we walk on e g g s h e l l s {ella}

[Meghan]

Milo Birch

I am encased in my own bitter thoughts as I slowly walk the worn-out path that connects the training center to my manor.  Time rushed by today, drowning me. Making me feel like I was stuck underneath a waterfall of ruin and expectation. They mocked me today. I am unacceptable for once.

Blood is on my hands, but it is my own. Thrown there after I tried to pull a trick to impress some girl. Her eyes were wide with mirth as she giggled out our failures. "Your cousin died, didn't you know?" Her voice pierced through my skin, just like the knives slithered their way into my arms and the blood flowed down my pale skin. All I wanted to do was prove them wrong. I am not a failure. I am nothing like my cousins. If I went to the arena, I sure as hell wouldn't return in a wooden box.

I know they don't believe me on days like this. I flipped into the air from a crouch, hoping to land my blades in a faraway dummy, over their heads. But they slipped. I was already exhausted from fighting their rejection. Instead I stabbed myself in the arm and they screamed at me. "You're going to die too, Milo! You're going to die too!"

I will not die. I would live. I would show them up. They would be impressed with me. I would be their victor. I would be their victor. I would be --

"HEY, WATCH OUT!" My voice interrupts my feet, as if it is acting without my consent. Somebody is practically growing from the path, too damn lazy to move out of my way. Obviously they are younger, but I don't really bother to look at them as I shove my arms towards them. "I'm walking here. Either you move or I'll make you move."

I draw my knife from its pocket, not afraid of any authorities that might be lurking. Too angry to care about anything but giving this... this girl (I had to check to make sure) a piece of my mind. I will not die. I would live. I would show her up. She would be impressed with me. I would be her victor. I would be her victor. I would be --

I cluck my tongue as I wait for her to respond. What would the little squirt choose to do?

Word Count: 397

[Ella]

i t s  w h e r e  m y  d e m o n s  h i d e.

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[presto][/presto]

LIBERTY EVER AUBERGINE
DISTRICT2 | ELEVEN | FEMALE

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I am tempted to just make friends with the devils, instead of avoiding them and screaming. Though it'd never be true friendship, they'd still loathe me and I'd still be so freaking terrified of them. They smell fear. When the scent of fear reaches them, they attack. It's when they think their prey is the weakest, in the midst of fear. Or oblivion, which is why they possess random people, to, well, eat other random people.

"HEY, WATCH OUT!" Somebody screams, startling me. I turn my head up to look at her. She's pretty, really. Pale green eyes like my own, and just a nice simplicity. She looks to be about sixteen, though I suspect she's a bit younger for some reason. "I'm walking here. Either you move or I'll make you move." The signs of possession. The 'making me move' is 'eating me so I'll move to her stomach,' yet less scary. Then again, a devil stands, waiting behind her. Sure signs of not being possessed. I don't know I don't care just let me get out of here away from this girl maybe she's half possessed half possessed yeah that's it but I don't think that's possible you have to be fully or not at all either way she's frightening me just get me out. 

She pulls out a knife from her pocket, it reminds me of my siblings and cousins, almost always carrying a weapon along with them and such, and I let out a small gasp. I'm not sure if it's just there for effect, to get me to do what she wants, or to just chop off my head with before I can even blink. If it's for effect, great, because it worked. That knife is just terrifying the crap out of me I'm too young to die you hear me angels?

I glance up at her, and take two full steps to the side. I can't come off as frightened because then she'll eat me, cannibalism is what it is. I bite my pink bottom lip, and speak slowly, trying to make myself louder so that she can hear me. Not yelling, of course but not using my mouse voice either.

"Just get away from me." The wrong words come out. Though, I'm not sure what the right ones would've been. They were the first to enter my brain, and the first to come out my mouth. Hopefully, she doesn't mind my words and ignores me before walking away like it never happened. 

It won't happen.

WC: 419

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template by chelsey

[Meghan]

Milo Birch

The tiny, frightened child in front of me takes too long to step aside. Animosity prickles at the surface of my skin and suddenly I feel the urge to spring forward towards the girl. I hold both tongue and instinct as she looks from the knife in my hands to the venom in my eyes. I'd like to see you try, darling. I have to breathe to keep the poisoned words from spilling out of bloodstained lips. "Well?" I settle on a single word and try to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach.

Ever since my little 'charade' with the Blackmore boy, I had felt the urge to paint my hands with crimson. More and more frequently did the feeling push its way into my heart and stain the whites of my soul. Passionate, demoneus schemes entwined themselves with thoughts that were once upon a time moral and upright. The wench deserves to die for her inconveniences. My knuckles grip the blade with white-hot malice, perhaps directed at the wrong subject, but itching to make contact nonetheless.

Just as I am about to take my second kill and drive the knife into the heart of someone undeserving, she speaks. Simple, self-protective words so different from the hatred that drove me into insanity this morning. "Just get away from me." She steps away from my tempered gaze with fear in her eyes.

Weak and pathetic, that's all this intruder is. I turn the corner of my mouth into a toxic smirk and stare her down, too far into my own selfish quest for revenge to back away now. I did not need to inflict violence on this startled child in order to make her pay for her sins. There were more sophisticated solutions. Greedy words and haunting phrases engulfed me until I choked on the memories of my once older cousin Beatrice. In a year, we would be the same age, and after that, she would always be younger and less wise than me. Yet for a shaking, nervous instant I could imitate her sultry phrases. Play with your victim. You cannot settle for present fear, you must cause the subject to grow afraid for all future occasions.

I, too, took two steps to the side and leaned forward so I could spit words into her face. "You mustn't back down from predators, darling. You will never learn to control your fears and conquer your enemies if you always run away from them." I hold her gaze and drive my disappointment forward with narrowed eyes and a furrowed brow. "You ought to try to hold your ground for once."

Word Count: 436

[Ella]

i t s  w h e r e  m y  d e m o n s  h i d e.

_______________________________________________________

[presto][/presto]

LIBERTY EVER AUBERGINE
DISTRICT2 | ELEVEN | FEMALE

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Some of my family says everything that happens will help you train for the games in one way or another. Emotionally or physically. I'm not sure how it could possibly be true, because I don't think talking to this girl who's probably possessed will help me in any way for the Games, either of them. Hunger or Labyrinth. They're both the same, in my mind, except for one you don't die. The other you most likely will.

A mean smirk rests itself on her lips, and she takes two steps to the side, imitating what I had just done. I suddenly regret my decision to move over, but I can't fix it now, so my feet stay planted there. Mom said never to back down. She leans down, possibly trying to be level with me, but possibly not. lThe smirk disappears, but only to be replaced with spitted just as mean words.

"You mustn't back down from predators, darling. You will never learn to control your fears and conquer your enemies if you always run away from them." Predators, like those demons. She's possessed. It was there before, but now it's obvious. A devil has possessed her and now she's just getting my attention as a "normal" teenage girl. Well, it's best to play along. It's one of the many things I've learned in my eleven years of life. Though, it's not all acting. I'd be terrified anyhow. 

"You ought to try to hold your ground for once." She adds, and I don't know how to reply. I can't think of anything, and it's just plain scary. My words attempt to come out confident, like I know what I'm doing, but I just know they don't. My ears heard it as a weak voice, not my own, but it is my own.

"I will." It's true, in a way. I'll try, not sure if I will. I can't make any promises, especially when I'm a coward. Plus the monsters could come at any given moment in time, and then I'd run. Well, wouldn't we all? I can't be blamed for that because I just know that everybody else would be the same if they could see what I see. I personally don't understand how they don't see. Maybe they're just blind and don't want to admit it to me. Nah, that's not it. It's something more complicated that my small mind has to wait to figure out.

Sometimes, I feel like the answer is right under my nose. It could very well be, but I just can't see it. If it's under my nose, I wish somebody would tell me. Maybe it's hidden in my nostril.

WC: 442

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template by chelsey

[Meghan]

Milo Birch

The girl looks at me like she is stupid. Dumb and afraid, most likely, and I cannot find it in my heart to pity her. Besides, I tell myself as the seconds tick by, it is more fun to play with your victims. Let them grow afraid of you before you even touch them.  

It surprises me how quickly my thoughts jump to blood these days. I blame the fool that brought me here. I could never get him off of my mind, especially after the disaster that was our family dinner. I still can remember the screams of his older brother. Ripred, I am on edge.

I circle the girl and she responds with simplicity. 'I will.' Will you? I long to challenge her, but I continue to circle her as if she is my prey. Watch out, little girl, your monster is here.

"You sure about that?" I stop my feet and look at her again. "I don't think you will." Weak. "You know what I think?" I ask her, but my voice is too sweet and my face is still narrowed. I was not good at playing the pretender, especially when I recognized something I wanted. And I wanted to torture this little girl.

Something told me, in the back of my mind, that this would not be the wise thing to do. I shook off the thought. If the two of us were in an arena, I would not hesitate to tear her to shreds. I would not hesitate to destroy anyone who dared stand in the way of my glorification. "I think you are a silly, little girl." I tell her, ignoring the fact that I was probably just as silly and little as she. "And I think you're afraid. Coward."

words: 295