Chapter 9

A couple days later, and the infection had gotten worse. I didn't have the strength to climb trees anymore, and it wasn't long before I had lost the strength to hunt. I ended up finding a cluster of tightly grouped trees that I could hid in, and I propped myself up against one, knowing I couldn't run from the other tributes any longer. I was good as dead anyway. There were eleven tributes left, and I thought I would be the next to go.

That's when I heard the most beautiful sound ever. "Aviana?" I heard Danielle yell. It sounded far off, and I almost didn't have the strength to respond. Eventually, I heard footsteps, and I hazily looked up as I heard her say, "Avi?"

"Hey," I said weakly. I felt relief wash over me. I had my sister, even if I wouldn't be around too much longer.

That's when she saw my arm. "What happened?" she asked, worriedly. Then she noticed the bow and arrow and backpack I had. "You went to the Cornucopia, didn't you?"

I nodded weakly. "Someone threw a knife and hit me in the arm," I explained. "Then it got infected, and I had no medicine to treat it."

Danielle glanced around. "It's not safe here," she said. "I have medical supplies in my bag. Let's get you in a secure location, and we'll see about taking care of that arm."

"Danielle," I started, "I don't think-"

"Shh," Danielle said, interrupting me. "You're going to be fine." She scooped me up in her arms, along with my supplies and weapon, and carried me to this cave. I felt the pain shoot through my arm and chest as we walked. She struggled to get me into the cave, but once in there, she laid me down, propping my head up on my backpack after taking the blanket out. She covered me with the blanket as she slowly took my jacket off to get a better view of my arm. I screamed as the jacket came off. "Sorry," she muttered as she poured water over it.

She placed a hand to my forehead. "You're awfully warm," she said as she continued treating my arm. She put some medicine in the wound, and again, I cried out in pain. She gently, but tightly, wrapped a durable gauze around the wound and secured it. "That should help," Danielle said, a worried look still on her face.

"Will it be enough to save me?" I asked.

"I don't know," Danielle said distraught. I saw her blink rapidly a few times before saying, "You need to rest. I'll stay here with you." She laid down next to me, and I laid my head on her chest. Already exhausted, I fell asleep within seconds of hearing her heartbeat. I may have been in the Hunger Games, but I felt safe and secure in Danielle's arms.

I woke up to some slight discomfort as Danielle was checking and changing my bandages. "How's it looking?" I asked groggily.

"It's looking much better," Danielle said relieved. "I think you'll be ok." She gave me a slight smile. "A few days rest does wonders."

"I was out for a few days?" I asked, bewildered. Danielle nodded. I thought for a moment, before asking, "You think then I'll be ok to get out of this cave so we get some food and water?"

Danielle thought for a moment. She gently grabbed my arm, and when I only winced at the pain, she said, "I think you'll be ok." She gave me a smile as she helped me gather my backpack, along with my quiver and bow. We found the river, and decided to set up "camp" there. I shot a rabbit nearby, and we cooked and ate it for dinner.

"How many tributes are left?" I asked.

"Four, including us," she responded. "The sibling boy from One, and oddly enough, the little girl from Six." I nodded as I continued to eat the rabbit. The sun began to set after we finished eating, so we took out the blanket and huddled up for the night.

In the middle of the night, sometime after the announcement for the fallen, we heard a scream before a cannon went off, and we saw the girl from District 6's face in the sky. "I guess that makes three of us," Danielle muttered as I gripped Danielle as tight as my arm would allow. Though I was thankful to still have Danielle, I knew that we were one tribute away from having to make a decision.

I started to sit up and keep a lookout for the last tribute. I didn't want him killing us in our sleep, and the girl's scream sounded too close for comfort. "Go to sleep," Danielle said. I looked at her confused before she added, "I'll keep watch. You need the sleep more than me anyway." I started to protest, but I knew it would be futile. So I reluctantly nodded and laid my head back down, and quickly fell asleep.

Morning came. I awoke with the sunrise, and let Danielle get a little sleep before we moved camp. We knew the other tribute was nearby, and we wanted to move before he found us. A couple hours later, Danielle woke up, and we began packing our supplies so we could move.

I had just slung my quiver over my shoulder and grabbed my bow when I heard a commotion. I turned my head to see the boy from One throwing a spear. I dodged it and shot an arrow, landing a death shot to his chest. He sunk to the ground dead, and his cannon went off. That's when I turned around to see the most horrific sight.

Danielle's eyes shown wide with pain, as she pulled the spear from her stomach. I didn't know much about the medical field, but I did know that this would be fatal if not treated. "Danielle!" I screamed as she fell to the ground, me catching her and breaking her fall.

I tried desperately to stop the bleeding, but Danielle weakly grabbed my hand. "Avi," she struggled to say, "it's no use."

"Don't say that!" I screamed. "You have to be ok!" Tears began to fill my eyes as I watched the color fade from Danielle's skin.

"Avi," Danielle wheezed, "only one person can make it out. We knew that from the beginning, and now that person's going to be you. You need to make it out and be there for Bri and Klarissa."

"No!" I screamed again, my voice straining through my sobs. "I can't lose you!"

"Shh," Danielle said, "I'll be right here until-" She started into a coughing fit, and I sat her up. It wasn't until then that I realized that she was coughing up blood. She grasped my hand and squeezed it in pain, before she said, "Just stay here with me." I didn't argue with her, I just laid my head down on her chest and sobbed, hearing her heartbeat become weaker and slower.

"I love you," Danielle said, now struggling to form words.

"I love you too," I replied, hardly able to make out the words through my tears.

"Make sure Mom, Klarissa, and Bri know that I love them too," Danielle said. Her eyes started to drift close.

"No Danielle!" I screamed and shook her, but it was no use. I didn't see her chest rise or fall. I placed my ear over her chest, and I heard nothing. Then her cannon sounded. Danielle was dead.

I heard the announcement that I was the victor, but I didn't care. I threw myself over Danielle's body and sobbed. I remember when the hovercraft came, and they stripped me away from her. They took me to the Capitol, where I was greeted by Peeta and Katniss. They expressed their sadness, as did Haymitch and Effie, but I had become numb. I hardly remember my interview with Caesar, and the crowning ceremony conducted by President Snow was a blur.

But I definitely remember coming home to Ms. Robin, Klarissa, and Bri. Of course, Bri being so young, she was just happy to see me. But though Ms. Robin and Klarissa were happy to see me, there was that sadness in their eyes. They had lost a daughter and a big sister. Those Games had broken them. But not only that, they had destroyed me. I wasn't the same person that had walked into that arena. I had changed; but not necessarily for the better. I was broken and defeated; the burning hatred I once had for President Snow had become glowing embers now, like the coal in my district. A spark may have happened in the districts, but as for me, I thought I was too broken to continue. But sometimes, it is through brokenness that the greatest movements begin.