Pt 2

Ryder nibbled hesitantly at the food Gareth had provided, some exotic fruit and a strip of dried meat, along with some water.

His stomach felt slightly uneasy from being so ill, but the food and water slowly brought life and energy back to his body. As he ate, Gareth explained the current goings on in the arena, and his plan.

"As far as I can tell, the arena is set up in a giant crescent shape, the cornucopia situated almost at the southern point." As he talked, he indicated different points on a rough map he had scratched into the stone wall. "Now, the acid rain has completely wiped out a third of the arena, here." He scratched a line across the crescent to show what area of the arena was now desolate. "There are swarms of flesh eating insects on the other end, effectively corralling us remaining tributes in the center of the arena."

Ryder frowns as he swallows a mouthful of food. "How do you know all this?"

Gareth shrugs. "Reconnaissance, I've spent my time in the arena scouting mostly. Found this place on the third day and have used it as a base since. I've been keeping an eye out on all the tributes movements, well, all that I can find that is."

Ryder raises one eyebrow. "Really? Were you...watching us?"

He nods. "I'd check in on your movements from time to time, although you're exceptionally good at covering your tracks."

Ryder said nothing, and Gareth continued.

"As far as I can tell, the remaining tributes are all roughly in this area, including ourselves." He circled a wide area covering half the remaining untouched arena. "The careers have a camp set up around ten miles north of here, it's well guarded and in the middle of a fruit tree grove surrounding a pool, meaning they have an almost endless amount of food and water." He marked an X on the map. "Heath is somewhere in this area, last I checked he doesn't have a set camp, just keeps moving around."

Ryder frowned. "Where are we?"

"Here."

"What about Mary? That sneaky girl from five?"

Gareth's brow lined in a deep frown. "She worries me, since the start of the arena I haven't been able to find her anywhere. She just...vanished, I've been trying my best to locate her, but the most I can do is just watch my back to make sure she doesn't jump me."

Ryder grimaced. "I knew she was going to be trouble. What about Jasper? Do you know where he ran off to after splitting from Queen and Trina?"

Gareth shook his head. "I haven't had the chance to go out and follow his trail, I had to get you to safety and stand guard until you came around."

Ryder nodded. "So is that the plan now? Go out and find where Jasper is?"

Gareth scratched his jaw. "Well, I figure for the time being we could focus on planning out how to take down the careers, as it stands its two against two, but I'm not overly eager to test our odds against them. We may have advantage in strength and size, but they're wicked fast and crazy skilled in combat. Besides, you're still recovering."

Ryder ground his teeth together harshly. "Trina is mine."

Gareth raised his eyebrows in surprise. "But Queen was the one who-"

"I know." Ryder said quickly, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence. "But Trina was the one who told her to…" He turned to look at Gareth, a chillingly dark look in his eyes. "She's mine."

His voice sent a chill down Gareth's back, and for a moment he wondered if he could really trust Ryder. The stain of the arena was already on him, eating away at his humanity.

"I will be the one to take her down." Ryder said, leaving no room for argument.

Gareth nodded. "Alright, but first we need to work out a plan. If we can locate Jasper, we may be able to convince him to help us take the careers down."

Ryder snorted. "Then what? We kill the careers then turn on each other? Or separate and wait for the arena or gamemakers to pick us off?"

Gareth shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge once we come to it. Besides, Heath and Mary are still in play, so its not like we'll be the only three left."

Ryder sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead, brushing the messy brown hair out of his eyes. "Right...so we find Jasper and try to convince him to join us...what if he says no?"

Gareth's face was grim, but his eyes were sad. "Then we take care of him...one less opponent to worry about."

Ryder felt sick to his stomach, but nodded in agreement. "Right...okay."

Gareth glanced at him, then squinted out of their hollow. "We'll go out to look for Jasper's trail at dusk."

Ryder frowned. "Won't that make the trail harder to follow?"

Gareth smirked. "Maybe for you, but I work better in the dark. Besides, it'll provide us with extra cover from unwanted eyes. For now we'll rest and save our strength. You may want to try and sleep some, being unconscious doesn't really count as resting."

Ryder rolled his eyes, but didn't argue, now that he had filled his stomach and sated his thirst, he was beginning to feel a little drowsy, the lingering weakness from the fever begging to be slept off.

"Fine...but you'd better wake me up to take watch for a bit."

Gareth nodded. "Promise."

Dash turns to me and nudges my chair. "You should go get some rest."

I frown. "Me? You're the one who needs to rest. After...well just go try to sleep for a bit, please?"

He hesitates, but I can see the exhaustion on his face, his fatigue helping to tip his decision in my favor. Finally he sighs, and drags a hand down his face. "Fine...but don't let me sleep too long."

I nod. "Looks like nothing interesting will be happening until this evening anyway, I promise to come wake up if there is any change."

He hesitates again, then nods and stands up. "Right, I'll ask El and the others to check in on you."

I give him a small smile. "Thanks, see you later."

He disappears and the smile quickly drops from my face. I move to the couch and curl up in the corner, resting my chin against my knees as I stare blankly at the screen, my mind wandering.

I wonder what my family is doing right now...are they watching the games? Dad's probably busy with helping the sick and injured in the district, maybe Leroy's with him, furthering his medical training. Or he could be spending time with Becky. The thought brings a small smile to my face. I hope he is...he deserves to be happy during a time like this, it has to be hard on him and dad…

Felix is more than likely working, off on a hulking boat with a ton of other sweaty grimy men working fishing equipment.

I feel a sharp pain twist in my chest thinking of home. I want to be back so badly...when I'm there it's easier to push away all the pain and focus on the good things.

I swallow back a sob and blink back tears. I just...I just want to be home, with my family, with Felix. I bury my face in my knees and sniffle, aching for the feel of his strong arms holding me, his warm voice whispering sweet nothings into my ear as we listen to the sound of the waves.

For a moment, I allow myself to glimpse a future with him, marriage, living together. Then the image of an infant appears in my mind, and I stiffen, letting out a strangled sound as I shake my head.

Never.

I can't...oh but the thought of a child, it makes my heart nearly burst thinking of it. What gender would it be? Would it have dark hair like Felix? Or light like mine? Maybe a mixture of both. It would be guaranteed to have thick wavy hair at least, if not curly. Their skin would be a smooth, rich caramel, and their eyes could be deep and brown like Felix's, or sea green like mine.

I feel tears streaming down my cheeks, and the tightness in my chest and throat is relieved slightly when I sob.

Never.

I can never have a child...I could never bring someone into a world where they risked being reaped. I would rather suffer never having children than risk their life going through what I have.

I hear the door open and a moment later a soft hand lands on my back, gently rubbing between my shoulderblades. They just sit there and let me cry for a few minutes.

After I've gotten my tears under control, I sniff and lift my head to see Heather holding a tissue out to me, a small smile on her face.

I accept the tissue and blow my nose, wiping the tears off my cheeks before giving her a grateful smile. "Thank you."

She nods. "Dash asked if one of us would check in on you from time to time. Kaden and Eliza are having a drinking contest, James is resting and so I decided to come check in."

I sniff and take a deep breath. "I appreciate it. Sorry, I just...a little homesick and thinking about...things."

She doesn't pry, but merely shrugs. "You don't have to explain, the games wear on us all."

I clear my throat and straighten up. "So Dash is resting?"

She nods. "He looked exhausted...understandably so."

I feel sick when I see that same haunted look in her eyes. "I...I'm sorry, I know about what you have to go through."

She smiled weakly. "I'm just glad you don't have to."

I can see the unfinished thought in her eyes. Not yet at least.

"I...I don't know how much longer they'll let me be. I've had several close calls already."

Heather sighs. "They may be more hesitant with you because you have a boyfriend, the Capitol is in love with the thought of their strong Lady of the Sea having a soft and gentle side when it comes to the boy you love. They are in love with your love, and for now that's enough to keep them happy. Wouldn't want to taint that."

I nod. "I guess...I don't know if it'll be enough though. And what happens if we get married? Would that stop them entirely?"

Heather shrugs. "I don't know...I've never heard of a victor getting married before. Kaden...well…" She trails off.

"He's the oldest victor...twenty-eight, right? Has there never been anyone?"

Heather's eyes turn sad. "There was someone...but after his games, after he found out what he had to do...he tried explaining it to her, but she left him."

My breath catches in my throat. "She...she left him because of what he had to do in the capitol?"

"And because of all the damage he had after his games. She couldn't handle it, said he was a different person. She's married now, has several children too if I'm not mistaken." She sighs sadly. "I don't think he's ever gotten over it, his heart is stuck on her forever, and because of how she reacted...I think he's afraid to even try loving anyone else."

"That's awful…" I murmur, part of my brain panicking at the thought that Felix could leave me if I was forced to do what the other victors had to. But no...he would never do that to me. I know that.

Heather smiles sadly. "So who knows? Maybe you will be safe if you and Felix get married. And even if you're not...don't waste a chance at being happy because of a what if."

I nod, giving her a small smile. "Thank you."

We sit and chat about random things, what her home is like, her family and other things. Before I know it I glance at the clock and realize dusk will be setting in soon.

"Oh...I should go wake Dash up, I wasn't supposed to let him sleep this long."

Heather waves a hand dismissively. "He's too stubborn for his own good. He needed the rest. I'll go wake him up."

I smile. "Thanks...for everything."

She gives me a quick hug. "Of course, I'll see you around."

She leaves, and a few moments later a still sleep-groggy Dash enters the room, his shirt is buttoned wrong and his hair is a mess, but he looks rested. "Not s'posed to let me sleep." He mumbles, rubbed at his eyes as he plops down into the chair beside me.

"You needed the rest, besides, nothing exciting happened anyway."

He yawned and jammed his thumb against the coffee order button before turning and squinting at me. "Meanie."

I roll my eyes. "Wow, real mature. Just shut up and wait for your coffee."

He crosses his arms and slumps in the chair, beginning to nod off before the coffee arrives, jolting him awake.

He immediately takes a large swig of the hot liquid and yelps as it burns his tongue.

I can't help laughing at him, and he shoots me a nasty glare as he wipes up the coffee that spilled. "Shut up, meanie."

I take some coffee of my own and nibble at a doughnut. "Oh shush, looks like Ryder and Gareth are getting ready to head out."

He glances up at the screens and nods. "Off to track down Jasper...let's hope everything goes smoothly."

I nod in agreement and add. "I wonder if he'll join up with them."

Dash shrugs. "I guess we'll find out."