Peter
Big gray clouds flow with the soft breeze and the dark-gray sky is waiting for the right moment to explode with thunder.
Katherine stirs in my arms and her hands tug harder on my shirt. Gently, I touch the end of her hair and, like a sense of regression, I travel to a memory where I do the same. Only, it was longer and as soft as silk. There is still the feeling of softness, but it is shorter, so much shorter. Her hand is trembling when I place mine over hers. Last night, her whole body was trembling against mine as a nightmare consumed her mind. Her eyes were wide and full of terror, when I woke her up, and I felt helpless. I had never seen her that way and I didn't know her nightmares were that strong. Well, she never said a word about having nightmares...
I am guessing this new place also gives her nightmares. Siluam is a place of horror and death. There is nothing beautiful and ethereal about it. We really need to leave this kingdom behind us. The sooner we leave, the better.
I shake Katherine's shoulder, softly, and she mumbles something incoherent. I try it again, but she swipes my hand away and buries her face in my chest.
"You know, I am not a pillow."
She grumps, sleepily. In a heartbeat, she is out of my arms and on her knees, staring at me like I'm fire. Her lips are parted as she exhales embarassement. This is the third time she has slept nestled against me. There is no need for embarassement or awkwardness. She falls back to reality and looks away.
"How did you sleep?" She asks, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
"Well." I smile at the faint flush on her cheeks. I sit up and she moves away, keeping a safe distance between us.
"We should... should... go." She stammers and stands up, avoiding my eyes. "There is still a long way until we leave Siluam."
I stare at her for two minutes, watching her awkward movements as she packs up her belongings. Her shirt and pants are rumpled and there is a certain tremble in her hands. Her neck and shoulders also look stiff. She is trying too hard not to look at me. I clear my throat and she glances at me, hesitantly. Her eyes are expressionless and her lips are two straight lines.
"I thought, perhaps, we could go back and take another path." I suggest, standing up as well. "We don't know what will happen if we keep moving forward. These woods feel too unfamiliar and dangerous."
"We aren't going back. Not after what happened back at the river..." The meaning of her words hang in the air and I have to agree with her. I don't want to live that moment, again.
"Maybe we could follow the river south. We would always stay on the limits of the kingdom and not get attacked by unknown creatures."
"Peter, we have made this far." She resumes her task. "We will be careful to avoid any conflict."
"You aren't sure of that."
"I'm never sure of what awaits me at the end or in the middle of my path." There's a darkness in her voice and so, I don't press any further.
I dress my leather vest and it's impossible not to shiver with the coldness of the fabric. I fold the blanket, while Katherine erases any traces of the fire. In two minutes, we are ready to leave. My body is still a bit weary from yesterday, but I have to keep up and not give up. Whilst I'm doing this for Katherine and the greater good of Panem, I'm also doing this for me. If I give up, Katherine won't be able to go on with me. At least that's what I think she would do...
The gray morning light reveals the true nature of Siluam. The trees' trunks are too dark and scratchy and the trees are too close to each other and too lean, it feels too claustrophobic. The only good aspect is the even terrain, even though, sometimes a lump appears to disturb our path. I try to find the sun behind the full clouds, to have an ideia of the hour.
"How are you feeling?" I glance down at Katherine as she breaks my train of thought.
She may have questioned me, but her eyes are focused on the horizon. The embarassed girl from before no longer exist. She is just trying to show some emotion and caring for my condition.
"Just a little tired." She acknowledges my answer, silently. Now that I think about it, an aspect from the yesterday gnaws my mind. "I have to ask you something."
"Okay." I hear the dread in her voice.
"You rescued me. Why?" She halts and debates the question. I tilt my head to see her expression, but she glances up and looks at me, emotionlessly.
"Because..." She swallows, heavily. I ruined what stability existed between us. "Because it was the right thing to do."
"That isn't reason enough. You could have let me drown."
"But I didn't. You should be thankful I rescued you, Peter." She suddenly becomes angry. "Isn't that reason enough?"
"You think you are paying a debt? What we had was just a big debt and now you have paid it, by rescuing me?" Where is the awkward girl from this morning?
"My life is made of debts. And so I guess me rescuing you is considered a debt." She storms out, leaving me with an empty answer.
...
Katherine
Why did he have to ask that question? It could be anything. Maybe I would even express my feelings about him entering my life again. However, he had to push the subject foward and demand an answer. He is ruining the little peace that exists between us by forcing me to answer questions I'm not ready to answer... I couldn't have said I cared for him. How could I, when we aren't friends?
I knew this was a bad idea. He is taking advantage of my kindness. He is using me and when I'm no good, he will crush my heart and leave me alone. Again... It is always the same. I will always be alone, because it is my fate. I don't know if I am doing a favour to the people of Panem by killing the queen. When she is dead and buried, I will not be the one to take the throne. I don't even want it. I am a weak and defenseless girl, a coward. Perhaps... perhaps, I should have died the day the guards came for me.
Peter doesn't say anything when he catches up to me. I focus on the enviroment around us, smelling a strange scent in the air. On my three years hiding and running away, this was the only kingdom I never entered. There was nothing safe about it and the differences only prove that. As we walk deeper into the woods, the trees get closer and closer, cutting the space and I have to inch closer to Peter. The ground grows more lumps and we have to be careful not to step on hidden holes, because the ground is covered with black, dead leaves.
My right foot steps on something soft and when I press it, the earth opens and I fall into the damp ground. My bow falls out of my reach and my satchel digs into my stomach.
"Are you okay?" Peter crouches beside me, helping me sit up.
I place my foot down and I wince at the pressure.
"Does it hurt?" His hands touch my ankle and, slowly, he removes my boot. I stop his hands from moving further. "What?"
"It's alright. It doesn't hurt that much." I say, hoping he will give up.
"You aren't going back to being stubborn, are you?" He gives me an angry look.
"I'm telling you it is alright."
"Tell me where it hurts." He insists, holding my ankle too strongly.
"It doesn't hurt anywhere." I snap, irritated with his own stubborness.
"Katherine," He says, his voice controlled but I catch the angry tone. "There isn't anything wrong with letting others help you. You can't keep pushing people away. You can't keep pushing me away!"
His blue eyes glow so electrifingly, they are like lightning. It is impossible to look away and I am pulled into the warmth and safety they provide. I sigh, giving in to his request.
"My foot pad."
He takes my boot off and then his warm hands are touching my cold naked foot. I am aware my foot looks disgusting, painted with purple bruises and dry blood on the bigger toe. I had a pair of socks, but they teared apart and I didn't have enough coins to buy another pair. Peter presses on my foot pad and I almost shout in pain at the sudden pressure. He presses harder and cold sweat slides down my back.
"It isn't twisted, only sore." Carefully, he puts on my boot.
"Thank you." I whisper to myself and try to stand up.
I wince when I apply weight on my foot. I have had worse pains and I didn't cry out while I cleaned them. Peter grabs my arm, holding me up.
"Are you able to walk?"
"Of course." I assure him, but I can't help to grimace at the pain.
"You aren't the best liar." He smiles, mockingly, breaking the tension between us.
A bright flash across the sky, followed by a loud boom startle us both. This day was in need of more gray.
"We better keep moving." I suggest, dropping my arm from Peter's hand.
I limp, trying not to rest my foot on the uneven ground. I notice Peter's hand ready to catch me if I stumble or fall. I pick up my bow and we resume our walk. I think about Peter's words to ignore the pain. Trusting people has always been an issue, because to open my arms and welcome them into my life is a death sentence. There is always a second intention behind their kindness and so, I can't trust them so easily. No one is trustworthy.
The world is dark and rages with thousands of wars. People fight for the greater cause, but in the end, it is always the same. Blood is spilled and death is tasted. There are no innocents in wars. They are all to blame for chosing to grab a sword, a shield and advance to the battlefield.
A small drizzle is falling. My collarbone is damp from the tiny raindrops and I feel them on the top of my head, too.
"Should we take shelter?" Peter breaks the silence.
I glance at him. There is a short distance between our faces, because of the closeness of the trees. Raindrops are glued to his hair like morning dew on leaves. His face is expressionless, but I can still see the anger in his eyes. I look away.
"Let's keep walking." I say. "It will stop, eventually."
"I doubt that."
I'm ready to answer back when a loud growl erupts from within the woods. I load my bow and raise it, the arrow set to fly if something appears. From the corner of my eyes, I see Peter unsheathing his sword.
"What was that?" He whispers, loudly.
"We are in Siluam. You never know." I focus my eyes on the horizon, searching for any potential threat.
We thread slowly with our weapons raised. The growl grows louder as if it is nearing us.
"Perhaps, we should take coverage." Peter suggests.
Our only option is to hide behind a tree, but their trunks aren't big enough to hide Peter and I from the beast coming towards us. Even so, it is useless, because if there is a growl, the beast must have caught our scents. The ground beneath our feet shakes with the weight of the beast. It must be humongous to shake the earth like that.
...
Peter
A shiver crawls down my back as the earth shakes.
"It is useless." Katherine says, aiming an arrow at the horizon.
"Wait." I stop her before she releases the arrow.
My stomach is overtaken by the will to vomit. The air is full of horrible and putrid scents, like thousand of animals were butchered out in the open. A grutural shout sounds behind us and when we turn around, I'm thrown to the ground with the impact. A few meters away is a towering creature, its eyes set on us.
An ogre.
Possibly three meters in height, the ogre has a repugnant appearance. Its complexion is a mixture of dark beige and grey with an infinite amount of scares and freshly healed wounds cover its large and broad body. A long chin supports a mouth full of brown pointy teeth that hisses at us and, in its hands is a tree trunk still with its roots full of dirt and leaves. Its eyes are the only human aspect. Two ligth green eyes stare at us, angrily and hungrily.
"Should we run or attack, Katherine?" I tighten my hold on my sword, ready to strike at any moment.
The ogre is getting closer by the minute. Katherine is quiet, her eyes focused on the creature.
"Run or attack?" I ask again.
She stays quiet. I glance at her and notice the glassy look in her eyes.
"Katherine." I call, placing a hand on her shoulder. Her whole body is rigid. "Katherine!"
I make her look at me, but her eyes are unfocused. She is somewhere in her head, reliving a moment of horror and pain. The sound of the ogre's feet is upon us and I, swiftly, step in front of her and swing my sword as the ogre tries to squach me like an ant. My sword catches flesh and the ogre's horrifying shout fills the air. It's like thunder. I pull Katherine down, trying to dodge the swing that follows. The ogre roars in frustation and raises the tree trunk over his head like a battle cry.
"Please, come back." I whisper to Katherine, hoping she will listen my voice inside her head.
I don't expect the ogre's next move and Katherine and I are thrown across the air. I collide with a hard and sturdy trunk and Katherine falls from my arms to the muddy ground. The drizzle has changed to a heavy downpour and the raindrops cling to my face, hair and clothes. I try to regain my breathe, but my ribcage digs too deep into my lungs and I can't exhale or inhale, properly. I cough, hoping it will help and stand up with difficulty. I raise my sword again, yet my muscles are too weak. The ogre takes a hold of my leg and I am turned upside down as he gaps at me with that mouth of his, full of unfinished food and drool. I lash my sword down and only cut him superficially on his chest.
Suddenly, his mouth shapes into a big O and the silence fills with his scream of agony. I glimpse an arrow stuck in his neck, a trickle of blood running down his dirty skin. The ogre drops me and my head hits the ground hard, the impact blurring my vision. I can only hear the ogre's growls and his battle cries as he tries to defend himself against the arrows. I sit up and my head lulls to the side, trobbing with an endless headache. I wait for the pain to subside. Thrusting my sword into the muddy earth, I slowly stand up and glance around me. My vision is blurry and unfocused, but I can see a small figure battling with the ogre.
On woobly legs, I stumble forward, the sword weighting a ton in my hands.
"Creature!"
I glimpse his eyes as they turn to look at me. He ignores Katherine and she takes a chance to fire another arrow. A black line flies until it jabs into his arm. The ogre breaks the fragile arrow and, furiously, hurls Katherine against the ground. I charge, forgetting the pain in my body and my limit vision, and without waiting for his reaction, I injure him on his side, near his stomach. His skin is too thick, but I'm able to cut to the muscle. He howls like an irate animal as the blood gushs from the wound in thin dark red trickles. The tree trunk appears out of nowhere and almost knocks me, but I drop immediately to the ground. I see the confusion in his human-like eyes at my sudden movement.
In a desperate final blow, I strike for his stomach as I stand up as close as possible to the ogre. My sword is stuck and I can't pull it out, because of the thick muscles. I'm grabbed by my legs again, nonetheless, this time, I take the ogre my surprise and when I'm at his eye-level, I thrust a dagger into his right eyes. I strike for the other one swiftly and then the ogre lets go of me. Blood falls down his cheeks and his hands cover the damage on his eyes.
My hands are covered in blood, the water mixing with it like two imperfect lovers. The ogre falls to the ground and his shouts of torment fill the silence and my bones. Asking for forgiveness from a force up in the sky, I attempt to remove the sword from the ogre's stomach again, igniting louder shouts, and cut his throat open in one swift move. A constant flow of blood leaves the open wound and the shouts turn into coughs. The blood fills his mouth and his yellow teeth acquire a red hue.
He is still moving, twitching in pain. A shrill scream leaves his mouth, but it suddenly turns into a cough fit. I step back when he tries to stand up and I hope he gives up the fight and dies, calmly. However, he still wants to finish me. I watch him stand up and failing miserably. Ignoring the voice in my mind telling me I should let him die naturally, I thrust my sword right into his heart. The sword is once again stuck, but I dig it deeper to end the ogre's life, once and for all. His body trembles one time and then it's over.
I fall to the ground, breathing heavily and let the strong rain soothe my hot and bloody skin. The sky is darker and the clouds are too bright. My clothes are pasted to my cool body and my cloak is wet and stained with mud. I sigh and stand up, searching for Katherine. She is still unmoving three meters away from the ogre's dead body. I stagger towards her and kneel beside her, pulling her to me and leaning her against my chest. I push her wet dirty hair away from her face, softly, and find a long cut on her brow.
"I am impressed."
A female voice breaks the silence. I glance up, unsheathing my sword. A cloaked figure stands one meter away from us. I can't see her eyes, but in her hand is a large rusty axe.
"Show me your face." I demand.
"I was wandering the woods when I heard battle cries." She says, ignoring my request.
"Show me your face." I lie Katherine on the ground and stand up with my sword raised at the woman.
"Easy." Her hold tightens on the axe.
"Now! Show me your face!"
"Alright." She sighs and pushes the hood away from her face. She has short hair and brown eyes that stare at me, cautiously.
"Who are you?"
"I'll ask you to lower your sword or there will be no answers."
"Tell me!" I have had enough of games for today.
"Why don't you come with me and we will talk better in a warmer place?" She suggests.
Warmer? Where will she find a warm place in Siluam? I'm apprehensive, but any help is welcomed. Katherine, besides the cut on her brow, has a small wound on her cheek.
"Alright." I accept her suggestion and sheathe my sword. I gather Katherine's scattered belongings and pick her up, craddling her against my chest. "Lead the way."
The woman places the hood over her head and leads me deeper into the woods.
I will admit I am not the best at describing fights, yet I try to make them feel realistic. Enjoy this chapter and don't forget to follow, favourite and review :)