Thirty-three – The Coalition

The Coalition – Division Three (11.3)

"We can see you." insists Imogen.

Silence. None of us talk, except a mockingbird in the distance somewhere, repeating a melody.

"If you're Ryno, we're not going to kill you." says Dominic, casually. "You know, we're actually looking for you."

Ryno silently signals to me that he will leave the tree to show himself, and he doesn't even look back at me trying to stop him.

He walks out and I expect an arrow going into his chest, but he just gives a shy, "Hi, guys." Then he gives a surprised, "Oh, hey guys."

"Ryno!" exclaims Imogen. "Thank the cows, we've finally found you."

Why was Ryno surprised? Is District 10 with somebody else? I peek out the other side of the tree and see the part of a tribute who is definitely not Dominic nor Imogen, because the tribute is short. Is it the girl from District 6? No, it's Ringo.

He looks quite dishevelled, I'm sure we all are, and I see many bumps on his face that I realise are the result of the mosquitoes. Mine are dying down and are no longer that itchy. He must have had it worse. I notice he's holding an axe in his small arms.

Then the boy from District 7 seems turn his eyes my way and I quickly hide back behind the tree.

"Who was that?" Ringo interrupts the reunion between Ryno and District 10. He saw my movement and I groan internally.

"Who?" asks Dominic.

"Looked like somebody else behind the tree." says Ringo.

Ryno cuts in to explain before I could get beat up. "Ah, he's with me." he tells them. "He's with us."

I reluctantly leave the tree to show myself in front of them. In a frightening view, Imogen has an arrow pointed at me, Dominic is holding a mace out, Ringo has his axe ready to swing, and the girl from District 6-

The girl from District 6 is with them! Her hair shines bright orange in the sun. She appears sunburned from her pale, freckled skin, and she also has not been spared from the mosquitoes. I stare at her in horror and she looks at me back with wide-eyes. She has seen me with the Careers, the very people we're trying to defeat. And now she's with the other members of the anti-Career alliance. Has she told them I was with them?

By their reaction, it seems no.

"Henry!" Ryno introduces me. "District 3."

Everybody lowers their weapons and Imogen puts her arrow back in her quiver.

"Henry, I remember you!" says Dominic. "Sorry for scaring you like that."

"It's good to see you, Henry." says Imogen, turning to Dominic. "Here we go, another ally Dom. All the non-Careers are together."

"That means we're all set!" says the girl from District 6, then she side-eyes me. I really need to explain everything to her before she mouths off misinformation to Dominic and Imogen that could get me ousted or killed. For now, I am very lucky she hasn't told them yet. Maybe she has seen me leave the Career alliance and join Ryno instead. I remember her being very hard to spot when the Careers and I chased after her, so maybe she has been watching Ryno and I the entire time, too.

I nervously attach myself to Ryno like Dominic and Imogen are attached. Ringo and the girl from District 6 seem somewhat standing close to each other, too. Everyone seems to be in high spirits except for Ringo, which are very unusual attitudes for ten days in the Game.

"So what's happening?" asks Ryno. "We're together, in the Hunger Games, not fighting each other. It's kind of awkward. Is there a plan?"

"Right." Dominic sets his mace down. "Imogen and I wanted all the remaining members of the alliance together, so we could beat the Careers."

"The two of us weren't enough." says Imogen. "So we looked since yesterday morning and we found them, you guys, Ringo and Elaine, at sunset yesterday."

"I'm all for it!" jumps Elaine. Her enthusiasm for such a young, petite girl is scary. But it means that Elaine and Ringo were together before they met up with District 10. Has Elaine told Ringo everything she knew and Ringo is just staying quiet for some reason? Ringo doesn't seem to be looking at me suspiciously in particular.

"But we needed you, Ryno, to have the best chance at them." says Dominic. "So we kept looking for you. And we did, and Henry is here, too, to make it even better."

"It's two against one Career." outlines Imogen. "It's good odds. You're both in, right? Just to make sure?"

I nod.

"And what happens if we're not?" Ryno crosses his arms.

"Axe to your leg." snarls Elaine.

"Hold on, little girl." says Ryno.

"Little girl?" asks Elaine, offended. "I'll just axe your leg because of that."

"I was the first person to accept your request for the alliance and I helped spread the plan." says Ryno. "Of course I'm in!"

Being in this larger alliance of six is great and all, but it's made clear that all the other members were not expecting me to join the plan, no matter how beneficial I am. It's not a good sign. I'm analysing the dynamics. Dominic and Imogen are the leaders, better leaders than Virgil and Mariana by their attitude alone, at least. Then they met both Ringo and Elaine next, and then Ryno and I. But Ryno already shows to be close to District 10. So it is me who is on the bottom of this alliance here. Just like with the Careers, I will probably be the first to be killed once the other side has dissolved. Once again, I can only rely on Ryno to keep me through now, or I have to prove my worth to everybody here somehow.

"Great." says Dominic. "We'll go attacking tomorrow or whenever they find us."

Tomorrow? I think that would be the absolute latest. We might have to attack sooner. I wonder how the Capitol is reacting right now. Six tributes, who were in pairs, just decide to join up after two deathless days instead of fighting right on sight. Six out of nine. I am not sure they would want us to have alliances right now, but soon they will realise what's happening. It's going to be a battle, a rivalry, between the two remaining groups, and the gamemakers would want us to meet sooner than we'd like.

"But tonight, we talk and make sure everybody's close." says Imogen, smiling. The way they're co-leading our group reminds me of Beetee and Jovan mentoring us well. "Henry, I'd like to know more about you too."

"Uh, same!" I say. "To all of you."

"Okay, so where are we going?" asks Ryno.

"To our shelter!" replies Elaine. "It was Dom's and Imo's at first. But now it can fit the four of us. It's not far from here."

Even Elaine is already using nicknames. And I guess it's now goodbye to Resa's shelter. I feel I took it too much for granted.

"Seriously?" questions Ryno. "The four of you were around here the whole time!"

"No, not me." says Elaine. "I was at-"

"Henry and I have been just over there since two, three days ago!"

"Really?" asks Imogen. "How did we not notice?"

"You're all blind!" says Ryno.

"I actually am." Reveals Dominic. "I broke my glasses on Day 3. I was wearing contacts the whole time prior to that but I couldn't bring them in. Everything past that tree is far too blurry to me."

The way we are talking is too surreal, like we aren't tributes fighting each other to the death in the Games. It is crazy. It has been a week and a half and we're still retaining our humanity. But to me, the fear of having to betray that soon is far too much for me to want to get to know these people better.

I remember days ago when I wanted an alliance. A real one, not like the Careers. And now I'm in one, at a time too late where I do not want to be in one anymore. I only wanted one to get me through as far to the Final Nine, and we are in the final nine.

As we walk along the banks of the lake, Ryno hangs back to talk to me.

"Hey, Henry." he says. "Even though it might not look it when I talk to them, just know that my loyalties are with you. I'll choose you over anybody here. We've been with each other for so long. You've become so special."

"Thanks, Ryno." I say. "Me too, and I know we're sticking together. But I'm just worried about when it comes time to, you know, after we defeat the Careers?"

"I don't want to think about it yet." he says. "But I know one thing. I'm going to protect you. I promise that."

"I promise that I'll protect you, too." I say. Ryno is my closest friend as it stands, so I cannot lose him. My goal is clear. To survive with him. "Anyway, I'm going to have to talk to Elaine at one point because she knows I was with the Careers."

"And nobody knows?" asks Ryno.

"No, but she could use it against me and nobody will trust me." I say. "I'll need to explain everything before it's too late."

"I think you'll be okay." says Ryno. "She's not vindictive."

"Hopefully."

We arrive at the quartet's shelter, soon to be ours as well. It is at least three times larger than ours, and I'm amazed by its construction and sturdiness. Ryno and I compliment the structure as we all sit in its shade.

"So, what have you and Henry been doing since the start of the Games, Ryno?" asks Dominic.

I get worried as I'm put on the spot already. But I know Ryno won't expose me.

"I only met Henry on day four or five, actually."

"Five." I correct him.

"Yep, day five." he continues. "He came into the building I was in the whole time since day one. And so we talked, stuff happened, and then we moved here because we noticed that the buildings were getting torn down."

"Yeah, Elaine and Ringo told us about that." says Imogen.

"We did kill the girl from District 8 as well though, as an act of mercy because she was close to death."

"Oh, that's sad." comments Dominic.

"Yeah, it wasn't fun. We lost a lot of our stuff but got some more on day eight, which was also Henry's birthday."

"Oh, belated happy birthday!" says Imogen.

"Aw, we missed it?" complains Elaine.

"And that was it. As for what Henry did before we met..."

All eyes turn towards me expectantly. I look at Elaine, who would be corroborating a certain part of my story. Should I tell the whole truth or omit it like I did with Ryno at first? I can just tell the truth right now and explain...

No, it's far too dangerous. I only just met these people. I eye Elaine in an attempt to signal not to include the fact that I was with the Careers, but she is not telltale with anything.

"I found my district partner on day one after the bloodbath." I begin. "But the Careers killed her and I escaped. So for days I've been just moving around with supplies that I got, occasionally stealing from the Careers."

I emphasise this bit to show that I'm against the Careers, and to implicitly tell Elaine that what I did was true. I did technically steal from them.

"Then there was a fire at a place like this on the other side of the cornucopia, and I ran. Then the Careers saw me again and that's when I accidentally found Ryno trying to hide."

"I wouldn't say it was an accident." says Ryno. "I claim it was destiny."

"Sorry about your partner." says Imogen.

"Sorry about yours." I say.

"What?" asks Dominic.

I quickly try correct myself. "Oh, I thought you were Elaine." I stutter. "And Ringo, too, sorry."

Dominic looks worried but Imogen is smiling.

"Wait, you know about the fire?" asks Dominic. "Did you know about the walls? Elaine was up there, too, and said something about moving walls."

"It's true." I confirm Elaine's testimonies. "I had a feeling it had something to do with a puzzle, but the Careers were there."

I check to see by the reactions if I had said too much, but nothing of note. They all seem to believe it, except for Elaine, of course.

The others share their whereabouts for the last nine days. Dominic and Imogen were always together and stayed in the east side of the South Garden. Like us, half of their supplies were raided by the reptiles. Ringo stayed inside one of the buildings in the south before having to leave on Day 8 because his exploded. He avoided the reptiles by having exceptional climbing skills, finding himself on top of another intact building. Elaine has been doing the most moving around, as expected, having examining the Careers for a lot of her time. She looks at me when she says she was chased by the Careers once, and she tells us she found all of the Careers' food were stolen from the reptiles, which gave her "great joy." She found Ringo on the roof shortly thereafter and they stuck together, and when staying in the South Garden for a bit, Dominic and Imogen found them.

Now Dominic, Imogen, and Elaine wants to know our biggest strength in the Games and how it relates to our job at home. The Capitol must be livid. Six tributes from five different districts, who could be fighting, opt to share classified district secrets.

"Well, this thing." Ryno holds up the sickle. "We sometimes use to cut the crops. So that's why I fight with it. Wait until you hear Henry, though."

"Oh, me?" I wonder. "I'm boring. I mean, I guess I'm just smart and good with explosives."

"Explosives!" echoes Ryno. "That's right, I forgot to tell you. Henry made booby traps from the bombs inside the building walls. They're live right outside the wall now."

"No way." exclaims Dominic. "How?"

"With that big brain of his." says Ryno. "We hope the Careers will run into them."

I have to thank Ryno for proving my worth much better than I would have.

"Let's hope so, too, so we won't even have to fight!" says Imogen. I hear Elaine groan quietly.

Dominic requests to look at the traps, and we take around an hour to inspect them, notify the locations of the others so none of us accidentally kill ourself, and return back to the shelter.

Ringo, looking glum as usual, refuses to share his strength, although having an axe and being from District 7 is pretty self-explanatory. I notice that unlike the Career alliance, Dominic and Imogen allows everybody to speak and pitch their own ideas. They didn't force Ringo to speak. It's a lot better of an alliance. It is just unfortunate we had to meet so late. I don't regret being with Ryno for most of the time, though.

Elaine tells us she runs pretty fast (as I've experienced her first-hand) and it's because she has always grown up wanting to be faster than a train or a car, which is pretty adorable. She admittedly states she wanted to go on the Hunger Games for the sole purpose of riding the train she helps makes parts for, but she was pretty underwhelmed.

Dominic says his mace is like a tenderiser, but he's mostly skilled at wrestling because he works in the slaughterhouse, having to handle and carry heavy cuts of meat.

Imogen shares that she is skilled with a bow and arrow because she works with farming the cows. I'm confused because I do not see how they connect. Is it something to do with working with the lasso? Ryno pretends to see the link, but I am yelling inside because I don't know what the link is. I don't want to ask how, though, in case it is obvious and I'm just not getting it.

We then discuss the food and water situation. That includes sharing our supplies.

For a moment, I'm concerned that Ryno and I would have to give so much of the food we found and earned through gifts, but we don't need to share much at all. It turns out the others have received enough. Elaine got the wheel-shaped bread from her district recently. Dominic and Imogen already had a pack of dried fruit between them, but increased it with a gift of cheesy bread from District 10, and a beef stew dish from the Capitol. Only Ringo didn't receive any gifts, but he has managed to save a pear until now. Ryno and I figure it's only right to share some of our food so it's more even between us, and so we lose on a pack of crackers. We also lose on a bigger roll of bread from our basket, as we have a small meal for the first time as an alliance.

The need to talk to Elaine is too stressful so I wish to get it over and done with. And what better way to do it than the way with Magnus with the Careers? I look at Elaine while I eat until she catches my eye. I nod at her then I excuse myself to go answer a call of nature.

"I'll make sure he doesn't leave." says Elaine, standing up after me. "We need him."

When we're out of view and earshot, I try to get as much out of her as quickly as possible.

"Hey, Henry! I like you." she says. "You're cute."

"Um, thanks, you too." I say. "Well, as in the 'you're young' kind of cute. Um, anyway, how much have you told them?" I ask.

"Nothing about you being with the Careers." she says. "Or about the walls being a puzzle."

"How much do you know?" I ask.

"I knew you helped them with the puzzle and opened a drawbridge that lead somewhere." lists Elaine. "You were with them when you killed that girl from 12. You were with them when you chased me. And then you were gone and so were the boys from 2 and 5. You weren't there when they figured out how to reopen the drawbridge."

"They reopened the drawbridge?" I ask to clarify. That's news to me.

"Yes, but they lost it all to the reptiles." says Elaine. "Now, it's your chance to tell me what I don't know. That's why I told them nothing."

I tell her every detail that I could remember. Me joining because they forced me with the puzzle. Me coming up with a plan to escape. Me taking their stuff to prepare myself to leave. Me using the chase with her and the pattern of demolished buildings as a chance to leave. Me having closed the puzzle so they wouldn't regain access to the puzzle.

"I wanted out and they now probably hate me." I finish.

"Well, you being with Ryno now does make a lot of sense." says Elaine. "Thanks, Henry."

"No, thank you for keeping it quiet." I tell her. "I was just so nervous the whole time."

"Don't worry, kid." she says. "I'll keep it a secret."

"Kid?"

"Got a problem?"

"No!" I exclaim. "Just thank you very much. Also, you're very fast."

"No, everybody else is just slow." she says. She takes a tool out of her pocket. "Also, I found this awl near the lake."

"That was probably mine." I tell her. "I lost it from the reptiles."

"I'm keeping it because I know you would already say yes if I ask."

I sigh. She's right. And she reminds me of my sister at fourteen years old. Tough and feisty.

We both return to find the group in conversation, with Ringo only listening in as usual. Imogen has just finished saying how Dominic fell out of a tree trying to show off.

Then Ryno shares about some of my own dumb moments.

"He's not always smart." he says. "Once, he forgot to count us as tributes while we where figuring out who's left. And he keeps falling for my jokes all the time."

Because I'm all relaxed now with the group, having cleared the air with Elaine, I decide I can take revenge on Ryno here. I have so much more dirt to talk about him than he has on me.

"Hey!" I dig out the empty glass bottle in one of our packs. "And who drank too much of this?"

"That looks nice to drink." says Elaine. "What's that?"

"Henry..." warns Ryno. "No."

"It's laxative."

Dominic and Imogen laugh and I have to explain to the younger children its function. Ringo grins and Elaine shakes her head in disgust.

"Okay, you better not tell them about the farting." says Ryno, and he immediately covers his mouth.

"Tell us!" demands Imogen.

"He had this severe bout of gas and kept stinking the both of us up in the sleeping bag." I tell them.

"Henry, I-" Ryno puts his head down as laughter erupts around the group.

"That's like Imogen!" says Dominic, in between laughter. "She keeps farting in our sleeping bag. She's like a cow herself!"

"Dom!" Imogen punches him. "No, I don't!"

It's now her turn to feel embarrassed and Ryno's turn to laugh to laugh with us. If it wasn't already hot and her skin was a lighter complexion, Imogen would be clearly blushing.

Having a laugh here feels very nice, but I know in the back of my mind that the gamemakers are fuming. They didn't name the competition the Best Friend Games. I feel like the more we are happy, the less time we have together due to the gamemakers cutting in.

While the others keep talking, Ryno scoots over closer to me.

"Hey, first of all, fuck you." he says. "Second, everything sorted out?"

"Yeah, man." I answer. "She's not telling anybody." But why isn't she? She's not going to lose anything if she does. It will be even better for her if she reveals the information.

"Good." says Ryno. "Told you Elaine's with us. And I'm still with you too."

"I know." I say. "You don't have to remind me all the time."

"Oh, alright." he says, but I feel he keeps saying that to me to remind himself to stay with me. "Anyway, we have to figure out a plan after we kill off all the remaining Careers."

I lean in closer. "You think we will kill them all off?"

"I mean, six against three. The odds aren't in their favour." says Ryno. "Or five against four if somebody flips for some reason. I still don't trust that boy, Ringo. But at least we'll still have the majority."

"They have an arsenal of weapons." I remind him. "And if we do fight, I really think one of us six will die to have to kill all three."

Ryno takes what I said in, looking down, when Imogen interrupts him.

"Hey, rye bread." she tells him, with a cracker in her hand. "You and Henry eating?"

Ryno declines the offer as we've already eaten.

"I should call you that." I whisper to him.

"It's what I was named after." he reveals. "They thought 'Ryan' sounded too weird. And my name was apparently almost going to be Ryno with an -ah pronounced 'Rye-nwah'. Anyway, think about it."

"Your name?"

"No, the plan." he says. "We'll talk more about it later."

We join back with the group conversation which is seeming to go for hours. I don't know how the biggest speakers like Ryno, Dominic and Elaine don't dry out their throats or tongues. The topics move from cuts of beef, unused trains which get dumped in a large lake in District 6, and 'what type of tree are you', to more serious and tragic stories with our families. I don't think the gamemakers were ever prepared for a cow, a bull, a bomb, a loaf, a tree, and a really fast train to get personally attached to each other, but here we are.

Imogen shares of how her mother died by being trampled by a bull that was blind. I found that tragic, and I thought Ryno would find it slightly amusing since Imogen didn't sound too affected, but he looked as heartbroken as I am. Maybe a week ago, he would have looked like he'd be trying not to laugh.

Dominic says his father had lost an arm due to an accident in the slaughterhouse. When Ryno talks about his mother, I became comfortable enough to share about my father.

Surprisingly, Ringo became the centre of attention in the conversation. He tells us that his father was taken by peacekeepers from his district for an undisclosed reason, and never came back. There were rumours that he was taken to the Capitol and tortured and killed or became an Avox. The grief his mother felt caused her to miscarriage the second child she was carrying. So now Ringo only lives alone with his mother.

The group turns silent for a bit. I don't think we did just because of what happened to Ringo specifically. Learning about all our different industries and occupations have been interesting and all, but what we're talking about now is what we have in common. We see it around us. The persecution of our people by the Capitol. And now, there is another person that we know who has experienced the brunt of it.

Ringo has suffered. Whenever I think I have it bad, there is somebody having it a lot worse. Ringo is one of these people. I am sure he blames the Capitol. This means he has a great fire to win these Games. He can, fuelled by these emotions alone.

"That's terrible." says Dominic, and we all know we agree, but do not talk any more about it. This is sensitive stuff that the Capitol hates to hear. Any more discussion should kill the six of us immediately with a well-placed fireball.

"Wow, am I the only one who has both their parents still?" wonders Elaine, then she looks at Dominic. "With full sets of arms?"

I think she asked that in a way to lighten the mood, but Dominic says a simple "Yeah." And that's pretty much it. All our lives should be like Elaine's, except she ends up the lucky one.

"Um, so let's talk about looove." says Ryno to quickly change the subject and the mood. He points to Dominic and Imogen with two fingers. "What do we see here?"

"Oh, they're insuff- insuffera-" starts Elaine, but we know what she means.

"How come?" I ask Elaine.

"They kept kissing and licking each other and talking last night." says Elaine. "Like, yuck!"

"That's not true!" protests Imogen.

"How do you stand each other's breath?" wonders Ryno.

"I honestly can't." shares Dominic. "And Elaine, we don't do that."

"My mother said a little kid always tells the truth." Ryno says.

"My mother said she's going to kick your ass if you call me a little kid again." Elaine retorts. She turns to District 10. "Can you really love each other if you don't kiss as you say?"

Dominic and Imogen move closer and he wraps her around his arm. "Of course." The boy says.

It's the first time I have seen them make romantic contact, but I think it's quite clear that they do love each other. The looks they give one another are unlike the looks I see other people give. Very deep into one another. But I'm not sure if it's any different to friendship. I don't know, is there a difference?

"What is love?" Ringo asks randomly. He continues staring into the ether after asking. Unfortunately, I think he's serious. His childhood has not looked to have much love in it.

"Ringo, it's just something we feel." says Imogen. "It started when I first saw him at the reaping. It was much more than knowing you and him are going to endure a traumatic few weeks."

"Love at first sight kind of thing?" asks Ryno. "That's how I felt with the pastries at the bakery near home."

"How does it feel?" asks Ringo. I realise I need the answer to this question, too.

The couple glance at each other. "It's sometimes indescribable except with the word 'love'." answers Dominic. "Happiness, pleasure..."

"It's like I never want to leave him, ever." adds Imogen.

Couldn't that be a friendship as well? I felt that with Radia and I feel it with Ryno. And what differs between familial love and boyfriend/girlfriend love?

"Do you ever want to have sex?" Elaine blurts out.

Ringo and Imogen gasp. Ryno and Dominic chuckle. I just want to know the answer.

"Okay, cut the cameras!" says Ryno, waving his hands. "Let's talk about something else. Like... Henry's singing!"

The way all eyes turn to get fixed at me is terrifying.

"I thought I was the only one who could sing!" exclaims Imogen.

"You can?" I ask.

Ryno sits up. "The both of you can make some two-person song!"

"Let's hear it!" Dominic claps his hand.

"Oh, um-"

I'm completely off guard being put on the spot. Same with Imogen.

"What do we sing, Dom?" she asks.

I think the Wheat Song is special if it stays just between me and Ryno, so I don't want to suggest that. Otherwise, I only improvise lyrics so I don't have any other option.

Dominic shrugs. "Literally anything."

Imogen looks at me. "Dom has heard enough of me. Henry? You start off and I'll join you."

"I-" I'm on the spot. Literally anything. Then I find myself quietly singing "la la la's". Once Imogen joins me, sometimes harmonising and following me like beautiful echoes, I sing more confidently. Imogen sounds amazing. We are both happy. Our allies look entranced by our voices.

When we have had enough, our allies clap for us. Both Imogen and I smile at each other.

"Wow. " exclaims Dominic. "Do more. Start a band."

"I wish I could sing that good." says Elaine.

"So Henry and Imogen can sing beautifully." says Ryno. "What are some of our other talents?"

Dominic waves at Ringo. "Ringo, you seem like you have a secret trick that none of us here can do. Non-district related."

Ringo looks a little hesitant to share but concedes at the expectant faces all on him. "I can juggle?"

"Me too, man!" Dominic says, and does a contactless high-five at Ringo. "You juggle axes?"

"No, pine cones." says Ringo nonchalantly.

"Oh, still impressive." mutters Dominic.

Ryno turns to look at Elaine. "Dominic and Ringo share a talent. Henry and Imogen share a talent." Ryno raises his eyebrows at Elaine repeatedly. "Looks like we have something in common."

"Oh, no way am I sharing a talent with you." says Elaine. "I'm on a level so much higher than you."

"Oh, yeah?" Challenges Ryno. "Bet. Can you beat climbing a tree?"

"So we're starting easy?" responds Elaine. She has so much spunk that it's admirable. "Try doing five cartwheels in a row."

"Please, you think that's hard? I do that for fun!" boasts Ryno. The truth of that is quite realistic. "How about eating a banana in one bite?"

"Done that." brags Elaine. "Not a banana, but something else similar."

"Like what?" Imogen asks. Dominic looks at her like he's stifling a laugh. I don't understand what they're getting on to.

"Anyway, can you paint?" asks Elaine, leaning forward in a confrontational way now.

"No, but it can't be as great as this dance move!" Ryno leaps up and pumps his chest and arms in and out while simultaneously popping out his backside. It's actually quite coordinated and I'm surprised he hasn't shown me earlier.

"No, but at least I don't have acne!" snaps Elaine.

Ryno gasps. "No fair!" he complains. "And says you! You and your damn mosquito bites-"

"Okay!" Dominic slams the ground with his mace. "That's enough talk about ourselves for now. Let's figure out how we're going to approach the Careers tomorrow."

"I know from Elaine that the girl from District 1 is greatly skilled with a bow and arrow." says Imogen. "So the two of us might have to face each other. Any idea on the other two?"

I speak up. Of course I've got several ideas about Mariana and Quentin, but I can't be too detailed. "Well, we can only assume the boy from 4 has a trident." I say. "You know, being from the fishing district?"

The others nod.

"Like last year." says Dominic.

"Like every year." details Elaine. "So what about the girl from District 2? I think she had a spear with her but I'm not sure."

"I just know she's very big." says Imogen. "So none of us should ever get close to her because she could easy overpower us in combat."

"Except me." adds Dominic, humbly. "When we do face each other, we pair off to one tribute each."

"I can take on the girl from District 2 with you, Dominic." says Elaine. "She won't be able to catch me if she tries."

"I'll take on Quentin." says Ryno. "We have some unfinished business."

"Who's Quentin?" asks Imogen. It doesn't even occur to me that Ryno may have just exposed his nexus with the Careers. "And how do you know his name?"

I look at Ryno struggle with a response. Elaine stays silent, knowing that he knows from me. If Ryno doesn't come up with a believable excuse, then...

"Henry knows his name!" exclaims Ryno. I freeze. He couldn't have said anything worse. "Because he's so great at remembering things."

Oh, I relax a bit. That can work as an excuse, except the only problem is that I never implied that I knew his name at all.

"Yes." I say robotically. "His name's Quentin. I remember because I have never heard of anybody having a name starting with a Q."

"Okay! Ryno is going to take on the boy from District 4." Dominic moves on. "And I assume you're sticking with him, Henry?"

"It works." says Elaine, on behalf of me. "The boy, Quentin, did look a little dumb to me, so maybe Henry's smarts will overpower him."

"Great!" says Imogen. "That leaves you with me, Ringo."

Ringo nods tersely and lifts up his axe in acceptance. It's a good plan so far, but I'm not sure how to go about it. What if Jade's arrow takes one of us down prematurely? The whole two-on-one strategy will fail.

The rest of the day progresses, and so does the anxiety of the Careers finding us, or something happening that will force us to meet. The audience must be itching for some action, which has not happened since Resa's death three or four days ago. Even then, that could have hardly been called action.

But nothing comes. Just demonstrations of Dominic and Ringo juggling tiny nuts the eucalyptus trees drop every now and then. Night falls, and our group of six is still intact and safe, around our shelter. No cannons to signify any deaths of the Careers either. Do the gamemakers want us and the Careers to meet under natural circumstances, so whatever fight that ensues feels raw?

Our sleeping arrangements are acted out, me with Ryno in the same sleeping bag as always, Dominic and Imogen together as highly expected, and Elaine and Ringo to sleep in only one sleeping bag remaining. The six of us are so close together that any communication that Ryno and I make to each other will be detected by everybody else. This frankly isn't good, considering what we want to talk about is our path after the Careers are defeated. But we use the quick opportunity of the loud anthem to masks other sounds.

"Have you had an idea yet?" Ryno whispers.

"No." I answer. "I'm too busy worrying about now."

"Really?" questions Ryno. "Bro, we'll get them."

"But I'm just worried one of us will die." I say. "I don't see us six killing all three of them perfectly without any of us dying as well. I mean, what if you or I die as a result?"

Ryno puts his free arm on my injured shoulder.

"Don't touch me there."

"Sorry. Anyway, we won't die. We just have to look forward." he says. "Look, I was thinking. Since we're both together targeting Quentin, if we do separate from the others, we can just leave together after killing him. We'll still have our supplies and food to outlast the others."

I scratch my head. "I don't think I'm happy with any option."

"Are you worrying about now because you don't want to think about betraying them?" asks Ryno.

"You're exactly right." I tell him. "Betrayal. It just feels awful. They could have killed us on sight, but they kept us alive. I feel like leaving or killing them is not owing them."

"Hey, Henry." says Ryno. "Think logically here. We'll have owed them when we kill the Careers. That's all they want us for. They would do the same thing to us. We'd be in the final six. We can't do anything else but split up. Besides, haven't you left the Careers?"

"Yeah, but I was never wanting to stick with them." I say. "Here I do, but I just know you're right and I still need to see it."

"You will eventually." he says. "Listen, I think Elaine's closer with us than she is with District 10. So we might get her to help us-"

"Elaine?" I ask. "I thought you hated her, and she's close to Ringo, who you don't even trust."

"Yes, but she's our best chance." says Ryno. "We can kill her, but we cannot District 10 with only us two. And I actually don't hate her actually. I like her."

I'm surprised. Is it the acts of humans that when they bicker with somebody but sticks with them, they actually like them? "More than me?" I ask just as a small joke, but Ryno spoke defensively.

"No, absolutely not!" says Ryno. "You're first priority."

"Me too, I just want us to live." I say, then I remember our conversation earlier today. "You never told me you could dance."

"It's a secret!" exclaims Ryno excitedly. "Well, not anymore now. But my favourite move is called the funky chicken."

"Who's a funky chicken?" asks Imogen.

The anthem had finished midway through Ryno's sentence, and so the last half was heard by everybody.

"Umm..."

"So no deaths again today." announces Dominic. "Which means they're all still out there."

Elaine yawns. "When are we going to go out and look for them tomorrow?" she asks.

"Probably after we eat breakfast." says Imogen. "Have to have energy to walk around the arena. Might take us hours to find them, even with an arena as small as this."

I hear a kiss sound. "Remember why we're doing this." says Dominic. "For the poorer districts like us to finally win."

"Finally win." echoes Elaine, sounding dreamy. "Doing it for all the other tributes from districts like we are too."

"Bring our people pride and joy." says Ryno.

This is the whole reason I'm in this alliance. From hearing the anti-Career alliance for the first time at training, the idea of dethroning the richer districts appealed to me. Having somebody other than a tribute from Districts 1, 2, or 4 would be deserved. It sounded like a dream because an alliance between outlying districts never grew so strong, or never grew so large. And tomorrow, it's finally going to happen.

The tributes from Districts 3, 6, 7, 9, and 10 are going to take on the Careers. I realise why nothing happened today. Such an event is unprecedented. The Capitol realises what will happen, and is using the day to advertise the spectacle that will happen when the two remaining alliances clash. I see the posters that will be plastered all over the Capitol. The screens and displays of our faces. The betting must be at an all-time high. The citizens are probably itching to witness the moment.

There's going to be bloodshed on Day Eleven.

I wake up like mainly any other day in the Games, with Ryno already talking to me in the sleeping bag. And it feels like what you would with having four other allies around. Not much worry, really.

Except the fight that is going to happen tonight of course.

But it's still a while from now. We still have to eat plenty to find the Careers.

The six of us bid each other good morning, but quite silent otherwise, like we all know the battle that is soon to occur. Ryno and I continue on our bread from the baskets while we offer our crackers to the others.

"Do you think the Careers know where we are?" asks Elaine.

Dominic takes a cracker from one of mine and Ryno's packets. "They've never been here." says Dominic. "Where Imogen and I have stayed, at least. So they probably know, but don't want to go here."

"If they figure out that the six of us haven't been killing each other, and they haven't found any of us looking at the rest of the arena, I don't think they'd want to mess with us." says Imogen. "We have to go mess with them."

Ryno turns to me and winks. "We'll be fine."

"We just need to find them, better if we catch them off guard." I say positively, which receives a smile from Ryno in return.

After resting for a bit, Dominic packs his and Imogen's items. "Straight after we go and refill our water, we begin our manhunt." he declares.

The rest of us pack our supplies carefully, as this may be the last time we can access them before something goes wrong. Ryno and I try our best to equally divide our provisions before we trail the rest of our alliance. We look ready. Dominic arms his mace. Imogen has her quiver of five arrows on her back, bow in her hand. Ringo holds his axe with the blade over his shoulder. Elaine holds my awl, but we know her main weapon is her speed. Ryno safely spins his shiny sickle around. Me, who looks to be the least intimidating, only has my knife brandished, but my traps have been set, and that's where my expertise lies.

We reach the lake and refill our bottles with water that is still clean. Ryno and I have not left the South Garden since Day Nine, where I figure more aqueducts have been poisoned, less water to be available. That would give more reason for the Careers to travel around instead.

Dominic is the last of us to purify his water and close his canteen cap. "Ready to go?"

We all agree. I'm preparing to return for the buildings. I'm preparing to enter the Palace for the first time. I'm preparing to return all the way to the moat, or the West and East Walls.

But it is only a minute later from the banks of the lake, we stop. We hear some noises. But they're not from us.

Dominic whispers. "They're here."


/ybzva7vc

Next: 34 - The Rivalry; The Flames Division One (12.1)