A/N: Hey readers, I've got a nice new chapter for you today! So we are still in the first day of the Arena, so I hope you enjoy this. Chason may surprise you in this chapter!
Chapter 11 – The New Normal
Chason assumes the role as leader in the alliance and begins to bark orders left, right and centre. He has decided the best place to set up camp is in the large ruined city just over the river. Cy, Sagittaria, Rylance and I are left lugging the supplies one after another whilst Saxon and Chason cover us just in case of an attack. But the coast is clear. The other tributes must be regaining composure before they come after any one.
"Chason, you're big and strong why don't you haul this stuff and Sagittaria and I will cover." I pant, setting down a large sack on apples. He lets out a snort of laughter, grinning at Saxon who grins back. I roll my eyes. "Lazy…" I murmur under my breath, sitting on the sack of apples defiantly.
"Fine, sit there and get yourself killed." Chason says sneering, Sagittaria sets down the backpacks she's been carrying and turns towards Chason and Saxon.
"Emery has a point, she and I can kill someone from a distance, and you just have a sword." She points out, raising her eyebrow at them.
"Fine." Chason sighs reluctantly, beginning to push a barrel of water through the streets. There are no street lamps to light the area when darkness falls, there are long roads leading off one another, casting long shadows as the sun begins to set on the horizon. "We'll head for the tallest building, we'll be able to see anything coming and be prepared." Chason continues, I turn to look in the direction he is and see a tall building set in the middle of the city. Our feet crunch on the soft untouched snow, we can tell that no tributes have come this way, but there could be mutts lurking in the shadows so we stay alert.
"Do you think that is the safest option?" Cy asks, it's the first time I've heard him speak, Sagittaria usually does most of the talking. I assess that Cy doesn't look cut out for life in the arena, he is small and does looking threatening, but looks can be deceiving, I remind myself remembering Toni from the academy. Anyone who isn't cut out for the arena will all have to get use to it, because this has become our new normal, on guard for other tributes and mutts. So far all has been quiet and I can only assume the game makers will have another event planned before the day is over, I assume this because the deaths were minimal today. Does that make us the worst tributes thus far? Or perhaps it's because the Districts have chosen the best they have that so little were killed today. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the concrete path.
"Of course it's the safest option." Chason retorts, I can't tell if he's annoyed at Cy's question of authority, but I know I'm seriously questioning it. We reach the building and Saxon tries pushing the door but it doesn't budge.
"It's locked." He hisses. I roll my eyes, is it necessary to state the obvious? I think, narrowing my eyes on Saxon. My assessment of Saxon is he is a follower, or sidekick.
"No kidding!" I say irritably.
"Smash the glass!" Sagittaria says fiercely, picking up a rock and aiming to throw it at the glass door, but Chason grabs roughly hold of her arm.
"Ouch!" she yells pulling it from his grasp and glaring at him.
"Are you trying to announce to every tribute in range that we're here?" Chason hisses, I can't help but feel surprised by Chason's words. Has throwing him into the arena made him more intelligent? "I'm sure there will be another way in." He suggests, setting down an overfilled backpack.
"We don't have time, besides the other tributes will know where we are. Our footprints in the snow give us away." Rylance says quietly. "We also don't know what mutts will come out and it's almost dark." She points out. Chason seems to seriously contemplate this. To answer, he picks up a large rock and lobs it into the glass door. The sound of shattering glass fills the street and we duck inside as quickly as possible.
"Everyone stay in formation, we don't know what could be hiding in the shadows." I hiss, and without speaking we form a tight circle, our backs to one another. "So here's the plan, Sagittaria, Saxon and I will scout ahead and clear a safe path through the building, Chason, Rylance and Cy, you'll keep guard until we give the all clear." I announce.
"What is the all clear sign?" Rylance asks. I bite my lip and think for a moment, but nothing comes to mind. "Well…never mind, we'll have to come back down anyway to help with the supplies." I say.
We head towards the staircase, Sagittaria leads the way with her arrow poised and I cover from behind, a throwing axe ready if needed. We are about half way up the flight of steps when Sagittaria stops holding up her arm. Just ahead of us there are a few steps missing, the drop if unnoticed would be deadly. I peer over the side, Sagittaria turns to me and frowns.
"Listen…" she whispers, we all pause. Just up ahead we can hear shuffling.
"Tribute?" I ask in a low voice, she shakes her head in response. Saxon frowns raising his sword. My heart is racing, I run and jump over the gap and land hard on my heals, Saxon and Sagittaria follow after me and we me make our way to the top of the steps and that's when we see them, a mass of large rats the size of small dogs, their eyes are bright red and their fur is matted black. "I think there's a pest infestation." I hiss. I wish I hadn't spoken, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Throngs of rats begin making their way towards us fangs bared. Sagittaria shoots arrow after arrow, Saxon swings his sword any which way and I throw as many knives as I can, but the hoard is almost overwhelming.
"I think we'll need a flamethrower!" Sagittaria calls, she is out of arrows and has pulled a small trident from her belt of which she skewers a rat, it squeals and she lobes it hard against the wall. We retreat back down the staircase and readjust.
"This isn't working!"I huff.
"Well we've got swords and a trident left." Saxon pants. "Just don't let them bite you. It could be fatal!" I pull my sword from my belt and without words we charge back towards the oncoming army. It takes a while to clear the staircases completely.
I slump down the side of the staircase exhausted and pull a bottle of water from my backpack and take a long well deserved swig, letting out a sigh of relief. I pull myself back up off the cold floor and turn to Saxon and Sagittaria who are sat up against a wall cleaning their weapons.
"We'll check the rooms, then the roof of the building. We need to make sure it's safe before we set up camp." I declare, getting to my feet. I step into a large, dark room my axe raised, thankfully the room is clear and I head back to the staircase.
I feel a sense of relief as we step out onto the rooftop and into the cool evening air. The fighting has made me hot and sweaty, so I pick up a heap of snow and wipe it over my face. I look up to see Sagittaria peering over the edge of the building and down towards the ground.
"Chason was right, this is the best place to set up camp, and we'll be able to see everything during the day in all directions if it's not foggy." Sagittaria admits. We stand admiring the view for awhile, watching the sun slowly descending.
"We best get back to the others before it gets too dark to see anything." I say and we make our way back down the stairs, retrieving our arrows, axes and knives. When we finally reach the ground floor we are greeted by raised swords.
"Whoa, steady. It's only us." Sagittaria says smirking.
"What took you so long?" Cy asks lowering his sword. I notice in his other hand he holds a shield, probably the only one in the arena.
"We were attacked by over sized vermin." Sagittaria replies heatedly, spitting saliva on the ground. "But it's safe up there. So we best get going." She continues. The light from the setting sun has completely disappeared and we rely on the light from the moon shining through the windows to guide us up the staircase.
"There's a large gap here." Sagittaria points out, you can't see it very well in the dark, Rylance, Saxon, Chason, Sagittaria and I clear the gap easily, but Cy hesitates before he jumps and misses, grabs the side of the metal staircase hanging on for dear life. Sagittaria and I rush forward pulling him up from the edge.
"Thanks." He pants, he looks shaken but we carry on up to the rooftop.
"Why don't we stay indoors?" Saxon asks frowning, with the sun gone the roof is much colder and an icy breeze has begun to blow.
"We could get cornered in a room, up here it's more spaced out, we'd have a better chance to defend ourselves." I reply. We set up the tent and I opt for the first watch along with Sagittaria, we stand at the top of the staircase listening. Rylance heads into a room with Saxon. Probably to discuss tactics, I think turning back towards the stairs.
"So tell me Emery, was it all you've expected it to be?" Sagittaria asks, she doesn't look at me. I think for a moment, has it been?
"No…" I reply simply. An ear splitting scream comes from the room opposite the staircase, and there is a sudden boom of the cannon. I rush towards the door, yanking it open. My eyes grow wide as I see a massive, hairy spider the size of a large car in the corner of the room. Saxon cowers in a corner his hands covering his face, Rylance screams repeatedly. I throw a small axe at one of its large beady black eyes and it retreats slightly. Sagittaria appears and curses loudly. Chason and Cy must have heard the screams because they join us. Chason steps forward swinging his sword, he dodges its legs swinging at them. Sagittaria shoots arrows at its eyes. I rush forward, hacking at one of its hairy legs.
"Watch out!" Chason calls, he plunges the sword into in underbelly repeatedly. The monster seems to shriek in pain, we retreat back, catching our breath. It collapses to the floor its legs twitching haphazardly. I clamber on top of it and plunge my axe into its head, the twitching subsides and I scramble down from the beast, shaking.
Rylance lies, clutching her arm. Her breathing slow and shallow, I bend over her, sweeping her long blonde hair from her face. I take hold of her arm assessing the damage, there's no telling whether the bite is poisonous or not, but as the mutt belongs to the Capitol, I can only assume the worst.
"Suck the venom out!" Sagittaria orders and I turn to her frowning. Why does she want me to do it? Most probably hoping that I swallow some myself?
"That won't be any use." I tell her in a matter of fact tone. "It would need to be done immediately after she was bitten." I try to remember all the training we were ever taught when Chason interrupts.
"You need to keep the venom localized, that way it can't spread as fast. Rylance, you'll have to remove your belt." He says calmly, kneeling beside her. I frown; this was the last thing I would have expected to see from Chason, helping another tribute who could just as easily turn on him in a matter of days. It isn't because I didn't think it was in his nature, I'm just quite positive that this would not have been part of Taisiya's game plan. I'll bet she's ripping her hair out right at this very minute! He fastens the belt tightly just above her elbow. "Is that too tight?" He asks Rylance softly but she shakes her head and Chason smiles reassuringly. I know as well as him that she is only going to get worse as time progresses. If she's going to live her sponsors will need to act in a matter of hours.
We head back towards the roof, where our camp sits just as we left it, in exception for a small silver parachute that sits in the middle of the camp. We already all know who the parachute is for, Cy rushes forward to retrieve it.
"It's anti-venom." Cy announces, bringing it to Rylance who is already deteriorating rapidly. She is pale white, her skin cold and clammy and she trembles uncontrollably. From the parachute Saxon pulls a syringe and a few small phials which contain a clear blue liquid.
"I'm guessing you have to inject it." Sagittaria says frowning. "I've never really liked needles." She continues with a quiver. Saxon injects the anti-venom into one of Rylance's already protruding veins. The anthem begins to play, and the boy from District 3's face appears in the sky, then boy I killed from District 5, the girl from District 6 who must have died at the hands of another tribute earlier today, the two tributes from District 10 appear and finally the girl from District 12, who was blown to pieces before the games had even begun. The anthem ends and the sky returns to a dark inky black.
A/N: So what did you think? I hope you liked the chapter, who are you hoping is the first career to die in this story?