Another Tribute

Sword in hand, I don't feel hopeless. Power surges through my veins, and my mind clears for the battle at hand. The district nine girl...I mean, Breanna...also picked a sword. But not a very menacing sword. As a matter of fact, it appears to be a dagger. Anyways, I hold my sword up, waiting for us to be released on one another.

"Contestants at the ready!" Link Magoo says, waving the arm without a microphone in hand flamboyantly. What a stinkin' performer. It makes me sick.

Suddenly, a gun shot goes off, and the official who want previously holding me back releases me. I feel like an animal, being released into battle. Kind of like the colloseum of the Roman era, a not very talked about time period nowadays. I eye Breanna warily, waiting for her to come forward and make the first move. But instead of attacking, she holds her dagger at her side and walks towards me. I am more afraid of the look in her eyes than the dagger in her hand; a look of pure determination and decidedness. I don't put down my sword, but I let her approach me. Let her try and slash me, she'll see what a mistake that is.

As she gets about five feet away from me, she speaks.

"You're welcome. Don't waste this," she says, turning towards the crowd and probably the cameras. It's in that moment that I first notice the president, President Muerte, sitting in the top center of the stands. He is warily eyeing Breanna, as if she is some kind of poisonous snake ready to strike. And in a way, she kind of is.

"Capitol citizens, citizens of Panem....President Muerte...I'm going to end this on my own terms. Nobody will ever control me. You have tried, but you will never succeed. The districts will rise, and you Capitol people will have to see the error of your ways. Nothing is worth killing people over. And to this day, I will not have made a single kill. Your heartless games have erased the lives of children, seperated families, and continue to destroy love. The lives that have come before me and the lives to come will be your fault if you do not stop it. You, Capitol people, have killed every last one of them. Including me," she says, sound of her voice not only resonating in the stadium but in the minds of many. I see the faces of the Capitol people turn to a momentary grief, pondering her words. And with that, she makes her final stand. She quickly raises her dagger in the air and stabs herself straight through the heart. As she falls to the ground, I see a blossum of red form on her white shirt. And as the life bleeds out of her, I fall to the ground and whisper to her.

"Thank you," I say, hoping she hears it. The whole stadium is silent, but I don't think anyone hears me. Her body is quickly removed, and I am pronounced the winner.

"Well that was a strange turn of events," Link Magoo says, sounding a little flustered. No doubt he was not prepared for Breanna's suicide. And quite frankly, neither was I. I never even contemplated it. I take a moment to think about one particular thing that stood out to me - she never killed anyone. Even I had brought and end to Kara, but I hadn't thought too much about it. I had to save Eli, and that was that. I wonder what would happen if we all just stopped fighting, made a truce. Could the Hunger Games be ended by the tributes picked to fight them?

Of course, I'm shaken out of this by the sight of my next opponent coming out into the arena. Dianca's friend, who's name I think is Ruben come to think of it, is escorted out. And he looks set upon taking my life.

"Don't waste it," I hear in my head, the voice of Breanna ringing in my ears. Could she have possibly been on my side? She talked about how the games destroy love...could she have wanted for Eli and I to succeed? Well, one of us anyways? I will never know, but I'm glad for her words. Despite never having spoken out agaisnt the Capitol, I respect her for it. She reminds me of my parents because of her faith in her cause.

I don't get long to think over what has happened, because before I know it Ruben is released. And unlike Breanna he comes racing towards me.

Adreneline pumping, I raise my sword to combat the spiked club he has chosen. I immediately feel his strength as our weapons clash, and my nerves start to come back again. He and his buldging muscles could easily overpower me if I let him. But I have to fight back to the bitter end.

"Give it up, Auden. You're weak, and you know it. I know Dianca will be furious with me for being the one to kill you but it'll be so worth it, if you know what I mean," he says, laughing. I fail to see the humor in his semi-joke, and I block yet another one of his strikes. Where's the twitching boy I saw earlier?

"Don't count on it Ruben," I say, continuing to block his attacks. I try to focus on making a plan, but fatigue starks to kick in. I feel sweat dripping down my face and neck, and the battle seems to last for hours although I'm sure it's only been minutes. I have a moment of deja vu as I look into his beady, blinking eyes.

He looks just like the droid I fought with during my trial with the Gamemakers.

I quickly realize he might be stronger, but I can be quicker. I may not be graceful all the time, but I can be agile and fast. After a second of contemplation, I slap him across the face as I block his club with my sword.

"Auuugghh!" is all I hear from Ruben as I rush to circle behind him. As he begins to look around confusedly, trying to locate me, I do the only thing I can do.

I stab him in the back.

As he slumps over, my sword stays in my hands. Blood drips from the swords on to the ground next to Ruben. His face is sideways, and blood slowly leaks from the side of his lips. I turn away, but not in time to avoid his glassy eyes staring at nothingness. At this point, I'm breathing heavily and sweat feels like it's pouring from my skin. As Ruben's body is removed, I can only try to steady my breaths and prepare for the next battle. The battle I've been dreading since I walked into this arena.

Dianca.