Not just a handful of mistaken berries
I watch the anthem that night. Four of us left. The two from twelve, that monster from two and me. Me, Finch Riverwood, who has absolutely no chance of winning against Katniss, Peeta or Cato. In my little brother's words, I'm screwed. They are all bigger and stronger than me and have more knowledge than I ever will.
The next morning I am at the stream, filling up my water bottle, when I hear voices. Well, whistling. But not that of a bird. I scurry off to the nearest bush and hide. I cautiously poke my head out and there is the boy from twelve. Peeta. He digs away at a tree and after a bit he takes out his knife.
For a second I think he's seen me and he's going to kill me but he just hacks away at something in the hole he's made. He stands up, producing a handful of roots. My stomach grumbles at the mere thought of food. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning! He tucks the roots into a pouch and places it next to him. He then walks off.
I slowly crawl out of the bush and approach the roots. I take only two and scurry back to the bush. He returns with a pouch full of berries. He places them with the roots and leaves again. I approach the berries. Well, they must be ok because his district partner really knows her stuff. I grab a handful and break one of the insides open. Blood red juice spills onto my hand, more juice I would have thought a tiny berry would have been capable of holding. All of a sudden I recognise these berries.
Nightlock.
They will leave you dead in a minute, I remember the edible plants instructor telling me back at training. Then I realise. These berries could be my way out of the arena! And not to kill the others with either.
I am not brave. I am not strong. The odds are NOT in my favour. I have zero chance of winning the hunger games. And the biggest thing that I've ever killed was a beetle. A very small beetle.
Katniss, Peeta and Cato are not very small beetles. They are not even beetles. It doesn't take me even a second to realise what I have to do.
I take a deep breath, knowing that Panem is watching me. I try not to make it look like this is suicide. I take another breath. Then I put four berries in my mouth. A burst of tangy sweetness lets me know that in a minute I will be dead.
Small purple dots start to cloud my vision. My life flashes before my eyes. I see my first day of school, the time I picked a flower next to my house, working in the factories. The last thing I see is my family, all singing our lullaby.
There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Then everything goes black, and Finch Riverwood is no more.
I do not own "Castle on a cloud" or the hunger games.
Reviews welcome! Constructive criticism appreciated! Bye!