Writers' Games - Free Falling {CLOSED}

India Fox's POV

I woke up to Talon's voice loudly warbling on about something, probably stupid. My allies all around me are scrambling to pick stuff up. Yawning, I sit up slowly. "Guys? What's going o-o-on?" I stutter, rubbing the grit out of my eyes.

"The island's gonna drop out of the sky! We have to throw everything we got from the Cornucopia out!" Callisto screams, throwing a box of food over the edge. This information takes a moment to process before I realize what's really happening.

"Oh, shit!" I scream, trying to scramble up out of my sleeping back. I trip, falling face-first into the ground, getting a mouthful of feathers. My wings must've fallen out! Groaning in disappointment and pain, I jump up.

"He said only sponsored tributes get a backpack of supplies, nothing else," Red gasped, tucking a loaf of bread in a bag. Smirking, I grab a large duffel bag as well. That's me! I stuff my vial of poison in the bottom, covering it up with fruit and dried jerky. The ground beneath us starts rumbling, dropping an ominous inch in the sky. I shriek, hurriedly just stuffing supplies in the bag. It's beginning to get heavier and heavier, the weight bearing down onto my shoulder. My allies run out onto the bridge, tossing more supplies out.

I begin to follow them, but something shiny catches my eye. A small medicine can sits tucked under a piece of ripped uniform, from when the wings sprouted from our backs, hidden from view this whole time. I toss out a loaf of bread to make room. Grabbing the container, I stuff it in my pocket as I sprint to the edge of the island. The bridge has risen a good four feet of the ground, leaving me shoulder height with the ropes. Tucking the bag over my neck and under my arm, I jump up to grip the wood, but my fingers slip.

"Red, you better freaking help me or I swear to GOD," I scream at her, jumping again. She yelps, gripping my arm and helping me up. Miraculously, I make it up as the land drops below my feet, plummeting into the abyss below. Almost simultaneously, four cannons resound, marking the death of each unlucky tribute.

Sighing in relief, I lean next to Callisto. "Holy crap, you almost died! You had me hoping for a minute," She winks, bumping her hip into mine. I laugh, nudging her back with my elbow.

"It's not gonna be that easy to kill me," I smirk, picking my bag back up. Somehow the bridge was still perfectly horizontal, even with the lack of land on one side. We make our way to the next island, carrying what little supplies we still have. I sip out of a water bottle I nabbed before the island fell, refreshing my throat as we walked. Suddenly, Titan hushed our laughter with a hand on his lips, nodding his head towards a bush. I glance at it, spotting the beige color of the shirt for our uniform. A small body was huddled away from us, perfectly still except for the rise and fall of their chest. Squealing with delight, I jump forward and grip the tribute around the neck. Cherry doesn't respond; her eyes are glazed over, unfocused.

"She's in a trance. I wonder how long she's been here?" Red says, daintily sitting down beside me. I slouch, shoving the young girl back to the grass. Cherry stays there, unmoving, but still breathing.

"Who knows? She could've been here for the whole day. She doesn't have any supplies on her, so it's possible," Titan says, kicking Cherry's arm. I chuckle, whipping out a throwing knife. Callisto seems to read my mind, smirking with me.

"Lets not waste it then," I say quietly, flicking the knife into her thigh, not receiving a single flinch or cry of pain. "Tie her up, Red, to the tree," I order, tossing a rope out of my bag to her. She hesitates, looking worried. I shoot her a look, and soon she listens obediently, dragging the 12-year old over to the forest and wrapping the rope tightly around her abdomen. Wrenching my knife back out, I back up several feet.

"Target practice. Titan, you're up!" I curtsey, sending him a flirty wink. He chuckles, flexing.

"Let me show you how it's done," He says, lifting the spear up over his shoulder, and throwing it. It strikes Cherry's hip, impaling itself through the bone with a sickening crunch. I scoff, picking up my throwing knives.

"Wow, you sure showed us. Now let the real killing machine show you how it's done," I smirk, flicking a knife at Cherry without even looking. A soft thunk tells me I landed on-target, striking flesh. Cherry's ear is no longer attached to her head; now it is pinned under my knife to the bark, bleeding heavily. Drops of blood dripping down her still shoulder, soaking into the once-beige fabric. Red and Callisto clap, fake wolf-whistling. I bow, tossing another knife. It hits her left wrist, cutting Cherry's hand clear from her arm.

The stump gushes out blood; Cherry slowly comes out of her trance, instantly screaming in agony. Callisto pouts, playing with an arrow. "Aw, I didn't get a turn yet," She whines, notching the arrow. I pat her back, chuckling.

"Tell you what: you can have the next tribute we tie up all to yourself," I compromise, rolling my eyes. Callisto perks up a bit, grinning evilly at Cherry's thrashing body.

"Can I have a go? Please? Just a couple of arrows, I promise," Callisto begs, pushing out her bottom lip. I sigh, hands on my hip. It's not like I can stop her; she'd kill me. Literally. Nodding, I watch as she jumps up in glee, instantly shooting an arrow at Cherry. It impales itself in her stomach, blood seeping around the edges. Another, in her elbow. Callisto shoots arrow after arrow, all landing in non-deadly spots. She is purposely dragging out her death, torturing the girl for the Capitol. I place my hand on Callisto's shoulder, shaking my head.

"Let's let Velvet have a go," I smirk, nodding at the sickly-looking girl. Red looks as if she wants to vomit, her skin pale and sweaty. Titan and Callisto look expectantly at the girl, Titan handing her a sword.

"I-I-I's rather not, I mean she's almost dead, you guys can just-" I cut her off, pushing Titan's sword out of the way.

"If you want to live, you need to prove yourself. Go pull out all the weapons," I growl, pointing at Cherry's limp body. She wasn't dead yet, just bloody and weak. I can only imagine how overwhelming the pain must be; Now Red is going to cause it all over again.

Before Red can stand, though, we are interrupted by a tribute running out of the bushes, screaming in terror. "Help!" Elaine screams, fighting off a snake from behind her. I back up, aiming a throwing knife at it. It hisses, it's magenta scales reflecting the sunlight into my eyes. I try to shield my eyes, but I cannot see a thing. I hear a cannon, and watch Elaine fall to Titans sword out of the corner of my eye. Only my peripheral vision works, the luster of the reptile's body burning my retinas.

I yell in fear as I feel the snake's jaw wrap around my wrist, it's fangs sinking into my flesh. "AHHHH!" I shriek, trying to rip it off, even stabbing it with the knife. Nothing works, and the snake begins to wrap itself around my arm. I am vulnerable, unable to move as it makes it's way to my neck. Suddenly the pain is lifted, a splash of liquid dousing my face. Wiping the blood away, I sit up, the reptiles corpse tumbling into my lap. Red stands in front of me, sword in hand. She holds the head on the snake in the other, blood dripping out under it. "Thanks," I sigh in relief, resting my arm on my knee.

Another cannon sounds, and I look over at Cherry. Her body is completely slumped forward, with another pink snake wrapped around her throat, squeezing the life out of her. I let it go, even waving goodbye as it slithers away, having eaten her right leg. We hadn't even noticed it feasting while we were fighting; it's too late now, anyways. Our alliance moves out of the area for the hovercrafts, carefully on the look out for other mutts.

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Later that night, we watched the sky for the faces. Six cannons had sounded today, a large number for only the fourth day. Jackson, Cherry, Elaine, Chase, Sparrow, and Florina's faces shone down, the pre-pictured photographs from the interviews mocking us. I watch, half-interested, as Titan begins sorting through what little supplies we have. This almost-dying is getting to be a real shock, at least for me. I think, god forbid I say this, I'm actually worried I might not make it out. And that's a scary thought within itself.