Chapter Ten
Rated M for violence, language, and sexual situations in later chapters.
DISCLAIMER: The only characters that I own are Claire Moore, Logan Smith and the other characters that weren't in the original Hunger Games. All other characters belong to Susan Collins.
You all are the best readers I could ever have! I really appreciate your reviews; they seriously make my day every time I get one, especially because they are all so positive. So special thanks to EmmaMellark97 and hpfandunoit who have reviewed on almost every one of my chapters! So please review, follow, favorite, tell your friends, maybe your grandmother, and enjoy!
The morning was cruelly beautiful. The air was clear, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining. I laughed realizing that if I died today at least this would be the last thing I see.
I crawled back into our shelter. Thresh was still asleep. I actually giggled when I saw him. Whenever he's awake Thresh is strong and intimidating, but when he's asleep he looks like a child. Reluctantly, I bent down and shook him awake.
"Is everything okay?" he jumps up.
"Everything is fine, I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to get more water," I inform him, and I walk to the stream alone. The water is clean, clear, and cool. Some fish swim lazily around in the water. I make a mental note to come back and spear some.
"It really is beautiful here, isn't it?" Thresh tells me when I get back.
"Yes, pretty ironic though," I add.
"Completely, what's the plan for the day?" he asks.
"I didn't really have one," I admit. "But I think we should try to get some food."
"I never thought that this would be so calm," Thresh comments.
"I know, but I guess they only show the 'exciting' parts on T.V."
We make our way to the stream with our knives. I am terrified that we are being lulled into a false sense of security so I make sure we're both on constant alert.
Our day is spent by the stream. The sun is beating down on us so hard that we're covered in a sheet of sweat. As I was trying to catch a fish I slip and fall into the water. Instead of being hurt I burst out laughing, and soon Thresh joins in. It feels so good to laugh, but it also makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong; laughing in the Hunger Games.
Suddenly, I hear a sharp crack. I spin around and raise my knife; Thresh does the same. I scan the forest, looking for what made the sound. I turn to Thresh to ask if he sees anything when, out of the corner of my, eye I see a glint of light.
"LOOK OUT!" I shove Thresh out of the path of a spear. It imbeds itself in the ground where Thresh stood. I look back at where the spear came from and see the tribute lining up another spear in our direction. Before he has a chance to throw I send my knife into his heart. A second later the cannon sounds.
I reach down and help Thresh up.
"Thanks," he says.
"I just killed someone," I state.
"It's alright."
"No it's not, I just killed someone," I say again.
"Listen, you did it to save us."
"I did, I saved us," I start to go almost numb. I'm confused; I'm sorry for killing him, and I'm not at the same time. Should I? Killing is what I was sent here to do. I did not want to do it, but I saved Thresh and that's what really matters.
"You know we have to leave now, right?" I force myself to move on from this, I can't dwell on it.
"Just a second," Thresh runs into the forest and reappears carrying a spear and another backpack. "We could use these."
"Right," I agree and pluck the other spear from the ground. I look at Thresh again to confirm that we can go. He hands me the knife that I used to kill the tribute. It's covered in blood. I swallow hard, wipe the blood off on the grass, and replace the knife into my belt.
Following the stream, we travel farther into the field. We don't stop until we come across a small cave that would make a suitable shelter. I inspect the area until I am positive that there are no other tributes around.
I climb inside the cave and see Thresh trying to start a fire in the corner.
"Where'd you get the flint?" I inquire.
"It was in the tribute's pack," he answers.
"Are you sure you want to build a fire inside out shelter, potentially destroying all of our supplies?"
"Do you want to build a fire outside and have the smoke point all of the Careers in our direction?" he comes back with.
"Fair enough, you cook the fish and I'll watch the stuff," I sit on the other side of the cave and pile our supplies around me. Slowly but surely, my anxiety starts to build again. Thresh can sense it and to keep me distracted he begins to ask me the most random questions.
"What was your favorite food in the Capitol?"
"The fettuccini Alf redo," I answer.
"Favorite color?"
"That kind of greyish-purple color, do you know what I mean?"
"I think so," he replies. "I personally like red. What did you do in District 12 to pass the time?"
"I sang."
"Really? My mother did too, don't take this the wrong way, but you two are quite similar," he comments.
"How?"
"You're both kind, resourceful, and you both have an interesting sense of humor. Did you ever want to have a family?"
"Yeah, but I never thought it would have been an option for me," I answer.
"What do you mean?" he presses.
"Most of the time Home kids don't get married," I reply. "We're outcasts, and generally too beat up and weak to have kids."
"If you could what would you name them?" asks Thresh.
"I have no clue, I never thought of it before."
"I always liked the name Iris," he tells me. "At least I thought it sounded nice."
"It does," I agree. That's how it is for the rest of the evening, and it's perfect. I learn everything about him; like how he would tease his little brother, that he loves the smell of a fire, and that his token is a gold ring that was in his family for years.
Right then and there I promise myself that if he is killed, I will make sure that he is remembered, that he will not die a forgotten tribute.