"Please," I cried, "Someone help him!"
Kalise takes herbs out of her pocket and covers the remainder of his leg. I lay Finnick on my lap and rub his head as tears of pain are flowing from his eyes.
"That was an acid cloud," Kindra said, "Anything that touches it immediately disappears into nothing. It can destroy any type of matter."
"Hopefully this helps stop the acid from affecting anywhere else on him," Kalise said.
"What the hell does that mean," I asked, "The cloud's gone."
"If the herbs don't work," Hadley solemnly began, "The acid will soon eat away at his organs and killing him within only a few days."
I held Finnick tightly and cried. Kalise wrapped the leaves on his leg and covered the wound. Finnick held my hands shaking and writhing in physical torment.
Hadley, Rumson and Kindra set up our campsite while Kalise reapplied new herbs every couple of hours. I wrapped Finnick in a blanket, sat next to him, and tried to feed him.
"Rue," Finnick muttered, "If I die-"
"Don't say that, Finn."
"Please listen to me. If I die, I need you to know that I love you."
"You won't die, Finn. I promise you."
"We knew it was gonna come down to this moment anyway. Please be safe and take care of yourself. For Cinna and Mom and Dad."
I kissed Finnick on his forehead. A faint beeping noise came from the sky. I looked up and saw a parachute carrying a metal tin. Kindra grabbed the tin and opened it. She handed it to me with a slight grin. I grabbed the tin and read the note:
No one's watching. You're safe-Uncle Gale
Kindra grabbed Hadley's arm, rolled the sleeve, and sliced it open. I lunged for Kindra in anger with my bow, but Kalise stepped in between us.
"Don't you fucking hurt him, you little bitch," I shouted.
"Rue, it's ok," Kalise calmly said, "Please trust her."
"Fuck that! I should've known this was all a ploy for her to win!"
"Rue, please trust me! He's gonna be okay!"
Hadley was at ease with small winces of pain. Kindra pulled out a small, metal object from Hadley's arm. A red light was flashing on it. Kindra lifted her arm and showed me her gash.
"They're trackers, Rue," Kindra said, "They're how the gamekeepers keep track of where we are and if we're alive. There are things that you'll understand in time. For now, let me get the tracker out of you while the cameras are down."
She dropped Hadley's tracker and stomped on it until the light stopped flashing. I slowly placed my bow on the ground. Kindra extended her hand to me with the knife in the other. Keeping my eyes locked on hers, I rolled my sleeve and gave her my arm.
"Try to stay calm," Kindra said, "It's going to hurt."
Slowly, she dragged the knife deeply into my skin. Kalise held my hand as I stifled my torture. My crimson red blood dripped onto the ground. Once the slice was made, Kindra dug her fingers in the gash finding the tracker. Seconds later, she slowly removed the tracker and stomped it on the ground. Kalise gave Hadley and I herbs to place onto our cuts. I watched Kindra do the same for Kalise, Rumson and Finnick.
"Where do you think the other tributes went," I asked.
"Who knows," Hadley answered, "Probably hiding away from us after what Finnick did to one of them."
"Yeah," Rumson replied, "You kicked some ass back there, Finnick!"
He put his hand on Finnick's shoulder. The anthem comes on and we all quickly cover our arms. We look towards the sky for the tribute's memorial. We saw the tribute that Finnick threw into the cloud. But then, we noticed one more tribute pop up.
"How was there another one," I asked, "We only saw the one that Finnick killed. The others ran away."
"One of the tributes must've gotten caught in the cloud," Rumson said, "That leaves one more tribute before we're the only ones left."
"Where do you think that one is," Kindra asked.
"Who knows," Hadley said walking towards the tent he built, "All I know is we should stand on guard before they show up trying to kill us all."
Hadley picked up Finnick and brought him into the tent. Kalise followed suit.
"Want me to keep watch tonight," Hadley asked.
"That's okay," I said, "I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight after what happened with Finn. You should go rest."
"I'll keep watch with Rue tonight," Rumson said to Kindra, "You deserve some rest, too."
Kindra nodded as she went into the tent with Kalise and Hadley. I sat on the ground with my bow and watched the river flow. The moonlight reflected onto the trees surrounding us. The stars were beaming in the night sky. Rumson grabbed his crossbow and sat next to me.
"Finnick's gonna be okay," Rumson said, "Kalise is really good with medicine's and herbs. She's pretty good with healing."
"I can't have him die on me, Rumson. That's my brother. I don't know what I'll do without him."
"I doubt that he's gonna die, Rue. Kalise knows what she's doing. She'll do whatever it takes to make him better."
"But what if he doesn't make it? What am I supposed to do?"
"If I was worried about it, then you should. But if I'm not, you should trust me."
Rumson placed his hand on my leg. I looked at him and saw him smiling at me.
"It doesn't scare you to be in here," I asked, "This place is one massive death sentence."
"Nah. Not really. I try not to think about that too much while I'm in here."
"But you have no choice to considering what we're doing here."
"I'm a firm believer in savoring every moment. Life's too short to worry about everything. If I'm meant to die here, then so be it. But if I'm meant to win, then that's cool, too. I'll do the best I can with whatever time I got left here."
I lied down and looked at the stars. It seems like the stars are my only forms of solitude since being in the Arena.
"My mom and dad would have us sit outside and look at the night sky," I said, "My dad said it was one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen."
"What was the first thing?"
"My mom, of course."
We laughed. This was the first time I've felt normal since entering the Arena.
"Well, your dad got something right. The stars are really one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, too."
"What's the first thing?"
"I think I'm looking right at it."
I turned to him and saw him staring at me. My heart was fluttering. I'm not sure what I was feeling, considering only a few days prior, Rumson repulsed me. But there was something about him that was so captivating. Maybe, it was his smile, or his ice colored eyes, or even the way he smelled, which was a mix of patchouli and sandalwood. All I know is that Rumson mesmerized me in more ways than I thought. I sat up next to him without taking my eyes off of him. I began to lean closer to him. My heart thumped harder by the second. He leaned closer to me. I could feel the heat rising. My hand reached for his.
Another parachute with a metal tin came from the sky and landed in between us. I opened it up and there was note inside:
Safe your energy for tomorrow. You'll need it-Mom
I backed away from Rumson and composed myself. My heart slowed down. I looked around the jungle just in case the tribute decides to show up.
The sun was shining. Kalise ran towards me excited.
"Rue," Kalise boasted, "Finnick's getting better! Come look at him!"
I ran into the tent to see Finnick sitting up by himself. I jumped towards him and tightly hugged him.
"Finn," I yelled, "I'm so happy you're okay!"
"I told you he would be okay," Kindra said gleefully.
"Thank you, Kalise," I said, "You saved my brother."
"We're really grateful for this," Hadley said putting his arm around me.
I turned and saw Rumson looking towards us with the saddest eyes. I tried not to let it hurt me, but I don't really know what to feel. I don't know what this feeling is. I finally got everything I wanted. Why did that feel like it wasn't enough? My heart belongs to Hadley. Why does it feel like it's not enough?
"Rue," Rumson said, "We should go check out what's left of the cornucopia. By now, the acid from the cloud dissipated from the land. We shouldn't be affected by it."
"We'll stay and watch Finnick," Kindra said, "He won't do us any good with one leg."
"Be safe, Rue," Hadley said, "We almost lost Finnick. I don't want to lose you."
Hadley kissed me as I left the tent. Rumson and I crossed over the river and made our way to the cornucopia. As we were treading in the jungle, everything was still there. The trees around us were intact. Nothing seemed affected by the acid cloud. It was like it was never here.
"Can we talk," Rumson asked.
"About what?"
"About last night."
"What about it?"
"Oh, don't act like you didn't feel a goddamn thing! You felt the same thing I did."
"I think you're mistaken, Rumson. Must be delusion from the remaining acid."
"I know more than you do about acid clouds, so don't try to play dumb with me," he stepped in front of me stopping me in my tracks, "You wanted to kiss me so badly last night and you know it."
"I'm engaged to Hadley, for your information. I'm with him. I'm not gonna abandon him for someone who might just be tricking me to fix his spot in the game."
I walked around him continuing in the jungle.
"I'm gonna call bullshit and do you know why? Because you and I know that everything you believe and are saying now is what you're trying to tell yourself."
I stepped in front of him angrily. "You act like you know me."
"Probably know you better than you know yourself. You're marrying him because you feel like you have to now. Everyone's expecting you to do what your parents did. You'll be with another legacy because you have to."
"I don't have to do anything I don't want to do."
"Says the girl who's never once thought about herself. Look at you. You're marrying the best friend of your brother because that would make everyone else happy right? But does that make you happy, Rue-"
"I'm done talking about this with you," I interrupted as I was walking away.
As I walked away, Rumson grabbed my arm and pulled me to him. Before I could react, he planted his lips onto mine. They tasted like honey and were as soft as a rose petal. My blood raced. My legs were weakening by the second. Something inside me was fueled with passion and rage. I became vulnerable to his touch. His calloused hand caressed my cheek while the other embraced me.
I managed to shove him away before it could go any further. I couldn't speak a word. I just continued walking towards the cornucopia as Rumson followed suit.
We arrived in the center of the Arena. The cornucopia was burnt and the foundation was all that was left. The mines were nowhere in sight. The food was gone. Everything was destroyed by the acid cloud.
In the middle of the field was the lone tribute sitting on the grass. Her black hair glowed a deep blue in the sun. She held her spear across her twig-like body. She must have been the same age as I am. Rumson and I drew our weapons towards her.
"So, you found me," she said, "Will you be killing me quickly or will it be torturous?"
"Depends," Rumson said, "You gonna put up a fight or not?"
"No," the tribute said, "I've accepted my fate. There's nothing I can do, except assist you, Rumson."
She stood up and turned to us with a smile on her face.
"Did you trick me, Rumson," I asked him.
"He didn't trick you, Miss Mellark," she said, "I am only completing my purpose here."
"What is she talking about, Rumson?"
"Miss Mellark, he is not against you like you think," she said in her monotone voice, "I am here to help you."
"Tell me what's going on, Rumson!" I held my bow towards him.
"Miss Mellark," the tribute asked, "Please lower your weapon. He means no harm to you. You will need him for what's coming next."
"What's coming next," I asked her.
"I have released the trackerjackers. They will be attacking here in no time. Leave before they get here."
She threw her spear in the air. The buzzing from the trackerjackers became louder and louder. The spear hit the sky as tiles were cracking. The foundation of the Arena was crumbling. The cracks were tracing down the walls of the Arena.
"I suggest you go back to the river, Miss Mellark," the tribute said, "You'll be leaving from there."
A swarm of trackerjackers engulfed the tribute and was heading towards us. Rumson grabbed my hand as we ran back to the river. The trees were falling around us. The tiles from the sky were falling. The trackerjackers were tailing directly behind us.
"Can you please tell me what the hell is going on," I shouted.
"You'll see! Just run! We don't have much time!"
As we were running, I felt a sharp sting on the side of my neck. I smacked my neck and noticed that it was a trackerjacker sting. I kept running and got stung again on the back of my neck. As I was running, the Arena was spinning. I felt like I was looking through fogged lenses. Running felt like flying. I saw hallucinations of my parents beside me.
You can do this, the hallucination told me, Finnick needs you. Run faster.
"Oh shit," Rumson said muffled, "Come on, Rue! We're almost there!"
Rumson lifted me up and ran with me in his arms. I looked into the sky and saw a plane lower itself towards us as my vision faded to black.
