A few days had passed with a similar routine: hide out in a tree, wait until the careers leave to kill children, dodge the mines to get food, hide again before they come back, repeat daily.
Only today was different, though it started out normal enough. As I watched the careers prepare to leave, I noticed a cloud of smoke in the distance. The careers quickly noticed it too, and immediately set off to find the fire-starting tribute, leaving the boy from 3 to guard the supplies. They didn't always leave a guard, but when they did, I still managed to be unseen.
I darted into the clearing and hopped around the mines. As I neared the end of the small minefield, my foot caught on something, and I lost my balance.
This is it I thought. This is how I die, being blown to a million pieces. They won't even have a body to return to district 5.
No. It can't end this way. I won't let it. I flail around for a moment, and it feels like time has slowed down and I'm trying to swim through syrup. Finally, I regain my balance, and make it to the pyramid. 3 is facing away from me, with a long spear clutched in his hands. As I snatch various foods, I think about how easy it would be to kill him. I could just grab a knife from the pile, and sneak up on him from behind. He would never see me coming...
I snap myself out of my sadistic thoughts. You can't I tell myself. I promised myself I wouldn't kill anyone. Besides, I'm not very good with weapons. He probably wouldn't die immediately, and either have time to spear me, or call out to his career buddies, who would then kill me. I prefer to stay alive, thank you very much.
As I run right behind him, I hear a twig snap under my foot. I sprint into the woods as he whips his head around, looking for the culprit. Fortunately, I'm gone, and he never saw me.
I hope.
Several minutes have passed, and I have resumed hiding in a tree near the clearing, a little farther away this time, to make sure 3 can't find me.
Suddenly, I hear an earth-shaking BOOM from the clearing that nearly knocks me off my branch. I leap through the trees, and see that the pyramid has been blown to bits. Everything has been destroyed.
Every. Last. Bit.
A/N- thank you so much for reading, and please review! Constructive criticism is welcome. There should be a little more action in the next chapter.
