CORNUCOPIA

Zhoa ran as though her life depended on it. Mostly because it did. From the corner of her eye she could see Koda struggling to keep pace with her. At least he was before Dorian tackled him. Zhoa tried to stay as low as she could while making as quick work as she could making for the spears about halfway to the mouth of the cornucopia. She made them without incident, but getting her bow would be much harder.

A spear in her hand, Zhoa looked behind her. Dorian was watching for it, so she hurled the spear in his direction. Not bothering to watch what he would do to Koda with it, Zhoa tried to make more headway toward the bows, but stopped in her tracks and ducked in just enough time to avoid a knife being thrown her way by Theta. Before she knew it she was being hauled to her feet by Dorian and he shoved her towards the trees to their right. "Go!"

As they ran Zhoa scooped a pack from the jungle floor. The trees and vegetation were dense, making it hard to make any headway or see what was more than a few feet in front of your nose. The deeper they delved the darker it became until one might mistake the time of day for late afternoon rather than mid-morning. But they pressed on until suddenly the sky came into view and there was nothing but air all around Zhoa head. Her feet gave way and she was falling. Tumbling down a rocky façade dotted with small shurbs of plant life growing from the perfectly straight face of what appeared to be a cliff.

Dorian managed to plunge his spear into a crevice and caught hold of Zhoa's hand as she slid by him. Here they were hanging on a ledge. To their left was a waterfall, massive and roaring into Zhoa's ear. The mist was rising from the bottom, beginning to obscure the falls and the hand and footholds around her. Zhoa had dropped the pack she had picked up.

There was a tug at her arm. Dorian was trying to pull her up. Zhoa dug her boot toes into the few holds she thought she could feel and tried to clamber her way higher. Her foot slipped once, sending Zhoa crashing into a shrub. Whatever it was there were thorns in it, but Zhoa made sure to bite her lip and not cry out. She tried again and this time she made it to Doian's level.

Once her hands and feet were secure, he called over the falls, "You all right?!"

Zhoa nodded and Dorian pointed up toward the precipice they had fallen from. He let Zhoa start climbing first, pulling his spear out and following. Once they were on secure land again, Zhoa hardly knew what to say.

It was quiet now. The bloodbath must be over, she thought. Zhoa wondered how many had died. Looking down on herself, there were some red dots on her tank top, which was now exposed since her jacket zipped had come undone. Upon inspection, it was from those thorns on the bush she had crashed into. Minor damage, something that could be taken care of later. For the moment they needed shelter.

Dorian laid a hand on Zhoa's shoulder. "You're sure you're okay?"

"Minor cuts I'll be fine. We should get going. Anyone could be anywhere now." But Dorian didn't appear to be listening. He was crouching and making his way in the direction they had come running from. Zhoa shook her head and followed.

"Are you crazy? I guarantee the other careers are still at the cornucopia admiring their stash and you want to go back?"

"We need that bow. You need it."

"Seriously, I can make one it's no big deal."

"It is because these trees aren't right. They'll be dewy at first and dry very quickly. Only good for a day. You want to make a new one every day?"

Zhoa fell silent. In looking at the tress around her, she could tell he was right. What was more, they were massive plants. Finding a branch small enough to carve into a bow would be a suicide mission to the canopy. There was no getting around it, they would need the bow.

When they were close enough to peer through the bushes into the space where the cornucopia sat Zhoa could see that there were many tributes dead. Too many to waste the time counting for the moment. Still standing and taking stock of what they had just as Zhoa said, were several tributes, the ones from 1 and 2. The oldest, Dreg, the boy from 2, was tall and very muscular with eyes as dark as his hair. His counterpart Lida was younger, maybe fourteen, with a seemingly sweet disposition. At least Zhoa guessed, because she was curled up at the mouth of the cornucopia, face red and blotchy from crying, while the others examined their treasure. Ruby and Taurine from 1 were both sixteen and appeared to be cocky and confident in themselves. The trouble was with four of them there, it was an impossible task to get the bow, which had been moved to the very center of the cornucopia, untouched otherwise, while everything else had been dismounted and portioned between the four of them. They were going to try and bait her. They knew she was a dead shot from her interview answers; how she described the business at the water plant.

"Come on, another time." Dorian was whispering even though they were many yards away from the small group. "Keep low and follow me."

HIDE OUT

Once they reached the waterfall again, Dorian led them down the side once more. They climbed further until they were about twelve feet from what appears to be the ground. "In here!" Dorian called up to Zhoa. When she looked down he was disappearing into the falls. Alarmed, she followed as quickly as possible. Once she was on his level where he had gone in though, she looked at the rushing water and noticed that Dorian was standing on a ledge behind the rushing water. He held out his hand, some of the less ferocious water slapping against his palm. "You have to jump! Otherwise the falls with take you with it!"

Zhoa took a breath and leapt from the rock face toward Dorian's outstretched hand. He grasped her arm and pulled her inside.

Behind the falls it was dark but with a slight blue tinge. The water was like a cloak, concealing them behind its foamy white curtain. The recess they found themselves in was not very big; only really large enough for two people, but there was a passage at the back leading into the earth. Zhoa made to walk toward it, but Dorian stopped her. "Best see what we have to work with first!"

They would have to speak very close to one another's ear to be heard so the shouting would not give them away. The pair knelt down in the damp rocky earth and Dorian set his spear aside. He had managed to grab a pack as well. "I lost mine when we fell," Zhoa said close to his ear.

"It's all right," he responded. "Plenty in here. Empty canteen, but the water from these falls is probably clean. Even if it's not, there's a spile and some tubing here. We can bleed water out of vines if we have to. There's no food, but there is a blanket, some trapping supplies, rope…"

"Trapping supplies?" Zhoa wasn't hungry, but knowing there was no food they were likely to become so sooner rather than later.

"A net, some bait-"

"All I'll need is the net."

Zhoa was looking at the falls. It appeared that every now and then there would be a dark form going over; a fish maybe.

Dorian sighed. "Now if only we had that bow."

"Well," Zhoa said, shrugging off her completely soaked jacket, wet from jumping through the falls. "We can always watch them, wait until there's only one person there. Chances are they're going to go hunting for whoever got away."

"They're already trying to lure you, you don't think whoever they leave to stand guard won't be the biggest, strongest of them?"

"No I don't. Dreg won't stay and stand guard, he's here for glory. I'm betting he'll leave Taurine. He'll want the strength of a boy, and Taurine's the only other one in their group."

Dorian was working his way out of his own jacket. When he had he collected Zhoa's as well and shoved them into the pack. The material was waterproof. "Let's get through tonight and we'll discuss it in the morning."

With that Zhoa went about tying off the corners of the net as far back from the front of the fall as possible so as not to be seen (even though she was fairly sure those close to the ground that the mist would obscure anything anyone might notice. While she waited and watched the net remain empty, however, the thought of things being seen from behind the falls brought a problem to her attention.

"What about fires?" she called over her shoulder. "Even in daylight they'll give us away in here."

"We'll be eating in the wee hours of the morning," Dorian called back as he looked for the driest spot to lay out their items and assess them more. "Until we can find a better hiding spot."

Zhoa didn't think that would be an easy feat. Despite the dampness and the noise and the obvious risks of being close to a source of food and water, there would hardly be a better spot than the one they were in.

"So what now?"

Dorian shrugged. "We wait until we're sure they're asleep. Then we're going for the bow."

There was no arguing it with him, so while she waited for something alive and wriggling to drop into the net Zhoa crawled to the back of the cave and sat beside Dorian. The misting inside the cave was making her clothes soaked, her hair was damp and her skin was glistening in a combination of sweat from the humidity and the moisture in the air.

"So what's going to happen?"

Zhoa was speaking theoretically, but the answer she got in her ear was far more literal than she had anticipated. "We're going to win," Dorian said.

Zhoa look at Dorian, thinking he would be doing something or looking at the falls like she had been. Instead her eyes met his less than an inch from her face. "There's only one winner, Dorian."

"I know. We're going to win, and then you're going to kill me."

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can. I have nothing. No one who loves me, no one left. Despite the fact that they're not blood family, your aunt and cousin need you back at home. We're going to be the last ones standing and you're going to take me out."

Zhoa sighed and drew her knees up and rested her arms on them. She looked back at the rushing water. "So when are we going to get my bow?"

"About six hours after sunset."

Zhoa was so tired. She wouldn't last seventeen hours. Not awake. She looked at Dorian again. "Can we sleep?"

Dorian straightened his own legs. "Go ahead. I'll wake you."

Zhoa started to lay herself on the moist earth beneath her, but Dorian slipped his hand beneath her head just as her cheek was about to touch the dirt floor. She looked up at him and he smiled down on her. "You'll get filthy." He drew her by the chin back up to sitting and crossed his ankles out in front of him. Dorian gestured to his lap and after a moment of hesitation Zhoa crouched back down, laying her head in his lap.

Zhoa closed her eyes, exhausted. She could feel a weight on her shoulder. His hand she guessed. She felt…protected. For the first time since Mischa, Zhoa felt like someone was looking out for her. Maybe she would come out of this alive after all.

STEALING

Zhoa was roused when it was dark. Very dark. She looked up from where she lay and could barely see Dorian. But as eh shifted from where he was sitting, Zhoa sat herself up and scanned their hideaway, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark. Dorian was moving around; eventually his hand rested over hers and he said, "Ready to go steal your bow?"

Zhoa didn't have much of a response, but she followed him out of the cave, sticking close and wondering what the rope around his shoulder was for (he must have taken down her fishing net while she was staring aimlessly into the dark) and up the crag façade they had become somewhat familiar with. Finding their way back to the cornucopia was easier than it would have seemed from inside their cave. Outside it was a little brighter and while most of the terrain appeared the same, at least direction was perceivable. They shrugged back into their jackets (both Dorian and Zhoa had been dressed in white tank tops before they had been placed in the arena; the black jackets would help them blend in) crept through the underbrush and weaved among trees quietly, not speaking at all for fear of attracting someone who might be camping nearby. After a little time they were in the same spot as the afternoon before, crouching, watching.

The careers were sleeping, all four of them. Dorian scanned the scene, eventually placing a hand at the back of Zhoa's neck and whispering, "They're all still out, but the light is coming on so we'll have to work quickly. We're going to go around the back of the cornucopia and I'm going to lower you down at the mouth. Take the bow and quiver, tug twice when you've got them and I'll help you back up. Easy."

Zhoa sniffed. "Easy huh? And if you drop me?"

Dorian smiled in the very early morning light. "I would never. Come on."

Zhoa wasn't sure she was comfortable with this, but seeing as trying to walk across the clearing would cause noise and she would have to walk around the careers to get to the mouth, well, at least Dorian had a better plan than that.

As they skirted the glade, Zhoa stayed close to Dorian, whispering. "The count must have come in while I was sleeping."

"Yeah," he answered quietly.

"Well, you must know who's gone."

"It would be easier to tell you who's left." Dorian stopped and made a sharp left. "Obviously Dreg, Lida, Ruby and Taurine," he started. They had reached the narrow flank of the cornucopia. The wall on this end was about seven feet high. Dorian was tall, but not quite that tall. Looking around for a moment, he then crouched and started unraveling the roped from around himself. "Unfortunately, Koda and Theta made it out."

"That's all?"

"Nope." Dorian stood again and took the rope in his hands, placing his fists only about two feet apart. "District 7 and 8 are both whole, and the boys from 9 and 5 and the girl from 3 made it out of the bloodbath. They died a few hours later. Probably poisoned or bit by something."

Zhoa was counting in her head: the careers…herself and Dorian…their own rivals…eventually she came to twelve. There had been nine dead at the cornucopia. Another three that evening. In less than a day half of them were gone. If this kept up is was going to be a short game.

Dorian wrapped the rope around the back of a tree nearby and started climbing, using his body weight to counter the rope and use it as a support. He was a good climber actually. Surprising for a District 4. They were usually good swimmer and rubbish at climbing.

When he was an appropriate height, Dorian pressed his legs against the tree and pushed back, leaping from the tree to the cornucopia. His boots made and awful sound against the metal. Zhoa froze, trying to hear if anyone at the sire was stirring. It didn't seem so. Still, it probably wasn't the best thing to cause another noise like it, so while the rope was coiled back down at the base of the tree, Zhoa sat back and pulled her boots off. After stuffing her socks in the toes and tying the laces together, she slung her boots over her neck and started climbing the same way Dorian had. When she reached the height, Zhoa grasped both rope sides in one hand and twisted her wrist, wrapping the ends around her first, leaving her left hand free to lift her boots from about her neck and toss them to Dorian. He caught them and soundlessly placed them to the side out of the way.

Zhoa made her own jump, landing much quieter than Dorian had. He steadied her and started to draw the rope up. When it was once again coiled around his elbow and shoulder this time, Dorian lifted a thumb to Zhoa and stepped out of his own boots. Once they were both without shoes, they walked slowly and silently along the roof of the cornucopia, both aware that the height was slowly increasing the farther they went.

They reached the end and crouched low to look down below them in the mouth of the cornucopia. Lida, Dreg, Ruby, and Taurine were spread out in the mouth, surrounding the centerpiece. The bow and quiver, still sitting untouched in their stand.

Dorian laid on his stomach and motioned for Zhoa to lean close. When her ear was beside his ear, he whispered, "I'm going to let the rope down. All you have to do is climb down and grab the bow and quiver and I'll pull you back up."

Zhoa nodded and watched as the rope snaked its way to the forest floor. It ended just about a foot to one side of the stand. It would be difficult to get so close without making noise, but it had to be done. When Dorian had a firm hold on the rope Zhoa laid on her own stomach and grasped the rope. She inched herself over the side and let her legs flop over. Hand over hand Zhoa lowered herself quietly toward the careers' camp.

When she was close to the bow stand, Zhoa pressed her legs together and swung them slightly back and forward, just enough so when she jumped the final few feet she would not hit it. She did however nearly land on Lida. Thankfully Zhoa's feet were bare; she made a soundless entrance. Zhoa stepped up to the stand and lifted the bow off. After securing it over her shoulder and adding the quiver, Zhoa was about to go and give her tug to the rope and let Dorian haul her back up, when she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Ruby had left her pack unattended. The others were using them as pillows, but Ruby had rolled right off of hers. Maybe there was something useful inside.

She crept across the small semi-circle of careers to the girl. Ruby was a dark haired girl with pale skin and thick eyelashes. The pack was sitting right beside her head. Zhoa reached down and lifted it up silently. Adding this to the weight on her shoulders, Zhoa made her way back to the rope and gave it a tug. Her rise from the wolf's den was slower than she thought it would have been. Maybe she had added more weight with the pack than Dorian could handle? It didn't take long before she got her answer. In an instant, Zhoa was dropping to the ground. She could hear a swear from above just before she crashed into the stand she had worked to avoid only minutes before. It made a loud clatter and when Zhoa opened her eyes, trying not to think about the searing pain in her back, she was surrounded by the careers launching themselves from their sleeping bags and gathering their weapons. Dreg had his sword already, but Lida took a moment with her knives and Ruby and Taurine were groping in the still darkened morning for whatever they had chosen to use.

Zhoa was alone long enough to get herself up. Dorian had dropped from the cornucopia and went straight for Dreg who had gotten himself together much faster than everyone else. Dorian threw a punch, yelling out to Zhoa, "Run!"

She did, but once she reached the trees and brush again and realize Dorian wasn't right behind her, she pulled and arrow and nocked it. Turning back to the camp, she took aim at Dreg, who had Dorian by the arm and his foot in his back. Dreg gave a mighty yank and Dorian cried out. Zhoa launched her arrow, but it missed Dreg, who had stumbled back when Dorian pulled away from his attacker. Zhoa ran for Dorian while Dreg got himself together again and pulled him to his feel once Dorian's crouching run had reached her. Turning their backs, they ran until they were lost again in the enveloping arms of the forest.

THE HOLE

When the clearing was out of sight, Zhoa and Dorian stopped and crouched behind a bush. The careers didn't pursue. God only knew why, but perhaps they were getting a verbal lashing from Dreg for being less than prepared. "I'm sorry," Dorian panted. With his left arm Dorian pulled Zhoa into his chest. "I'm so sorry." He pulled back and cupped Zhoa's cheek. "Are you all right?"

There was in fact some intense pain in Zhoa's back, but there was no time to check it with the forest waking up around them. "I'm fine," she answered breathlessly, resting his hand over his for a moment before standing again with cautious optimism and puled Dorian with her.

Dorian grunted the entire way back to the falls. Something was seriously wrong, but there was no time to stop and admire their wounds. Not until they were safe. And safe was the cave behind the falls.

It took some time for Zhoa to help Dorian down the cliff. Whatever it was that was wrong, his right arm was incapacitated. Once inside, Zhoa set her things down and turned to Dorian. "Are you all right?"

"My shoulder…I think it's out of place. Dreg popped it…"

He was in pain. But before they could do more, Zhoa wanted to know what was in the pack she had lifted. Once it was open Zhoa wished she had grabbed another one. All that was in there was a blanket, a hunting knife, and some more rope. All good, but not as good as some food and medicine.

Packing everything away again, there was a crackling sound from the back of the cave. Had someone else come in here while they were gone?

Zhoa let Dorian lay on his uninjured side and Zhoa armed herself to check it out. When she reached the back wall, or where she thought there had been a wall, there was actually a tunnel. There was enough morning light now to be able to see a bit. The ground was loose and not packed down like the rest. Releasing her hold on her arrows gently, letting her guard down, Zhoa knelt and gently pressed the earth where it appeared to be almost like a freshly dug grave. It collapsed a but under her pressure. There was a sinkhole there. And likely then entire tunnel was lines with them. It was a death trap. But the tunnel was equal parts earth and stone. Maybe they wouldn't have to look for another hiding place. Maybe the better one had been there the whole time.

Zhoa returned to the pack and lifted the rope that lay coiled about Dorian (she hadn't even noticed he had been able to retain their greatest tool). After drilling the head of her arrow through the rope at one end, Zhoa returned to the hole and took careful aim down the tunnel. After nocking her arrow and taking a breath, Zhoa sent up a silent prayer that she hit dirt down that dark path.

Whatever her arrow hit, it didn't loosen when Zhoa gave the rope an enormous tug. She tied the other end off on a stalagmite from the ceiling and took a deep breath. Grasping the rope with her hands and hopping up to wrap her ankles about it, Zhoa pulled herself into the darkness. Some ten or twelve feet down, there was a light and a small hole through which one could crawl if you were flexible enough. Zhoa's Arrow had passed through the center of it and lodged itself into the dirt wall beyond. The glowing was coming from some kind of worm colony that appeared to be living on various microscopic parasites in the dirt they clung to. This would be a perfect hide out. When Dorian could crawl his way there of course. Best of all, the sinkholes were a natural defense structure.

Zhoa made her way back and dropped back down to the earth behind the falls. Dorian was manipulating his shoulder. Or trying to anyway. But without using his right arm there was no way he was going to be able to reset his shoulder. Zhoa smiled and shook her head. "You're never going to be able to set it yourself," she said.

Zhoa knelt beside him and let the bow down. She looked around for a moment before leaning forward and yanking a root out of the cave wall. She handed it to Dorian, saying, "Here, bite on this. We don't know who could be out there; best not have you screaming."

"What did you find down that hole?"

"After. Now bite down." Zhoa was firm, but caring. She turned him flat on his back before placing the root between Dorian's teeth. After placing his lower arm at a ninety degree angle Zhoa started manipulating the arm, rotating and pushing. Dorian groaned and grunted until the joint finally popped back into place. Dorian sighed and spat out the root. "Thanks. Where did you learn to do that?"

"Those boys I talked about in my interview…well Mero was always doing that. He had loose ligaments. I fixed him all the time when we were younger. You sore?"

"Better than I thought it would be." Dorian sat up and reached out, pulling Zhoa into a strong embrace. His arms were strong and protective. Zhoa wrapped her own arms about him and rested her chin on his shoulder for a minute. When they separated again, Dorian was smiling down at her. it was warm and caring. It made Zhoa's cheeks burn. After a minute, she tucked her hair behind her hear and cleared her throat.

"So I've tied off a line. If we crawl over that tunnel full of sinkholes there's a hole we can crawl through. It's lit with glow worms. We won't be able to light a fire there either, but it's safer than being directly behind the falls. We can go when you're feeling a little better." Zhoa shrugged out of her jacket and wiped her sweating forehead on the back of her hand. "I think it's hotter today than before. They must be increasing the temperature to drive the others closer to the river and the falls. Try and get us stuck in here."

Zhoa crawled to the falls and cupped her hands, reaching out and filling them with water. They had a canteen, but she was too thirsty to dig it out at the moment. Dorian gasped behind her. "Zhoa my god! How did that happen?!"

Zhoa twisted in her seated position, meaning to ask what he was talking about, but when she did the aching in her back which had been going somewhat unnoticed seared anew. "Ah!...Fuck…" Zhoa laid herself down on the ground. "It must have happened when I fell on the bow stand. What happened anyway?"

Dorian crawled to her and laid a gentle hand on her back, lifting the hem of her tank with his free hand to get a better look. "I was sweating so much my grip slipped." When the fabric was gone, Dorian took a closer look. "This is a nasty gash."

"How bad?"

"About a foot long. Jeez…and we have no medicine for this."

The pain was searing and intense. Zhoa didn't want to move, she didn't even want to think, or be awake anymore. She just wanted to be out until the pain stopped. "What can we do?"

Dorian sighed, saying, "Hope there's a camera in this cave and one of our sponsors sends something helpful."

PARACHUTE

Zhoa spent the night in and out of consciousness. The pain in her back was terrible. At some point when there was pale blue light shining through the falls, she was woken when Dorian started moving her from where he had made her comfortable. "What's going on?"

"Shh…" Dorian quieted her as softly as possible. He helped her stand and lifted her right arm over his shoulders and helped her to the anchor line to the hole. Dorian turned to face Zhoa and moved both her hands over his neck. "What are you doing?" she whispered quietly.

"Just hang on to me and we'll be all right."

Dorian reached up and grasped the line. He kicked off the ground from underneath Zhoa and caught an ankle over the rope with a stifled groan from exertion. After lifting the other ankle and crossing them, Zhoa resting like a cat over his torso, Dorian pulled. They began moving along the line. After a couple minutes they passed through the hole and were inside, safely away from the vulnerability from the front room. Dorian let down slowly and helped Zhoa sit down again before shrugging out of his jacket and grabbing two arrows. He walked over to the hole and used the arrows to spear the jacket over the entrance and making a curtain of it.

The inside was dark. Zhoa could see nothing. But she did feel Dorian lift her head and slip one of the packs beneath her head. "I don't want to leave you," he said quietly. "But your wound isn't getting any better, someone was poking around earlier, and parachutes can't reach us here. Wouldn't hurt to have some food, either." He stroked her head. "Sit tight; I'll be back soon."

Zhoa had no air; the hole was stifling. Furthermore, since Dorian had hid the hole behind his jacket there was no light coming in either. It was impossible to guess how long she had been alone. Zhoa slept a little and woke alone again. Was Dorian still waiting for some help from a sponsor? Or was he gone for good, thinking that Zhoa was no longer of use?

Awake or asleep, black and pain were her whole world. When Dorian finally returned, he made hardly a noise. Zhoa hadn't realized he was even there until a moment later when the hole was bathed in light. She felt something cool in her wound. It seared and stung, and Zhoa bit back a scream. "What is that stuff?" she asked through her teeth.

"It's glue, sort of. It bonds muscles and skin back together. You should be fine in a few hours."

When Dorian was done, he left Zhoa's side turned on her side to face a lantern in the middle of the dirt floor. Dorian was on the other side, shirtless, digging something out of one of the packs. Whatever it was it was wrapped in his tank. When he unfurled it, there was a bounty of fruits and berries.

"Are those safe to eat?" Zhoa asked.

Dorian brought them over to her and sat himself down. "Remember I said there were some tributes poking around?"

"Vaguely."

"I watched them for a while and when they were gone I picked exactly what they had been eating. I had to do something useful while waiting for a parachute."

It was enough for Zhoa. She grasped a reddish fruit from the makeshift platter made of Dorian's shirt and bit into it. It was tarter that she expected, but not having realized how hungry she was, it didn't matter.

"You've got one hell of a mentor there, Zhoa. He must have pulled plenty of favors to get that stuff; it's expensive."

"Was there a note?," Zhoa mumbled through a mouthful of fruit.

"Yeah." Dorian dug in his pocket and extracted a small square paper. Zhoa took it between her nails and read:

Apply to damaged skin and press severed sides together to seal. I was wrong about that boy of yours. He's okay.

"He thought I was going to try and gain your trust just to kill you didn't he?"

Zhoa smirked. "Actually I don't know what he thought about you exactly. He did want me to go in this game on my own because I created a strong front before we got out here. It's a good plan to gain sponsors, but it becomes a problem when people realize I'm not actually all that. I'm not as big a toughie as all that. Anyway…you know." She tucked the note into her own pant pocket as she and Dorian ate and passed the now full canteen back and forth, trying to decide what to do next.

"No one's died yesterday or today. If someone doesn't do something they're going to start smoking us out. Only reason they haven't already is probably because of your injury not healing." Dorian popped another purple berry in his mouth. "Any ideas?"

"Aside from hunting?" Zhoa asked. "Well…we're bound to have the careers surrounding us; the river is the only source of fresh water as far as I can tell. Maybe we can use some of the trapping supplies."

"The rope's all tied up in the line to get to the hole and I'd like to keep the second one free for multiple uses."

Dorian had a point. But…"That net is useless at catching fish, but maybe we could use it for something else." She smiled and turned to Dorian. "I've got an idea."

THE TRAP

Zhoa, you're crazy. That's what she thought to herself when they climbed back up to the cliff that night. The moon was bright and there weren't as many trees over the river to obstruct it. All the same, they brought the lantern and turned it on. Hopefully it was late enough so they wouldn't attract attention, but they had to see what they were doing for this to work. Zhoa picked up another stick and threw this one into the river like all the others, this time a little further away from the bank. This one was pulled right into the current without floating along for a moment or two.

"Looks like the right spot. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It's better than going hunting."

Dorian crouched down next to Zhoa where she sat watching the stick rush by in the current. "You're going to have to kill someone eventually."

"I'd rather do it indirectly. Like this plan here. I'm not making sure they're dead, I'm just…putting them into a situation they're not likely to come out of."

Dorian shrugged and sat down in the grass. "They're animals Zhoa. They're not like you and me. we're trying to be civil and we're trying to be merciful. But the fact is we don't need to be that way. If they're not going to show any compassion, why should we?"

"Because justified or not killing another person isn't easy."

Dorian said nothing. He knew her story. He knew she spoke from experience and so he didn't press the issue. "So how is this thing going to work?"

"I'm going to wait here until we know someone else is out here watching us. Then I'm going to act like I'm fishing and get caught in the current. I'll float a bit then grab a rock and make like I too tired to pull myself up. Hopefully they'll come and try to finish me off. Right over there where the current drags off around knee level. It doesn't seem dangerous but there's a drop off and, well you get it."

"And the net?"

"Once we're all in, I'm going to let them drag me with them. If they're pulling me after them they'll go over the falls first and once they have, you can pull on our rope set up with the net in a pulley system and it'll catch me."

Dorian sighed, shaking his head. "I don't like this Zhoa, about a thousand things could go wrong. They could keep from getting swept up, you could be dragged faster than them, the net could break."

"Still need another nine hundred ninety seven items to convince me I'm wrong." Zhoa say beside Dorian. "I know it's not the most secure idea, but it's interesting. As long as we're a driving force in this game to the point that people want to see what's going to happen, we're in some form of control. I want that. It's a rare power in the game."

And so they set up. It didn't go as quickly as Zhoa thought it would. They had to tie everything off and make sure the net would stand the force in which Zhoa would fall into it. Their best guess was that it would be more than sufficient but then again, there was the slight possibility…

No, it was a terrible thought. They found somewhere in which they could hide. The shrubbery on the right bank was thick and beneath a group of bushes there was enough room for them to keep an eye on either bank while they waited for someone to come by.

Hours went by without a soul; something Zhoa had not counted on. She and Dorian waited in silence, eating more berries as they grew hungry. It wasn't until dusk when someone finally came by, on the opposite bank, luckily (it would make it easier to pretend as though she didn't see them while wading into the water). But it wasn't who Dorian and Zhoa had been hoping for. They weren't careers. They were the four tributes from 7 and 8. They had apparently banded together like the careers, but with none of the skill. Zhoa didn't know their names, but they were young. Well, younger than she and Dorian anyway; about sixteen. They looks like they were going to try and make camp for the night on the bank.

When it was almost completely dark, Zhoa crept out from under the bushes and toward her side of the river. She stepped in, carefully analyzing the water patterns. It looked like she was trying to find fish, she hoped. Really she was finding the strong current to trip her up.

She made sure to make like she was moving quietly, but Zhoa did trip a couple of times on purpose, to raise some noise and call attention to the others on the opposite side without rousing suspicion. Luckily they were naïve enough to believe it:

When reaching near the middle, and the current was almost too strong, Zhoa made herself slip into the rip and screeched as she did. A small ways away, she managed to catch herself on a rock like they had planned. Testing her toes beneath her, Zhoa found she could not reach the bottom; something she had not been expecting. She thought it would be at her neck, not well over her head and judging from the sudden growing coldness swirling somewhere about her thighs it was more than twice her height deep. The current was strong. Zhoa swore, she could not hold on for long. Come on you idiots, she though, come on.

But they were taking the bait. There was a whooping and a holler and Zhoa looked over to see the other tributes climbing into the water. The boy out front, a black one with wild hair and matching expression, was holding a handmade spear, carved from a hefty branch. The others were plunging in after him.

Zhoa's hands were slipping. If she couldn't hold on then she would end up in the net with those animals and be dead before Dorian could reach her at the precipice. Zhoa dug in her nails, feeling the moss soft on the protected beds of her fingertips. They were almost at her. They might not have the talent of the career pack, but they certainly had the pack mentality down. They would kill her together if they could. Maybe they could take care of all four in one strike.

As predicted, the taller, darker of the two boys reached her first. He swam from rock to rock, letting the current carry him to her, though clearly struggling. The boy and two girls trailing behind were clinging together as they swam. When they reached the far side of the large rock Zhoa was grasping desperately to at last, the dark boy clambered up onto the rock. They all climbed up, one by one, and with the others egging him on, the dark boy raised his spear and was about to thrust downward into Zhoa's back. She reached up toward him and grabbed his ankle. The second her grasp was firm she reached her other hand up to the girl beside him and yanked them both into the water again, flailing as he fell right into the lee of the stone, the strongest of the current's pull. Realizing that their friends were in trouble, the remaining tributes jumped in, not realizing the strength of the pull. Zhoa let the water carry her, trying to keep her head above water, and not succeeding most of the time.

It was hard to keep track of them all. She knew the dark boy was well ahead of her, and the girl she had pulled was not far behind, but the two that had jumped in were behind her. Zhoa had to try and swim upstream, make it so the net would catch her and only her. Her hands and feet were growing numb with cold, but she turned herself and swam hard. It wasn't working. For every inch she gained the river pulled her along in its path another three. It was too strong.

The other tributes were shrieking in terror. Zhoa turned around and saw that the edge was near. She was where she was supposed to be, but two of the tributes were still neck in neck with her. The river was still too deep. There was no decision that could be made until Dorian raised the net and caught who he could. Only then would Zhoa have a new plan on how to get out of this alive.

Her head ducked under again and suddenly the water was now rushing by her at a frightening speed, beating against her skin and freezing her to the bone. When Zhoa managed to raise her head to the air again, she was in the net. Most of the tributes had gone over, but there was one in the drag net with her, one of the girls. There was a knife set about her shoulder. Just as the girl reached for one of them, Zhoa grabbed another from it and reached behind the girl to slash out at the rope holding the net on that side. The structure lurched, and the final tribute lost her cradle, plunging over the falls.

Zhoa snatched at the net and wove her fingers in between the fibers, once again trying very hard to keep her head up. The remaining rope holding the net was strong, but it caused it to become perilously close to the edge. In fact, Zhoa was now sitting on it, legs dangling over the falls. Clinging to the net and still trying to keep her head up, she thought she heard her name being called over the rush of water in her ears. Zhoa swallowed mouthful after mouthful of water. This was it, she was going to drown. Either Dorian couldn't…or wouldn't…come for her and she was going to die here.

Zhoa closed her eyes. The water rushing over her body was familiar. In her mind's eye she wasn't in this hell hole. She was in her river, back at home. And Mischa with his strong arms was calling out fo her as the water pressed her against the water intake grating. He reached into the water and wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her out of the water…

…they were together again.

But it wasn't just her imagination. Zhoa wasn't struggling for air anymore, nor was there the constant beating of water on her body. She noticed how heavy her clothes were. She opened her eyes and saw that is wasn't Mischa holding her; she wasn't dead, like she thought. Dorian was holding her in one arm as he looped the remaining rope and netting around her arm as he struggled to walk back to shore. Once on dry land, he laid Zhoa down and untangled himself. Neither said a word. Once Zhoa had her breath back, however, there twinge of sadness in her heart. For a moment there, she had her boy back. But then he was gone.

They gathered the remains of their trap and climbed back down the precipice and into their hideaway. They climbed their way along the dark tunnel and pulled themselves into the hole, covering the entrance before they spoke.

"You all right?" Dorian asked this with a note of concern. He was worried. Zhoa would not look at him, but said shakily, "Yeah."

"Good you had me worried that you'd gone ahead and drowned. Zhoa what's wrong?"

Zhoa had finally looked up, and Dorian had noted the tears streaming down her cheeks. She sat back on her heels and shook her head slowly. Dorian set everything aside and crawled toward her. He pulled her into his arms and rocked her a little as the flood came.

"I know…it's barbaric…fucking ritual…"

"No," Zhoa whispered. "It's just…when I was younger, and my boys were still alive…that thing I had to do—"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I slipped into a river then too. He pulled me out. For a minute up there…I was back in his arms again."

Dorian pulled back from her. Zhoa looked up wide eyed and pensive. "I'm sorry," he said, unwinding his arms, slowly. "I didn't realize. I didn't know it was still so fresh."

Zhoa shook her head. "No." She pulled Dorian back and held onto him tight. "That's just it. It's been three years. I loved him. And he loved me. He and his brother died that day, one of them by my hand. Nothing about that is going to change. Wither I were here or not, I will wake up tomorrow, and the next day and the next, and maybe I'll be here but Mischa sure as hell won't." Zhoa's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm not scared of this game. If I die I'll be with him. What I'm worried about is if I live. I'm afraid to move on. Like it meant that I didn't love him enough. Even though I know that's a lie."

The weight of Dorian's head rested on hers as he returned her embrace. When he sat back and away from her again, he moved one hand to each cheek. "We all have things happen. If you dig hard enough in anyone's past you'll find something ugly." He looked her steady and straight in the eye. "But it's a disservice to those who have gone before us, for those of us left behind to stop living. There's no honor in that."

Zhoa nodded. Dorian smiled a little and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. Their faces were close. Dorian moved closer and pressed his lips softly to hers. The feeling made Zhoa tingle head to toe, like there was an energy, like electricity but softer and sweeter, running through the labyrinth of her veins beneath her skin. They parted and their eyes met for a pregnant moment.

When Dorian's let his hands drop he cleared his throat and ran a hand through his sandy colored hair. "You should get out of those clothes. It's damp in here but if you wear your water logged stuff you'll catch your death." He stripped off his shirt and pants and handed them to her. "Wear these tonight. I'll set your stuff outside and hopefully they'll be dry by morning."

He turned his back to her and she changed quickly. When her clothes were gone and his were on her body, Dorian collected them and brought them outside the hole. Wither they were going on the main ledge or outside the falls she didn't know, but guessed the latter. While he was gone, Zhoa pressed the cotton of Dorian's shirt to her nose. His smell. She had noticed before. He smelled…she didn't know how to describe it. but having been in these close quarters, and with these new, somewhat familiar feelings in her stomach, in her heart, the only way she could describe his scent now was that it was the smell of home.