Eventually, I do get to sleep.
I am hesitant to be the first to sleep, as though I feel like if I came to a fight I would win against them, I now that they can kill me when I am defenseless and sleeping. I take the first watch and then the second, watching my opponents slumber fitfully.
I know they probably are just as tired as me, but they sleep like their on fire, twisting and turning and whispering for something and someone. Trapper sleeps only a bit more peacefully than his alliance member, but he is still one inch from waking the whole time.
Once it is only a few hours before sunrise do I finally relinquish myself to sleep. It is cold at night here, so I have to pull my jacket tight around myself and curl into a ball. Trapper takes watch, and I feel just a bit safer than I would if it was the girl from Three – Sierra. She told me her name was Sierra.
When I sleep, I see a flurry of images, all of them connected but no through line to them. Daisy covered in blood. My father, his frozen face as he died. The boy from Three. When I finally awake into the sunlight, I feel no better rested than I did when I woke up.
It becomes apparent fairly quickly that I am to be the leader of this small group. All Sierra and Trapper managed to grab from the Cornucopia was a packet of dried beef strips and a single knife. I delegate to each one of us a single piece of fruit and half a strip of beef. It is not much, but enough to keep us going. I even let them have one small swig of water when I see the start of dehydration in their eyes.
When the sun is fully is up, I pack it all in my back pack and grab my axe. I decide to head back to the nearby ruins, as it is exceedingly hot and this position leaves us far too vulnerable. It will at least be some measure of shade from the oppressive sun.
It take us about an hour and a half to get from the rocks back to the ruins. I wonder if maybe any of the other tributes are in the ruins, but then I decide it is better now to face them when we're primed and rested rather than wondering the desert endlessly.
Sierra takes the knife, and I make her walk level with me and Trapper behind us. No way am I dying by knife in back from a District Three tribute of all people.
As we walk, I count up how many of us are left. Already we are down to ten. If we keep going at this rate, this might be one of the shortest Games in history since the early days. With the excitement of yesterday and last night, I think they might give us a moment to breathe.
Sierra is shaky the whole time we walk. So shaky I almost take the knife from her in fear that she would hurt herself. But it's so hot, and I'm so ready for the ruins that I decide it is best not to argue with her right now.
We make it to the outskirts of the ruins and slip into a small building, one no bigger than the kitchen back home. Sierra and Trapper lean against the walls, while I stand, making sure to stay clear of the window. It is still hot, but at least the sun is not beating directly on us.
"We need a strategy," Trapper says. I raise a brow.
"Do you have one?" I ask. Sierra shakes her head for both of them and looks at me hopefully. I sigh and shake my head. It seems I will be both brains and brawns of this operation.
"First things first, we need water," I say. "The bottle is under halfway full. With hot it is, that's going to go fast. I say we go in three different directions, each look for water today. Then we come back here tonight, divvy it up."
It's not much of a strategy, but it's the only one I can think of right now. Sierra and Trapper do not like excited by the prospect of going back out into the heat, but I can not really blame them. It is stifling. I decide it is best to regroup, at least for a little bit.
I sit down beneath the window sill and frown, wondering if it would be worth it to drink some more of the water bottle. If I'm not careful, I could be out by the end of the day. I drank enough to get me from dying dehydration, but I can feel my mouth going dry. It won't be long until real dehydration sets in.
We sit for at least twenty minutes maybe even a half-hour, when I hear noise outside. I suck in a deep breath, and I see my companion's eyes go wide at the noise outside. I put a finger to my mouth as a symbol to be quiet.
"These Games are going too quick," a male voice said, and a female voice scoffed.
"That just makes it better for us," she said. "Let's kill the rest off. Then the real Games begin."
Real Games? I suppose the rest of us are here on playtime.
"Who do you think got killed last night?" the male voice said.
"Probably the kids from Seven," a different male voice said. "Both were nearly quivering in their boots during the interview. Probably some other Tribute got the drop on them."
This must be the Career pack. Counting the other Tribute's death like pieces in a broken game.
And they think I'm dead? That means my strategy worked, the really don't suspect I can win. I look to Trapper, to gauge his reaction to being presumed dead. He is silent, eyes shut as he whispers something to someone I can't see. Sierra just looks terrified, eyes wide and tears threatening to collect in them.
"Which one?" the girl asks.
"Does it matter?" I recognize this voice, this is Marlin. I can tell that Marlin is running things, just from the tone of her voice. "As long as they kill the rest off, it just makes our life easier. Now come on, I'm sure their must be some other Tributes here in these ruins."
I hear them leave, and I realize they are too cocky for their own good. Why not check the building right next to them? They think everyone is so afraid of them, they will just give themselves away. I smile to myself. That will be their undoing.
I motion for the others to be quiet for longer, and I do not know how long I stay there with the others, just sitting in silence. I must be sure the others are gone, truly gone, before I allow myself to even think of talking. After enough time passes that I am sure, I turn to the others.
"New plan," I say. "Sierra, you're coming with me. Trapper, you're staying here. Make sure you keep this base."
Sierra seems the slightly bigger threat than Trapper. I want her with me to make sure she doesn't bring up a rear attack. Sierra is surprised, but I do not bother giving her the details of why I want her with me. We leave Trapper the knife just in case and then we head out.
Me and Sierra walk in silence, as I am sure most of the other Tributes are. It is unbearably hot, and unless some fight is going on somewhere, I know my fellow Tributes are probably too tired to really do anything else. With the excitement of yesterday and out recent close call with the Careers, I doubt that the Gamemakers will try any tricks today, but I know tomorrow will be fair game.
After two hours, I finally break down, and me and Sierra each drink some of the water. We have had no luck so far, and I am starting to believe this may be the last source of water I ever see. I am sure to leave some left in there, but I know only one more drink can be taken from it before I am completely out.
"Who do you think died last night?" Sierra asks. I blink in surprise and she just shrugs. "Just trying to make conversation. We're kind of stuck."
I decide I might as well.
"Boy from 3," I say, "and Daisy, the girl from 12." I do not mean for my voice to choke on Daisy's name, but it does. Sierra takes a sharp gasp of breath, and I realize with a start that I accidently admitted to killing her fellow Tribute from 3. I did not think that they might know each other, or she might be saddened by it.
Because a dark part of me would not care if Trapper died.
"H-how do you know that?" Sierra asked carefully.
"I, uh, saw them fighting," I lie lamely. The last thing I want is a fight with Sierra, especially now when I'm weaker than I would be with water. "That's why I ran. I saw both of them fall. I ran to be safe."
If Sierra does not believe, she does not say. She nods quietly and she has fallen solemn. I wonder why she is so sad about her Tribute mate. If anything, it makes her one step closer to winning.
I wonder where I got so cold. I turn back to her, and I try to understand. I really do. But I guess I'm too cold now.
Chapter Bible Verse:
"The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is the Lord, is blessed." – Jeremiah 17:7
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ReadBookWriteThings: Sierra and Trapper have their own reasons for doing what they're doing, which will be explored later. Daisy should make a comeback for her Eight within the next few chapters. A lot of things are happening that Johanna isn't aware of, so she's in the dark, but don't worry, we'll finally start getting some answers soon!
Questions, comments, or concerns? Let me know! Have a blessed day!
-PrincessChess