Hey everyone! I wanted to make this announcement so no one get s confused; in the last chapter, I said the Careers were headed to the eastern mountain, but I actually meant the western mountain, which is closer to the Cornucopia. I realized this after reading all of your reviews about how the Careers were going to run into Filly, who is on the eastern mountain. I have changed the previous chapter so that it is correct, and I apologize. Directions are hard for me! I hope this isn't too disappointing or confusing. Thank you for understanding!
Hadrian Cato (18)- D2M
Several hours have passed since the cannon boomed throughout the arena, but Tiffany and Tiger haven't returned. The thought of them out there killing weaker tributes, the audience sitting on the edge of their seats and rooting for them, makes me want to tear my hair out. I was hoping that they wouldn't have any success, and then come back for my help. I've been trying to walk around by myself, but I haven't had very much success. My ribs are killing me, and I know what a broken bone feels like. My right ankle feels a little twisted, but not bad. The worst is my shoulder, which has been double teamed by that little girl from Eight and the one from Five. I always knew that I might sustain a permanent injury in the Games, but it's another thing entirely to actually experience it. I know that if I win, my shoulder will never be the same.
When I win, I remind myself, shaking my head. It doesn't help to lose confidence now. Cassius won his Games by staying self-assured and not letting the audience see his weaknesses. I can still use the same strategy to win. The Capitol can't see me lose confidence, or they will lose confidence in me as well.
As the night drags on, I drift off to sleep despite my attempts to stay awake. I know that Tiffany and Tiger leaving me here is a test more than anything else; a test to see if I will survive the night, or any rogue tributes that come to the Cornucopia for supplies. I can't fall asleep and leave myself open to attack, but I don't want to be exhausted when Tiger and Tiffany return, if they ever do. I need to be eager and ready to hunt when they get back.
Sometime in the early hours of the morning, I hear something that can't be real. The sound of a parachute floating down from the sky is simply my wishful thinking. But then I see the light twinkling of the silver as it floats down to the Cornucopia. I groan as I get to my feet and hobble over to it. I unscrew the lid and sigh in relief at the sight. Capitolite medicine, the really good stuff and not just the basic ones that are at the Cornucopia. Celia and Cato will have found the exact right formula and materials for my injuries. There is also a splint for my shoulder and a bind for my must be an incredibly expensive gift.
I notice the message that she attached and quickly grab it. Don't let us down, it reads. I know what she means. Not just Celia, or Cato, or Cassius, but everyone in District Two. The Hunger Games are where we excel as a district, and we might be able to pull a back-to-back win if I pull through. That was always the plan, and they haven't given up hope. Celia and Cato could easily give up on me and let me die, but they haven't.
Just like it could be easy for me to lose my confidence and edge, but I won't.
I blow a kiss up to the sky and wink. "Thanks, Celia. And Cato, I guess."
The Capitol will love that. They always love a bit of flirtation between victors, and I am victor material. A few broken bones doesn't change that.
Filly Marcoffe (18)- D10F
I sit on the path for a while longer, taking a few sips out of the water that I was sponsored. It doesn't taste as good as i expected, maybe because of the silver or tin bottle. It tastes metallic, like blood.
I know the sponsors only sent this to me because I finally killed someone. I probably impressed a few people by scoring an eight in training, but I haven't done anything in these Games except hide out and avoid everyone. The girl had came to me, trying to kill me, and I was simply defending myself. And I'm rewarded with water, to extend my life just a little longer so that the audience can see me in battle at least one more time.
Don't think about it, I tell myself. It's always been my motto. Why think about my mother's death when it can't be undone? Why try to imagine a world without the Hunger Games when it doesn't exist? Why try to avoid killing when it is inevitable?
I sigh as I take another swig of water. It tastes slightly better now. I have to return to my shack, even if I don't want to. I left all of my food there, along with the bed and shelter from the elements.
Just don't think about it, I chant inside my head as I walk past the place that I stabbed the girl- no, the place the girl was stabbed. It makes no difference that I did it. If I hadn't, then someone else would have. Some of her blood still stains the soil. I look away and head directly into my shack, eyes fixating on the knife in my hand. It's still covered in her blood. I don't want to wash it with my new water, but leaving it stained in dry blood is too much of a reminder of the deed that was done, even disrespectful. I try to wipe it off the wood of the shack, but only a little comes off.
I curl up to sleep on the bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. I have some kind of horrible dream where a demon tries to strangle me in my sleep, but I wake the next morning with the realization that it wasn't real. Of course it wasn't; the only real demons here are the Gamemakers. I shake my head lightly before rising to meet the rising sun.
I spend the morning sitting in silence on my bed, munching on what's left of my jerky and drinking some water. A strange fog has cleared from my mind. I guess I didn't realize just how much dehydration was affecting me. A headache that I didn't know I had has let up. I read some more of the journal, fantasizing about living as one of the people that is described in the pages. They remind me a little of District Ten, with all the livestock and the sense of community. Except the people here didn't have to rely on anyone else, the Capitol or any of the other districts. They grew their own food and made all of their own supplies. They were completely independent and without a reason to ever leave their little settlement.
I decide I don't have much reason to leave either, considering that I now have water, grapes for food, and shelter. It would be suicide to leave.
Eryn Winters (15)- D12F
We spend the morning traveling farther along the shore, the day getting hotter and hotter. I do my best to keep up with Jason and Nikki. He hands me a drink of water whenever I start to slow down, and even Nikki shoots me some concerned glances. Jason's Capitolite medicine worked wonders for the injury in my collarbone, but I can feel the bones moving in a way that they shouldn't when I turn my head. I don't want to think about if they might be broken or splintered. I carry the knife that did it in my hands, ready to defend myself from anyone that might attack us. Last time, I let my guard down and made a fool of myself while cleaning in the river. The girl from Three was able to wound me so easily that I'm sure it was laughable for the Capitolites. I can't let it happen again.
I note the way Jason carries his sword, his arm hanging low but still poised for immediate action. I mimic it with my knife, ignoring the pain in my neck area. I can't let an injury stop me from winning and getting back to my family.
I'm still not sure why finding the edge of the arena is a good idea, but Nikki is set on it. I know that staying away from the action is always a safe bet, but I'm not sure how the forcefield itself will be useful. Maybe Nikki knows something from her Career training that will help us.
We stop for our usual lunch at midday; cooked fish and dried seaweed. I was never a huge fan of fish in the first place, but it's definitely starting to get old. I can't help but think about the honey-glazed roasted pigs that they served in the Capitol. It makes me eat faster just thinking about it.
"Maybe we should stay here for a while and rest," Jason says, sucking on a fish bone. He looks pointedly at Nikki, probably thinking that I can't see.
"We should really keep moving…" she trails off. "But maybe we could. It's hot."
I know they're worried about me. I can't help but wince in pain from every step that I take, even though my wound stopped bleeding a long time ago. I don't want to think about the possible permanent damage. My mind also feels foggy and my body is weak. I only drank a little bit of untreated water, but I don't know how much it has affected me. Each time I go to relieve myself away from Jason and Nikki, I have painful diarrhea that surely doesn't bode well for me.
"You should get some rest, Eryn," Nikki says, standing up with her trident at the ready. "I'm going to find us more food."
"Any chance we could get something sweet?" I ask helplessly. "And not fishy?"
"Well…" she and Jason meet eyes. "I guess I could try."
Nikki has been nicer and nicer to me since I joined the alliance, and I know Jason is the only reason, but it doesn't seem fake. Maybe she isn't a terrible person after all.
Jason joins her later, after spending some time with me. I watch them fish together, standing side by side in the water and laughing together. At least, Jason laughs while Nikki tries to hide her amusement. I've suspected that there was something going on between them since I met them, and I'm still not sure. They seem close, anyway, I'm glad I'm in an alliance that actually cares about each other.
They wade back to shore after about half an hour. Jason smiles at me as hands me a fistful of seaweed. "We'll dry this as we walk. Are you rested enough?"
"Yep," I say with a smile. As I stand, I can feel my collarbone painfully scraping against something else. I wince and roll my shoulder, trying not to seem too unperturbed. "Let's go!"
Sebastian "Seb" Cassara (18)- D7M
Tag and I arrive at the river near midday. Walking out in the open to the water's shore sets me on edge. Tag grips his knife tightly, and I clench my fists at my side as he kneels down to put some water in his canteen. We ran out this morning. I would rather not drink any unclean water, but we don't have much of a choice. When the lumberjacks were out in the forest, the foremen always told us never to drink from any streams that we see, no matter now clear the water. Although, that could be because the Capitol wants us to rely on them for water. The river looks crystal clear, so maybe it won't be too bad…
I hear a noise to our left, bringing my attention back to the present. I can't see anything, but we can't assume it isn't another tribute.
"Stay here," I say quietly to Tag, creeping into the water."
"What is it?" he asks.
There are a few patches of sparse brown grass on the other bank of the river. I prepare myself for the worst as I ready my fists. If someone jumps out with a weapon, I'll have to protect Tag with my bare hands.
The cat pops it's head out of the grass, squinting at me as if trying to figure out what I am. "Tag!" I yell, not moving an inch. "Dinner!"
The cat has long ears and black tufts of fur protruding from the tops. It's a large size, much like the baby mountain cats that roam District Seven. We watch each other with curiosity.
"I'm coming!" Tag yells in answer. I hear him splashing after me in the water. "What do we do? Should I throw it?"
"No, I'll do it," I say. "Hand it to me." I reach out behind me for the knife. The thought of holding a knife, one so like a kitchen knife, makes me feel queasy inside. But I can't let Tag hurt himself. This cat isn't used to people being around, but that doesn't mean it won't attack when provoked.
Then, the blade suddenly whooshes past me and embeds itself into the hide of the animal. It yelps with pain, making a high-pitched shrieking sound. It immediately runs away, disappearing into the brush.
"Tag!" I roar. "What were you thinking?!"
He runs past me with a quick, "Sorry!"
I have no choice but to follow them. The cat's trail of blood is obvious on the dirt, which eagerly soaks up the moisture. I find Tag waiting at the base of the eastern mountain, the carcass of the cat in his arms. It's almost half his size, and he looks like a little kid holding a trophy with his huge grin.
"Dinner is served!" he says happily.
"That was incredibly irresponsible," I hiss at him. "What if you had missed and it attacked you? What if you hit me instead?"
"I have perfect aim," he says proudly. "Well, maybe not perfect. I was aiming for it's head. But still."
"You should have let me do it," I say grumpily.
"Please. I know you don't like using weapons." He holds the cat up higher for me to take. "So I just did it. Let's get this thing skinned, shall we?"
I can't deny that the idea of having some real food other than starchy apples makes my stomach growl. But we can't do it here.
"We need to find somewhere safer," I say, glancing around. "We shouldn't be out in the open like this. Anyone could see us."
"Look there," he says, pointing. There's an entrance to a cave not too far away. We could light a fire in there at night and no one would see."
"We can check it out," I say hesitantly. "But we need to be careful. It could be a trap."
Tag rolls his eyes. "Or it could be a good place to hide. Come on, Seb."
Tiffany Silk (18)- D1F
The mountain, it turns out was a bust. The trek was long and arduous, and by the time we reach the top, when the moon is the highest in the sky, Tiger and I have almost ran out of water. Sometime just before sunset, a cannon goes booms throughout the arena. I can't help but hope that it is Hadrian, finally out of our hair, but it's the girl from Five's face who appears in the sky an hour or so later.
"That's the girl we trapped on the mountain," I say with a pout.
"Maybe she died of her injuries," Tiger says, sounding disinterested.
We're taking a few hours to rest and review our options.
"We can't go back to the Cornucopia until we make a kill," Tiger growls, wiping sweat from his brow. His green eyes are narrowed in annoyance.
"We need to stock up on food and water," I remind him.
"And then immediately come back this way?" he asks. "We need to head down to the beach. We can find food there."
That might not be true, but I understand his sentiment. We have to accomplish something in our outings. I've only killed two tributes these whole Games, and there's only ten of us left. District One needs to prove itself as the best of the Careers once and for all, and running around in the desert with our heads cut off isn't going to help with that, even if we are the only strong Careers left.
"Fine," I say. Even if we go hungry, finding a tribute to kill will make up for it.
After sleeping for a few hours, we're up again at sunrise. Climbing back down the mountain takes nearly all day, but it's easier than going up. I keep my eyes peeled just in case we missed something on our previous journey, but there still isn't a lot to see. Sparse bushes, a few fruit trees every now and then to keep us sustained. I take a few to put in my backpack for later. We don't know how long we will be away from our supplies.
We don't take any rests on our way down, marching on until the sun is set again and we are still moving. I munch on a peach as we hike, the juice running down my face. I try to wipe it away, but it only makes my hands sticky. It's frustrating how I can't present myself how I want in the arena, but I suppose that's part of the fun for the audience. Getting to see the real person underneath all the Capitolite makeup.
By the time we reach the bottom of the mountain, the stars are fully out, twinkling merrily at us. We stop for just a few minutes to make a game plan.
"We should head down to the river," I say. "And climb down at the waterfall. That's how you did it before, right?"
"That's what I did before, and Willow died," Tiger huffs. "We need to have the higher ground on the cliff, so we can see the beach and anyone that's on it."
"And then what? Just jump off when we see someone?"
"We can climb down quietly, Tiffany," he snaps. "It doesn't have to be that dramatic."
"Alright," I say, rolling my eyes. "Which way are we headed, then? West?"
"There has to be someone over there," Tiger says. I nod. The arena seems so open and barren that it would be easy to find other tributes, but it seems they've all hidden themselves exceptionally well. Perhaps there are other hiding places like the caves under the eastern mountain. Or perhaps, they are waiting for us down by the beach.
"We need to look for fires," I remind Tiger as we begin jogging. "Or any movement. If we see anything, get low to the ground so they can't spot us. It's dark, but there might be a lookout, or they might not even be sleeping. We're easier to see up here."
"I've had the same training you did," Tiger grumbles. "Just stay quiet. Let's do this."
Spool Nylon (12)- D8M
The cave system is strangely dark and quiet, even more than a barren desert at night. We end up staying close to the mouth since the interior of the cave system is far too dark to see anything, and we have no idea what could be in there. If only we had some kind of flashlight, or matches.
The water we gathered from the river tastes horrible, but the cat I killed is delicious. Seb talked me through how to skin it and slice it up, and then we made a fire with a few rocks and sticks outside the cave and left them over the fire to cook. They're still slightly undercooked from the weak fire a few hours later, but I can't complain. I'm just glad to have real food.
The flesh is chewy and dry, sticking to the roof of my mouth. I take another swig of water and wipe my mouth. Seb is silent beside me, watching the arena intently. We decided that if we see anyone, we will run further into the caves, not bothering to put out the remnants of our dying fire, nothing more than a few embers. They probably won't even see it, since the smoke doesn't have anywhere to rise to except the roof of the cave. If we run right into a trap set by the Gamemakers or another tribute, then so be it. Hopefully we will be able to escape and our pursuers would get the worst of it.
All this talk and worries about traps have set my brain in motion, but I haven't had the courage to tell Seb. This cave sure would be a nice place for a trap, even if there isn't one set yet.
"Seb," I say.
He turns to look at me with a frown. "What is it?"
"I've been thinking… about traps."
"We can't go farther in, at least not until morning," Seb says sharply, turning back to the scene before us.
"I don't mean about exploring the caves. I think we should set our own."
I can see him frowning even more in the moonlight. "What do you mean?"
"Here, in the entrance to the cave. We have all of this animal hide-" I lift up the bloody skin and fur of our dinner. "And nothing else to do with it. I can whip up a nice trap in no time with this, some sticks, a fire to draw people in-"
"And some rope," he finishes. "We don't have any, Tag. Just leave it be. We don't need to go around inviting people to our hideout."
"You always shut me down before I can even explain it to you!" I say angrily. "Who was it that saved you after the storm? Who killed that cat? Who carries the knife because you don't want to? You did the same thing to Sock before she-"
I stop before I'll say something I regret, blinking tears away from my eyes. "Why should I do things your way? We haven't made one kill yet."
"You want to make a kill?" Seb says dangerously. "It's not like killing a wild animal."
"At least I want to do something!" I say, my voice louder than I know it should be, but I can't quiet down. "We wouldn't have eaten tonight if it wasn't for me. And Sock might still be alive if you didn't yell at her so much."
"Sock died because she didn't listen to me!" Seb roars. "And so will you if you keep acting without thinking. You're not invincible."
"You're the one who isn't thinking," I say through gritted teeth. "This is the Hunger Games, and you're trying to tell me not to take risks. Without risk, we'll die. It's plain and simple."
"There's a difference between attacking a tribute we see and luring one to us. It's just not safe, Tag!"
"That's because you've already resigned yourself to death, haven't you?" I say quietly. "Don't think I haven't realized it. You volunteered for- who? Your girlfriend's brother? And now you want to protect me too. But newsflash- I'm not some poor little Reaped boy. I don't need protecting!"
He watches me silently in the darkness for a few moments. My heart is pounding in my chest. Did I just reveal my secret? I pore over my words inside my mind. No, I'm fine. Surely the Capitol won't take them literally.
"Whatever. Just get to sleep, I'll take first watch."
I sigh and lean back against the wall of the cave. At least Seb isn't kicking me out of the alliance. He'll come around.
Nicolette "Nikki" Anderson (18)- D4F
For some reason, I'm not too upset when Jason convinces me that we need to rest for the evening. I would prefer to keep moving, especially with how slow we've been going; but he insists that Eryn needs her rest. She's been slowing down more and more throughout the day, and I can't help but suspect that she's has some kind of infection. Jason changes her bandage as the sun sets over the water, reflecting rich shades of purple, orange, and red. It reminds me so much of home that I could be on the beaches of District Four right now, breathing in the salty, fishy air.
"Nikki!" Jason calls me over to our little camp. "Can you come make a fire?"
"You still don't know how?" I reprimand him playfully. "It's simple."
"For you," he says under his breath. "Eryn is cold."
I glance at her as I strike her knife over a stone we found earlier that is perfect for fire-making. The sparks fly onto the pile of twigs beneath it, but don't quite catch flame yet. Eryn is looking rather gaunt, her under eyes sunken in and her skin sallow. But she smiles when I look at her, and I smile back. I'm surprised at the genuine pity that tugs at my heart. I thought I had eradicated such emotions before entering the arena. But Jason and Eryn have reopened my old wounds and put my mind in a tizzy.
"I'm going to make some more water," Jason says, heading over to the water's edge. I'm left alone with Eryn, but it doesn't annoy me as much as it used to. It's nice to have a friend. I was never really able to at home.
The sparks from the stone finally catch the driftwood, and a the flame instantly starts burning. We won't have a lot of time before the fire burns out, and we don't want the smoke to attract other tributes, either, so I quickly set out the fish and seaweed I gathered a few minutes ago to cook, then sit down next to Eryn.
I watch Jason's silhouette as he gathers water for us. I've been able to make boil the water using our water bottle and Eryn's so that we have drinkable seawater. It isn't perfect by any means, but it's enough to keep us hydrated.
"Jason is very kind," Eryn says softly.
"Yes, he is," I say.
"And handsome, wouldn't you say?"
"Well…" I glance over at her so see her smiling at me cheekily. "I suppose," I say begrudgingly.
She laughs, the sound refreshing and cheerful. "I'm tired. I'll eat in the morning, okay?"
"Okay," I say as she makes herself a little bed in the sand and lays down. She must be exhausted if she doesn't even want to eat. I sigh nervously as Jason returns from the water. His black hair is wild from the wind. He sets up the two bottles the way I instructed him, with the bigger one inside the other and a lid covering them. He places them over the fire and plops down next to me.
"Tired," he yawns.
"You would make an awful Peacekeeper," I say.
He laughs and scoots closer to me. I lean over to give him a small peck on the lips, and his smile is blinding. "We should get to sleep."
"You should. I'm keeping watch."
"Fine. Wake me at midnight."
He reclines next to me, wrapping his jacket around himself more securely. I place one hand on his shoulder and watch the waves creep closer and closer. Maybe Eryn and I could prank Jason tomorrow like we tried to do before. I don't think it would be too upset.
I eat some of the fish once it's cooked, then set the rest aside for Jason and Eryn. Once the moon is at its peak, I shake Jason awake and take his place in the sand. He gives me a kiss before turning away, and I have to keep a giddy smile off my face.
I drift off to sleep, only to be awoken roughly by the sound of Jason's panicked voice.
"Nikki, wake up!"
I immediately sit up, wiping my eyes. "What? I ask groggily. "What's going on?"
But I realize it before he can answer. There are two tributes raging toward us, barely visible in the moonlight. I can tell who they are by their gaits and blonde heads of hair.
"Get Eryn," I instruct Jason, grabbing my trident and getting to my feet. I head out to meet them halfway, smirking as one of them slows. The other continues until I can see his face properly, his green eyes glinting with anger.
"We finally meet again," I say, more for the Capitol than anything else.
"You'll regret leaving us in the first place once I chop your head off," Tiger sneers, raising his axe. I keep my trident at the ready, somersaulting away from his blow. I lunge toward him while he's off balance, but he also dodges my attack, slashing at my back. I duck just in time, and his axe slides over my head and chops off a few hairs. I stand up quickly and lunge again, and he loses his balance.
"Nikki!" I look over my shoulder desperately. Jason is clashing his sword against Tiffany's. Eryn is trying to run away, hands at her neck injury. Jason parries Tiffany's blow, but her sword clangs down again on his, pushing with all her might. I know he's strong, but she's strong as well. I have to get over there and help him.
I hear Tiger's roar before I turn back around, just in time to avoid his axe, though the blade cuts against my cheekbone. I immediately feel blood trickle down my face, pain making me move faster. My heart pounds as I lunge again, trying to trip him again with my feet. He manages to stay upright, throwing his axe my way. It misses and buries itself into the ground. He dodges my attack again, so I take the opportunity to run back to Jason.
"Jason!" I yell. He's standing in front of Eryn, who is cowering in the sand.
His eyes meet mine just as Tiffany shoves her sword into his stomach. He doubles over, his face alight with pain. Blood dribbles out of his mouth as he falls onto the sand. Tiffany jerks her sword out of his middle, and I scream with fury.
My trident misses her by a hair, so I tackle her down instead, punching her across the face. I can feel her grappling for her sword, but I strike her against the face again and grab it myself. I bring it up to pierce through her, my heart pounding in my ears.
"Nikki!" I look over and see Tiger planting his axe into Eryn's chest, her blood spraying over his face.
Tiffany kicks my groin and pushes me over, grabbing her sword. I take my trident and parry her blow, kicking her away and realizing I can't take them both on myself. I look at Jason, whose eyes are now still and unseeing. Eryn is gasping for air, choking on her own blood.
I'm sorry, I tell them. I get to my feet and start to sprint. What choice do I have? I'm not ready to die yet.
I hear Tiffany and Tiger storming after me, but I know I'm faster than either of them. Tears fill my eyes, but I shake them away. I have to do this for Jason and Eryn.
Hello everyone! We're down to the final eight! We lost two tributes this chapter.
10th: Jason Sparks (18)- D6M- killed by Tiffany. Created by domgk115. Jason was an undeniable good person, and he died protecting an ally, which I think is a proper send off for his character. He was always fun to write, whether from his own perspective or someone else's. District Six is surely very proud of him, even if he didn't win.
9th: Eryn Winters (15)- D12F- killed by Tiger. Created by Krystal Fox. Eryn was very sweet and certainly didn't deserve to be Reaped like so many tributes in the Hunger Games. But she made friends and her family will remember her well, and her twin sister will miss her.
For our next chapter, we will return to the Districts and Capitol for the interviews of the families of the Final Eight. So expect to see some characters that we haven't seen since the Reapings!
I hope everyone has a great week! Please leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter.