Hey everyone! Okay this chapter is longer than the others, so ENJOY! :D I started out this chapter with Alyssa's POV for some reason and I really liked her POV, let me know what you think about it. Thank you for reading, for the reviews and everything else. Onto the next chapter!
Enjoy!
*~KelsNicole~*
Alyssa POV:
Every part of my body is aching and the worst part is that I knew that this was going to happen. I'm in some sort of haze, asleep...but not fully. My body has been yelling at me since I agreed to do this whole thing, but I didn't tell Beth this or else she wouldn't have let me do it. I'll do anything to get them back though, anything. Aca is our only hope and I know it, she has to come back...no matter what we loose. There's some sort of beeping sound and I count the beeps, its the only thing that I can focus on. Right now I know that I can't focus on...him, because if it weren't for him I'd still be okay-or at least my heart would be. Could death be close for me? They told me that I almost died on the first rescue mission and that I was extremely lucky. Will it be the same way this time around?
Someone's hand is brushing the hair out of my face and I know that touch. It's Alwin, but someone's in here with him. There are a few other voices and I try to focus on them. Listening to them makes it easier for me to hold onto something. He's saying something about the arena, about the fact that they can't break through it without killing the three of them. Yes, the three of them...the little girl named Ella, she has to still be alive.
"Aly, you don't have to be afraid of me." His voice is gentle and I smile up at him. I reach out to him and he helps me up off the ground. Slowly I look into his eyes and my smile widens. "Don't be afraid...I'll always protect you and I love you. Do you love me?" My heartbeat quickens and I look into his eyes "Yes...but I thought that you had feelings for Aca? Do you really mean it? That you love me?" "With all of my heart. Aly...I've always loved you." I shut my eyes and listen to his sweet voice. His lips capture mine and I melt into him. Yes, this is all that I've ever wanted and its finally happening. "You are the only person that I want to be with. The only person that I've ever loved."
My eyes flicker open and I feel the tears pouring down my face. I let out a deep breath as I think about him, Ethan, obviously I wasn't the only girl that he has ever loved. Why was I so stupid and why did I let him in? He led me on until Acacia came home, until it wasn't to his advantage. I don't understand why he did it, why did he have to hurt me? The tears continue to fall down my cheeks and I look to the left of me. Alwin stands up and walks over to me, his hand finds mine and I smile a little at him.
He looks down at me and I can see the concern in his eyes. "Why did you do that, Aly? You risked your own life for us to get to come along...why?"
"We need Acacia back and..." I look up at him as the tears start to roll down my cheeks again. Shutting my eyes I try to hold the tears in, but its not working. "You don't have to loose her or be in pain. I don't want to see you in pain..."
"Alyssa..." He squeezes my hand and I open my eyes to look at him. "I don't want to loose my friend. You can't die on me, do you understand? I'd be in pain if I lost you."
A small smile creeps onto my lips and I nod my head. The tears start to go away as I think about the people who care about me. Beth, Ashlee, all of the other victors, Alwin and Acacia's family. Someone does care about me and they won't lie to me or hurt me. I have people to rely on.
Acacia POV:
Ethan is shaking his head at me as I start to look behind me. I stop breathing when I see Lillian on her knees and Ella's across from her. The two of them are shaking and look like they don't know what to do. Without a second thought I let go of Ethan and run towards the water, but I stop when one of the fish-with large razor sharp teeth jumps up out of the water at me. Lillian and Ella are stranded on the two plates out in the water, they can't leave them without giving themselves up to their death. Slowly I sink to the ground and start to sob. Why is this happening to me? This little girl that I never knew and an avox who's risked her life for me are going to die...because of me.
"Aca, come on. You have to get up." I shake my head and slap at his hands, but he pulls me up. He makes me look him in the eyes and he looks worried. My eyes must tell him what I'm thinking and we both know. "Don't give up! Do you understand me?"
I shake my head a little and he shakes me. "Stop it! You don't understand, Ethan! How could you understand? All of this has always just been one big game to you! People died for me in my first Hunger Games, people died for me in my second Hunger Games, people died for me in District Thirteen, people were tortured because of me! Do you notice a pattern?"
"Stop thinking like that! You can't blame yourself!" He yells right back at me and I feel like punching him right now. Everything that he's done to me and to Alyssa. "They are trying to break you! Don't let them break you! Come on, Acacia! You're stronger then-"
My fist collides with his jaw and he falls back, releasing me. I stare at him and feel more anger rushing up inside of me. Ethan stares at me in shock and I want to do it again, but now he's staying a safe distance away from me. How can someone who I considered a friend be acting this cold about the fact that two people are about to die for me?
"What the hell was that for?" He yells at me and I glare at him. I have to stop myself from running at him and punching him again. "Aca?"
I glare at him and take a deep breath. "First you kiss me and tell me how much I mean to you, then when I'm in the Hunger Games you go mess around with my BEST FRIEND! Don't you understand how much you've hurt her? Of course you don't stop there! NO! You have to proceed to try and make it seem like Alwin is not the person that I love! How dare you do all of those things and stand here in front of me...acting as though all of it means NOTHING!"
"I never said that." He says and I shake my head. "Aca...we need to stick together. Please..."
"Did you even care about her?" I ask him and the tears pour out of my eyes. This arena is making me crack and I can feel myself starting to fall apart. "Do you care about her at all?"
"Of course I do!" He says and he plops down on the ground. My body gives way and I fall to the ground. Our eyes lock and I see the tears about ready to fall from his eyes. "I always have...but I was stupid, okay? Alyssa deserves better though...she shouldn't accept me as a friend even..."
I stare at him and nod my head. "She does deserve better..."
My eyes flicker back out to the plates and I want to scream. If they die...I'll never be able to forgive myself-I'll always blame myself for their deaths. They were brought here to break me and its working. After a few days of watching them starve and after a while...die, I'll be broken beyond repair. Congratulations to them, they are winning.
Alwin POV:
Odysseus is pacing around in front of me and he's shaking his head every few minutes. I stare at him, wondering what we are going to do now. He just shakes his head a few times and I wish that there was a way that I could just save her already. Waiting is something that I can't stand to do when it comes to her...I need to save her and now.
"So...got any new ideas?" I ask him and he nods his head a little. "What are you planning?"
Odysseus stops in front of me and I see that his eyes are full of worry. "We are going to try and blow up the arena-again, that's our only chance of saving them. Right now...we have to head back to District Thirteen and we are going to set out in a few days to save them. Alyssa can't come though..."
"Is she going to be okay?" Our eyes lock and I want to fall down to the ground. "You don't know if she's going to make it, do you?"
"No, we are doing everything that we can to keep her alive. Alyssa is fighting though and when you are around her...she seems to be a little better." Odysseus looks up into my eyes and I nod a little. "She is one of the best people for the rebellion and we have to make sure that she lives. Everyone responds to her really well and that girl can fight. We aren't going to give up on her, no matter what she seems to think...people love her and we need her."
I nod my head a little as I walk out of the room and I sneak into the TV room. Everyone's watching as Acacia yells at Ethan, her voice is full of anger. But when she gestures out to the water I stop breathing for a minute. A little girl and Lillian are on two of the plates in the water. Lillian is sitting on her plate and looking down at the water, her eyes are wide and I know that its only a matter of time before they are going to be forced off of the plates.
"They are going to die because of me!" Acacia yells at him and she gestures out towards the water. "How many more people will have to die because of me?"
Ethan shakes his head and she rolls her eyes. "No one died because of you...they died because of the idiots who are in charge of all of us."
I watch as Acacia flings herself towards the water and I know what she's thinking...that she has to save them. My heart is beating fast as the creatures in the water start lunging at her. She starts to cry out in pain and Ethan pulls her back onto the sand. Her legs are red and I see the blood gushing out. Ethan looks down and I see the fear in his eyes as he tries to think of something to do for her.
"Why did you do that?" He yells at her and I see Acacia flip him off. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"
But before I can see what happens next, I'm being dragged out of the room and forced back into Alyssa's room. Her eyes flash open and she stares at me in shock. I look at her face and see that she's still pale.
"What..." She stops and takes a shallow breath. "Happened?"
Okay, horrible place to cut off I know...but I had to. Sorry! Thank you for reading and please leave a review! What do you think so far?
