In the morning, we look at our food supply. "Either one of us needs to die or we need more food," Oakley jokes. I volunteer to go gather some berries. "Okay, but you need to go with someone," Alabaster says. "Alabaster, I'm not a baby!" I object. "Even Rico would need someone to go with him! Mason and Ginger are out there and Liza was sliced apart by Mason's ax because she wasn't watching her back!" he counters. "Fine, why don't we all go, but we can split up and stay in earshot?" I suggest. "Fine," he says. "Fine!" I say. "You guys, stop, let's go," Blossom says.
We walk into the woods. I find a blackberry bush. "I'll pick these, you guys can set snares or whatever," I say. My alliance moves on without me. I begin picking all the juicy berries off the bush. I pop one in my mouth where the tart flavor explodes over my tongue. It's a pretty day. I wish I could be home enjoying it.
I hear a rustle behind me, ready for anything. A bunny hops into the clearing. It's cute and fluffy, but I shoot it with my dart gun. We need food. I take out the dart and reload my gun. Soon, I have a small pile of squirrels and bunnies. My bag is full of blackberries. I would head back to camp, but we're all going to meet here.
I picked a lot of blackberries, but the bush is still full of them. My hunger gets the best of me, so I continue picking, eating as I go. I hear another rustle. I think about killing the animal that's sure to be there, but I really have enough food already. I lazily turn around to move to another blackberry bush. When I look up, I see what made the rustle. It's not a bunny.
Dexter, the boy tribute from 2, stands swinging his sword, back and forth, back and forth. "So what have you been up to?" I ask, trying to delay the inevitable. "Oh you know, the usual. Did you know, I have not killed a single tribute yet," Dexter says, playing along with me.
I would shoot him now, but my dart gun is carelessly next to my pile of food. All I have is a knife.
"I hear you have a boyfriend back home," Dexter continues.
"You heard correctly," I respond.
"I guess he wouldn't like it if I, oh I don't know, violated you, maimed you, killed you..." he trails off, obviously savoring the effect.
"That might strike him as, oh I don't know, rude."
Dexter laughs at my mocking attempt.
"Oh, but what's a little thirteen year old doing with a boyfriend? And why is she in the Hunger Games?" he mocks me.
"She's in the Hunger Games to win. And to end the sorry little life of the pathetic little eighteen year old," I say.
"Of course, that might be hard without a weapon," he says, obviously noticing my inching towards my dart gun.
"It would be a shame for the big bad eighteen year old to die on the third day, wouldn't it?"
I realize how grave my situation is. The only possible way to survive is to call for help. "ALABASTER!" I screech, for possibly the last time in my young life. Oh so young! I'm only thirteen!
Dexter realizes what I've done. He swipes at me with his sword. My side is bleeding uncontrollably, but I'm still alive. Kill me now! I can't survive this! Take the pain away! "OAKLEY! ALABASTER! HELP!" Dexter stands above me, ready for the death blow. BANG! There's a cannon. But why? I'm not dead am I? No, I wouldn't still be in pain. Dexter's gone. Where is he?A hovercraft comes to take him away. He's dead? Do they think I'm dead? "Don't take me! I'm still alive!" I manage to say. But no, they're not taking me, they're taking Dexter. How did he die? Was it Ginger? No, Oakley's here. She's pulling my head into her lap. Oh how I've always wanted a big sister. "Where's Alabaster?" I whisper. "He's all right, don't worry," she soothes. "Don't let the careers win, okay?" I beg. "We won't," she says in that same soothing voice. "Don't worry." "I'll watch you," I promise, "I'll watch you win." "Shh," she says. She continues to murmur soothing phrases until I drift off. The last thing I see is her beautiful face.
PLEASE READ! This is NOT the last chapter. There's still one more and an epilogue. Hope you liked it and continue reading! (BTW, Mason killed Liza with an ax if you didn't see that in this chapter.) Love you all! -Theuglyduckling492
