Chapter 38- Silver Bellcreek
Curia and Glow sleep in the tents in the Cornucopia, and I am the one who sits up to guard them. They fell asleep even before the anthem and the Capitol seal appeared in the sky. Hugging my knees I leaned against the Cornucopia and watched the familiar faces appear.
The first to appear was Lar. I lost two allies today, and yet I'm relieved that I didn't have to kill him. The second was the girl from 4; Cass I think her name was. Her interview dress comes to mind; green that went so well with her red hair. She must have been one of the cannons that I heard this morning. The entire morning was full of cannons, and the afternoon was silent. Except for the birds. The birds keep on singing no matter what happens to us.
After Cass from 4, the orange haired girl from District 8, the one who was good with a bow and arrow. Birches. I stepped on her dress at the interviews. That seems like years ago, not just three days. Then Beade, smiling and pretty, shines in the sky briefly. I can't see her in her interview dress anymore, only lying in her blood- no I can't think about that. I have to let her go. I'll feel like I'm being tortured if I don't. The last to appear is the District 11 girl, the one we killed this morning. The one whose bone shone through her arm.
The anthem sounds again with a flourish, and the world goes dark. This is my chance to escape now. There's only three of us in the alliance now. Only nine left in the arena. But I don't know if I'm brave enough to leave, because Curia will hunt me down once I'm gone. But she'll kill me if I stay.
Burying my head in my knees I rock back and forth. I wish I had never volunteered to come here; I was wrong about the glory. There's nothing glorious in terror and murder. But if I hadn't come, Flaire would have instead, and I'd rather it be me than her. At least she's safe.
Finally I stand up and move quietly towards the mouth of the Cornucopia. I grab one of the backpacks there, the ones with a sleeping bag and a compass and all. My best bet is with a bow and arrows, like in the training center, so I grab one of those that are stacked by the mouth. Curia stirs once, and I freeze. She quickly falls back asleep, thankfully. From the stores I grab dried meat, a water bottle, some dried fruit. A large serrated knife that could come in handy. Matches. I'm lucky that I'm able to choose what I take before I escape. My allies- soon to be ex-allies- sleep on, ignorant of what I'm doing. The last thing I grab is a pair of the night vision glasses.
I put the glasses on, hoist the backpack onto my back, and sling the quiver of arrows over my shoulder. The glasses illuminate the night, and it will be easy to see where I'm going. I look back at the sleeping tributes and break the alliance in my mind. Then, bow in hand, I creep away into the dense brush and wood.
Once I'm a good distance away from the camp I start to run. I want to put as much distance between me and my former allies as I can before they wake up. And that could be any time. I'm terrified. Sometimes I hear things, like snapping branches, and once I heard a growl coming from the dark.
Finally I'm winded. I climb into a tree, slipping once, and I climb as high as I dare. The night air is cold, but I'm warm from running. I hug myself and rock back and forth. I don't know if I'll regret this. I just want to get out of here alive.
Then a small noise makes me look up. A figure, whose eyes in the night glasses look eerie and luminescent green. I jump, but I know the tribute above me means no harm.
"I know you've been watching us. I've left them," I tell her. Violet nods. This would have happened anyway; she's stayed in my mind since the beginning. I stretch my hand up to her and whisper, "Will you be my new ally?"
And she nods.