/Let/ the G.a.m.e.s. Begin (Locket & Echo needed!)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Behind them, Ameal whooped loudly... but his heart wasn't in it as much as it might have been. The games weren't at all what he'd been expecting. Nor was killing. His first kill... it had changed him. Made him realize that maybe this wasn't what he wanted after all. He had two choices left: die a coward, or live a killer. He wasn't sure which was one worse.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Estella now knew what a rabbit felt when being hunted. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest until it felt like it would explode. She couldn't even remember if she had a weapon on her person to protect herself.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Juliet tripped on the sand and went down hard, the sand grains digging into her out-thrown hands. The breath was knocked out of her and she just lay there gasping.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

"Juliet!" Estella pulled herself to a stop and staggered back to her friend, kneeling beside, "Come on, you have to get up!"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Juliet tried to stand up, but let out a cry of pain and fell forward again. "I think... I think I twisted my ankle..." she gasped. "Leave me. Just go."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Her eyes widened, "But- no- I can't do that, Juliet!"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"They'll kill you if they catch you!" Juliet panted. "I'll just slow you down."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Estella still looked upset, glancing up at the advancing Careers, "But abandoning you to die isn't right!"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Stay alive, Estella," Juliet said. "Please. You deserve to win. I knew I wasn't going to make it out of here from the beginning."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

She choked back a sob and nodded, "I'm sorry," she said mournfully, standing up and running away again. She rubbed impatiently at the tears that spilled over her cheeks.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

It didn't take long for the Careers to reach the motionless Juliet. One of Ameal's companions grinned and raised his sword. Juliet squeeze her eyes shut and whispered, "I love you Kolton." Then the sword fell, and it was over.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Estella kept running, pretending that she didn't know that the only friend she made here was dead.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Looking up, Ameal finally realized who they were chasing. It was that girl, Estella. For some reason, his chest tightened and he felt a reluctance to go after her, even more so than he'd felt before. What was it about that girl? She was different, somehow. Special. The rest of the Careers were leaving Juliet's body and going after Estella, so he followed at the back of the group.

[~echo~]

(I'm gonna come in now)

Lily's shelter was nearby, an underground cave which she could see out of. She saw the careers chasing Estella and noted that Ameal don't seem happy about it. She glared. He obviously liked her. She spat on the ground and sighed. Perhaps she would kill Ameal, and perhaps Estella and the Careers. She knew that she had snapped sometime after her ally, Parker, had died. But she didn't care. Her main goal was to win and enjoy the blood of it.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Estella drew a small knife as she ran, just in case. The Careers seemed to be gaining on her every second.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Hey, pretty girl!" one of the Careers cat-called. "Why don't you come back here and play with us?"

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

She gripped the knife tighter, her heart rate accelerating. No, no she would definitely not go back with them.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Think you can hit 'er with that bow of yours?" the Career asked one of the girls in their pack. When she nodded, the group stopped, and the girl whipped out an arrow to nock to the bow. As she pulled back the string, Ameal stared at Estella's retreating form. Hck, he didn't even want to win this stupid competition anymore. If there was someone he'd choose to win, though... it definitely wouldn't be one of the Career pack. As far as he knew, it was Estella, Lily, and them. He felt a flash of anger at Lily's desertion, but he pushed it away. She didn't matter anymore. If he wanted Estella to survive this, he had to do something. Now. He drew his sword. The metal scraping against the sheath was loud to his own ears. Would the others hear it? Wonder what it was? Without hesitation, he struck down the girl with the bow. The others turned in amazement, but Ameal went on relentlessly. He took down another, and another, until there was one left. He'd lost the element of surprise, so he'd have to face this boy with skill alone.

[~echo~]

(OMG this really needs to be active!!!!!!!!)