Foxface: In The Arena

Author’s note:  I loved writing my other piece Katniss: In The Arena.  That was a piece from the perspective of an anonymous tribute coming face to face with Katniss.  This is the same idea, except different scenes and characters.  This time I really wanted to explore the character Foxface.  She is the red head mysterious tribute from District 5.  In the book, she is always alone and doesn’t talk very much.  Of course, there isn’t a lot of information about this character.  I just wanted to try to capture what she was thinking and doing in the arena.  Please enjoy and give me feedback.

I scan the area for any of the others.  The coast is clear.  Quickly eying the trees and scenery, I dash away.  My feet feel limitless as I dart around logs and leap soundlessly around shrubs.  Air rushes around me. It feels as if time was speeding by my arms.  Time was lifting me up, up and away.  Blowing around my hair and pushing me through.  Away from here I flew through time.  No one could touch me up here in the clear skies.  Breath in.  Breath out…

Stopping, I hear something.  What could it be?  Pushing against a tree I hear crunching leaves and laughter. 

I know it must be the careers.  They are ignorant, bloodthirsty and powerful…I can’t fight them with lack of weapons, but I can outrun them. 

They are all quite fast and powerful…but it makes me laugh, because they aren’t as quick as me.

They walk past me as I sit there crouched behind a tree. Again, I laugh.  Stupidity and lack of eye to detail fail them.  All of them are gifted fighters, but none of them notice anything except of it smacks them right in their faces.

  

As they noisily move out of the area, I look around to see if anything else is coming.  With a newfound hope, I spring up to run.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot movement.  My heart starts violently pumping.  Sweat forms on my forehead and my arms quiver.  Looking down at my hands, I realize that I have nothing.  No bow, no arrows and no knives.  No form of weapon to protect myself.  Something emerges from the trees. 

She stands there.  Silent.  Pondering.  Wondering what to say when she gazes up at me.  Her eyes are curious and almost fearful when she spots me. Quickly her eyes graze my hands.  Of course she notices that I have nothing to use to fight if she decides to attack me.

Those grey eyes she has, stare into me.  Sharpening and fixing themselves on my timid form. 

Still focusing in on me, her hands grasp an arrow and she seizes her bow. She steps back swiftly aiming at me.  I know she has a good shot, so fighting isn’t an option.  I turn and run into the trees. 

I hear a flick and the arrow soars into the tree next to me. Shocked, I turn around to see her bow zeroing in on me.

Again, I flee twisting and turning through the shrubs and dodging the rocks and other obstacles.  My breath is rigid and hot as I push harder and harder.

In front of me, a bolder blocks my way.  Gasping for breath, I push my legs up a hill. 

Run. 

Run.

Run.

I can’t give up now.  Honestly, I have an advantage.  I don’t need other people to help me.  All I have is myself.  There is no one to abandon me, to kill me, to turn on me or to die so I’m helpless and alone.  No one will benefit me, and I will not benefit someone else. I’m in it to win it; in it to finish and rise victorious. 

It’s all a big game.  Either you’re in it, or you’re out.  I don’t exactly want to be one of the Capitol’s chess pieces, placed and positioned wherever they please.  I just know that if you want it.  If you really want it…you will kill for it.

In the distance, I hear a shriek.  A crash.  Then, there is a loud boom.  One more dead.  One less to fight, and that means one less to kill.  That also means that my chance is growing higher and higher to win this.

Chills run down my spine, and my arms feel tingly. Everytime I hear that loud boom, my heart almost explodes.  It scares me…because I might be next.

I am scared of weakness and terrified of defeat.  That’s why I don’t want to talk to any of the other tributes.  I don’t want to show them my fear, or any of my weaknesses.  Then, they could take advantage of me.  For that, I greatly fear of.  Speaking shows weakness…I don’t want to come off as weak and easy to kill.   

Silence shows strength and independence.  That is what I want them to see of me.

Crack.  A chilled finger slid down my spine.  I almost screamed in terror.  Each noise meant another person.  People meant…I could be dead.

I hear more cracks and low whispers.  It’s the careers….I panic and hide behind a big oak tree.

They emerge from the bushes….Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

“Stop stepping on the sticks and leaves!  You step too loudly..”

“I’m sorry..” He slightly smiles at her.

“Don’t move Peeta…. I’ll be right back.”

I smirk as she leaves.  Leaving the weak one alone I see… Maybe he’ll do something stupid and be dead because of that.   

If I do kill Peeta, then Katniss will avenge for him. 

An eye for an eye.  Bloodshed for bloodshed I suppose.

So I will spare Peeta’s life for now. 

Watching from the shadows, I see Peeta bending down to pick some dark blue berries.  Hunger strikes me as I see him with food.  Just one bite. I’m so hungry.  He won’t notice if I steal them right from under his nose.

My mouth feels dry from being deprived of water and food.  Whatever it takes…I will get that food.  It will be so easy to take them from him.

Right as he puts down the berries, I take off.  Before he turns around, I snatch them up. I feel the moist tender morsels in my hands. 

I feel almost light headed when I see the berries.  These are a prize for me; A generous gift of nature. 

For now, I will just have one berry.  I don’t want to eat all of them at once.  Looking at my hands, I realize there must be over thirty berries.  What I little treat I have here.

Tenderly, I pick up a berry and place it in my mouth.  The juice runs into my mouth and down my throat.  

Suddenly, I feel wobbly.  At that moment I realize that they were poisonous

..just before the moment as I drop down dead.  

Dark and gone to the world.

Now….there is one less they have to fight in the arena.  One less to defend.  I am one less to be defeated  And one less for them to kill.  I am just another used up piece for the pleasure of the Capital...in their game.