Day Three of the Hunger Games

Helena awoke the next morning, confused as to where she was. As she slowly gathered her bearings, yesterday dawned on her with a smile. She had managed to find Cole and stabilise his wounded leg. "Morning, sleepyhead." Cole said as he put some wood onto the fire. "Morning." Helena replied. "Any more cannons?" She asked. Cole shook his head. "None, it's been quiet... too quiet." He spoke. There hadn't been any deaths in a while or any of the 'fun' stuff, so the Gamemakers would want to spice things up. The pair from Twelve sat in silence.

"Lena, have you got any more food?" Cole questions as he itched his bandaged leg. "I should do..." The girl trailed off as she rooted through her bag. Helena let out a frustrated sigh and placed her bag to the side. "We're all out!" She exclaimed angrily. The twelve-year-old was sure they had enough yesterday. "Hey, hey, calm down, little dove. It's fine." Cole reasoned. "No, it's not. I'll go get us some food." The girl looked at him sadly. "How's the water supply looking?" She asked, strapping her belt of knives around her waist and clipping her scimitar into its holster. "We're almost out." Cole replied.

Helena nodded and grabbed her bag, putting both of their water containers in it. "I'll go and forage by the river." Helena spoke as she secured everything in place. "Alright,"  Cole said. "Be careful." Helena shouted back to him as she left. "I will, don't you worry."

The young tribute made her way outside of the cave and began her journey to the river. Tracking through the vastness of snow-covered pines was quite calming, Helena thought. Regardless of the situation she was currently in, the beauty of the arena was something she couldn't deny. From the blanket of snow encapsulating the environment to the wildlife that roams free, from the subtle hints of green poking from the trees to the flowers that thrive in the harsh, artificial world they were cultivated for.

Soon enough, Helena made it to the river, with its crystalline waters flowing, sparkling as it caught the sunlight. The 12-year-old knelt upon the river bank before retrieving a large gallon bottle from her bag that she borrowed from Cole. After filling the bottle, she put two purification tablets in it and shook. Once the lid was secured, she put it back in her bag. It was time to forage.

Helena began to search around the river for any bushes containing berries. It seemed as if berries were in abundance, from blueberries and cranberries to blackberries and wild strawberries. Helena truly had hit the jackpot. As she harvested the variety of fruits, something caught her eye; a deer. It was beautiful, majestic, standing against the snowy background with its proud antlers. She sat there quietly, not wanting to disturb the gentle creature, and watched it curiously. The deer used its antlers to peel back layers of bark from the pine trees before consuming the edible inner-bark beneath.

From the corner of her eye, Helena spied a plant that looked like diamonds: Frosted Nightshade. It was a plant developed in the Capitol before the Dark Days and was released into the lower districts during the war. Beautiful but deadly to inhale, causing full body paralysis and organ failure and inhibits ones ability to breathe within a minute of breathing its noxious fumes. Pallor Mortis kicks in, leaving a stone-like, white cast of the deceased, and stops the decay of the body. Abundant in the forests surrounding Twelve, the people there gave it another name, Medusa's breath. fitting name for a plant that basically turns you into a statue. It would be a good thing to have, Helena thought.

Tying a canvas sling around her mouth and nose, Helena began to harvest the deadly plant, placing it into a container. Her focus was entirely on her harvesting when she heard a masculine scream echoing through the forest. "Cole!" Helena thought, heart dropping. She put the Nightshade into her bag and began to run back to the cave. As she ran, she removed her scimitar from its holster, separating it in two. A cannon blast sounded.

Helena slowed as she reached the cave. "Please don't be you..." She said to herself, quietly. Time slowed as she reached the mouth of the cave. Stood before her, with blood dripping from her scythe, was Fauna, a crazed look in her eye. Something flipped inside of Helena in that moment. Stealthily, the young tribute approached the girl from District Nine. Her location, however, was revealed when a twig snapped beneath her foot.

"Helena, I was wondering how long it would take for you to return to your brother dearest." Fauna taunted with a sickening grin on her face. Her face darkened. "How does it feel to be all alone? Without an ally?" She asked. Helena felt the sorrow building up inside of her. "Why did you do this?" Helena questioned, her teeth gritted. The girl from 9 faked an innocence in her voice. "Why, I was only putting the poor soul out of his misery. With a leg like that, he wouldn't have lasted much longer." She spoke. "He was healing!" Helena shouted. "His leg was bandaged with a salve on it, and he was healing!"

Fauna began to laugh. "Healing? Oh, you sweet, naive child." Helena looked confused at her statement. "His leg was rotting away. And the toxins were affecting the rest of him." The scythe-weilder spoke. "What do you mean?" Helena asked, her grip on her scimitar tightening. "The wood you used for the splint, what was it?" Fauna asked patronisingly. "Pine." Helena responded. The elder girl began to laugh. "That is where you are wrong, little bird." She spoke condescendingly. "Very difficult to distinguish, especially when it does not grow in your District." Fauna explained, playing idly with her scythe.

"You see Helena, there is a tree that grows in the inner districts, genetically modified by the Capitol of course, that rots away flesh. It's almost indistinguishable from your average pine tree, apart from one factor; red age rings." She spoke. "It's saprobiotic, full of decomposers that feast on damaged and infected flesh. That's what caused the rotting." An uneasy sensation settled in the pit of Helena's stomach, filling her with dread. "Had I of not killed the poor miner boy, the bacteria would've eaten him alive, and you would have been none the wiser." Fauna taunted. "No, you're wrong!" Helena declared, voice trembling and tears swelling in the young girls eyes. The girl-from-nine sent a piercings gaze straight through Helena as she smirked. "Admit it. You are the one who killed Cole. It's your fault he's dead." Fauna jeered menacingly.

"Liar!" Helena screamed as she rushed towards the older girl. Their blades collided as they locked into combat. It was an intricate dance between the two talented fighters, the rhythm of the blades interacting, setting the fast pace of the duel.

The people in the Mentors lounge were on the edge of their seats watching as the two fought. Haymitch couldn't move. He watched as his girl fought, fueled by her emotions. She had done well up til now, but her movements were uncoordinated. "Come on, Helena. Focus." He muttered under his breath.

Metal clashed with metal beforeone blade went tumbling to the ground. Helena had kicked Fauna down, knocking the scythe away from her, before dual weilding her blades. "I don't know what delusion made you think I killed my own brother, but do you know who I did kill?" Helena had reversed the roles. She was now the one doing the taunting. The 12-year-old stabbed her in the hand, pinning her to the ground with a knife. "Reese." With just one word, rage filled the girl from nine. She wriggled about, trying to break free from the girl's grasp. Panic clearly took over the girl as she no longer possessed the upper hand. "Let me go!" Fauna shrieked. "I don't think I will." Helena smirked, stabbing a knife into her other hand.

Fauna's eyes widened, fear seeping into her mind. "Please have mercy..." She begged. "Mercy? Well, bless your heart." The twelve-year-old laughed as her gaze darkened. "Where's the mercy when you murdered that poor girl from 5? Where's the mercy for the kids you killed in the bloodbath? Where's Cole's mercy?" Helena questioned, anger filling her veins. "Oh, don't play innocent in this." Fauna scoffed. "You've killed people too, y'know."

Lena chuckled. "That I have. But I ain't the only one with sins that'll haunt 'em." She raised one of her scimitars to Fauna's throat, pressing down on her airway. "Please..." The girl from District Nine gasped. "Figured you'd change your tone when it suits ya." Helena sneered, digging the blade a little bit further. Blood trickled from the wound, drops of red adorning the snow. "Goodbye, Fauna. May your mind finally be at peace." Helena spoke as she pierced her other blade through her heart.

A cannon sounded, snapping Helena back into reality. Blood covered her hands, tainting them like the snow. Helena felt bile rising in her throat once more, as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry." She said, numb. The young girl got up and made her way into the cave in order to retrieve Cole's body. He was sat there, lifeless, guts spilling from his abdomen. She didn't want to believe it, but he was truly gone.

After putting his guts back inside, she carried him back outside, placing his body down gently. "I'm so sorry, Cole." The young girl cried. "If I hadn't gotten so distracted, I could've gotten here quicker, and you'd still be alive." Her tears seaped onto the dead boy's body. "Please forgive me, brother." She spoke as tears streamed down her face.

As she heard the helicarrier approach, she knew she had to leave. Fleeing, not looking back, as the bodies were lifted into the sky.