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Gwen was somewhere in the arena, sitting under a tree while her leg was bleeding. It was dangerous to just be out there in the open. She doesn’t have much; a small knife, a bow and arrow, and a backpack of supplies which she managed to take from the Cornucopia. It was a risk since everyone kills each other for supplies, but she was glad she took it. People call it ‘a bloodbath’ for a reason. She didn’t even know where the other tribute of her district, Miles, was.
She didn’t exactly hate the guy, but she wouldn't call him a friend. He said he liked her, only because the Capitol would eat a doomed romance up and they could use those sponsors. But Gwen could really use the help right now. For once, she wished someone was here, which was unusual for her.
All alone in an arena of death with a bleeding leg and nothing to treat it. She could really use a sponsor right now. Someone just kill me now, she thinks to herself. This is how she would die. She was the easiest target right now. Just a helpless girl, completely alone. Gwen wants to cry from how hopeless she feels right now, but she didn’t wanna be seen as vulnerable. Not now, not ever.
But something in her told her she had to get back up again, to not lose so easily. Gwen knew it was pretty much impossible to win the games, she had no experience with weapons. She would never win, especially against the people from the wealthier districts who train for the games.
Gwen tries to get up, but it is hard. She feels weak and tired, but she could’ve ended up worse. If she hadn’t knocked out the tribute who was close to stabbing her, she would’ve been dead. It’s a good thing she at least knows a thing or two about fighting. The tribute wasn’t dead, but she could at least get away. And now she was here.
Gwen almost falls asleep, pretty much embracing the danger of being killed. She had low expectations to begin with. As soon as she was chosen for the games, she pretty much knew what her fate was. No one except the tributes from wealthier districts won the games. She then started thinking about Miles. Where the hell was he even?
While stuck in thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel her eyes getting heavier. Gwen couldn’t fall asleep right now; that would just be suicide at this point. You can’t sleep unless you think you’re safe, which Gwen definitely wasn’t. She looked at her leg again. She wasn’t stabbed, just had a nasty scar on her thigh which wasn’t treated. Gwen gently tapped her fingers against the scar, it’s not bleeding anymore which is good, but it’s going to get infected if she doesn’t treat it.
Gwen suddenly hears the sound of footsteps. She grabbed the knife she had out of her backpack and slowly got up, even though her leg hurt like hell. She won’t give up, not now. Maybe she won’t make it later on, but all that matters is that she is alive right now. And it’s gonna stay that way.
It’s dark outside, which really doesn’t help. She looked around, as if she could see in the dark right now. Yelling ‘Is anyone there?’ would be the dumbest thing she could do right now. If this person was really out to get her, she couldn’t give herself away. She could run, or she could kill.
Once Gwen heard someone moving and saw someone, she didn’t hesitate. Gwen pushed this person to the ground, she didn’t want to use her knife, just in case this person didn’t mean any harm. But then again, this is The Hunger Games ; it’s kill or get killed. So, she kept this person pinned to the ground until she knew who it was.
“Gwen, calm down. It’s me, Miles. From your district.”
Well, now she wasn’t completely alone.
“Where the hell have you been?!” Gwen said, still keeping Miles pinned to the ground. “I was worried you had been killed!” Miles tried to get Gwen to let him go, but was struggling. “I haven’t seen you since the games started. Where were you this entire time?”
“Trying to not get killed.” Miles responded. Gwen understood that answer, but that still didn’t tell her where exactly he was. Then again, she couldn’t exactly remember her way around the arena. “Why are you even worrying about me?”
Gwen bit the inside of her cheek, not even knowing why she was worrying. She just shrugged, still keeping Miles pinned to the ground. “Could you maybe get off me now?”
“Oh yeah..” Gwen let go of Miles and slowly got up again, struggling a bit to stand without losing her balance. “Hey, are you okay?” Miles asked. “I’m fine.” It seemed to be a response Gwen always used when someone asked her if she was okay. It was usually a lie, but now she didn’t know if it was a lie or not.
Before the two could even walk away, something pushed Gwen to the ground. Someone is pinning her to the ground, but in a more aggressive manner than she had Miles pinned to the ground. Gwen could tell who it was; it was the girl from District 4 who had her before. The girl had her hands around Gwen’s neck, strangling her.
“Miles, run!” Gwen choked out. This was it. She would officially lose the Games. She felt like she had let everyone down. Her friends, her district, Miles, everyone. People actually thought District 12 might’ve had a chance at winning this. They had hope, she just let everyone down. Miles stood there, Gwen felt frustrated. “Why are you standing there! Just–” She couldn’t finish her sentence, being slammed against the ground and grunting in pain. Gwen wanted to say more, but her head was starting to spin from the lack of air. “Run, now!”
“Trying to save your friend?” The tribute spoke up, chuckling after saying her words. “Don’t worry, you won’t be there to watch him be killed. I know that would’ve hurt you.” Then a thought came to Gwen’s mind. A tribute from District 4 had killed her best friend. She felt the anger rise up in her. How she had to watch her friend get stabbed to death. She wanted to volunteer, but her dad wouldn't allow it.
She won't let anyone who cares about her see her die in the same way. She wouldn't let Miles die in the same way. It would’ve hurt to see someone she knew getting killed in the same game. “I swear if you kill him–” She managed to choke out before she got slammed to the ground again.
“What are you going to do, huh? You’ll be dead!” She got slammed against the ground, again, the girl now grabbing a knife. She chuckled again, it made Gwen sick how she could just laugh at this. Gwen heard a twig snap, and so did the tribute who was strangling her. Gwen felt the grip the girl had on her loosen a bit, which gave her the opportunity to grab the knife she had. Gwen could see the lust to kill in this girl’s eyes. To the people from wealthier Districts, this is just much as a game to them as to the Capitol. “Two can play this game.”
Then, Gwen stuck the knife with the last bit of force she had left in the girl’s back. She felt the grip the tribute had on her loosen. She took the knife out of her back. Gwen grabbed the girl by her jacket, turning so the tribute was laying on her back and Gwen was on top of her. The girl still had her hands around Gwen’s neck, probably using her last bit of strength to try and kill Gwen.
With a tight grip on the bloody knife, Gwen stabbed the girl again in the chest. The clothes the tributes got were thin, a knife with this much force went through easily. Gwen saw the girl trying to get her own knife, but she got to it first. Without hesitation, Gwen stuck the second knife in the girl’s neck, the adrenaline rush giving her enough power to do so. Her blood splattered on Gwen’s face, clothes and hands. Gwen took out both of the knives, watching the blood spill out. The beige shirt the girl was wearing quickly got stained with a crimson color for the blood.
Gwen watched as the life drained out of the tribute. She knows everyone comes out of the Games as a murderer. You can’t survive unless you have blood on your hands. She knew pretty much everyone in Panem just saw her stab this girl. Both District 12 and 4 just saw Gwen stab her. What was her district thinking now? Were they proud, or happy she made it out alive? And what about District 4? Were they upset, sad, disappointed?
Once Gwen felt the grip on her neck disappear, she knew this tribute was dead. But just in case, she checked her pulse; it was gone. Gwen had officially killed a tribute in the Games. She got off the corpse and laid on the ground, gasping for air. She felt her own life slip away for a moment, but she was still here. She still had a chance to go home. She heard a canon in the distance, letting every tribute know someone got killed.
Gwen slowly got up, it being a bit harder with her hurt leg. Her body was telling her she shouldn’t get up right now, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She walked away for a bit until she collapsed onto the ground. The pain in her leg was getting worse now that the adrenaline was wearing off.
She tried to get up again, but she was struggling. Miles was gone, but at least he was somewhat safe. That’s all that mattered to Gwen right now. Gwen saw someone approaching her. Was it another tribute? Would this be the moment she would be killed?
To her surprise, it was Miles.