Author's Note: I'm sorry about the mix up with last chapter! I have learned my lesson: don't trust your brother to upload the correct document, especially when he doesn't know what a fanfiction is. Here's the new chapter! Thank you so much for your reviews and comments. Expect a new chapter on Thursday!
That night I don't sleep. I've helped Danny climb a tree with me, and we are both securely tied down to a wide branch, covered in a sleeping bag I managed to take with me without the Careers noticing. How Haymitch knew it was the right moment for us to flee I don't know. But somehow he did, and I will make sure Danny thanks him for it when they see each other again.
Even when we are as safe as it can be ― the tree's foliage cover us from anyone walking beneath us, and my hand is clenching the bow tightly, ready to point at anyone that so much as breathes near us― I can't bring myself to relax. For the first time I'm genuinely scared for my life.
When we were at the Careers camp I had almost felt safe. I knew I was valuable for them, and that they knew touching Danny meant the end of the alliance. Now we are on our own, and somehow I don't think Cato is going to take our betrayal lightly.
Danny is asleep by the time the face of the boy from Ten pops in the sky, I know he is too tired from having ran earlier and I don't wake him. What for? Nothing he says will comfort me, I am just not the person he sees anymore. Not the girl that showed him how to throw a knife out of boredom and not necessity one Saturday, not the girl that sometimes would allow herself a giggle or two when she was only around him and his brother.
In a way I'm glad I am not getting out of the Arena. With images like the girl from Nine with my arrow on her chest and the boy from Ten falling to his death because of me, I don't want to ever leave the Arena. At least here I have a reason to push away those dark thoughts. Keeping Danny alive occupies my mind enough not to be entertained enough by somber images, I can't let them slow me down.
How could I live with myself if I woke up in the Victor's Village, to clean sheets and luxurious furniture? How could I ever get over the lives I've taken if I was reminded of them every day at every moment? How would I remain sane knowing I couldn't keep Danny alive?
I know I promised him that I would win if he died, that I wouldn't take all of Peeta's family at once. But the thought strikes me that maybe he has already lost me. I will never be the girl he fell in love with, and after seeing what he's seen of me I wouldn't blame him if he didn't run straight into my arms when I stepped off the train.
Even though I have already said goodbye to him, it's the first time I realize I've lost him. The thought makes me want to throw myself from the tree, but I don't.
As soon as the sun starts peeking in the sky I wake Danny up. He rubs his eyes and sits up against the rough bark behind us. I manage a half-smile for him and hand him some dry fruit I have in the backpack. I only have three more packages of those left, and two of dry meat. I know I'll have to hunt soon, but this time I won't have Gale, or even Marvel, to have my back. I will be entirely on my own while trying to protect Danny from anything that attacks us.
"What's the plan?" He asks when we are done with the fruit.
"I was thinking we could keep a low profile for now. Walk some more, get as far away from the Careers camp as we can and then wait." Sooner or later I will have to kill again, but I don't feel ready to even think about it just yet. So I will just try and recover some of the peace we had until last afternoon. Maybe we could find a cave or something. A good hideout to wait for another plan.
Danny nods and I smile at him more honestly this time. At least he doesn't argue.
"Just give me a second, I'm going to try and make out where we are." Easily, I achieve what the boy at Ten died doing: I climb. I didn't pick the tree we slept at randomly, but because it was one of the tallest and the best for climbing. I almost make it to the top before I realize the branches are too weak for my weight. It doesn't matter, I can see the lake from where I am. I know what direction not to go to. Other than that, I have no idea on what route to take. I see no other bodies of water, and that worries me.
I know that the tributes out there need water to survive, and none attempted to approach the lake while I was on watch. But still.
I join Danny again and we carefully we make our way down the tree. He insists on carrying the backpack and I accept, that way my quiver rests more comfortably on my back and I can shoot faster if I need to.
Since any direction is as good as any, I start walking on the opposite direction to the lake with Danny in front of me. I'm not in a hunting mode, so the way he steps on broken branches doesn't bother me. Still, I keep my eyes open for any animals I see in case I can shoot down dinner.
The day dies away soon, and I manage to shoot a turkey which we cook as the sun sets, I know there are little chances anyone saw the fire, but I make sure there is no trace of a fireplace before we find a tall tree to spend the night in.
No faces are the sky this night, and even though deep down I'm relieved no one died. I also know that it means my stay in the Arena is stretching, and I don't know how long I can take that.
We manage to survive one more day without being seen or seeing anyone, but on my sixth day on the Arena I realize that I've overestimated the Gamemakers and the people of the Capitol. I shouldn't have expected them to allow their favorites to have a low profile, and with no deaths on the past two days they must be bloodthirsty by now.
I only realize that when the sky suddenly darkens and I stop out of instinct, just to watch a lightning touch ground a few feet from my position. I stumble backwards and look at the sky. The black storm clouds promise me a nightmare, and I know I'm right when another lightning hits the tree on my left. This are Gamemaker-produced lightning, I'm positive. They are a strategy to spice up the games.
Thunder roars and in the midst of it a canon is heard, that makes me move again. I have no way of knowing where a lightning will strike, but I vaguely remember something about zigzagging, and keeping away from threes... and water.
I grab Danny's hand and drag the terrified kid with me as I make a wobbly line through the trees, trying to keep as far from them as I can. Danny is crying and I remember how he used to tiptoe from his room to Peeta's during thunderstorms. Unfortunately there is no time for me to reassure him that everything is going to be okay.
One after the other the fires catch fire around us, except the ones we've left behind. They are pushing us towards the Lake. I realize. They are trying to bring us all together.
I panic, Danny is tugging on my hand trying to get away from the fire. Thunder deafens me, but with a sudden flash of light caused by another lightning something catches my eye. I turn to Danny and press both my hands to his shoulders. "Do you trust me?"
He looks at me as if I have gone mad, and maybe I have. But he nods anyway.
I grab his hand tightly and walk straight into the fire.