Chapter 38- Dexsia Greentree
Welcome to Day 4, in which eleven tributes are dead and thirteen are still alive. Fortunately, I'm one of the thirteen. There are way too many people still alive in here for Day 4, if you ask me. I volunteered for the night watch again after taking a nap at sunset. That was a risk in itself, but there was no way I would go to sleep tonight with tensions running so high.
The sunrise is beautiful this morning, after the rainfall we had last night. It was short lived, and I didn't get wet because I was in the Cornucopia, but it made the sand smell sweet. The sky is pink and purple with streaks of orange. I'm used to seeing the sunrises now, but this one is particularly beautiful.
I wonder how my family is doing at home. These Games are going to drag out, I can feel it, so what do they think about that? Is my mother worried about me? I can feel Gallus's disapproving look all the way from District 2. I doubt he liked the fact that I killed the small girl from 9, but it was better than letting her go. I'm surprised the other twelve-year-old from 3 is still out there. How is she staying alive?
Someone stirs behind me, and for a second I think it's Cossus, before I remember he's dead. Aulus would be happy. He wants me to win, and I didn't trust my district partner, but I'm still a bit glad that I didn't have to kill Cossus. And anyway, it's not my dead ally, but Calypso who's gotten up.
"That's pretty," Calypso says, coming to sit beside me. "You see this every morning?"
"Pretty much. This is the nicest one I've seen yet, though," I say.
"I see why you volunteer for the night shift," she says, leaning forward on her knees with her elbows.
"Day 4," I say. It's odd that she's joining me at this hour. Usually the others stay asleep for a long time.
"It's crazy that it's only been four days. Do you miss home?" she asks, looking at me. Her green eyes look innocent enough right now, but she's looking for something in me. What does she want?
"Not really. I've been waiting all my life for this moment, and now that I'm finally here, it's amazing," I say. It's not really that amazing; I'm not fond of the desert, but that should sit well with the audience. Dexsia Greentree, an eager victor! Unlike some of the idiots I've seen throughout the year who look shell-shocked and terrified, I'm going to be powerful.
"I'm not the biggest fan of the desert," Calypso says, looking out at the sand. "I'm more of an ocean girl myself."
"You would be, coming from 4," I say. She's unarmed currently, so I don't think she's intending on killing me right this moment. So I lean my sword next me and unplait my hair, combing it out with my fingers.
"Those two are still asleep, right?" Calypso says, suddenly hushed, looking behind her. Velvet and Treasure are asleep in sleeping bags towards the back of the Cornucopia. I can see their steady breathing from here.
"Yeah?" I say, starting to braid my hair back again.
"This alliance isn't going to last, Dex," she says.
"What are you saying?"
"You're strong, you're a good fighter. Velvet is only picking fights, and Treasure is useless. What do you say we start our own alliance when they're eliminated?" Calypso says.
"So we get rid of them," I clarify, tying my braid at the bottom. She nods.
"What about Kouza and Alyss?" I ask. "Velvet might be useful in killing them." And the boy from District 12, but he's been a no show so far, so I don't mention him yet.
"We can take them. There's two of us and two of them, and you're the best swordswoman here. We can take the District 5s out easily," she says.
"So when do we do it?" I say, glancing back at Velvet and Treasure, who are still very asleep.
"Tomorrow, I think. Give Kouza and Alyss another chance to get here. Day 5 should be sufficient," Calypso says. "Allies?"
"Allies," I say.
And just like that, everything has changed.
"What's going on?" Treasure asks behind us, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She seems confused as to why Calypso and I are sitting together talking.
"You should have seen the sunrise; it was unreal," Calypso says cheerfully.
"Why are you up?" Treasure asks.
"Leg was bothering me," Calypso says, gesturing to her bad leg. It doesn't look all that bad, actually.
"Will you all shut up?" Velvet grumbles. "Some of us are trying to sleep."
You'll be dead soon, I think. Might want to be awake as much as you can.
"Oh cheer up, Velvet," I say, grabbing my sword again. Really, I'm ready to kill him now when Calypso grabs my arm.
"Look!" she says, pointing out beyond the oasis. I squint, trying to see what she's pointing at.
"What?" I ask.
"Tribute!"
Velvet and Treasure are on their feet in a second, each grabbing a weapon; for Velvet it's a sword, for Treasure it's a knife.
"Who is it?" Velvet asks eagerly.
"I don't know, I can't see them clearly," Calypso says. I see them now, too; a faint blur in the distance. I'm amazed that Calypso could see them in the first place.
"Shall we go see who they are?" I ask, and for once Velvet agrees with me. Calypso gets up, steady on both her legs. She's been healing well since her run in with the boy from 9.
Together, we run past the oasis, towards the tribute in the distance who gets closer and closer. She sees us- it's a girl- and she takes off running, as fast as she can, towards the river. I recognize her hair and short stature.
"Girl from 3!" I yell, not that it matters. She'll be dead soon no matter where she's from.
"Damn she's fast!" Velvet yells in frustration. She's quick, very quick, and she's sprinting across the sand like a deer. Her blonde hair flies out behind her, whipping every once in a while when she looks back at us. We're coming, little girl!
It's a long way to the river, but she keeps running, and we keep running after her, keeping up a steady jog as we go. It's not hot yet, since the sun hasn't full risen in the sky. I scan the skies every few minutes for more eagle mutts, but none have appeared. I'm amazed that Calypso has been able to keep up, what with her leg, but she keeps on with us, holding her trident tight in her right hand.
Finally, after what feels like years, the girl reaches the river, and we're right on her heels.
"Where're you going, sweetheart?" Calypso calls out, and Treasure and I laugh.
"She's not going anywhere!" I say, turning my sword to get a better grip on it. The girl's frightened eyes are so blue I can see them from where I stand. She's definitely seen better days; her cheeks are hollow and her lips are cracked. Either she has sponsors keeping her alive, or she's been very lucky or resourceful. Day 4 is quite an achievement for a twelve-year old.
Velvet starts towards her, sword held threateningly. Treasure hoots and laughs, showing off her knife. She's so irritating, I think we should kill her first.
The girl steps away from the approaching Velvet, backing into the river. The water laps at her heels.
"She's going to try to cross it," I say to Calypso.
"There's nothing on the other side but a few trees," she says. "She'll be easy to kill there."
For a girl from District 3, she's not afraid of water, which surprises me. Velvet starts to go in after her, but Calypso calls him back.
"Let's see if she makes it first," she says.
"I want to kill her, not see her drown," Velvet grumbles, but he backs out and comes to stand by us. And really, it's a good thing for him that he does.
The girl from 3 gets halfway into the river, which isn't that deep, only up to her chest, and she's small, when the ripples start about four feet away from her. Something's wrong.
"Get back," I say, and the others listen. The girl stops, startled; all eyes are fixated on that rapidly churning patch of water. My heart beats fast.
Rising from the river is a giant hippopotamus; I don't know how I know what it is, but that's what it is. Only it has razor sharp teeth and is bigger than anything I've ever seen. Before we can react, it rushes through the water towards the girl from 3, who screams once, a terrible, high pitched scream of fear.
She's still standing, frozen, when the hippo mutt attacks, cutting her in half instantly and dragging her body under the water as it crashes down in the ripples. A bloom of blood rises to the top, staining the blue water purple. A cannon fires, echoing throughout the arena. I feel sick when I see the bottom half of the girl from 3, bobbing to the surface by the mutt; blood pouring from her severed torso.
"Go! Run!" I scream, shoving my allies backwards. I'm horrified at what I just saw, at the blood that's still spreading and washing up on shore with the churning water. The hippo mutt is still thrashing around, and I'm scared it's going to come after us next. "Run!"
And we run. The mutt stays behind, preoccupied with its current victim, but we flee back to the safety of the oasis and Cornucopia. My heart beats loudly in my ears; the image of the District 3 girl's death keeps playing over and over in my head. I wanted her dead, but not like that. Twelve dead, half of us are dead now.
Twelve left to play.