Chapter 10: No End in Sight

Iris' POV

I could feel myself begin to wake from unconsciousness. My muscles ached and my body was covered in mud and soaked with water. Every part of my body hurt, especially my lungs that rose and fell slowly. I coughed up some water, my eyes still closed and each movement slow. I know if someone would come here now, I would definitely be dead.

Finally, I open my eyes. I'm higher up than where I was originally and everything's soaked with water. My sword is a little ways away from me, and I'm thankful I didn't loose it. I rub my pounding head as I sit up. I wonder how long I was unconscious for; it could've been hours or it could've been days.

I shake my head and look up at the sky. The cloudy skies are gone to be replaced by a night time sky with stars and a moon. I know it's not the real stars and moon, not in this arena, but it's nice to look it. It makes me feel peaceful, almost like home.

But I know I can't stay here for long, because I have no idea if someone's watching me or not. So I force myself up to my feet and drag myself over to my sword. I pick it up, everything on me wet except for my boots and jacket which are thankfully water resistant. But my pants and shirt aren't and my hair is a mess. But I don't bother with my hair, that's the least thing I'm worried about here.

Suddenly, I hear the anthem play. I look up at the sky and see some faces flash by. Emily, the one I stole the fish from, died in the flood as did Paul from District Seven. And when I count out how many people have died, there are 15 people left after a couple of days. I shiver at the thought, and I'm glad that I'm one of the people still alive. Only three more people to die until that's half of the Tributes gone. But I know that won't happen yet.

When the anthem stops and the pictures disappear, I know I have to keep moving. No matter how hungry, tired, and painful I am, I have to get going. And being reminded of my hunger just brings another hunger pain. I groan and wrap my arms around my stomach. How will I ever find food?

I shake my head and move on, my sword in hand. I really wish I had picked up one of those belts you keep your sword in, it'd be better than carrying it around all the time. But I'm not particularly worried about that. I need food, and fast.

I check the berries that grow around here, but none are edible. My stomach moans and I grip my sword harder when the pain comes in again. I shake my head and move on, desperate to find something, anything to eat.

I realize soon that I'm near the top of this hill. I didn't know the flood water had taken me so far. Suddenly, I see smoke. I smile, thinking to myself how stupid some people can be. I rush forward and see a clearing up ahead. A boulder is in the middle and the fire's beside it. The boulder blocks most of the smoke unless you're on my side.

I smile to myself when I see cooked meat by there. The fire is almost out and the meat is lying on the ground, just waiting to be taken. I don't care what type of meat it is, I just need it. I need it to survive.

I'm so desperate, that I just run out, my mouth waters and the pain in my stomach getting worse. Right as I get to the food, though, I hear, "Iris?"

Sage's POV

I stare in shock as I see Iris in front of me. She freezes, her small hands just inches away from the cooked meat from the wolf. Her left hand clutches a small sword, obviously made just for her. She looks awful, though. She's drenched in water and covered in mud. She's skinny and her gray eyes are wide with hunger and pain.

She slowly looks at me, her gray eyes now filling with shock. "Sage?" She gasps.

Then Sky rushes over. "What's going-" He stops talking, though, when he sees Iris crouched down by our food.

"Hey!" His fists tighten, "What are you doing?"

Her gray gaze hardens, "What do you think?"

"Sky…" I warn him. The last thing I want is to fight Iris.

Sky ignores me though, "That food belongs to us. So get out before I have to fight you."

But Iris just laughs emptily as she straightens up and holds her sword in front of her. "And who is armed here?" She scoffs, "Obviously not you."

He pulls out a blade while he tells me, "Grab your arrows."

I hesitate, and right in that split second, that small hesitation, something horrifying happens. Iris leaps forward, her gray eyes foggy and desperate, as her blade slices into Sky. He gasps and struggles back, dropping his blade, until he collapse.

"No!" I scream before jumping for my bow and arrows.

Iris realizes what she's done and she looks horrified. But only for a second before grabbing her blade out of a dying Sky and grabbing the left over meat. But I'm quick. I aim the arrow at her and release it. She gasps and dodges, missing it by a centimeter, as she falls to the ground.

I reload, filled with fury and revenge for Sky who is taking his final breaths beside me. I aim again, but she's already running into the trees and gone from my sight. I start to calm down a bit and I drop my bow, my arrows already slung around my back. I lean down beside Sky who is struggling to stay alive.

"It's going to be alright," I murmur to him, feeling hurt and betrayal deep within me, "you'll be safe soon."

Sky just slowly nods as he whispers, "Thank you Sage. Please, t-tell my parents…that I love them."

I nod, trying to keep myself from crying in front of them, "I will, I promise. I'll do my best to win this, for the both of us."

Sky just shakes his head as he whispers, "There is no winner here. For the one that leaves is always stuck here."

But I don't say anything to that, instead I just say, "Don't talk, try to stay here as long as you can."

He looks up at me with his pale blue eyes as he says, "S-stay with me."

"Of course," I force a reassuring smile on my face, "I'll stay with you till the end."

"Sage…" He whispers, his voice just barely audible, "I saved your life. You…you saved mine…let's call…" He gulps before continuing, "Let's call this even."

"No," I shake my head, "It'll never be even. Because you're dying in front of me, and I could've done something. I'll always take the blame."

And Iris.

But he just looks at me and, with a shaky hand, he grabs my shirt as he whispers forcefully, "T-thank you f-for everything…Sage. D-don't," He shakes his head and gasps before continuing, "Don't blame Iris."

Then he lowers his head and releases his hand. He falls limp beside me and he let's out one shaky breath before closing his eyes. It only takes seconds for me to hear his canon go off.

I feel tears sting my eyes and my throat closes up. I grip his body, trying not to cry. He had felt like a big brother to me in these past couple of days and I had let him die. I had let Iris kill him. I could feel the pulsing anger, hurt, betrayal, and pain run through me like blood through my veins.

And I wonder, how could I ever forgive her?

Iris' POV

I just run. That's all I do, I just run. Tears sting my eyes as I grip my sword, covered in Sky's blood, and the meat in either hand. I couldn't believe what I had done, why had I done that? I didn't mean to! But…but it was like a monster had taken over. A monster, so desperate and so deprived, it would do anything for the things it needed to survive.

That was the food they had and the fact that Sky would make Sage kill me. But after what I had done, maybe it would've been a good thing for me to die. I knew Sage would never forgive me, and for some reason that brought horrible, horrible pain and guilt with me. How was it possible that I had already ended the lives of two people in the arena?

And with that thought, I just collapsed. I curl up on the ground, the guilt so horrible that's all I can do. I ended the lives of two people here, Sky and Ash. They had families back in their homes; families who had watched me kill their sons. They must be in so much pain, they must hate me right now. I don't blame them, I hate myself for it too.