Watching

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 19: Stella
"Jed, what happened to you?" Cole asks with concern, as Jed rubs the spot where Fuchsia kicked him for the third time since sitting down to dinner.
"Nothing. I just tripped over some rope in the knot tying station." He lies. "Right, Stella?" I nod, backing up his story. On our way up from training we'd agreed not to say a word to Torey or Cole about this because he’d ordered us to stay away from tributes like Fuchsia. Besides, I owe him one for not telling anyone about my little race.
"So there no problems with District 1, were there?" Cole asks a grain of suspicion in his voice.
"No." we chorus, trying ore best to sound innocent.
"Oh, that's not what Cashmere said when I saw her this afternoon." Cassia suddenly speaks up. I glare at her, willing her to shut up. But she ignores me and carries on. "She said that she and her tribute, I think her name is Rose or Lilly or something...”
"Fuchsia. Her name is Fuchsia." Jed informs us, I redirect my "shut up" glare from Cassia to him. He looks at me apologetically, realising he's said too much. Cole eyes us curiously.
"Our, that's it, Fuchsia. Anyway she said she and Fuchsia had come up with a plan to get back at you two and Cole. I can't possibly imagine what you did to upset her!" She babbles on, turning to our mentor.
"We just had a little disagreement, that's all", he answers with a dismissive wave of the hand, not wanting to give away the details to someone with such a lose tongue. He turns his attention to Jed. "This Fuchsia gave you that injury, didn't she?" Jed squirms in his seat, not answering. "Didn't she?" he repeats with more force.
"Yes." He answers, bowing his head, seeing that the evidence is all against us. "We had a sword fight and she kicked me in the shin."
"Who won?" Torey asks, sounding as neutral as ever.
"Does it matter who won?! Jed, I specifically told you not to interact with the Careers! I can't believe you disobeyed me! I'm disappointed in you, not just as your mentor but also as your father!" Cole says angrily, giving him the same lecture he gave me when he found out about the race (minus the "as your father” bit), oblivious to the four other people in the room.
"Sorry, Dad." Jed murmurs sheepishly.
"I want you to stay away from that girl from now on, she's trouble. Make no mistake about that." Now this I agree with, I can trust her as far as I can spit.
"But they should leave us alone now, right? It's one all, we showed them up and they showed us up, we're even." I say.
"Probably, but you’re on their radar now. They won't forget you when you’re in the area."
Despite Cole's outbursts I have not seen anything to justify my father's grudge. I know he wants to help us but whenever he's talking to us I can't help but think of what Dad said in the Justice Building about his broken promise. Even now I can't stop going through all the possibilities of what could have happened to shatter their friendship. I have never had the opportunity to ask him and I doubt he would give me an answer if I did.
My thoughts are interrupted by the footsteps of the Avoxes as they silently clear our table and lay out the desserts, which as nearly as colourful as the people who reside in this city. The Avox Torey smiled at enters, with a cake that's even bigger than the one two nights ago. But he seems unbalanced as he makes his way to the table, swaying left to right under its weight. Suddenly he legs give way and his whole body, along with the cake, is thrown forward! The scene in front of me seems to unravel in slow motion. I see Torey spring out of her seat to catch him before he hits the floor. The cake sails through the air and lands right in Cassia's lap. We all stay as still and as quite as statues for what feels like two minutes, but could only have been two seconds. Then everything speeds up again.
Cassia screams as if the cake is made of acid. Five pairs of eyes follow her as she clicks across the room in her very high heels to the bathroom, but the sixth is focused on the victor and the Avox. Torey gently helps him straighten up and her hand remains on his shoulder as she tries to comfort him.
"Don't be scared, I'm here. I won't let them punish you. God knows you've suffered enough." I hear her whisper to him. Not only does she say it with concern and compassion, she says it as if she knows the person behind the uniform and silence.

[ilovepeeta]

omg

that part with that avox wow

[TheFoxFacedOne]

omg

that part with that avox wow

Yeah, It's the first time we really see the person behind the armour. Question is, why does the Avox have that affect on her?

[ilovepeeta]

i was thinking that she might know him

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Warning: do not read this at night with the lights turned out if you have a very neverous disposition (it's probably not that scary but you can never be too careful )

Chapter 20: Cole
I wake up to find Nina staring right at me, her face inches from mine. I nearly jump ten feet in the air.
"Nina, don't do…"
"There's something in the trees" she whispers fearfully. Within seconds I'm on my feet, sword drawn, looking into the darkness above.
"What kind of something?" May, our ally asks wearily.
"They're not animals; there not tributes either. They're…some kind of monsters! Can't you hear them?!" Nina replies, sounding more distressed with every passing second. We stand incredibly still, listening to the wind blow snow off the branches. Then we all hear it, a low hissing sound accompanied by the light scratching of claws against wood. We look at one another, fear building within us. Whatever they are, they're getting closer. Suddenly a terrible, unearthly screech is unleashed directly above us!
"RUN!!" I shout.
Despite the 4 inch snow the three of us run as fast as we would if we were running on hot coals. But the mutations are right behind us! When I look behind me I can only see the snow fall off the branches as they land on them. Hear their blood curdling howls as the close in on us! After about five minutes of being chased by these creatures we're losing speed; in a few moments they'll have us! I skid to halt.
"Cole, what are you doing?!" May screams. I left up my sword and turn around.
"Get Nina out of here! We can't out run them so we'll have to fight them!" I brace myself as the things gather in the trees around me. Nothing happens.
"Come on! Show yourselves!" I yell into the night.
Suddenly something leaps out of the trees! I catch it with my sword on the way down. It screeches as it slides across the snow, its blood dying the ground red. The creature lying in front of me is the single most terrifying thing I have ever seen. It's shaped like a human but its skin is as black as coal and its has claws and teeth which look as fierce as a wolf's. But it's the eyes that scare me. Those bottomless, Scarlett eyes that seem to hold all the evil in the world within them.
"LOOK OUT!!" Nina shrieks as more jump towards me! I fend them off with my blade, every screech sounding more horrible than the last. May takes down a few with her bow and arrows.
"I said get out of here!"
"No way! We're not leaving you alone with these things!" Nina yells back defiantly as she throws a knife into one of the monsters.
The attacks seems endless as more and more throw themselves at us, claws out, ready to kill.
Then I hear a different but very familiar voice.
"DAD!" Jed calls through the forest.
"Jed!?"
"Dad, what's going on?" He crashes through the trees seeming oblivious to the things that are lying in wait above him.
"No! Don't come any closer..." But it's too late. The creatures land on him, forcing him to the ground. He screams as their claws tare at his clothes, trying to reach the flesh underneath. I run to him but when a reach him something blocks my way. I slash at the invisible wall, trying to break it, but it's no use. All I can do is watch as his cries become fainter and fainter.
Dad!! Dad! Dad..."
"Dad! Wake up!" A firm but gentle hand grabs my shoulder, pulling me out of my nightmare.
"Erin?" I ask desperately as I open my eyes, seeking the comfort only she can give me.
"No, it's me, Jed. Mum's not here." He says, attempting to mimic her soothing tone.
As everything comes into focus I see I'm standing in the dining room. The corridor to the elevator lies behind me in chaos. Vases are in pieces on the floor, small tables are over turned and a portrait has been knocked off the wall. I have been responsible for many messes like this during my sleepwalks, when I act out the memories of the arena. I start shaking uncontrollably.
“It’s OK. They can’t hurt you now and you can’t hurt them.” Jed quotes Erin’s words perfectly, how many times has he heard her say them? Then I see her.
Stella stands in front of me, looking shocked, confused and concerned all at the same time. I hold a invisible sword a few centimetres in front of her, my hand still stuck in my dream.
“How much did you two see?” I asked, my voice quivering.
“You woke us up when you smashed one of the vases and shouted “run”. You were moving around so much it took Jed a while to get hold of you.” She says. At this point Torey appears with a mug of something green and steaming.
“Sorry I didn’t come sooner. It’s dangerous to wake a sleepwalker.” She says, her calm control feeling comforting. It’s strange to see her strawberry blonde hair around her shoulders instead of in her usual tight bun.
“It’s OK. I’m hazardous to be around when I’m sleeping walking.” I say, trying to dispel my shaken tone. She spots the wreckage in the corridor.
“So I see. Here take this, its pine needle tea. My mother used to make it when I had nightmares.” She says, sounding a bit sad as she hands me the mug. The tea smells of home and starts to warm me up as she places it in my hands. She turns to Jed whose hand still rests on my shoulder. “You’ve done a good job, Jed. Not many people would approach someone in that stare. But I’ll take it from here.” He looks at her disapprovingly. “You need your rest, the private sessions are tomorrow.” She adds before he can protest. He mutters something under his breath as he reluctantly lets go. Torey holds out her hand. “Come with me.”
“No, I’m fine now. I’ll just go to bed…” I start to make my way to my room but she blocks my way.
“You’re not OK. You still look shaken up. We don’t have to talk or anything, just sit with me in my room and drink your tea.” She gently orders me. Feeling too tired to fight I nod and follow her. As we make our way across the room I nearly step on one of the disks that are strewn across the floor. It reads “The 44th Hunger Games”. I think nothing of it until we turn the corner and I catch a glimpse of Stella leaning over to pick it up, a curious look in her eyes.

[ilovepeeta]

wow amazing

btw pine neadel tea i acutly really good i made some for a history project one time

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Cool I'll have to find out how to make it.
Anyways, what did you make of the monsters?

[TheFoxFacedOne]

This chapter originally contained all of Cole's Games but it was so long I had to split it into two. The next will be up tomorrow.
Chapter 21: Jed
"What's that?" I ask Stella who's staring intently at something in her hands. She walks over and holds it up for me to see. It's a small, dusty old disk, the kind that has something recorded on it so people can view it long after it has been broadcast.
"A load of them must have been in one of the boxes Cole knocked over. I've heard the Capital like to buy recorded copies of the Games so they can watch them over and over again." She says her mind somewhere else. I look more closely at the disk, the words "the 44th Hunger Games" is written in swirly hand writing across the case. Dad's Games!
Stella starts to walk towards the TV, taking the disk out of its case.
"Stella! What are you doing!?" I almost yell, even though I know exactly what she's doing. She looks up; surprised.
"Don't you realise what this means?! The question that's been hanging over all our heads can finally be answered: what happened to Nina in the Games and what did Cole do?" She sees my unease.
"Come on. Haven't you ever wondered what your Dad dreams about when he has a nightmare, why he never talks about the Games?" I have. There have been some days when I've nearly asked him, but whenever I'm about to he seems to sense what's about to come out of my mouth and changes the subject.
"Some things are best left alone, best forgotten." I answer, quoting my mother for the second time tonight when I had asked her about it.
"For years I've refused to believe that my father's grudge is unjustified; there must be a good reason for it. But after meeting Cole I find it hard to believe he could be capable of doing something that terrible. I don't know who to believe any more." She sounds desperate to learn the truth and I can see there's absolutely no way of talking her out this. The light bounces off the disk in her hand reflecting rainbows onto the wall. It as if it’s talking to me, telling me to watch it. I finally give in to it all.
"Alright. Put it on."
The tape starts with the reapings, flashing through district after district as the children are called to their deaths. The thought that all but one of them is dead send shivers down my spine. When we get to District 7 we see a small red headed girl take to the stage in the very same dress Stella wore, her identical dark blue eyes looking sadly out into the crowd as a boy who must be her brother cries out in anguish. Then Dad's name rings across the square as he is pulled to the stage, looking around in disbelief. I gasp, it’s almost like looking in the mirror, the only thing that sets us apart is his hazel eyes which look lost as they wonder around the square, trying to process the nightmare that has begun.
The tape then moves on to the opening ceremonies. Dad and Nina try their best to smile and look confident, but I imagine that must have been difficult to do when you have what looks like an entire tree perched on your head.
Then the tributes faces flash up on the screen as their training scores are revealed, just as ours will be in less than 24 hours. As usual the Careers score the highest, the boy from District two getting an eleven. But Dad gets a 10 which is virtually unheard of for a non- Career tribute; I cannot help but feel proud of him. Nina’s score is quite unexpected as well: a seven, I see Stella smiling out of the corner of my eye.
Next are the interviews. Nina is sweet and charming, the audience love her. But when asked about how she'd fair against the bigger tributes her face hardens as she says:
"I may be small but I have some tricks up my sleeve. I’m not always as sweet as I seem."
When Dad steps up Caesar Flickerman says:
"Now we're all dying to know who the girl that shouted "I love you" at the station was." Dad smiles.
"That was Erin, my girlfriend." I had always known Mum and Dad have been together a long time, but I had no idea it went back as far as before the Games.
"Do you love her?"
"Yes, I do." He says without hesitation. He looks right into the camera." I love you, Erin." The boy from District 2 pretends to be sick behind him. But the audience give a chorus of "ahhs".
"Another thing you've got us all wondering, Cole is: is it true you’re best friends with Nina's brother." At this Dad's face takes on a much more serious expression.
"It's true; we've been friends since our first day at school. He and Nina are practically family. That's why I promised him I'd protect her."
"Wow! And how far would you go to protect her?" Again he looks into the camera, there's a hesitation. But the words that come out of his mouth still sound like he absolutely means it:
"I'd die protecting her!" So my father went into the arena prepared to die, prepared to sacrifice everything for another. I wonder what Mum though of this.
We're perched on the edge of our seats as the interviews end, the screen goes black and then we see the arena Dad fought in and Nina died in for the very first time.

[ilovepeeta]

why must you stop there

it was getting so intence

cant wait till the next chaper

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 22: Stella
The screen brightens and the camera swoops around a dead forest of naked trees, covered in snow. Behind it are mountains and in the centre is the Cornucopia. The tributes breathe clouds as they wait for the cannon. When the bang echoes in the air all hell breaks loose!
Everyone rushes to the golden horn, including Nina and Cole. Nina grabs a backpack but is tackled to the ground by the boy from District 4. He holds a sword in his hand a grins menacingly as she struggles. He doesn't see the club in Cole's hand until it connects with his head. Cole pulls her up and takes the sword from the now unconscious Career. They run off hand in hand into the woods.
As they show the faces of those who were killed that day, he lets out a sigh of relief.
"Good. May's still alive."
"Who's May?" Nina asks.
"You know, the girl from District 10. We hung out with in training."
"Oh, yeah." She nods. "I'm glad she's OK. Think we'll run into her?"
"Maybe. But first you get some sleep; I'll take the first watch."
The next morning Cole goes to fill up there water bottles at a nearby stream. Suddenly his name is screamed through the trees. He drops the bottle and runs to them. He arrives at their camp to the sight of Nina up a tree, her feet inches from the snapping jaws of a huge bear! Cole shouts at it, the bear replies with a roar and runs at him teeth bore. But Cole has his sword with him and hits its shoulder. This only makes the beast angrier and it comes at him harder. He manages to dodge it and lands a couple more blows. The second time he's not as lucky as its claws catch his arm. He reels back. The bear sees it chase and lunges at him, pinning him to the ground. It looks like it's all over. But just when its teeth are about to make contact with his throat Nina lands on top of it and stabs it in the back of the neck with a knife. She gets off its lifeless body and helps Cole push it off him.
"I think that makes it 1-1 now." She grins.
The next couple of days are quite uneventful for the pair as they trek through the frosty forest. They really are like brother and sister, teasing each over and recounting stories of before the Games. My father had always portrayed my aunt as being a vulnerable, sweet little girl, but I can see that she is nothing like that. She strong and fierce, I'm proud to say I'm her niece. Meanwhile the Careers are on the hunt, they've already killed three people and are keen to make Cole the fourth after what he did to the boy from District 4.
One night Cole and Nina are awoken by the sound of running feet. A girl with long black hair and pale skin runs right past the tree they're in, too concerned with the two careers chasing her to notice them.
"It's May! Stay here." Cole whisper as he quickly climbs down, sword in hand. He dashes after them before Nina can protest. The Careers, the boy from District 4 and the girl from 1 have got May up against a tree and are arguing about who gets to kill her.
"Neither of you do." Cole's voice interrupts as he catches up with them. They turn around in surprise, but it's soon replaced with anger when they realise who it is.
"Glad you could join us, District 7. My trident wants a word with you". The boy from District 4 snarls before throwing it at him. He ducks and it hits a tree behind him. The boy pays for his arrogance for not bringing another weapon with a stab to the chest from a furious Cole. I hear Jed gasp next to me as the cannon goes off. A look of utter disbelief on his face as he realises what his father has done. He must have known Cole had killed, every victor has but seeing it happen can be very different from just knowing it happened.
The girl from District 1 gets her knives out, but is interrupted by the sound of a string being drawn back.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Growls May, an arrow ready in her bow, trained on the girl's head. Seeing that she's now the one outnumbered she retreats.
"Good thing you showed up, Cole, otherwise that cannon would have been for me. Does this mean we're allies now?" She says. He doesn't answer; just standing over the boy’s body, watching the blood pool around him, standing out against the white snow.
"I...killed...him." he whispers numbly. She walks over and hugs his shock frozen form.
"I know, I can't even imagine what you're going through. But it was either one them or me. I'm glad you chose me." She says soothingly.
Of course after this May joins them. They're the perfect team, working together like old friends . They even manager to bring down an entire deer, something that will keep their food supply full for days.
One night Nina wakes them up, saying she could hear monsters. They all look up suddenly they all look at each over, terrified, but we can't hear a thing. Suddenly Cole yells "RUN!" and they all race across the snow. Cole stops, ready to fight whatever out the, but he just slashes at thin air and May shoots at nothing. They must have eaten something to make them hallucinate, whatever they are seeing must be horrible. They're too busy fighting the invisible monsters to see the Careers creeping up on them. The boy from District 2 grabs May from behind and slits her throat! But they seem to see something too and run away screaming before they can do any more damage. The attack has been enough to snap the three out of it and they dash to May side. She tries to speak but Cole gently shushes and her cradles her in his arms silently. Neither let themselves shed a single tear until the cannon goes off.
"I can't stand being in this forest a second longer." He tells Nina when he finally lets the hovercraft take her. "Tomorrow we go to the mountains."
They walk for the whole of the next day, eventually they reach a big cliff. Cole points out a big sheet of ice stretching from the cliff to the other side where the mountains are, like a giant bridge.
"I'm not sure about that, Cole, it doesn't look safe." Nina says uncertainly.
"Nothing in this arena is safe." He almost snaps, as they reach they ice bridge.
"But it's a trap, the Game Makers want us to cross it."
"Of course they want us to cross it, how else will we get to the other side!?" He retorts as he stamps his foot on the ice. "It seems stable enough."
"But..."
"Nina, we can stay in the woods any longer. The Careers are there and all sorts of other dangerous things. I can't leave in that much danger. Please just trust me." He almost begs. She signs.
"OK. But only because I promised Ethan we'd stick together."
They make their way across the ice, treading carefully as if they're walking on thin paper that could rip at any second. Suddenly there's a loud crack behind them, followed by another, then another. All of a sudden the whole bridge starts to break down behind them! They run the rest of the way, the ice falling into the abyss just two feet away. Nina trips! But Cole manager to get a hold of her hand just as the ice falls beneath her. There they are, Cole leaning over the edge, perched on the last bit of ice, a foot from the other side, with Nina dangling helplessly. They ice he's perched on begins to crack. We can see her saying something to him but the sound of the ice is too loud to hear them. Cole yells something back and shakes his head; Nina shouts another thing looking desperate.
Her other hand swings up and touches Cole's. It's at that moment that he lets her go!! Letting her plummet to her death!
We sit in absolute shock, barley able to process what we've seen. We hear a gasp behind us and turn around to find the man himself staring at the screen. He hastily grabs the remote and kills the tape. It's OK, I've seen everything I need to see. My shock is replaced with pure rage as I get up.
"Stella, I know what it looks like but it's not what you think." He says, sounding panic stricken now that his secret's out. He holds his hands up as if it will protect him from what a say.
"OH I SEE EXACTLY HOW IT IS, YOU COWARD!" I scream, seeing the so called man he really is for the first time. "YOU LET MY AUNT DIE TO SAVE YOUR SKIN! YOUR ALLY, YOUR BEST FRIEND'S SISTER THE GIRL YOU SAID YOU'D DIE PROTECTING! YOU AS GOOD AS KILLED HER!" He collapses into a chair, looking crushed, not even attempting to deny it . But as I walk away he managers to murmur one thing.
"I had no choice."