Hey, hey!

Sorry for the prolonged update again, I am SWAMPED with my writing...

But I guess that's my own fault, I was crazy enough to get on TWO other writing sites :P If you are interested in reading any of my original works, you could check them out, I am on "Noveljoy " and "Wattpad" you can find me under both as "Wendy Hamlet"

My story on Wattpad, I've been writing for almost a year I think, it's book one in a six book series. I wanted to try and get it published, but I thought why not post it on Wattpad and see what people think? After all, they can give me some input on how I could make the story better. So I've been posting the chapters up. (it also gives me an excuse to finally push through my writers block and finish book one.)

Then the story on Noveljoy is a new idea...it was sort of mashed in with my other book but I separated the two ideas and viola! Two different novels were born.

ANYWAY! Enough of me babbling, (but if you do check out my stories, I would appreciate a comment letting me know what you think and if there can be anything I could improve) So! On to the story here and now.

I am SOOOOO sorry for killing Milo, I really didn't want to do it, but I had to! :( I know some of you were really mad that I killed him off so soon, but the games are going to wrap up soon, and when the final battle comes, well the careers shouldn't be that outnumbered.

shout out to "Cupcake" I'm sorry for killing him :( and thank you for all your reviews, they always make me smile :)

Also this chapter is wimpy short, but I had writers block and I figured something was better than nothing :P

Chapter Twenty-five: Caught in a web.

I try to roll over, not thinking of where I was, and only end up getting my legs tangled in my sleeping bag. Pulling my arms free, I rub my eyes and yawn, then I sit up and struggle with the zipper of my sleeping bag, but it's caught on the fabric and refuses to budge. After a few moments, my hand slips from the zipper, and I skin my knuckles on a rock.

"Argh! Curse this %&#$ zipper!"

My outcry brings Troy over to my side, and he quickly frees the zipper and releases me from the sleeping bag. I glance at him sulkily as I pull my legs free.

"How come you can do it so easily?"

He grins.

"Advantage of being strong I guess. How'd you sleep?"

I sigh and straighten my clothes out.

"Nightmares."

Troy nods sympathetically.

"Yeah...sucks that they start so soon for you."

I look at him confused.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugs.

"I'm friends with a victor back home...she gets them bad."

I nod, thinking of Dash's constantly troubled sleep.

"Yeah...I know a victor too. Seems like it's one of the downsides to winning."

Troy rolls my sleeping bag up for me as he says.

"Have you always had nightmares? Seems like victors don't get them till after the games."

I think for a minute.

"Not since..."

I trail off, finishing my sentence after taking a deep breath.

"My mom died when I was young, I had nightmares after that."

Troy hands me my sleeping bag and gives me a small smile.

"I'm sorry. Seems like you've been through more hell than all of us."

I shove the sleeping bag into my pack as I answer sadly.

"Yeah maybe."

A thought suddenly strikes me, and I turn to him quickly.

"Hey, why wasn't I woken up for a guard shift?"

Troy shrug.

"Steel said he would cover for you. Maybe he thought you'd need a full nights sleep."

I glance at Steel, walking up to camp bearing an armful of firewood.

"Oh, okay."

Troy stands up and walks over to talk with Steel. Lola walks up and gives me a hug.

"Morning Mags."

I give her a smile.

"Hey Lola, how did you sleep?"

She shrugs.

"Okay I guess."

"Your song was beautiful last night."

She gives me a shy smile.

"Thanks, it's a traditional farewell song back home. Do you want to help the other girls and I with breakfast?"

I stand up and stretch briefly.

"Sure, what's on the menu?"

I follow her over to the other girls sorting through the supplies.

"Well, we've got some dried beef, a package or two of crackers, some rabbits, a squirrel, and a small bag of dried fruit. Oh and water."

Patricia says as she takes inventory. I yawn as I run over the supplies in my head.

"That won't last us very long, we'll have to go hunting and foraging."

Melinda nods.

"The boys were talking about exploring the meadow today and trying to find a better campsite, I think they were planning on hunting too."

"We need to find a water source, we're running low on fresh water. Also a river or lake would provide a source of food as well."

I say musing, then I turn to Patricia.

"Didn't you say there was a lake with an island in the middle of it?"

She nods.

"Yeah, it's close to the center of the meadow."

I think for a minute.

"The island might make a good camp, I'm not sure the careers can swim, and even if they can, they won't be able to sneak up on us."

Melinda nods.

"Good thinking, you should talk to Steel about it."

I glance over to where Troy and Steel are starting to set up a fire. I walk over and tap his shoulder.

"Hey Steel can I talk to you for a minute?"

He straightens up and brushes his hands off on his pants.

"Sure thing, what do you need?"

"Well I was talking to Patricia and Melinda, and I was thinking that the island in the middle of the lake Patricia saw would make a good camp. The careers can't swim as far as I know, and if they can, they still wouldn't be able to stealth attack us. The lake could provide an almost limitless water and fish as well."

Steel nods thoughtfully.

"What do you think Troy?"

Troy scans the area we're in now.

"I think Mags has a point, we're a bit out in the open here, and we still don't know where the careers camp is. They could spot our smoke and then we'd be trapped."

Steel twirls one of his knives absent-mindedly.

"I was hoping you would agree. Why don't we move out now, we can eat on the go."

Troy nods.
"I'll start gathering the supplies."

He walks over to the three girls and explains the plan to them, then they all start packing up the supplies.

"Smart thinking there Mags."

Steel says with a smile. I return his smile as I say.

"Thanks. Thank you for taking my shift last night as well."

He shrugs.

"You needed a full night's sleep."

"Yeah well it wasn't very fair, you could use more sleep too."

He shakes his head.

"I hardly sleep...there's something about this place. I don't know, I guess I just want all the time I can to think."

I look at him.

"About what?"

He shrugs again.

"Just to think through things, remember little details of life back home. Sleep doesn't come easy to me in here, I don't mind taking an extra shift."

"Well thanks anyway."

He gives me a smile.

"No problem."

Troy calls to us from the other side of the camp.

"Hey you two! We're ready to move out."

We set off, and it takes us around two hours to reach the lake. There is a small forest that surrounds the lake, turning into open ground about a hundred feet from the edge of the lake. We stay in the trees, watching the water and island patiently.

"Do you think it's safe?"

Patricia asks in a whisper. Steel chuckles in a low voice.

"Safe? Nothing is safe in the arena. But it doesn't look imminently life threatening. What do you think Mags?"

I think for a minute, my eyes scanning the area.

"It looks safe enough. But you never know for sure."

Steel nods, and we wait in silence for a few moments.

"I'll go check it out, if I'm not back in twenty minutes come looking for me."

I put a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Wait, let me go."

He turns to me and shakes his head.

"No way."

"Come on, I'm faster than you, and I am by far the best swimmer."

He looks uncertain.
"Alright it's settled."

I stand up and slip my pack off my shoulders, gripping a long knife and my lance.

"Be careful."

Steel says reluctantly. I flash him a grin before running to the lake edge and diving in. I hold my lance in front of me, and with swift strokes I am soon on the island. I wring as much water out of my clothes as I can, and pull my hair out of my face. Then I signal the others and enter the wooded island.

I see evidence of many animals here, which is strange because I didn't see any on the mainland. Living conditions must be easier on the island. I glimpse a rabbit dashing off into the trees, and a few squirrels shake the branches above my head. They don't seem too frightened of me, and I wonder if they've ever really had any interaction with a human before.

The island seems safe, I haven't seen any red flags so to speak, and there doesn't seem to be anything gamemaker tampering, but you can't ever be sure.

I can see the other side of the island through the trees, and I'm just about to turn back when something catches my eye. I squint as the sun flashes off of something, but the minute the light is gone I lose sight of whatever was reflecting the light. I creep steadily forward, and reach the end of the trees. I crouch at the forest edge and scan the lakeshore. There it is again! My eye stays on where the light caught, and I see an almost transparent cord. I walk forward and observe the cord cautiously.

It's about the thickness of a fishing rope, it's like fishing line, but used for much larger targets such as sharks. It stretches across the lake to the mainland, but I can't see where it ends. I follow the line to a tree, and examine where it is attached closely.

"What the..."

Realization dawns on me, and my eyes grow wide in terror. I take off running for the side of the island I crossed over on, hoping I can run fast enough. It takes me about three minutes to reach the shore, my eyes search the opposite shore wildly. The Rivals are gone.

I force myself not to panic, and plunge into the water, swimming as fast as I can to the mainland. I stumble onto the shore, and quickly look around for tracks, fighting the welling fear and panic.

"Mags!"

The cry brings my head up in an instant, and I see Patricia running towards me. I run to meet her, breathlessly shouting.

"Pat! You have to warn the others, there are-"

She cuts me off with a terrified look and finishes my sentence.

"Giant spiders! I know. They took Lola and Steel!"