#joelz

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My cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

He had a cool way of looking at things and you an not deny the pure talent. #Deadmau5 #JoelZ

As the largest alliance in the arena settled into the viewing booth, they did their best to catch their breath now that they had a break from all the action. Olive, Jeb, and Zach immediately took their packs apart, discovering the contents within. Eames tossed his small pack aside, seeing only food and water, asking Olive to add it to their supply. Eames and Lucy maintained the watch, peeking over the side of the open stone window, watching the chaos below them come to a close. An elbow in Lucy’s side drew her attention to Eames and she scowled at him until she saw what he was pointing at. A trio of tributes were headed up the stone facade, probably having the same idea that they did. Eames and Lucy exchanged looks, each knowing that they’d have to prepare for a face-off right away. As the tributes closed in, Eames realized that it was Kern, Kaya, and Coral. They rejoined the group and broke the news. Jeb remained silent, but was clearly distraught over the idea that he might have to kill Coral or someone in her alliance. He knew how he’d feel if someone killed Eames in front of him, he couldn’t bare the idea to be responsible for Coral or Kern’s death. He shook his head, refusing to help unless things took a turn for the worse. In fact, he begged for Coral’s life. Their alliance wasn’t heartless, they all agreed to let her go. Lucy, for a moment, felt a tinge of sadness, remembering the fun she had with Kaya at the Halloween party, but she wasn’t sure that Kaya would remember any of it. Eames, himself, was a little weary of another meeting with Kern, as he knew he was strong. The group had doubts, yes, but now that they were in the arena, they had little choice. Plus, the numbers were in their favor. Coral, Kaya and Kern run quickly, knowing exactly where they are supposed to go. The Viewing Booth that Kern saw right before the Bloodbath. The three run as fast as they can and finally stop to account what each other managed to grab. They lay everything on the ground. Three nets, one spear, one harpoon and one small and one large backpack. Gathering their items, the proceed onward. As they approach the viewing booth door, Kern grabs his spear and gets in front of the girls. Coral and Kaya stand behind the towering boy from their alliance with anticipation of what will happen to them. They have no idea what’s waiting for them inside the viewing booth, better to be prepared. Attempting to be as silent as possible, the group armed themselves with their available weapons and stationed themselves on either side of the door for a surprise attack in case the other group came in. Lucy stationed herself across the room, lasso in hand while Jeb kept to himself in the corner, where he could see and join in if needed. As Kern, Coral, and Kaya approached the viewing booth, their voices became more audible. Zach gripped his trident tightly, preparing himself to attack when the door opened. Lucy held her rope in her hand, nervously awaiting their entrance. When the door opened, Kern was the first one in, spear in hand, and Zach did not hesitate to drive the trident straight into his thigh. Kern screamed in pain, falling to the floor as Zach extracted his weapons from Kern’s bloody leg. Coral and Kaya screamed along with Kern. Kaya was right behind him, leaving herself open for Lucy’s lasso to trap her. Lucy had perfect form, the lasso flew through the air and rung around Kaya, ensnaring her entire upper body and arms inside the rope as Lucy pulled it tight and brought her down to the ground. Lucy pulled, using all her upper body strength, and slid Kaya across the dusty floor towards her and away from her alliance. She screamed and writhed. Coral hid outside the door, peering in over Kern and giving him a worried look. With Kern on the ground, thigh muscle torn up by the trident, he’d left himself exposed. Eames took advantage of this and came up behind him, clutching his shirt collar in his hand and holding his dagger up to Kern’s throat. Kern let his spear drop to the ground. Zach backed up, focusing his weapon on Kern once again. Eames and Zach exchanged looks, now appreciating each other. Kern carried worry on his face and in his eyes, but Eames knew that he played games. Kern was not weak. Suddenly, Coral breached the doorway, throwing herself in front of Zach’s trident, begging for Kern’s life. The tears that streamed down her face and the fear in her voice made Jeb shiver and curl up in the corner, avoiding all contact and hoping that he would not have to act in this battle. Eames held the dagger closer to Kern’s throat, Olive backing him up with her sword, neither willing to lose the other one. Suddenly, the focus shifted from Coral to Kaya as Lucy’s cries erupted inside the booth. Although Kaya’s upper body was secured inside Lucy’s lasso, Kaya had managed to attack Lucy with her legs, violently kicking Lucy’s shins as if she was experiencing an extreme temper tantrum. Lucy held the rope tight and jerked Kaya’s body, maintaining control, but had no choice to kick back once she’d hit the wall and had nowhere to go. Zach came to her rescue immediately, thrusting the trident into Kaya’s side, prompting her to scream out loud and stop kicking Lucy. As Zach pulled his trident out of her, he slid Kaya’s body away from Lucy.  Hovering over her, he cracked a wicked smile, earned a glaring stare from Kaya in return. Kaya wriggled inside the rope, trying to break free. Zach drove his trident into her again. Kaya was too distracted by the pain to realize that Zach was loosening the lasso and removing the rope from her body. Once free from the rope, Zach pulled his weapon out of Kaya’s body, daring her to get up. Kaya shifted her weight, trying to get up, and in the process made an unconscious movement toward Lucy that Zach took as a threat. With one last swift movement, he plunged the trident into her ribs and whipped her body around to the window, pushing her against it. Meanwhile, Coral’s cries had become silenced as Kaya’s body was mutilated in front of her. Kern held still, Eames’ dagger still at his throat, although at the sight of Zach stabbing Kaya, Kern flinched, causing Eames’ to slice a small gash into the side of his neck, nearly cutting off his ear lobe. Olive moved in as back up, sticking her sword against Kern’s back as a double warning not to move. Coral was crying, knelt down in front of Kern but facing Zach and Kaya. She begged for her friend’s life, but it was too late. Kaya was bleeding through her wounds too fast and she wouldn’t last long. Jeb emerged from the corner, asking Eames to let Kern and Coral go. Coral shifted her attention to him, not previously knowing that he was there. She screamed at him, bellowed the most offensive things, as she was hurt and felt betrayed despite the fact that he wasn’t doing anything in the scenario. She jumped to her feet, lurching after Jeb and digging her nails into his skin. She had no desire to kill him, she was just angry. The two fought for a moment, Jeb allowing her to attack him as tears ran down both of their faces. Zach’s voice broken the silence, threatening to push Kaya over the edge and out the window. Coral broke away from Jeb, his flesh wounds shimmering with fresh blood. Jeb begged Coral to leave and to take Kern with her. Kaya was a lost cause and if they left now, they’d be spared for the time being. Coral and Kaya locked eyes, Kaya giving her silent approval for the two to flee. Eames released his dagger from Kern’s throat, pushing him towards the door. Olive kept her sword to him, making sure he would take his leave. Eames picked up his spear and tossed it out the door, being generous enough to let him keep it. Coral joined him, broken heartedly retrieving her pack and weapon from the ground outside the doorway. Kern nearly doubled back, spear now in hand, but Coral stopped him. Zach edged Kaya further and further over the threshold of the window, eventually growing tired of her presence. With a final stabbing motion, Zach slid her over the ledge and let her body drop as it ripped away from his trident. As Kern and Coral retreated slowly and made their way across the stone, heading to the left side of the arena, the last thing they heard was Kaya’s screams as she fell through the arena and her bones cracking against the stone, immediately killing her. A cannon boom filled the arena within seconds.

A loud voice counts the clock down inside the arena as the tributes stand in a circle around the cornucopia. In front of them lay a plethora of weapons. Olive squinted as she was lifted from darkness into the arena, cement and stone walls surrounding them. She remembered seeing this from history class, the Ancients used to stage fights in here for the entertainment. How fitting that this was where twenty-two of them would perish for the pleasure of the people of Panem? Eames wished he could reach over to Olive and hold her hand, squeeze it for reassurance. Olive glanced to her right where Eames’ was standing, his gaze holding hers as he mouthed “I’m right here with you.” She wished she could reach out and hold him as well, do something to quell the nerves fluttering in her gut. She forced a smile, worry written all over her face. Olive glanced around her; her gaze centring on the stairs, the grass, and the columns that loomed out of the ground. There were no trees, no forest. Nothing. Her heart sunk as all of her plans, all of her strategies seemed to crumble but it was then that she saw where Eames’ gaze had rested. The Viewing Platform above the arena, they could get there. She knew they could. Lucy and Zach would need some rope or something. Jeb stood next to Coral giving her a reassuring glance, the only thing he could do at this point. Some of the other tributes exchanged glances as well. Clearly some alliances had been formed. Lucy is positioned on her platform and looks in front of her, crossing Olive’s eyes. She jerks her head on the side and smiles at Zach who looks confident and ready to protect her from anything. Her eyes fall next on the rope right at the center of the cornucopia. When Zach rose to the arena he was stunned and terrified of the arena. He remembered reading about places like this in ancient books about worlds before Panem. He looked at the contents of the Cornucopia and saw a rope; Lucy would definitely be going for that. The numbers started counting down ever faster and before she could even blink every tribute surged into action.The countdown began and Jeb sprinted for the cornucopia. He hadn’t got that 11 for nothing. He darted between the tributes, with one weapon in mind, the sword. There was one not too far from him, so it wasn’t much of a challenge. Or it wouldn’t have been, if that Career from One hadn’t got in the way. They reached for the sword at the same time and their eyes locked. One of them wasn’t coming out of this alive. Alelya lunged for Jeb, a rudis in her hand. He dodged her blows easily, weaving in and out. They went on like this for a while, her going for Jeb and Jeb dodging her blows. She had made a mistake though. She had let the sword out of her sight. Jeb grabbed it and in one swift blow, slid the blade through her stomach. She sputtered, coughing up blood. He removed the sword from her body. It wouldn’t be much longer until she bled out, but Jeb didn’t want to stick around to watch. He pried the rudis from her hands and left with the two weapons. Lucy jumped off her platform, Zach on her flank and flew to the center of the arena. It looked like chaos around her as the 23 other tributes started running out of the cornucopia with the things they had managed to grab. Lucy picked up a shield on her way to the center of the cornucopia and put her hand on the rope just a few meters away from it. Zach was inches away from her grabbing what he could find. They headed back on the edge of the cornucopia, avoiding other tributes as Zach kept looking around for Lucy’s safety. After knowing she was safe, he went straight for a medium backpack and a trident. Olive jumping off her platform and running straight ahead with Eames at her side. She paused as he collected a small pack and a slingshot, tributes falling and squabbling over weapons as she urged Eames to hurry. She didn’t want to get caught up in the death of the Cornucopia. They continued inward towards the centre of the Cornucopia where Olive scooped up a sword and a large pack before turning to see Eames sheathe a dagger in his belt. Offering him a smirk as she realised she would have to try and bribe him for that dagger later. Olive’s back was against the cornucopia, her gaze flickering over the weapons they had stepped over and the tributes that were fleeing the Bloodbath. She wanted to join them, to get as far away from the Cornucopia as she could before the Careers found them. But they still needed to find Zach and Lucy. Eames held out his hand suddenly, snatching her hand as they moved right. Edging around the cornucopia trying to find District Ten. The two of them ran hand in hand searching for them. Eames spotted Zach first, murmuring something to Olive as she brightened at the image of Lucy unharmed and loaded with weapons. Eames and Zach’s eyes met and they examined each other, neither have had the chance to meet yet. Zach glared at him and tightened his hand around the trident but relaxed it and gave him a brief nod. If Lucy trusted Olive and Olive trusted him then so did Zach, he was too scared of Lucy if he was honest to question her trust. Eames knew better than to question Olive’s motive as well and thought the exact same thing. The four of them had enough to get them through, they just needed to get to the platform to regroup and figure out a plan. They turned, running straight into Fuller the boy from District Eight who suddenly stepped towards Olive with a sneer. Olive was about to say some snarky comment when Eames stepped in front of her, blocking Fuller’s path as Eames threw the dagger at Fuller, catching him right in the throat, instantly choking him. Fuller stopped in his tracks and wavered. Eames ran forward, grabbing the handle of the dagger and ripping it across Fuller’s throat, splitting it open. Fuller dropped to the ground, dead. Olive blinked, not willing to see the dagger slice into his neck. But she couldn’t block out the sound of him choking on his own blood. She heard a squelching sound, opening her eyes to see Eames holding the dagger in one hand and the boy with his throat slit crumpled on the ground. Blood adorned Eames’ hands, as he belted his dagger. His gaze flickering to Olive as something akin to guilt and remorse passed between them. She was thinking about how hard it must have been for him, killing the boy in an eerily similar way to his little sister. “We better get outta here.” Eames finally said, but it was Lucy who pointed out the place where Olive had originally thought to go. The four of them moving, Eames’ grabbing her hand again as they moved towards the platform. They ran past the twins, who were busy fighting off a couple of tributes but suddenly Eames halted. Out of the corner of Jeb’s eye, he could see Coral with Kaya and Kern. Other alliances were gathering too. Even with the sword, he was starting to feel a bit vulnerable. But it wouldn’t last long because Eames had spotted him, not far away. Alone. “Jeb!” he yelled to him, waving. “Guys, he has to come with us, please?” Eames felt a kind of kinship with Jeb and couldn’t leave him alone, despite the high training score he received. He turned, a sad look on his face as Eames begged for the boy from Twelve to join them. Something plunged inside Olive as she realised Eames’, in his own funny way, cared for the boy who had professed his love for him. Jeb would look out for Eames if anything happened to her. Who was she to deny him? “Alright Eames, he can come.” She breathed, watching as the tall boy ran towards them.  A smile formed across Jeb’s lips as he headed for the four of them, Eames, Olive, and the two District 10 tributes. As he ran, he picked up medium pack, because judging by the look of the arena, there wasn’t going to be much food to find around here. Meeting up with him before they ran towards the large stone seats that lined the arena. Climbing up the stone until they reached the viewing platform. A single door stood in the back, the five of them entering one after the other. They stepped up to the room, glancing out over the arena where they could see each tribute. It was a brilliant place to hide. “Good position, if we can stay hidden,” Eames said. He bestowed Olive with a kiss as the five of them settled in and looked through their packs. Soon enough they would hear the cannons sound and they could figure out what to do next.