She could hear their footsteps coming closer and closer.
She could hear their laughter.
She could hear their taunting cries.
"Don't be shy, District 8! Come out, come out wherever you are!"
But she kept running.
Marissa stopped and paced herself. Suddenly everything was quiet. It was all silent.
Marissa took a deep breath kept walking. They were gone and it was safe to stop running.
Marissa sat on the cold ground and collected twigs and branches for a fire. She took her match and let the wood burst into flames. She was so cold, so scared. Marissa breathed deeply and cupped her hands over the flames, warming her self for the night. She reached for her backpack to check what supplies she had left, when she heard the snapping sound of a twig. She whipped her head around and saw a small dark haired girl from District 2 smiling down at her. "Having fun, District 8?" The girl asked with a sick smile on her face. In the girl's hand was a knife.
Marissa stood up slowly, not sure whether to flee or fight the girl. She was unarmed, and she stood no chance. But Marissa darted past the girl and began to make a run for it. Out of nowhere, the District 1 boy jumped out of the trees and tackled Marissa to the ground. He pinned her wrists and Marissa cried out, begging them to let her go. But the girl with the knife pressed the blade to her throat.
Slit.
"Did you see her face?" Clove said, laughing at the thought of their latest kill. "Oh, please don't kill me!" Glimmer mocked the District 8 girl's whimpering tone of voice. The Careers laughed. The Games were just a big joke.
Cato slung his arm around Glimmer and she giggled, snuggling close to him. Clove slowed down and her smile faded as she looked on at the couple, who were still bursting with laughter and walking on.
Marvel turned his head and noticed Clove lagging behind. He followed her gaze, realizing she was staring at their District partners, who seemed to be playing up the whole 'star crossed lovers' act for the cameras.
Marvel slowed down and walked next to Clove, smirking at her. "Jealous?" He asked, with a knowing grin on his face. Clove snapped back into reality, realizing she was being spoken to. "No." She scoffed. "Why would I be jealous?"
Marvel smiled back slyly. He knew. He could tell by the way she stared on. "For one thing, she's pretty hot. And they've got their hands all over each other. Doesn't that bother you a bit?" He raised an eyebrow. Clove frowned. "Yes. But not like that." She spoke quietly. "It just feels like they're making a mockery of our alliance. They're just as bad as the 12's." The expression on her face turned to disgust as she thought of Peeta and that girl from his District that he was so madly in love with. She kept her voice low, knowing Peeta was still limping along behind them. He was so slow, so useless. But they still needed him.
She shook her head and sighed. "Whatever. There's nothing to be jealous of, it's all bullshit. They're just doing it for the cameras." But it still bothered her. Clove who had trained for all her fifteen years to get the chance to thrive under the eyes of the Capitol, was getting no attention from the viewers. All her screen time was going to Glimmer, who was merely flirting with Cato for attention. Yes, Clove was jealous. But she'd never tell Marvel that.