. She clutched onto the knife she retrieved from the person she killed and walked the way the stream's at with Ace trudging behind.

Once they got to the same water source as last time, Evelyn scooped the liquid, drank some of it, then scooped more until the flask was full. She put the drink back in her backpack after securing the lid.

A twig being snapped immediately caught the twin's attention. Gripping onto her weapon tighter, Evelyn and Ace hurried behind some trees and hid themselves.

When Eve heard feet step closer, she leaned further into the tree as if it would give her some type of camouflage. The blonde girl slowly twisted her head, letting out a silent sigh of relief when she saw it was just Clay.

Although it's her ally, Evelyn didn't let her guard lower as she showed herself. Clay's head whipped upwards, ready to grab his weapon, but let go of the grasp he had on his spear after seeing its Eve.

"Good, it's you." He commented before taking a large gulp of water.

"Someone's thirsty." She joked.

"Well I've been running away from the other Careers for a few hours now, think I'm bound to be." He answered and took one last swig from his drink holder.

"How come?" Evelyn questioned.

"When they were all sleeping, I thought I could kill them." He began. "But all I managed was stabbing Magna in the leg before they woke up."

"Your District partner? Why would you do that?"

The brunette-haired boy opened his mouth to answer, yet closed it and sent a small wave to Ace who made an appearance.

The twins shared a look before turning back to the 'ex' Career. Still waiting for an answer.

"All they talk about is killing people. I had enough of it."

"Talk about betrayal." Ace mumbled, causing Eve to hold her laughter back with her palm and for Clay to scoff a chuckle.

"I knew you'd lead us to the Star of the Capital." A voice spoke. Three of the Careers walked through large bushes, revealing themselves.

"Why else did you think we kept you alive? You must know we would've gunned you down by now." Magna said to Clay with gritted teeth. Evelyn's eyes wandered to the limp in her leg.

Clay took a step back, now next to the twin's. He slipped the spear into Evelyn's free hand, as if he's already seen his life flash before his eyes.

Magna threw a dagger into her District partner's chest. His body falling to the ground.

BOOM.

"Ace, run!" She worriedly yelled to her twin.

Ace did as he was told, yet every bone in his body told him not too.

Evelyn let a tear slide down her face for her dead friend. Soon, all grief disappeared. There was no sadness in her anymore. Only rage. All Evelyn Mane saw was red.

Just as the boy from District Two moved forward, Evelyn raised the spear and threw it into his chest.

BOOM.

Instantly after, she threw her knife, it landing between Magna's eyes. The crimson blood dripped down her face.

BOOM.

The remaining Career froze in shock. Her lips trembled, and the blood stained machete in her hand splashed in the clear liquid.

"You want a head start?" Evelyn asked.

The girl, named Rosa, merely nodded before running off. Eve counted up to five before retrieving her knife from Magna's head.

Evelyn didn't need to track Rosa down because the last Career was still in her eyesight. Aiming perfectly, the weapon flew across the air, landing into Rosa's back.

BOOM.

Wiping away the sweat beading on her forehead, Evelyn looked at each dead body littering the ground. As she took turns staring at each one besides her former ally, she felt no pain for them.

The blonde girl retrieved her knife before lingering her eyes on the machete in the now infected water. She grabbed it, thinking Ace would be able to use it.

Ace.

Eve's head snapped towards the direction he ran and began sprinting through the forest, not caring if she crashed into trees every second.

BOOM.

Evelyn's body froze with terror written all over her face. She ran twice as fast than before and kept her eyes on the swatted away branches, maybe her twin broke them.

She made her way back to where their camp originally was, but he wasn't there.

Before taking another step forward, a person with similar blonde hair bumped into her with full force. When Evelyn saw it was Ace, she dropped the sharp weapons on the ground and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a bone crushing hug.

"Oh my god, I thought you were dead." She cried.

"I thought you were too." He replied, then tapped his hands on her back. "I love your hugs, but if you don't let me go I will die."

Evelyn pulled away and mumbled a sheepish apology before the two grinned at one another.

As the evening got on and night grew closer, the duo hunted a rabbit for dinner and now, they sat next to each other on the same tree.

The familiar faces belonging to the Careers flashed in the dark blue sky, causing Eve to scoff since sparkles basically fell from the pictures. Once Clay's face appeared, a hint of guiltiness coursed her emotions because his original pack used him to try and murder her.

There was two more tributes dead: one from six, another from eight.

Evelyn and Ace sat there in silence for a bit, the girl tying random knots in her beige coloured rope to pass time. Untying all the knots, her gaze set on all the stars twinkling in her eyesight.

"At least they added stars to the arena." Eve commented, making a breathy laugh escape Ace's mouth in agreement.

"Alright." Ace announced. "Your turn to sleep. You look like a witch with those bags under your eyes."

A gasp fell from Evelyn's mouth. "I will push you out of this goddamn tree." She spat.

"Joking! I'm Joking!" Ace defended, slightly scared of her cold glare. She sent him a sarcastic smile before he jumped off the tree and went back to his own.

Securely tying the rope around her legs and the chunky branch, Evelyn let her eyes flutter shut as the darkness gradually took over.

✮ ༄ ✮༄✮

A rustling sound of leaves shook Evelyn awake as she searched her surroundings for anything unusual. Ace had fallen fast asleep which Eve wasn't surprised about.

Mockingjays sung sweetly in the air while the blonde girl undid her knots on the rope, unzipped her bag, and stuffed the equipment inside before zipping it back up.

Just as Evelyn was about to jump off the tall tree, a flinging sound echoed towards her. The arrow flew too fast for Evelyn to move in time, it plunging below her knee. The girl fell from where she was and landed on the ground with an ear-piercing scream.

Birdie, the boy from ten, hurried his way to Evelyn who was scrambling herself up. Before he could finish her off, Evelyn grabbed her knife which was hidden under all the mud and moss, and threw it in his chest.

BOOM.

Eve bit onto her lip so she wouldn't cry out in pain as water stung her eyes. When she blinked, drops of tears fell down her cheeks.

Sitting against a tree, her hands moved to the arrow. The blonde's soft skin staining red. She positioned apart of her jacket into her teeth and harshly bit down on it as she took the arrow out and chucked it to the side. The piece of fabric muffled her groan.

Panting up and down, she took her raincoat off and wrapped it around her wound so it wouldn't bleed out.

A chiming sound entered the area and a small, circular-shaped, silver parachute box elegantly fell by the side of her.

She let out a sigh of relief and lifted the hatch, opening it. The first thing Eve saw was a note which wrote:

You can do this sweetheart, I still believe in my Star.
- F.O

Evelyn couldn't help but massively grin at what Finnick put before looking at the things he sent her. She unwrapped her bloody jacket from her injury and applied a small amount of cream generously before bandaging it up.

"Thank you." She mildly appreciated while looking up to the sky since that's where she knows a camera is.

"Eve?" Ace called out after climbing down the tree. His eyes flickered between her and the dead body. "Eve, oh my god. What the hell happened?"

"Oh, nice of you to join the party. 'What the hell happened' you ask? Well, let me get you up to speed. He tried killing me with his bow and arrow!" She sarcastically shouted.

The twin boy began stuttering his words. "I'm so sorry, I- I fell asleep. I should've been awake."

"Ace." She spoke, but his rambling continued. "Ace!" After hearing her firm voice, he stopped speaking. "It's not your fault, got it?"

Ace nodded, yet every part of him filled with remorse. He held out a hand for her to take, which she did, and helped her stand.

"Hey, you're probably faster than me now, that's a bonus, huh?" She joked, lightening the mood.

"Oh yeah." Ace joyously said.

Evelyn passed her twin the wire so he could set up a snare while she lit a fire with her matches. Even thought there was only one remaining tribute besides her and Ace, she still minimised the sticks being burnt so the flames wouldn't rise highly.

A shirt squealing sound drew their attention to a squirrel being impaled with the sharp wood. Evelyn pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling bad for the animal.

Ace retuned, holding it by it's tail and stuck it's body in a stick before hovering it over the fire. Once it was cooked enough, the two shared it.

"Tributes," A booming voice belonging to the Game Maker entered the arena. "there will be a feast at the Cornucopia. Every one of you needs something desperately. Good luck, and may the odds be forever in your favour."

Eve furrowed her eyebrows, "What do we need desperately?"

Ace tipped his flask upside down, no liquid pouring out. He did the same with her's also, gesturing that the pair needs water. "Probably a fresh bandage for you also if we stay here another day."

"We ran out of water that quickly?" She raised her eyebrows. "Jeez."

"Should we go? To the Cornucopia?" Ace asked.

Thinking for a minute, Evelyn replied. "I mean, Adeline from Eight will most likely be there. That's if you're up for killing her."

Ace stomped out the fire and grabbed the machete, he didn't need to say his answer out loud because Evelyn already knew it.

She stood up, placed her knife in her belt, and began walking with her brother. There was a slight limp in her leg but it didn't bother either of them.

The twins hid behind a log and set their eyes on a table that had District Four embroidered in two separate bags, and District Eight in another.

Adeline came into view and ran towards the bag, that's when Ace appeared and sprinted behind her. She didn't even know he was there before getting twisted around and sliced across the neck.

BOOM.

Ace dropped the machete in shock of him killing someone and went to grab the bags, totally forgetting that the last tributes were him, and his sister.

When Evelyn arrived near the Cornucopia, she sadly called out his name, her voice cracking clearly.

There wasn't a look of murder on one another's faces as Ace turned to her, only deep sadness.

Evelyn clasped ahold of the handle to her knife and edged the blade near her stomach.

"NO!" Ace yelled as he raced towards her and smacked the weapon from her hands.

Evelyn's face turned into shock as he launched himself for the knife mixed in the grass. Evelyn kicked it out of his way (with her good leg), and grabbed it herself.

Ace attempted to take it, only making the two fall. He wrapped his hands around her wrist tightly in attempt to get the blade out of her palm's. Evelyn wouldn't fight back. She couldn't.

"Ace- Ace you're hurting me." She cried out when his grip made her as pale as a ghost.

In realisation, he immediately loosened and released his strong grip. "I'm sorry. I'm- I'm so sorry." He rambled.

Ace quickly grabbed the weapon from her hands, and stuck it in his chest. His body rolled to the side as tears pricked his dying pupils.

Evelyn's eye widened, a scream that could kill leaving her mouth. The blonde girl instantly sat herself up and leaned over her twin.

"NO! NO! ACE! Don't- don't do this to me, please." Evelyn screamed more, tears flooding her face and sobs escaping her mouth.

Her hands trembled where the knife implanted in Ace's chest. She could feel the wound like it was her own. Tears uncontrollably fell down her cheeks and onto his clothing while gripping his shoulder's and shaking him awake... but his eyes wouldn't open. It was supposed to be her. Not him.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS. ACE!" She cried, thinking if she continued speaking, he'd suddenly wake up. Yet he didn't.

BOOM.

"Ladies and Gentleman, Evelyn Mane. Winner of the sixty-eighth annual Hunger Games." The Game Maker announced through the speakers.

Soon, everything pixilated and went blank.

✮ ༄ ✮༄✮

five completed !!

this chapter makes me cry buckets