A/n: I'll be trying to have more regular updates now that I have spent the last two weeks planning the rest of the story! Yes I have planned all chapters to the end!!! We still have quite a bit to go!!!! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter! And check out that song ^^^^ that's my song of the day choice!!!!!!!!
(SORRY FOR THE RE UPLOAD. WAS JUST EDITING).
Enjoy! TaylorLeFay
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PLEASE COMMENT; let me know if you are liking the story. It would be amazing to know and I'll love to know what you are thinking!
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Chapter Forty:

Lucas and I stood nervously beside the table we had chosen in the back corner of the dining hall.

We were awaiting for the official walking down the isle just three tables away from us and I couldn't help but feel frightened. His foots clanged with every step, my heart clanging along with him.

Even though I never saw what had happened and how everything was behind the curtains, I knew that whatever was going to happen was going to be hell.

Thump, thump.

The sound of the officials footsteps were louder now, ringing through the silent hall as he approached me and Lucas.

He was dressed just as Gailsman was and held a sneer on his lips as his cool calculating eyes looked over myself and Lucas. He seemed to debate with himself for a minute as he straightened his dark jacket and then nodded his head towards Lucas before pointing at the chair in a silent gesture.

As Lucas took a step towards the chair, he turned back to me for a second with a serious look which was also reassuring in a way. I nodded with a small smile and he took his place on the seat facing the wall beside us as I swelled the knot in my throat,

He chose me.

Oh god.

I silently prayed that I was make it through this alive along with Lucas and that I could make the right choices.

Out of the two of us, Lucas was the better choice. He would've done better than me and could probably identify the exotic plants behind me. He may not look like it, but that boy was smart, I knew it and he hid it well.

I could feel my body develop a rush as the situation just settled over me that the date of our lives lie in my hands. I can't do this, who am I kidding. Some of the plants I didn't even recognise. The only one I could recognise was the Hemlock that sat mocking me on the table.

"Welcome contestants to the fifth task. My you achieve the best you can and rejoice with your partner when this is completed. Begin."

And begin was what I did.

I was quick to turn and approach the table finally getting a good look at what was displayed before me.

Five different exotic plants sat before me. They raised about a metre high each and looked different yet the same at the same time. Out of all five of them, there was only one that I could instantly recognise and that was Hemlock.

The white grouped flowers in small bursting bunches connected to one stem along with the triangle shaped green leaves gave it away. I had stared at many different variations of the Hemlock plant that I knew for sure that it was Water Hemlock. Instantly, I picked it up and moved it to the furthest side of the table away from Lucas as it was meant to be ordered from least to most poisonous.

I returned my attention to the four other plants and came to face with the plant that was beside Hemlock. It wasn't The as recognisable with its long stem full of round green leaves with lines curving into the leaves stem. Small light purple flowers were beginning to bloom around the plant making the plant seem more friendlier to what it really could be.

However, the distinct black balls resembling black berries was what made the plant seem menacing. The small black beady fruits were still blooming having some with shades of green on them, but the darker fruits were enough for me to know that they were definitely poisonous.

I remembered from when I was younger my grandfather cherished is black berries and grew many in his backyard. He would love to point out which cherries were the best to eat and which ones needed a little bit longer. But one major thing I noticed on the leaves of the black berry tree was that all the leaves seemed to be unique. They had random outings on some leaves being longer and more shaped then others.

Yet, the leaves on this tree were all precisely oval.

I moved the plant over to sit along with Hemlock and felt a little relief to know I only had two more plants to go. As my eyes trailed the straight stemmed plant, my heart rate rose as a sudden announcement ran through the room.

"Two minutes to go."

I was shocked to hear this.

I don't recall hearing the five minute call and began to feel incredibly nervous as I rushed through the next two plants.

The first one had spikily white flower petals that didn't extend too long and sat on a long stem with long vine leaves which resembled a Lily. There weren't too many but I couldn't help recall a picture of Death Camas to my mind. The Death Camas was known for many deaths as it resembled wild garlic completely. Wild garlic was completely safe for humans to eat.

I pondered over the plant as I began to believe that this might be the safe plant before turning to the final exotic plant. A beautiful flower was perched atop a long stem with long Lily like leaves spurting out of it, draping over as if it was sad or slowly dying. The plant was quite beautiful and the bright pink flower made it seem like the types of flowers young boys would pick before giving it a girl they truly admired.

I stared at awe in the plant as I heard the one minute call being yelled and began to freak out and moved into action.

I hesitated for a moment before deciding to move the Wild Garlic (which I assumed over Death Camas) to the front being the non poisonous plant as the rest including the pink flower seemed to be poisonous.

After gazing at the rest of the plants I began to feel myself freak out. I knew these were all poisonous, but I wasn't sure which one was more poisonous then the rest. After thinking for a few minutes I moved the pretty pink plant behind the Wild Garlic as I had no idea what it was and placed the Hemlock behind it to follow it.

The Hemlock can kill a person, but is also known for the convulsion, cramps, and tremors, making me believe that just maybe it wasn't the poisonous of them all.

As I stared at the final two plants which was the exotic purple one and the black beady fruits, a countdown began from ten causing me to drastically make a decision.

Ten.

I picked up the purple plant.

Nine.

Eight.

I placed it behind the Hemlock before turning to the beady black fruit plant.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

That was my final plant, placed behind the purple one.

Four.

Three.

'Maybe it wasn't the black beady fruit which was most poisonous.'

Two.

I made a split second decision and quickly swapped the exotic purple plant with the black beady fruit placing the purple plant as the most poisonous.

One.

I stepped back from the table as a horn was blasted and everyone let go of what they were doing. And my mind began to race at what I had just done.

What have I done?

I quickly glanced at the back of Lucas's head and saw that his shoulders were tense. He looked scared and I couldn't help but feel even more scared and guilty at what I had done.

I had just doomed Lucas.

He was going to suffer from a poisonous death at my hands and I was going to follow after him.

I felt sweat sliding the side of my forehead, and slowly I watched as Lucas peaked over his chair and he stared at me with a frown on his face. He looked so innocent sitting in his chair which made me feel so guilty that it was all my fault for what was going to happen.

Suddenly, tears pricked my eyes and Lucas stared at me intensely. He gave me a reassuring half grim look and I couldn't handle it any more and turned away.

I couldn't face him.

After what felt like forever, an official made his was towards us. He approached Lucas whispering in his ear and I watched as Lucas inclined his head towards the man before nodding with a clenched jaw and got up before walking towards the table.

As he made his way towards the table, he passed me and lightly brushed his hand against mine giving me another reassuring smile before standing stoic next to the non toxic plant. Unfortunately, I couldn't give him a reassuring smile and a single tear dropped down my face.

I could see that Lucas acknowledged the tear as his eyes brutally looked away and looked towards the offical who cut a piece of the plant off and handed it to Lucas who now had a gloved hand. Although it wouldn't make too much of a difference if it was poisonous, it didn't make it safer if it wasn't.

I wasn't too worried about this plant as I knew I made the right choice, and watched as Lucas plopped the piece in his mouth and chewed hesitantly. I watched as his face turned from one with fear where he gulped afraid, before his face morphed into a half smile and chewed with a shrug.

Suddenly, he then connected eyes with me, his danced with amusement as a smile rose on my own for being right. He sent a wink my way and a single laugh left my throat before I quickly covered my mouth with my hand, still smiling behind it.

Wild Garlic.

The official nodded and noted it down on a piece of paper he held before he walked backwards towards the exotic purple plant and I felt myself gulp involuntarily. The smile faded off of my face and I felt nervous all over again.

The officials cut a piece of the plant, no emotion on his face, as he then placed it onto Lucas's gloved hand. This time, Lucas hesitated. Before he grabbed the piece without any worry before eating it, but this time he seemed to pause and stared at the plant intensely as the offical placed the cure on the table beside him, ready to give it to Lucas.

I saw Lucas involuntarily gulp and watched as he slowly raised his hand as it shook. As his hand approached his mouth, his eyes suddenly darted over it and connected with mine, seeing me chew my nails with tears beginning to rise in my eyes.

He shook his head slightly with a sense of sadness before I watched his lips move, attempting to say something to me. But I couldn't tell what he was trying to say. This time, the tears fell faster and dint hold back, rolling down my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him and myself.

'I'm sorry,' I mouthed again to him and he shook his head as if telling me to not be sorry. Or maybe telling me he believed in me.

And at that moment, I didn't think I'd ever know what his intention truly meant.

He plopped the plant in his mouth and began to chew quickly. His face had the look of a person who had eaten something sour and his hand reached out as if he wanted the cure. The offical was quick to react and handed the cure to Lucas.

Lucas then tilted his head back drinking out of the vial as if taking a shot and I watched as his body slowly began to convulse. After drinking the cure he stood still as he dropped the vial and it shattered against the ground.

Everything then began to freeze as if time slowed down. I felt my heart pulse in my ears and that was all I could hear. The sound of my own heart beating as I watched Lucas slowly open and close his eyes.

Nothing happened and I began to feel relief that nothing had happened.

But everything changed so fast that I could feel the shattering in my chest like his broken vial as Lucas suddenly collapsed and began to convulse on the ground.

The cure did not work.