Episode 7 - Winter's Tale

 Day 7

And the tributes woke up with the first snowflakes of the winter falling from the sky

And for one or another reason, I didn't take a picture of Rosco...

But he was happy too...!

The Forest:

Maple decides to put out the fire before she goes to the cornucopia for her daily container.

The Cornucopia:

Leif is glad that he slept at the cornucopia last night because he gets something useful this time. A gun!

He grabs it and runs for the woods.

The Swamp:

By the time Rosco leaves the swamp area, it's almost white from the snow.

Loki decides to leave while Robert is still putting out the fire...

And then he leaves too.

The Cave:

Sonya is sad that she had to leave the cozy cave. It was nice and warm inside there. And she had a nice meal too.

The Cornucopia:

Diana decides to check the area for her container while Gertie is putting out the fire.

Then she disappears into the woods before any of the other tributes reach the area.

And not long after that, the arena is covered in white snow

The Cornucopia:

Diana is very glad when she finds a bag with dry food. Now she can survive another three days if someone doesn't kill her before that. She just needs to get safe places to hide her time out.

Somewhere between the forest and the cornucopia

Leif sees Maple running and thinks to himself: "Haven't seen her in some time. Not surprised she's still around though. I hope I don't have to face her in a fight at some point..."

Maple notices Leif and thinks to herself: "Leif Chains, the popular kid at school back in District 7... Quite cute to be honest, but honestly I don't think we'd be a good match. Quite funny he made it this far, too, been a while since both tributes from our district made it to the final 8."

The Forest:

Leif is almost at Loki's shelter when he notices something strange. There's a counter with a beverage machine on it. What, in the name of the watcher is it doing here? 

Then he finds a note on the counter that reads: Have something hot to drink to keep the cold away. Love from District 7.

Leif: Wow! That's really nice of them. Thank you, District 7! 

And he makes himself a nice hot cup of coffee: Aww... That smell is divine! *inhales the coffee's aroma* Just what I need to work on my plan of action!

And he turns around to go sit somewhere comfortable to enjoy his coffee and works on his plan of how to commit the perfect murder.

Leif didn't see it but the counter with the beverage machine just disappeared in thin air!

He goes and sits at the stone table and enjoys his coffee.

The Cave:

It's midday when Diana arrives at the cave. The area is covered in deep snow and it's bitterly cold.

Although the fire is dead she can still smell the smoke and something else in the cave... She just can't put her finger on it: What is that smell? Roasted chicken?

It seems that whoever was here last night had a good meal!

The Cornucopia:

When Rosco arrives at the cornucopia he just knows where to look! Yes! Another knife!

 

Loki also arrives at the cornucopia a little later and although walking around it several times he doesn't find anything useful.

He decided to get the fire going.

Loki's pov while looking at the snow:

Now with Ella’s death, and only 8 of us left, it’s becoming more and more clear that there will be only one survivor. Besides this, things are heating up, everyone is getting hungry and there is less and less food.

The snow is reminding me of how hard and cruel things are going to be. When I was just a kid and left to survive on my own in the woods, even the wolf I befriended became hostile toward me. If I hunted a rabbit down, he would fight me to death for it. I miss him... Rupert was his name. Chuck's stupid wolf almost ate me. But when he got the rabbit, he came back to me and licked my wounds. 

I wonder if anybody here would lick my wounds. For all I know, they all will hunt me down. 

Rosco seems ok, minding his own business. Not picking any fights. He clearly avoids confrontation. 

But on the other hand, I am glad that I don’t watch Ella anymore, but then there’s Leif. Like Ella, Leif is showing that he is willing to do everything for their own survival. He doesn’t trust others and is very hostile and dangerous. I mean he even fought me for food! 

I miss Kezia, I mean, it was obvious she would die ever since the beginning, but at least she was predictable.

I guess it will be better to just stay a lone wolf.

The Swamp:

Maple arrives at the swamp.

She decided to get the fire going. She also plans to make a shelter to keep her warm for the night.

The Cornucopia:

Sonya arrives at the cornucopia and sees Loki at the fire. She can't decide if he warms himself or plays with the fire.

Sonya: What are you doing? 

Sonya: Hey, I'm talking to you! *annoyed*

Loki: ...

Sonya: You are so rude! Do you know that? *finally getting his attention*

Loki: Sorry, I was busy! What's with you?

Sonya: Nothing...! Do you have any food to share? *thinking of the days ahead. She did have a meal last night but if she can have more, why not?*

Loki: What do I look like to you, a garden, kitchen, or fridge? *snaps at her as he hears his own stomach begging for food. If he doesn't get food soon he will die like Mick!*

Sonya: Hey, I'm just asking! You don't have to bite my head off!

Loki: And you don't have to beg for food! We are all here in the same boat! Food is scarce! 

Sonya: Do you know what? I can't handle a boorish, ignorant, impolite, insulting, person like you!

Sonya: I'm leaving!

Loki: Good riddance! *and goes back to playing with his fire as Sonya walks away*

The Forest:

Gertie arrives at the forest.

She immediately sees the stone oven at the shelter and wonders about it. Is it Christmas already? She also finds a note that reads: Makes it cheezy and enjoy! Love from District 3

Gertie: Aww... The people from my district remember me... *and then go and make herself a cheezy pizza with some extra cheese*

As she turns around to enjoy her meal at the stone table, the stone oven disappears in thin air!

Gertie: Thank you District 3!

The Cave:

Robert arrives at the cave late that afternoon.

He saw that he wasn't the only one that thought that the cave could be a nice shelter against the snow and cold. Diana is warming herself at the fire. She doesn't seem armed and he decided to approach her.

Robert: I see you got the fire already going. Do you have enough wood for the night?

Diana: Cool! I got company! Yeah, I did gather enough wood for the night.

Robert: Mmm... Looks like you got everything under control, except one thing...

Diana: What? *curious*

 

Robert: Wait and see... *quickly goes outside*

And drag a tree stump inside: See a nice coach for us to sit on.

Diana: You're right! Why stand next to the fire if you can sit comfortably next to the fire? 

Robert: What smell is that? *sniffing around* Did you manage to shoot a bird and cooked it?

Diana: I wish! It must be someone that was here last night. I found feathers and bones just outside the cave.

Robert: Wow! Bird feathers you say? I wonder how did they manage to get hold of it? I would like to have some chicken right now! I didn't eat for the last three days now.

Diana: Wow, then you must be hungry? 

Robert: Yeah, I am. *hopes Diana doesn't hear the rumbling noises his stomach makes* Do you have any food to share? *hopefully*

Diana: Aww, I got dry food in a bag this morning but I already ate it! Sorry...

The Forest:

Sonya arrives at the forest just when the sun goes down. She sees Gertie at the firepit warming herself. 

Sonya: May I join you?

Gertie: Sure... Make yourself at home...

Sonya: Did you have any food to eat today? *decided not to ask for food like she did with Loki. Maybe Gertie will share with her on her own and besides she's not feeling for another argument about food*

Gertie: Yeah, I got food from home. You?

Sonya: I had food from home too, if you can call it that, yesterday. *and telling her all about how she found the bow and arrow and how she shot a bird for supper*

The Swamp:

Maple copied Loki's idea of what she saw at the lake and forest and not long after that, she got herself a nice shelter. And it looks as if she has a place for herself for the night. 

Maple is warming herself and just enjoying the sounds of the night when she hears something between the grass in the swamp...

And then she sees it! Some creature is coming out of the swamp towards her. Firstly, she's too shocked to act. She feels how the fear is taking over her.

She slowly gets up straight and then...

Turns around and runs into the woods. By now more crocodiles have joined the party! 

From now on the swamp is also off-limits for the tributes! It's invested with crocodiles! If you want to go there you do it at your own risk!

The Forest:

It was already dark when Leif came out of his hiding place. He watched Gertie when she arrived at the forest and saw how she also got food from home just like him. He saw her making the pizza. He would've also liked a pizza but his coffee was okay and it did warm his stomach for a few hours. 

He also saw when Sonya arrived at the forest and how the two girls talked. But he couldn't hear what the conversation was about. Now he wonders where Sonya went? Gertie is all alone at the firepit. He didn't see Sonya leave. Maybe nature was calling...

But he thinks it's now the right time to put his plan into action and walks slowly closer to the shelter. He is glad that she is alone. It makes his plan so much easier. He remembers when he wanted to kill Rosco. He is sure that Loki must have seen him and warned Rosco. They ducked just when he pulled the trigger and he missed! But Gertie is all alone at the shelter now. There's nobody to warn her! She's an open target! But he needs to react quickly before Sonya comes back!

Just as he approaches the tree, she turns around...

As Gertie turns around she hears something in front of her. She squints her eyes and sees someone at the tree: Who's there? Sonya? 

But the only answer she gets is a bullet in her heart, and she falls to the ground.

Still in the Forest:

The road to life is paved in blood. Rosco clings tightly to the icy branches of the tree. There's no foliage to hide his presence now. So instead he hides in plain sight, camouflaged and still as a corpse, awaiting his prey. No thoughts of anguish betray his mind now. Mercy is for people who die. For people who don't live to see their homes. For people who he must silence.

 

His hands tremble a bit. Muttering to himself, he bundles them into the pocket of his jacket, but the threadbare fabric is no match for the chill. He sighs, a cloud of condensation escaping his lips as he does so. His breath feels hot and damp on his frozen nose, making him even colder. At least his chin is warm.

He bunkers down at the base of the branch, clutching himself for warmth, and sharpens his knife on a rock. It is going to be a long wait. 

The world is black and white beneath the light of the hanging stars. A disturbance in the stillness puts Rosco on edge. 

Down below on the icy grounds, someone is walking by. Finally. He raises his blade. 

It was a good thing that this had happened at night. Truth be told he would rather not see the blood, even now. It would be one less nightmare for him when he got out of here.

The Cornucopia:

Loki is still busy playing with the fire when the music starts playing in the arena.

Then the tributes see the unfortunates that died that day in the snowy night sky...

First Gertrude... She's the last one in her district to go too.

And then Sonya, who was also the last tribute in her district to survive the arena.  Now they are gone!

And with that, I will end the episode just here!

What will tomorrow behold? Will Rosco continue his killing spree? Will Loki and Robert be able to survive another day? Did Maple survive the crocodiles?

Stay tuned until the next episode!