Holá! Here I am with another chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews for the last one, so glad to know that people are enjoying this story
This is a pretty action packed chapter, and just to warn you it might get a little gory so consider yourselves warned ;)
I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.
Chapter 20
I wake up with sore and stiff limbs the next morning. During the night my head must have fallen from Rory's shoulder to his lap and now he is laying on his back in a somewhat uncomfortable position. Sage is still sleeping in the same spot as last night and looking around me I realize where we are and that we have yet to be rescued.
With great difficulty I sit up and try to stretch my arms and legs, getting the feeling back in my wrists and ankles. Rory wakes up a few moments later and I help him sit up beside me.
"Hey." He whispers, "How are you doing?" I shrug, "As good as can be expected. I'm a little numb though."
Rory stretches and nods, "Yeah, me too."
"I really hope that Rosa got away safely and that we'll be rescued soon." I say quietly.
"You and me both Prim." We sit side by side in silence for the next five minutes or so. Our prison tent is mostly dark so it could still be nighttime for all we know. Our questions are answered a few minutes later when the tent is unzipped and a little light streams in, making all of us squint our eyes to be able to see.
"Rise and Shine!" A deep voice says sarcastically. When he comes into the light I recognize him as the boy who caught me and brought me to the tent last night, Dayo I think. I give him my best glare but he just smirks and ducking his head, enters the tent and stands in front of us.
"Time to go." He says gruffly, reaching down to untie Rory's bonds first, then mine, then after shaking Sage, roughly unties her as well.
"Where are you taking us?" I ask, my voice quivering slightly.
"Just outside." He replies then keeps his mouth shut after that. I grab Sage's hand once we are close enough, then Dayo herds us three prisoners out into the bright sunlight, where Enobaria and the rest of her group stands, all grinning evilly. My resolve and bravery all melts away instantly when my eyes fall on the terrible weapons that they carry, armaments meant to torture innocent children like us.
"All yours." Dayo smirks again and gives us each a push towards the group where we stand staring at each other. I move closer to grab Rory's hand as well, wanting to be with him during our last moments of life.
"Now." One of the older women sneers. "Whom shall we begin with?"
"I'd like to start with the girls' two friends, just to let her suffer while we kill them." Enobaria replies, pointing at Rory and Sage who is near tears.
All color drains from my face and I feel as though I might faint. I squeeze Rory's hand almost to the point of pain but I don't want to let him go, not now, not ever. Enobaria signals to two of the big men on either side of her and they immediately come towards us.
"You don't have to obey her." Rory shouts bravely, standing as tall as a fourteen-year-old can. "Just let us go, we never meant any harm, please."
"Sorry kid." One of them says and looks genuinely sorry.
"Well, well, since you're so bold how about I start with you." Enobaria snickers and the other man grabs Rory by the arms, wrenching him from my grasp and dragging him to stand in front of Enobaria. I hold onto Sage's tiny hand like it's a lifeline and try to steady my breathing as Enobaria unsheathes the same dagger that she was going to end my life with. Only this time I've given up on being rescued although I still haven't accepted that these monsters will make me watch as they torture and kill my best friend. I can only hope that Hazelle is taking Vick and Posy out of the room right about now.
"…I began with your girlfriends pretty little face but never got to finish." I turn my attention back to Enobaria's voice. "Now, where should I start with you?" Rory shrugs and tries to act indifferent, but I can tell that he is as afraid as I am.
"Oh I know, how about your hand since you'll never be holding hers anymore." The woman sneers and grabs his wrist, lifting his hand up for inspection. "Yes, that's exactly what I am going to do." Rory's face goes deathly pale as Enobaria slices the knife across his palm drawing blood immediately. He winces but doesn't cry out, not wanting to give them that satisfaction.
Enobaria grins and after dragging the dagger diagonally over his palm she does the same vertically. I wince as she does this and hold my free hand over Sage's eyes so that she doesn't have to watch.
"Hurt yet?" Enobaria asks. In response Rory just shakes his head fiercely and locks eyes with me.
His lips are slowly moving like he is trying to communicate with me. It takes a second of intense concentration before I understand.
Run. Get away.
I shake my head, telling him that I will not just leave him to die, we're supposed to protect each other and I intend to do just that. Then I get an idea, so while the bad guys attention is on Rory I put my plan into action. What is surprising is that they don't have a guard beside us, just our luck.
I bend down and without trying to be too obvious I whisper in Sage's ear.
"Sage, listen closely. The others are distracted and I want you to run, go find the others and send help." I say as quietly as I can.
"But what about you?" She asks, her voice quivering.
"I'll be fine, but we need help, so I need you to go now." She nods understandably and after I give her a gentle push she sprints off into the woods so quietly that no one even looked up.
I glance at Rory now who is deathly pale. His right hand is spilling blood and isn't even recognizable with all the cuts on his palm and fingers.
"That's good for now." Enobaria smirks, enjoying the feeling of having even an innocent boy at her mercy for her to play with. Her capitol made fangs gleam in the morning sun making her look even more evil and scary. The group around her doesn't do anything to stop or help her with her work but just stand there watching, some are smiling and others are frowning.
"Now, the other hand." She drops Rory's blood covered hand and picks up his other one. Rory is shaking with fear now, no longer trying to hide that he is absolutely terrified, and it doesn't help that he looks as though he could faint at any time now from pain and loss of blood.
Enobaria makes a nice long slit down his left palm causing Rory to cry out, but this just makes her smile and do it again. Over and over she cuts his poor hand, making my tears fall in sympathy for him and anger for her. Then when she deems it sufficiently damaged she drops it, letting the hand hang limply at his side.
"Now for your face." Enobaria leers and after cleaning her dagger lifts it up, the warm sun glimmering off the metal blade. She is just about to slash his perfectly smooth cheek that I have kissed endless times, when I lose my resolve to do anything rash and scream at the top of my lungs.
"STOP! Please stop hurting him. Take me instead!" Enobaria looks at me but doesn't lower the knife.
"Don't worry dearie, your time will come soon enough. I'm not finished with your friend quite yet."
"Please." I plead, coming a little closer. I still have a small dagger in my boot that Caspian gave me for emergencies and I'm hoping, that if I can get close enough to the evil woman that I can run her through. I don't know if I'll be able to actually kill someone, but I'm hoping that I can when the time comes.
"You're just as bad as the capitol!" I yell at her. This gets her full attention and Rory's too. He is shaking his head slowly, warning me not to badmouth the capitol when they can hear every word I am saying and could end my life and second, but I don't stop.
"You think they are bad for hosting the games to kill innocent children every year when you actually enjoy it yourself! How can anyone no matter how evil, torture an innocent kid who has done nothing to deserve it?"
"But you aren't innocent dearie." She replies hoarsely. "Don't you remember where I got this from?" She points to her bandaged shoulder.
"I was trying to save myself, and I barely grazed you, it's not the same!" My voice is beginning to crack but I stay strong.
"Please, just leave us alone, or let Rory go but take me."
Enobaria seems to ponder this proposal for a minute before lowering her dagger.
"Fine, you can go, but if I see you again you'll be dead before you can scream." She relents angrily. I smile and rush over to Rory, supporting his form and ripping the end of my shirt to wrap his bloodied hands. We are just walking away and about to enter the woods when I hear that dreaded voice once again.
"Wait a minute! Where do you think you are going? Remember our deal? He goes. You stay." I gulp and slowly turn around.
"Okay." I squeak and letting go of Rory I shove him gently to the woods.
"No Prim." He whispers pleadingly.
"I have to." I reply sadly.
"Remember on the train before we came here how I told you that I wouldn't let you die for me?" He asks. I nod solemnly.
"Well I don't intend to break that promise just because I'm hurt."
"Please don't make this harder than it already is." I say quietly. "Just go."
"Fine, but I'm not going to let you die Prim. I promise."
"I love you Rory." I say, giving him a small smile.
"I love you too Prim." And with that he hobbles away into the woods. I stand there watching until he is completely gone and don't turn back until I hear her voice.
"Well wasn't that just touching." She spits.
"No, come here girl." With my head down I slowly approach her, finally accepting that I will die. The good thing is that I'll get to see Katniss again, and Peeta too. Maybe that's what Haymitch and all of them meant, that when I die I'd see them again. I tell myself that but still can't bring myself to actually believe it.
I am now standing in front of Enobaria, trying my best to glare at her but failing miserably.
"Now, I think I begin where I left off last time." She smiles, running a long pointed finger down the cut she left on my cheek. "Yes, that's exactly what I'll do." She muses to herself. "You can all leave us alone now." She commands her allies and they all immediately scurry away like frightened animals. "You're all mine." She sneers, making my blood turn cold. She has lifted her dagger once more and just as it descends onto my cheek I retrieve my own small dagger and plunge it into her abdomen. I get a small cut in the process but definitely not as bad as what I did to her.
Enobaria screams and stumbles back. She yanks the dagger out, throwing it onto the ground in front of me, then clutches her hands over her stomach, trying desperately to staunch the bleeding. No one comes to her aid, some allies, I think to myself.
Taking one last look at the woman I hurry away, stopping to pick up my pack along the way. I follow the drops of blood through the forest and soon find Rory lying facedown on the ground. I immediately drop to my knees and get some bandages and medicine out of the backpack. With what strength I have left I roll him over and begin to work on his hands. They are even worse up close but I swallow back my fear and slowly begin to stich up the mangled flesh, then once I'm finished I wrap both his hands up securely in bandages.
There is no way that I'd be able to carry him back to camp, so after pulling him off the trail into some bushes I lay his head on my lap and wait to be rescued.
I must have fallen asleep because I am suddenly jerked awake by the sound of many feet rushing past. I tentatively peek out of the bushes and to my surprise find that it is Caspian, Jules and Aster that are running by.
"Guys! Over here!" I call and they stop immediately.
"Oh goodness, we were so worried about you Prim!" Caspian says bending down to give me a hug. "Is he alright?" Jules inquires, gesturing to the pale, sleeping Rory.
"He'll be okay in time." I reply.
"We saw Enobaria, she's dead." Aster tells me.
"Oh good." I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Let's get you two back to camp now, I'm sure you've had enough excitement for one morning." Caspian says, picking up my pack while Aster lifts Rory into his arms and off of my lap.
"Oh good, I'm starved." I reply and the three of them chuckle quietly.
Jules helps me up then our small group makes its way back to camp, and of course food.
So, what did you think? It sure was a fun chapter to write, sorry it was kinda short though...
Well I won't be updating until probably next week, Friday is my Birthday so I'll be busy In your review you can guess my age! (unless you already saw it in my profile) lol.
Thanks again for reading and please review!
Until next time!
~FirePearl