Walking the wire [Exar vs bigfoot day 6]

I don't know what this thing is. I've never seen anything like it for as long as I've been alive. It's furry. Scary. Tall. I don't know what else to describe it as. My heart is racing, and I know I've made a mistake by following the footprints. But I can't think of that. I've been wanting a challenge. Something to prove how strong that I am. Something to prove that district two is worthy of wearing a crown. The tributes have failed so many times. It's been fifteen years since Cricket won the game. Fifteen years since district two brought home a crown. It's frustrating. I want to make a change. If I'm going to die, I want to go out in a blaze of glory. It'll set me apart from many others, but of course, I don't want to die. I want to live. To make it out of here alive, but I feel that it won't happen especially using this stupid shovel.

I instinctively reach for the ski poles. They're sharp, and I can throw them from a distance. I can find a place to hide, but I don't want to hide. I feel my grip tightening as I push myself away. I don't feel like getting stepped on right now. That seems like a painful way to die, but at least it's not something as pathetic as being eaten alive by butterflies. Careers fell that way, and it's embarrassing. No career should ever fall that way. No career should ever be squished by some foolish mutt created by the Capitol. But here I am at the risk of this freakishly tall behemoth of a creature staring death in the eyes, and I'm not afraid. I've trained for this. I will fall with my head held high. I will know that I've fought with all that I have. I will go down knowing that I've done my district well. That's only if it somehow manages to kill me.

I take a deep breath as my grip tightens on the ski poles. I have six of them. Six to make a difference because this shovel isn't going to work. A knife isn't going to work. Everything is going to fall to my aim. I've never tried using a javelin before, but it's something I'm going to work with. I have no other option. A normal life is awaiting me, but part of me wonders if that normal life is in a world beyond this one. Is a life outside of this where I can have friends. Where I can make something worthwhile. Where I can finally have a family. But I just don't know. That's all I want. More than making my family proud. I take aim as I take a step back. I have nothing to worry about. Nothing to fear. Everything will come into place. If I'm meant to live, I'll find a way to kill this thing, but if it's my time to die, I welcome it with open arms as I fight for the only thing I know. Honor and glory for all of district two.

[dars]

Fighting this thing was a mistake on my behalf. I could've just turned away, but now I'm engaged, and there's no possible way of outrunning this thing. I just keep watching it's giant feet making sure they don't come crashing down on me, and it's giant claws look terrifying. Maybe it thinks of me as food. That I'm something it can devour, but I don't know, and I don't want to find out. Right now all I need to do is figure out a way to land attacks. Just aiming the ski pole isn't working because I didn't do much at all. I mean, how hard is it to miss a thing towering so high above me? I must be what everyone is laughing at right now. I must be the one that's falling apart before everyone's eyes. I wonder what my parents are thinking. I volunteered for them. This is my destiny, and it's up to me to live it.

Pain shoots through my body as a giant claw sinks deep into my chest. It takes my breath away, and I can feel the ski pole falling out of my hand once more. Tears form in the corner of my eyes, but I blink them away. It would be simple to play it off as the cold wind getting to me, yet it's not what I want. I'm capable of fighting. Capable of staying alive, but it's hard to move when the air is knocked out of me. I can feel the blood leaking down the front of my chest saturating the sweater Eva gave me on the very first day. Hard to believe that it's been six days ago. It's hard to believe that she's not by my side right now fighting this thing with me. We made a great duo, and now I'm all alone. Well, not that alone since this giant thing is still here.

I try taking a deep breath, fighting against the pain. Gritting my teeth, I look at the beast trying to figure out the best way to make it through this. I lift one of the ski poles into the air, and I take aim. It's about proving my worth. It's about showing that I'm worthy of becoming a victor. That I'm the one to wear the crown at the end, and killing this behemoth of a creature would make everyone realize that I'm the one they need representing this hunger games. I slowly move around trying to find the perfect position. Trying to figure out exactly what to do, and when to make my move. It's all about time. I've learned that in training. I've learned that I have to make this work. Everything is spinning. My eyes dart back and forth until I find the right place, and I release the ski pole into the air using every ounce of strength I have.

[dars]

It's frustrating. I've been training for as long as I can remember, and I can't do anything with these stupid weapons. I'm barely doing any damage to this giant creature. I haven't done anything to anyone. I've watched people around me get kill after kill, and I've simply poked people with the tip of a knife. And now these weapons aren't helping me any at all. I don't know what else to do, but at least I'm faster. At least I'm capable of avoiding it's giant feet. I can't let it get another good hit. I can't let it kill me because I'm still hurting so bad from the first one. Maybe that's why I'm not throwing well. Maybe that's why I'm barely hitting it. A shovel wasn't good. These ski poles are doing anything worthwhile, and I feel that if I don't do something quick I'm going to die, and I didn't come here to die.

A heavy sigh fills the air around me. The wind is cold, and my teeth are chattering, and I want nothing more than to find a place to curl up and get warm. Being alone isn't fun, and I don't know what to do. Eva carried me more than I realized it, and now it's making me upset. My face feels warm despite the cold surrounding me, and I can feel myself getting angrier as each second passes by. I look at the four ski poles remaining, and I realize that I have to do something. I can't just keep missing. I can't just barely hit this thing. I turn my mind back to training where everything is telling me not to panic, but the blood is gushing down my chest through a huge gaping hole. I need to clean it out. I need to stitch it back together. All these things need to be done, but I'm not sure what else to do.

I wrap my hand around another ski pole hoping to do better before I'm squished beneath the weight of this creature. I have to kill it. Running away has crossed my mind, and everything is telling me to run, but I'll never leave a fight. I quickly move around jumping between trees trying to stay away. I'm faster than this thing. I'm quicker. I'm capable of doing this. I close my eyes quickly gathering myself together. It's time to make a difference. Time to show district two that I'm not just another career wannabe. That I deserve this just as much as the next person. I aim the ski pole, and I quickly move around once more trying to find the perfect place. When I'm ready, I jump in the air releasing at what I hope is the proper moment hoping that I do something worthwhile for the first time since I've been here.

[dars]

I take a step back and watch the ski pole go flying through the air, and I watch as it clips the beast ripping open it's forehead. For a moment, I'm stuck, frozen in place with my chin wide. I'm not sure how I managed to do that, but I can't feel too confident right now. Something has finally gone right. Something has turned around. It's given me a new life. A new hope. Something to hold onto, but I'm still afraid. Still so anxious for what can happen. I'm still not sure what to do. The weapons have failed me, but now it gave me something to work with. Something to work for. I shake my head pushing all the anger away. Now isn't the time to give up. It's not the time to panic. It's just a moment of catching my breath. Of forcing myself to try again. To stand up when I'm knocked down.

I was taught to never give up, and that's what I have to do now, but I'm moving around trying to avoid the claws and feet. Trying to stay out of the way while I have a chance. I'm darting between the trees keeping my eyes locked on the prize. I'm doing anything and everything that I possibly can. I thought I was afraid, but now I'm not. Well, maybe a bit. Maybe just enough to keep myself from doing anything stupid. I wrap my hands around another ski pole hoping for the same outcome. Hoping to do something right. To win this fight once and for all, but my mind is still racing. Maybe all I needed was to become angry for these weapons to work. The corners of my lips twist into a grin tearing apart the cracks once more. I have a fight to win. I have a chance to bring home the honor, and that's what I'm going to do.

This time I'm prepared. I watch as it snaps trees below, and I watch as it tries to pierce me with it's giant claw. I'm not afraid of it, and I've done something right. I just hope to keep it up. I hope to have this chance to walk away when my hands above my head in victory. I look around, eyes wide still trying to take it all in. Trying to figure out what's best to move, and now that it seems confused. I wonder what's wrong with it. It's not like I just went up and whacked it with a shovel or anything. I'm the one that started this fight, and I'm the one that's going to end it. I'm the one that will stand victorious over this thing's body. I take another breath, and I close my eyes once more gathering myself together like I did just moments ago. As I exhale, I prepare myself for what I need to do, and I'm not afraid of what can happen to me.

[dars]

My frustration has grown to a boiling point. My last two javelins have found their mark. Or so I thought. I can see the damage on the mutt. It pales in comparison to what I've suffered. Blood flowing from chest, legs, and an arm. One of the last attacks hit my wrist and I know its broken. It has to be with how hard it is to clench my hand. I made a fatal mistake following the footsteps of this monstrosity. No one could have taken this thing down by themselves. I foolishly believed I could. Blinded by honor. Mislead by tales of glory. I've trained for a long time only to see failure time and time again.

I attempt to grasp another javelin, but the pain in my wrist flares up. Another attempt is made and I know now that using a javelin will be impossible. Which leaves me with little options left. I will not have the strength to wield a javelin or use one as a spear. The knife could work, but I have my doubts about it doing anything to this mutt. The shovel is nearly as useless. There really is no good options left. I'm on the verge of death. I can feel it. I've already made one idiotic mistake by following the footprints. Might as well make another by attacking it head on.

I continue trying to wrap my hand around the ski pole, but I can't. It hurts. It hurts so very bad. I don't know what to do. I'm tired. Oh so tired, and I want to sleep. I can feel myself fading away with each passing second. I close my eyes once more, only this time the ski pole falls from my hand, and I'm stumbling forward. The beast is fleeing really bad, but I'm bleeding too. I'm cold. My head hurts. My arm hurts. Every part of me aches. The most I can do is go down with a fight. I'll do what I can even if it's not much. I don't know what else to do, but I can try. Clutching my arms, I charge the thing with every ounce of strength remaining. Maybe it'll be enough, or maybe I'll finally go the normal life that I'm yearning for. Only time will tell.

[dars]