Disclaimer: If I owned the Hunger Games I would write a fourth book.
A/N: Hey guys. I got enough time to update sooner...so here you are guys. But before that I would like to say that I get the feeling that you don't like the way the story is going. I barely get any reviews and I feel like my story isn't good enough. Please review. And enjoy!
Chapter 21.) Mutt!
"I love you too Keeth." I whisper in a barely audible volume. I don't want the Capitol audience to be in this moment meant for only Keeth and me. It is our moment. With no second of delay he pulls me into a tight hug as he wraps his arms around my waist and buries his face on my shoulder. I place my arms on the back of his neck and just cherish this moment.
"I don't know what I'd do without you." Keeth whispers in my hair.
"Me neither." I say. We realise that the group has walked on without us so reluctantly we let go and run to catch up to them. After an hour of walking we decide to set up a camp since it is getting dark and there are many trees here that haven't been knocked over by the tornado. We sit on the ground in a circle, weapons in reach and begin our meal. Keeth and Angus managed to collect a feast for us before they walked over the bridge, and even though it is cold, food is food and this is something we need a lot. We decide that tomorrow we wil find the cave my parents were in during their Games as we need the shelter.
We are about to sleep, when the anthem begins to play. In the sky today is the District 4 girl and the District 6 girl. At the sight of her in the sky, Keeth looks down in shame. I don't even need to ask him what's wrong because I know he probably killed her. I do not recall hearing another canon but it might've sounded during the tornado. I give them the district 12 salute. Just because I didn't know them doesn't mean they don't deserve some respect. Right now there are only 9 of us. But only 4 of us that aren't part of this alliance. The time to split up is coming soon. I cannot believe that in 3 days 15 people have died. Innocent children who haven't even seen the world yet, getting stuck in a place full of death. In a sombre silence we decide to sleep. I volunteer to keep watch, knowing that trying to sleep will only bring nightmares and I am not strong enough to face them yet. Angus volunteers to keep watch along with me and although Keeth wanted to keep watch with me I refused saying he needs some sleep. Angus and I sit side by side using the tree trunk as a back rest.
"Mink was so sweet." Angus says in the silence. "I barely knew her, but she brought a smile to my face. She had that laugh. That smile that would make my mood better. Every time."
"Do you know what happened?" I ask.
"She told me after we were reaped." He says. "Do you know how she died?" He asks me. I shrug. "Neither do I."
There is a silence between us again.
"Keeth really loves you." Angus says. I turn to look at him. "He would always talk about you. Everything about you." I just smile in response. There isn't much I could say to reply anyway.
"Is there anyone waiting for you back home?" I ask, trying to change the topic.
"My parents. I have a younger sister and an older brother. I am really protective about my sister. There was once a time when she said she liked a guy and I ended up beating him up. After a day I realised that I was stupid, but I cannot bear the thought of sharing my sister with anyone." I watch him smile at the memory. This is the real Angus. The happy, smiling Angus. "You?" He asks.
"Well. My mum and dad. I miss baking with my Dad and well spending time with Mum. They are both really protective over both me and my brother. And what do I say about Rye. He is like the mixture of innocence and mischief. He is truly a handful. But he is my life. I cannot do anything without him." I say and I catch myself smiling. Talking about family really brings a smile to your face. It brings a strange warmth inside talking about family. Just the memory of them. I hope I will see them again. Everyone.
"Durian. What happened to him?" Angus asks me. At the sound of his name I look down at my hands. I cannot face him.
"We went to hunt for food that day and then when we were walking back I was in the lead and Durian was at the back. After sometime we didn't hear Durian respond and when we turned he wasn't there. Instantly, we turned to look for him and we found him behind a bush, w-with c-c-cuts all o-o-over his b-b-body. There w-was a boy over him. I killed him. I was just really angry. I didn't want to. Durian was suffering. He was dying and he asked us to put him out of his misery. I did it. I stopped his heart beating. It was my arrow that caused him to d-d-die." I say and I bury my face in my hands. I feel Angus' arm over my shoulder as he rubs it consolingly.
"It's not your fault Ash. Don't blame yourself for it." He consoles.
"I wish I could convince myself the same." We sit in silence again, only accompanied by the night sounds of crickets and scurrying animals. All of a sudden I hear a large thump on my right-hand side. I grab my bow, load it with an arrow and aim but when I see the face I lower my weapon.
"Couldn't sleep." Keeth states.
"Nightmares?" I ask and he simply nods.
"One of you can go to sleep. I'll keep watch." Keeth says and I volunteer to stay. Angus understands and without questioning he gets up and after a lot of struggling manages to climb the tree. I stare into the darkness and lean my head onto Keeth's shoulder. It seems like his shoulder has been designed for my head, it just seems so perfect.
"You know. There was always this one day at the orphanage I would wait for. You know what it was?" He asks. I shake my head. "Party day. The day we would get presents. The day we would get treats and games. But that's not why I would look forward to it."
"Then what was it?" I ask, curiously.
"You. Every month you hop along to the orphanage with the big smile on your face and enthusiasm on your back. You were so lively that it would make us forget our sorrows. In your hand would be the bouquet of white and purple lilies that I used to love. You would place those lilies in the vase and every day I would water them, trying to extend their life. Why? Because they reminded me of you." He says and his words just caused my insides to melt. I need him. I need Keeth.
I lift my head from his shoulder and begin to lean in. I feel Keeth's hand cupping my cheek as he brings my head forward. We are so close I can feel his hot breath tickling my face. I just wait. Wait for our lips to become one. To join. And they do. I part my lips slightly and Keeth puts his bottom lip in between. I begin to kiss him like there is no tomorrow. That this is my last kiss with Keeth. I strange fire urges in me. The fire to have him. To have Keeth with me. I am the one to pull back. But I just look into Keeth's eyes. I just gaze into them. Right now. There is love. Love for me.
I look away though. It felt like it was too soon but the Capitol's watching and as much as I know that this is going to be eaten up by them and it could work in our favour, but I don't want them in between something that is just ours. My parents. Mum and Dad probably don't want to see me kissing a guy in front of the whole country. Even though they have done it in their Games, I know they wouldn't appreciate their daughter doing them same. Especially Dad because he has always been slightly overprotective of me.
There is silence between the two of us. I simply stare at the ground, impassively, until Keeth speaks. "Do you know about Meadow and Mink? About them being twins?"
"Yeah. Durian told me. Angus told you?" I ask. He nods. "Can you believe this? That two inseparable sister were torn apart. That two loved ones cannot even stay together. There's no sympathy. No emotions. This is cruel Keeth."
"This is where we live Ashlyn." Keeth states the obvious.
"Why? Why can't we change that? Why should we live in a despicable world where we are simply flies, and are just dusted off? We have the power. We have the strength. The only things we don't have is courage and hope. But we can do it, Keeth. We can make a world of our own. An honest world. A better world. All we need to do it become united." I say in one breath…without thinking. What did I just do? I just provoked the Capitol. And the Gamemakers. And Aquilo. I am so stupid. I not only put my life in danger, I put my entire alliance's life at stake. Keeth has a shocked and worried expression. He is thinking about the same thing. Before we can say anything, something distracts me. A noise. An awfully familiar noise. A screech. In close proximity. I shake Keeth's arm.
"Keeth? Do you hear that?" I ask.
"No. There's nothing." Is it in my mind?
"The screeching." We stay silent for some time and this time the noise is evident. "Wake the rest of them up." I whisper. I pick up my bow and load it with an arrow and take my stance. I hear faint noises from the tree of about 3 pairs of legs. They all join me with their weapons. Angus and Mason draw their swords, Meadow her slingshot and Keeth his axe. We stand in a sort of semi-circle around the tree from where the sound is sourcing from, allowing us to get a view of everyone in our alliance. Angus, Mason and Meadow look confused but as soon as I mouth the word "mutt" they understand and stand firmly in place. The screeching starts again, unexpectedly, which makes me jump slightly. From behind the tree appears razor- sharp talons protruding from its hair paw. The next thing that appears is its hooked-beak and squinted but focused red eyes. It walks elegantly towards us, with its hairy body and bushy tail follow behind him, but none of us move so we do not provoke the mutt. Another encounter. Out from the other side of the tree, another hooked beak, another pair of eyes and another bushy tail appears. And another. And another. And another. With a grand total of 5. A mutt per person. They stand in front of us, impassive. They are not provoked. Maybe they won't do anything. But I am a fool if I think so. The first one screeches loudly, followed by the others. This is how they communicate. In the next moment one creature leaps and captures Angus on the ground. Angus wriggles out the creature's clutches, spins and kicks the mutt's beak before plunging its sword into its heart. If it has a heart. I am so astounded by the sight I don't realise that the mutt has pounced on Mason and Keeth. Without thinking I draw the bow and release, killing both the mutts. Keeth and Angus roll the dead creature off of themselves and regain themselves. A few more mutts appear for us to tackle. Simultaneously, they jump, taking down all the boys. I draw my bow and am about to release when I hear a scream.
"Ash! Help!" I hear. Meadow. Behind me a mutt has overpowered the little girl and has scratched her skin off. I run up to her, aim my arrows and fire. I shoot a couple before its life ends. I get the mutt of Meadow with a lot of difficulty and offer my hand for support to get up. Painfully, she reaches for my hand but it doesn't reach.
I feel a force against my body as it is pushed down to the ground. My back and head hit the solid ground at great speed and force. I feel my bow and arrows fly away from my hand. I open my eyes and see bloody jaws in the hooked beak of the mutt. Its breath reeks and caused me to turn my head away. It growls fiercely and then lets out an ear-piercing screech. I wriggle and toss and turn but cannot get out of its clutches. Its weight on me doesn't allow me to reach my knives hooked around my waist. Its sharp talons reach for my face and digs its talons deep into my skin. I wince at the burning pain of my skin being peeled of and the feeling of blood flowing down my face. The creature peels of the plaster from the injury it gave me earlier and starts peeling my skin from there.
Tears flow freely from my eyes in pain and agony. I let out a painful scream. Images start to blur. I can see movement. Is that a person or another mutt? It has to be a mutt. I am going to die. I feel the mutt being dragged off of my body but not before it tears off the skin from my legs. The whole world begins to spin. The trees moving around in circles. Leaves and twigs moving too. Is this what it feels like to die? I feel my eyes drooping and no matter how hard I try I cannot keep it open. I feel a hand on my cheek and a surge of pain flows through me again. I should go. I cannot feel this pain. I don't fight the urge to close my eyes again and as they droop I begin to see images. My whole life flashes before my eyes. Mum. Dad. Rye. Uncle Haymitch. Aunt Effie. Jesse. Amethyst. Justice. Mink. Durian. Angus. Meadow. Mason. And most importantly Keeth. The people I love. Goodbye.
The images dissolve in my mind. All there is now is….darkness.
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