Jasmine felt herself forced into the arena, a strong hand on her arm pushing her forward. As she was unprepared for the sudden thrust into the harsh environment, Jasmine lost her footing and fell forward. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkness.

Useless child.

Her bearings gathered, she took a tentative step forward. She stumbled over something, producing a loud sound. Jasmine thought she heard a rustling in the trees.

You do not deserve to live.

Fumbling with her gun, she turned. A light flickered on after she pressed a button. She faced the gun so that the thin beam of light fell in the direction of the sound. A cross formed on the ground with another, similar beam.

They hate you. They want you to die.

Jasmine's knees knocked together. Slowly, she placed her finger over the trigger.

You're too weak. You can't shoot. You can't survive.

Jasmine heard a gunshot crack through the air. She stood completely still, paralyzed by fear. She wondered what it felt like to be shot. She wondered if you would even feel it at first. But she had learned in Classes that it was crippling pain. If she had been shot, she would be lying on the ground, groaning with pain right now.

Coward! You couldn't even shoot first! How do you expect to keep going in this Arena?

Finally, Jasmine remembered the plan. Make a mad dash to the green lady. Don't stop until you get there. Meet Jasper, Maya, and Ginger. Run.

Fool, they won't want to go near you. Who would? No one. That's who.

Jasmine's feet pounded against the ground, sending tremors up her body. She painted, unsure of how far she was, or if the green lady was even still there. She thought she heard feet crunching near her. She held up the gun in front of her.

Tag, you're it! Only this time, it doesn't survive. Why not end it now?

A breath later Jasmine continued running to find her destination. Her hair flew back from her head, billowing behind her. Jasmine senselessly jumped over rocks and stones, closing her eyes against the wind hitting her face.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. I know you won't make it. You will let them down. You're a failure. A failure.

Suddenly, Jasmine felt her foot slam against something hard, and despite her efforts she cried out in pain. She grasped for her foot and fell on the ground. She shined the beam of light from her weapon on to the green face she had hit. She made it to the green lady. But where were the others?

I told you. They want nothing to do with you. Why should they?

It wasn't safe to stay here, any one of the horrors of the Arena could be stalking her right now. Jasmine tried to stand, but the pains shooting up her foot protested. She groaned. It was surely broken.

Well, you're done for. Would it be all that bad to end it now, before THEY get to you?

Slowly, almost cautiously, Jasmine rose the gun until it was eye level. She took a deep breath, and mentally apologized to her family for what she was going to do. She placed her finger on the trigger. Jasmine pulled it back, before shooting.
The presence in front of her seemed hardly benevolent.

There are still enough left for you. Click click, no one will care. No one does care.

Jasmine heard Jasper cry out, and he hissed her name. Jasmine apologized for shooting at him. She was lucky that she had only clipped his ear. Jasmine inquired after the others. Jasper had only seen Ginger the moment before he was shoved into the Arena. He hadn't seen her or Maya since.

It's all your fault. You killed her. You are despicable. He hates you.

Jasper asked why she was sitting. She explained what had happened. Jasper had been given a crossbow so he used a couple arrows and fabric from his shirt to make a splint.

Burden. You are a worthless burden. He doesn't care. He would rather you were dead.

Jasper assured Jasmine that he would return, and he was only going to the other side of the green lady's head to see if the others had come yet.

He isn't coming back. He doesn't care for you. He's escaping from you. He's running away, leaving you for dead. You should be left for dead.

Only now did Jasmine really notice the whisper in her head. It had been there the whole time, taunting her, laughing at her. She closed her eyes against the thoughts.

You know I'm right. You feel it.

The worst part was that...

Save them the trouble. Do it yourself.

...she believed it.
Crying, no sobbing, began that instant. She ran around the green lady, eyes searching. She heard Jasper call out her name in a torturous, heart wrenching yell.

He doesn't care. He doesn't care.

Jasmine couldn't ignore the insistent whisper trying to negate what she felt. She ran over, and saw Jasper sitting on the ground, his nails raking through the skin on his face. Each time he pulled his fingers away, blood created a stream down his face. He begged Jasmine to make the voices go away.

You did this to him. This is your fault.

Jasmine spoke to him, trying to get him to calm down, to stop. But his fingers kept pulling at his skin. He insisted that Jasmine didn't care. She realized that he was hearing the same voice she was. It was all part of the competition.

It's not the Arena, it's you! It is all because of you!

Jasmine had never wished so fervently that someone would die this instant, to spare Jasper for another hour. She grabbed his arms to make him stop and pulled him into a tight hug. She wouldn't let him do this to himself. She wouldn't let THEM do this to him.

Do it yourself. You don't deserve to live. Do it to save him.

Jasmine felt something being pulled from out of her pocket. She turned to Jasper with horror. The blood still coursed down his face as if he were crying crimson tears. He held her gun to his temple. Jasper looked at her, tears mingling with the streams of blood.

Your last chance.

Jasmine could do nothing but watch as Jasper placed his finger over the trigger. He gently pressed his lips and to Jasmine's. She could taste the salt of his blood in her mouth. She closed her eyes shut tightly before the loud gunshot sound left her ears ringing. His chest weakly rose once.

All your fau--

The clock struck nine times. Jasmine cried out in despair. An automated voice announced a message:

"First fatality-Jasper Donadean."

A/N: Yay! I'm actually really proud of this chapter.

Why should you be?

Yeah, so I hope you guys like it...

They don't care.

Umm...

It's all your fault- everything.

Do you guys hear that?

You're all alone.

Anyway, as I said I'm proud of it. There is some plot developing, finally. Layta Haytas!

You're right. They do hate you.

Seriously, do you hear that?!