HEY, THIS REALLY /IS/ THE RAT GAMES// WD VS. RATS.

PATRICIA VALFIERNO

Living in a cruel world, drudging with my feet in the snow
On a day out, and it's a night now
Doctor, I've been walking by the side of the road
For a long time, and I'm going out of my mind.

Endless tunnels going on and on, sending us further down the throat of a cobblestone creature. I wonder, if we keep going, how long until we reach the belly of the beast? Stalactites point angrily down at us, whilst smaller stalagmites jab at our feet with every step we take. It is harsh terrain, not helped by the unrelenting blackness. People will go mad in these tunnels without light. I can already hear their faint screams - Or perhaps that is a breeze? Maybe. I'm living on false hope, pretending that there is a way out. I think part of me already knows the truth.

Asa takes steady, seemingly confident strides through the dark. The gremlin Barnabas clings to his back like a leech, his night vision goggles allowing him to see clearly through the abyss. So, he directs Asa, acting as navigator for our grand adventure. I walk wordlessly with Pearl, perhaps the only person in here who I can fully trust. The memory of the bloodbath still lingers at the front of my mind, showing me brief flashes of the girl I murdered. I don't even know her name. I swallow hard, trying to shake off the flashes each time they force their way forward. Pearl too has killed. She doesn't fully know it yet, but she has. I should have told her then and there, that she was the one to kill the second girl. I took that truth from her, and planted a lie instead. That was me being nice. For all my flaws, I wouldn't wish a bloodstain on anyone's hands.

As each minute passes, it becomes increasingly apparent that there isn't going to be an easy way out of here. My plan was always to escape the Arena, and I had a rough plan to do so, using the forcefields. Yet how could I have predicted the terrain would be so unique? They don't need forcefields when they bury us deep underground and turn off the lights. That's probably what scares me most - There definitely isn't a way out. I mean, I guess I could dig, or pick at the rock, but who knows how long that could take? I don't even know how thick the walls are, but I'm guessing they took into consideration that some might try to get out. Even if I do pick through, all I'll find is a forcefield, and with no sunlight or weather conditions, how can I exploit a weakness? It's just a consistent environment of rock - No change, no movement. Just rocks and darkness.

When our legs refuse to carry us any further, we resign for the night. We find a secluded tunnel that is easy to guard, and prop ourselves against the walls. We are all tired, and it doesn't look like we'll find a way out of this cave today. We're not even sure what time of day it is, or even how much time has passed, but we know we need to rest. I stray off fifty metres or so from the others so that I can pee in privacy. As I crouch down in my own corner of the Arena, I am aware of cameras on me. The nation is watching me urinate. I wear a scowl on my face, struggling to manage it with the thought of Panem's eyes on me. I push the thought away and try to stare at a point on the floor. How humiliating.

After I'm done, I lean against the stone wall for a while, thinking about the day as a whole. Did I do okay? I indirectly killed three people, and I think I'm okay with that. I'm just worried what Rose thinks. Does she hate me for becoming a murderer? If she's still the girl I raised then I know she understands that I did what I had to do to survive. We both learned that sometimes you don't have a choice. I try to scrub the dried blood off my blade, forcing away the thoughts of the dead girls from this morning. A clean blade is important - That's what they told us at the training center. Keep your weapon sterile.

The cave walls shimmer suddenly. For a few seconds, I am blinded. I tear off my nightvision goggles and take panicked steps backwards. The walls are glowing green, like they are radioactive. Not just here, but everywhere. Distorted faces force their way through the stone, screaming at me as they ripple past like underwater spirits. A girl I vaguely recognize, the boy from Three, and then the girl I killed - Her name is Zelphyr Bastille. Finally the fourth tribute, the one who Pearl finished off. Ryin. I remember their names. They are victims not of our murder, but of the Capitol's oppression. I refuse to forget them.

The walls fade back to their usual dull state, and so I reattach the night vision goggles to my head, and pace back to the others. When I return, they are all fast asleep. Barnabas sleeps close to Asa, whilst Pearl is further off on her own. They were foolish to allow themselves to fall asleep without anyone on guard. I check our supplies to make sure none were taken in that black period without me. Thankfully all of our stuff still seems to be here. I lean against a rock spire and begin my watch.

I can't stop thinking back to the Bloodbath, when I went to attack Barnabas, thinking he was just another Tribute in our way. Asa acted so fast to stop me - He could have killed me then and there, if not for something inside of him that made him stop. I was afraid of Asa then, and his distrust is incepted deep in his mind already. I can't change his opinion of me, not straight away at least. I wouldn't put it past him to kill me in my sleep. I've seen Careers do it before - Why is he any different? They're all the same. Emotionless, cold, dangerous. I glance to Pearl and chew the inside of my cheek. She's different. Maybe that's why I trust her. I do not trust Asa.

I grip the handle of my blade and take a deep breath. With a slow step in his direction, I assess Asa Reau. He is the epitome of a Career. His physique unrivalled, the perfect build of strength and speed. Not so large that he is cumbersome, yet not too small to be weak. The true athlete. Yes, I'm sure he could kill me and not even bat an eyelid. I have to be as ruthless as him. I have to. That's how we survive - The fittest prevail, and right now Asa is the fittest. I can't let him be top of the food chain, else he will chew me up - Especially as I'm the one threatening his place as king. Kill or be killed, Trix.

"What are you doing?"

I freeze. Asa looks up. I can feel his gaze from behind his sunglasses. I thought he was stupid for wearing them, but now I see why. I open my mouth to explain, but there's nothing. How can there be an explanation? My weapon is drawn and pointed at his neck - It can only mean one thing. I lower my sword and back off. All he does is stare at me, the question still hanging in the air. I have no answer for him, only excuses. My forehead stings, and patches on my chest and arms start to itch with sweat. My throat becomes narrow, like these tunnels. Nothing escapes it.

I turn and run, my heart thundering against my chest. Is he chasing me? I glance over my shoulder. He isn't. He sits there watching me. I bolt round a corner, panting hard. How could I be so stupid? If he wasn't going to kill me before, he sure as hell will now. My panic is audible in wheezes and short breathes. I look around the corner. Asa still sits there, but now not looking at me, but at the boy next to him. My shoulders drop - He is not angry?

I can't show my face. Not now. He knows my intentions and my fears, of course. I was reckless for the second time today, just when I promised that I would stay composed. I lost my mask, my false identity. I became a scared little girl on the streets of Five again. Stupid, arrogant little girl. I keep saying I'm a survivor, but I'm not so sure.

Maybe I've just been incredibly lucky, because I've been making the wrong choices since all of this started.

"Hey, Trix, time to wake up." Pearl's soft voice wakes me. I must have fallen asleep around the corner. I reach for my neck, massaging it softly. He didn't slit my throat in the night. I lazily pull on my nightvision goggles and immediately I look for Asa. Barnabas is over talking to him. He looks relaxed. That still worries me. I place a shaky hand against the wall and push myself up. I can't tell if it's night or day, it's still dark. I sigh. The nerves fill my stomach. We have no choice but to press on.

"Please don't call me Trix." I say to Pearl as I walk past.

The walking continues, deep into the veins of the earth. Consistent rock face, cavern and tunnel. Nothing changes. This Arena will drive people insane, of that I am certain. Surprisingly, we eventually reach an area that is much more open. The tunnels split wide into a large cavern with a ceiling so high that I pray I am looking at the night's sky. I somehow doubt it very much. An expansive pool dominates the room, the liquid is black and still. The smell is potent and strange. I don't like it. I definitely don't think it's water.

Figures move in the dark, and of course at first I think they are other Tributes. I am alert, on my toes and weapon drawn, trying to focus on the movement. Too big to be people. Too fast, too unnatural.
"Oh my god." I push Pearl behind me, "They're rats!"

I don't even think about it, I just attack the nearest one.


[Patricia Valfierno attacks Rat #1, Bone Sword]
klUns8FDsword
[Deep Gash on Left Forearm -- 8.0 damage]
[Blades -- 1.0 damage]

Sitting on a rooftop, crazy days are coming again
I'll be running, but I'll be hidden in the masquerade
So far from me now, but oh I can hear the sound
Can't you hear the bells singing alone? You will hear it on the radio

word count: 1717, graphics: rook
theme: hear the bells by porter robinson

Pearl Millison

It reared on its hind legs. Eyes like buttons gaped at her, empty and soulless, as its enormous teeth bared themselves. Its ferocity was fitting of a mindless mutation. At home, she had always feared the different monstrosities the Capitol would conjure for the sake of tribute butchery. Dragons, scorpions, krakens – there was always a monster from a nightmare, and she wasn’t sure which she feared most, tributes or creatures. Facing the latter, she wanted to scream and run in the other direction, but before she knew it her sword was in front of her. She couldn’t simply abandon her friends, and she didn’t know if she could outrun something so large. It would know the territory much better than she did. She was practically blind compared to this beast, even if she did have the advantage of night vision.

It was in perfect position. Her timing was accidental, but flawless. One swing of her blade and its edge was slicing through fur and muscle and bone, spraying a fair amount of blood until its head simply thunked against the cavern floor. Its body dropped backwards, leaving her in a state of awe. Diamond had always been the expert swordswoman. Only she could cut clean through a dummy’s head in one swipe. How a blade could accomplish such a feat was odd until one felt how sharp its bite was, yet she always thought it was more dependent upon the strength of its wielder. How had she – a weakling – severed a mutation's head in one movement?

Amazing.

But it was an accident. Or was it? Truly she had meant to wound it, to defend herself and save her own life. But it was accidental luck. It stood on its hind legs the moment she let loose her blade, and that was how she managed to kill it. That was the only explanation she could conjure.

She was still in shock when she heard Asa’s voice. ”No use sticking around,” he said, ”Grab the dead one and let’s go.” He was right. One rat was dead, surely the others would scamper once they left the scene. Mutations hardly ever chased tributes for miles. They were quick to give in and return to their primitive lives. However, they were still in the danger zone; as soon as Pearl noticed the shifting rag of fur and angry eyes darting toward her, she ducked out of the way. It lashed out with its paw and met nothing but air, but she could feel its fur tickle her arm. A close call.

Her collar suddenly clutched at her throat. ”Let’s go, blondie!” It was Patricia, dragging her away from the scene. She complied and sprinted away without question. Rat blood coated her hands, and she should’ve felt guilty for harming an animal. Back home she never would’ve hurt a fly. But these were different, right? They were engineered for evil. They were pests and menaces, not innocent creatures.

At least, that was what she would tell herself.

[Pearl flees]
[collects rat meat, drops permanent marker]