𝓕𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓯𝓵𝔂 - (𝓕.𝓞𝓭𝓪𝓲𝓻)

09.

vol i
☼ chapter nine ☼

Theia's wounds had healed miraculously well—she'd never seen a cream like it, incomparable to anything she'd personally worked on.
It was sure to have come from the high-tech Capitol labs, the ones she had previously been offered a position in. She was fascinated and desperately wanted to know what modifications had been made to the antimicrobial substance. But that was a query for another day, preferably one when she wasn't participating in a brutal competition where you had to fight to the death.

Now that her recovery was imminent, she could move on again. It was wishful thinking to hope that she wouldn't run into another tribute. So far, she had been exceptionally lucky, and that luck was sure to soon run out. With her unexpected popularity and questionably high score, it was likely that she was at the top of the kill list.

She travels through the arena, gradually making her way back to elevated ground, the terrain beginning to slope upwards as she nears the sprawling mountain.

Theia was scouting the best spot to set up camp when the shaking started. A large jolt throws her to the ground, the vibrations becoming more severe. Earthquake.
She's unable to stand; the rolling motions are making her feel nauseous. She covers her head, attempting to crawl to a safer position.

As soon as it stops, she runs.
It had come from the mountain, and that would mean only one thing.

She wastes no time, quickly grabbing the rope out of her backpack and tying herself a harness. She scales the thickest tree she can find, securing herself tightly.

A bombardment of mass comes sliding downward. Soil and rocks smash into the landscape. The flow seems relentless, continuing on and on.
All Theia can do is hold on as tightly as she can and wait for it to subside.

The sound of the cannon echoes through the air. The effects begin to lessen, but by the time the landslide has completely stopped, the cannon has once again fired. Two tributes are dead.

It seemed that the Gamemakers had learned from previous mistakes. Two years prior, during the 70th Hunger Games, they had used an earthquake to break a dam overlooking the arena. It was more than they had bargained for, with a massive flood drowning most of the tributes and leaving Annie Cresta—the strongest swimmer—as the victor. It was not a revered games; it was completely unpopular with the overzealous Capitol crowd. This was an obvious display of bravado—that this time they had gotten it right.

Once deeming it safe, Theia climbs down, assessing the damage. Streams and creeks close by would have been affected, offering no drinkable water and destroying any food sources. It left her with no choice but to move on again and locate an area that had not been impaired.

She walks aimlessly, dodging debris. A particularly large boulder catches her eye. She wishes it hadn't.

Beneath it, she recognises the girl from District 11, Elianna. She had been crushed. Some limbs were bent; others caved in. An unmistakable pool of blood surrounded her. Looking at her remains made Theia's head spin. The girl had been kind to her during their training. The two had conversed and shared stories about each other's homes. And now she was standing, trying not to spill the contents of her stomach at the sight of her.

She was completely undeserving of her fate, and it made Theia immensely angry. How was this entertainment? Who would enjoy seeing this happen to a sixteen-year-old girl?
It would be an image that was sure to haunt her forever.