A/N: I know everyone was waiting for this after the cliffhanger last chapter. Cliffhangers are just so fun to write :D
And sorry for the day's wait, I had this more or less completed yesterday but I couldn't use the computer.
Ok, no cliffhanger this chapter, enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: I wouldn't have to write a disclaimer if I owned the Hunger Games.
The first thing that greets me when I peer behind the shrub is a pair of bright green eyes. Scared, terrified, but still bright as always. She scrambles backwards instinctively, scrabbling to get up from her squatting position, when she catches sight of me and relaxes. I walk up to her, elated that she's safe, and break into a grin. It's my ally, safe here, though not in very good shape. She gets up and I notice her jacket is slightly wet. Fortunately it's waterproof.
Her voice, though retaining some of her original terror, comes out as clear and melodic as I heard her the first time. Only now it's going way too fast. "Johanna. I was going to look for you, and nearly ran into District 1. They probably split up their alliance for now and are going in pairs hunting for victims. I had to hide here since I couldn't run. I watched them kill him. The boy from 10. Are they still here? Please tell me they're gone, please!"
"I don't know, but I didn't see them on my way here. They're possibly gone the way they came. Are you moving around or do you have somewhere definite to stay?" To my surprise, my voice is as rushed as Soraya's when it comes out, though I didn't intend it to be.
Soraya indicates her pack. "No, I'm moving around. I haven't got much though."
"Well, come on. I've found somewhere to rest." I lead her back to my hideout, following the mint scent and checking to see where I scattered the leaves, and by the time we get back it's past noon. I show her in my rocks, which can house both of us if we squeeze. It's not terribly comfortable, but since we each don't have that much bulk it'll do for a short stay. Since this is the Games, I'm guessing we'll have to move camp in a few days' time when this part of the arena becomes dangerous.
We each lay out what we have. Soraya has water, packets of food, iodine, a thick bunch of cloths and wire, which she claims isn't much. She doesn't have a weapon, so I hand her one of the obsidian and take the other. The third, which is fortunately still in its place, we'll keep in here in case of any emergency. Soraya is pretty familiar with the obsidian. It's a rather large piece, and she suggests we sharpen it.
"How?" I ask. Sharpening axes, yes, but rocks? I haven't done anything like this before.
"Just like you would a knife..." Soraya searches the ground and comes up with a rock. Since she offers to sharpen all three shards, I decide to go and fill our bottles. A short trip to the lake wouldn't be too dangerous.
It's still the same around here, no sign of disturbance or anyone else. I hope we won't run into anyone around here. Upon reaching the lake, I scoop the water up full. The water is crystal clear. A little too clear. I have a feeling something's amiss. Though the Gamemakers prefer a fight to silent deaths from poisoned water, I better make sure. I hold one bottle by the neck, rotating my wrist in small circles, watching the crystalline water swirl around inside. I don't know what I'm waiting for. I should add iodine now. I get it out of my pocket and add a measured amount to each bottle. Then I wait.
All the time I can't help thinking of the Games. Now that I'm in it, I know what all the victors felt like, being forced to kill just for others to watch. Even if you're a Career, I guess the general feeling must be the same as well. I wonder how they're doing. Their alliance must be at its strongest now, there are at least six of them and who knows which other tributes they've taken for their later use and manipulation. And according to Soraya, they're nowhere near dead. They wouldn't be. Everything and everyone at the Cornucopia was all at their mercy.
The cool breeze brushes stray strands of my hair against my cheeks. Oh, the times when I was much younger, when I used to sit just like this in the meadow, surrounded by all the tiny colourful flowers, when I would run with the wind blowing against my face, when I had a reason to be happy. There were those days when you had nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. You were content with everything you had, and took them for granted. Then you crossed the line into being aware of things, and came to know suffering and death. My mother said children in Seven grow up too fast, and I agree. I wish I could re-spend my childhood years as someone happier, without having to worry of the Games, of watching others get killed and being killed yourself if you broke any rules. It's like forcing an innocent child to watch all the blood and suffering, and eventually being forced to kill others in the Games. Killing. All this thoughts about killing make me whip my head around constantly, though I know there's no one here.
After the light of the sky changes slightly, I hurry back to the rocks, water swishing vigourously in the plastic bottles with my every step. I'm thirsty and I want to unscrew the cap and gulp down everything. That brings me back to thinking of the water. Has the iodine cleansed everything yet? Or have the Gamemakers specially made this water to withstand all chemicals and poison the thirsty one who drinks it? That could be me. I need someone to test the water first, see if it's ok. As I scrabble into the rocks, I hand a bottle to Soraya. "Here, your water."
She looks up from her work and I notice the rock she used to sharpen the obsidian is blunt and there are obsidian pieces and powder, presumably from the rock, on the grass. Two of the obsidian pieces are in a roughly cut knife-like shape, like a longish triangle and a rectangle attached at its base. It's not very proportionate, the handle being much longer than the blade and rather wide, but with just a rock and not much time it's quite amazing. The third shard is in front of her, half cut.
"Pass me your rope," she orders, and I comply. I watch as she coils rope around the handle of each completed shard and keeps it in place with a dead knot to prevent the shard from cutting our hands. The rope isn't very thick, which will do. Then she asks for water, and hastily pushes the half-finished obsidian away. I hand the water to her, feeling something well up inside of me. Should I stop her? Now? Too late, I think as she takes a sip without question. If the water is bad, it'll probably take effect now. I don't know what I'm expecting, maybe she'll drop dead or choke or convulse or something. But nothing happens.
"What?" Soraya looks at me expectantly.
"What?" I return.
"I don't know, you were staring at me like I was an alien or something."
"Oh." I drop my gaze and hear her put the bottle on the ground. She resumes cutting. I look at her work, and notice for the first time that her hands have cuts all over and are splotched with blood. I gasp involuntarily, and ask, "What happened to your hands?"
"I'm cutting obsidian with just a rock and my bare hands. What do you think, brainless?" She tries to sound sarcastic, but I catch her suppressing a grin.
Her comment makes me smile, and under the smile, guilt. "Oh yes, I forgot. I'm going to find us some food now." Without waiting for her reply, I sling my pack on and take an obsidian shard. It's just like a knife now. "Thanks, Soraya. For cutting all this. And for..." For being the guinea pig and drinking the water though you didn't know it.
"For what, brainless?" This time she doesn't hide her smile.
"Nothing. Well, I'm off." The words come out of my mouth in a jumble and I climb out of the rocks. "See you."
The cold air greets me again once I climb out and I pull up the zipper on my jacket even more. I debate getting my hood on, but decide against it since it'll be more of blinders than help. I forgot to ask Soraya why her jacket was wet when we found each other. I'll keep that in mind to ask her when I'm back. Now, to the mint leaves. I collect more of them and stuff them in the pouch, save for a few which I take small bites of on the way. I like mint.
I wanted to get food for us, yes, but the real reason why I'm out here is because I can't bear to sit with Soraya and keep on owing her, and instead of making up for everything I gave her water which could have been poisoned. I left the water behind with her, but I figure I can hold out for a while longer. After all, I drank some this morning already.
What have I become? The question gnaws at me throughout my entire walk. What has the Games turned me into? I'm the one benefiting most from our alliance and taking what Soraya's done. And in return, I took advantage of her trust. The only words I can use to describe the remorse I'm feeling now are sheer guilt. I'm no better than a Career.
The wind blows against my face like it did when I was sitting by the lake, only this time it's no longer reminiscing my childhood days with me. This time, with each chilly lash against my cheeks, it seems to keep whispering, Johanna, you have failed.
