Chapter 18: The Feast

Sabine's POV

I feel a hand nudge my shoulder and I grumble, putting my hands over my eyes. It must be my little brother, Will, wanting me to get up and play with him and his twin brother, Pat. I hear a voice, but I'm too far into sleep again that I can't tell who it is. It must be my mother or father, telling me to get up and go play with them. Screw it, I'm sleeping.

But then I hear the same voice again, but louder, "Wake up, Sabine, we need to get some food."

That voice isn't my parents or my brothers. Who is it? Then realization occurs and I remember where I am. I'm in the 25th Hunger Games, chosen by my own District to compete in it. I am one of the few people left, which is surprising for my District, District 12. We haven't had a victor yet, maybe I'll be that victor.

And when I open my eyes, I see Nyla sitting there next to me. We had partnered up in the beginning of the games; so far it has been working well. I don't think Nyla even wants to win, to be honest, I think she just is helping me, or Iris, win.

Iris teamed up with us after the Bloodbath in the Woods. Her ally, and the boy she loved, Sage, died. She had been a wreck, but she was starting to come back to her normal self. I think it's just the determination and vengeance for his death that is still making her go, and also her family back in District 11.

As for Nyla, well, I don't think she has anyone to go back to. I knew ever since the interviews that her father was ill and I think that the reason she really is just protecting us is because he possibly died. Maybe he did? She wouldn't have anyone to go back to then, and what a lonely life that must be. I guess I don't blame her.

"Get up," Nyla repeats, "Iris is out searching for some berries and I'll fish. But I need you to guard me to make sure none of the Careers pop up."

"Do you think they would?" I say as I sit up, "They were injured like us, they'll need to rest." I roll my right shoulder, which had been cut pretty badly in the battle. But it was starting to heal, thank god.

"You can't take any chances," Nyla says as she stood up, "Grab one of the knives and let's go."

I nod and grab one of the knives we had and followed her out. You could just barely see the Cornucopia on that island from where we are. But so far, the Careers haven't attacked us. I guess they're hoping that one of us will be killed off, since it's an equal number of people on each side. If one of us is killed, they have the upper hand.

I jump and draw out my weapon as I hear the ferns rustle. Nyla looks up, not at all afraid, but just mildly curious. I let out a sigh of relief when I recognize Iris. But her hands are empty.

"Every damn plant they put in here is poisonous," Iris sighs as she walks over to us, "talk about unfortunate."

Nyla shrugs as she turns back to the river, "Nothing we can do about that."

Iris just nods and collapses on the ground, tucking her legs to her chest. I sit down next to her. I am surprised, really, that she has made it this far. She's so small and vulnerable, and when I look at her all I can think of is like she's my little sister. A little sister I never had. But she doesn't act like it, she acts a couple of years older than she is. But maybe that's because her mother died.

"I wonder how long it'll take the Careers to attack us," I wonder quietly.

"Depends," Iris shrugs her shoulders, "On how healthy they are."

"And if the Gamemakers will push us together again," Nyla says, "I can already tell that they're draining the river. It's slow, but if we're not out of here by a week then it'll be gone."

"They can't do much," Iris argues, "We're already close, it's just that both teams are waiting for the other to strike."

"You never know," Nyla murmurs.

"After a couple of days, they're bound to do something," I say as I lean my back on the ground and put my arms behind my head, "It's been three days since the battle, and nothing. The interviews will probably be over with soon and the excitement from the battle will be dying down. The audience will be getting bored."

Neither Iris nor Nyla say anything. Nyla just keeps fishing (though she hasn't caught anything yet, it would've been handier if she was from District 4 instead of 6) and she has a calm expression. Iris crosses her arms, looking frustrated, angry, and sad all at the same time. I just shrug my shoulders; it's the truth, and it's not like all three of us will make it out. And since Nyla is bent on keeping either one of us alive, it's between me, Iris, and the Careers.

After a bit of silence, I hear the anthem of Panem. I sit up and see the daytime sky show the symbol of Panem. We all give each other confused glances, but then turn our attention to the screen above.

"Congratulations to the six survivors!" Claudius Templesmith's voice booms out from hidden speakers, "To appreciate your bravery and skill, we will be having a feast!"

"A feast?" Iris echoes, her voice filled with confusion. "There has never been a feast in the Games before."

"Just come to the Cornucopia tonight at Midnight and you will be given food to last you throughout the rest of the Games! What's there to lose? Be sure to come!" Static fills the air and then it all goes silent.

After a slight pause, I finally say, "We should go."

"No," Iris shakes her head, "It's got to be a trap. Also, the Careers will be there, who knows what could happen."

"I agree," Nyla nods, "and it's at nighttime, where we can't see as well. It's a death sentence."

"But if we go there, then we could get food!" I toss my hands up in the air, "We'll be stronger with it!"

"It's not worth it," Nyla shakes her head, "The Careers will most likely kill us."

"You don't know that," I mutter.

"We do know that," Iris growls, "They're stronger than us with more weapons, all they have to do is throw a knife at our back and we're dead. It's stupid to go to it."

"Please don't go," Nyla says, her eyes pleading, "You'll just be getting yourself killed."

I hesitate, but finally I mutter, "Fine."

Nyla smiles while Iris just rolls her gray eyes. But really, I'm still determined to go.

It's night time now as I settle down in the tent. Nyla is on my left side while Iris is on my right. Iris is already asleep, occasionally murmuring "Sage". Nyla's still awake though, and all I have to do is wait for her to go to sleep before I leave.

"You're not going to go, right?" Nyla asks.

I shake my head and smile, "Of course not. "

Bullshit, I'm definitely going, I think silently.

Nyla looks relieved as she says, "Good, the last thing we need is you getting killed. That's just what the Careers want, so that they'll have an upper hand to us."

"They already have an upper hand," I argue lightly.

"Yeah…but it isn't as bad with us having the same amount of people," She murmurs, "I just don't want you getting killed."

"One of us is going to die," I say, "There can only be one winner."

She just sighs and murmurs, "I know."

"Go to sleep," I encourage her, "You need your rest."

And I need to leave!

Nyla hesitates, as if reluctant and still not trusting me, but then she nods. She settles down and her eyes close. I wait a bit to see that she has finally fallen asleep before I get up. I grab my knife and look around for something else. I see the bow and arrows that Nyla had been able to pick up from Sage during the battle, so I take those as well. I had never used them, but it's another weapon.

I tiptoe my way around the sleeping bodies and make it outside. The air is relatively cool and I shiver slightly. The moon is almost in the midnight position, I better get going. Taking a deep breath, I follow the river over to the island. I groan inwardly as I notice I'll have to swim there. I can swim, but not very well, and the water seems icily cold.

Just think, you'll get a bunch of food afterwards and show Iris and Nyla that it wasn't that hard, I remind myself silently.

I push myself into the water, ignoring its icy grip on my skin. Sliding the knife under my belt and putting the quiver and bow around my shoulder, I begin to swim towards the island. My fingers were starting to grow numb and I'm having a tough time getting over to it, but I manage. My feet move in awkward kicks as I try to swim and I fully regret not swimming with my friends in the nearby pond.

But when my feet graze over sand, I let out a sigh of relief. That relief, though, soon disappears as I remember what could happen. Remembering watching some people do it in the other games, I load my bow with and arrow.

My feet move silently through the undergrowth as I make it over to the clearing. In the middle of the clearing is the Cornucopia with 24 plates surrounding it. I shiver as I feel a cold breeze pass through me. I crouch down behind a bush, waiting for the feast to begin.

I wait there for a couple of minutes before I see the ground open up. I gape in astonishment as I see a table rise and the ground close up beneath it. On the table is a whole roasted turkey. My mouth waters as I look at it and I can just imagine what it would taste like. I've never had a whole turkey before, the only time I had some was a wing of it that my father bought from the butcher. But even then I had to share it with my siblings and parents.

Nothing happened though. I could feel people around me, probably hiding in the undergrowth, but no one dared to step forward. I look at the bow and arrow, and then my knife. I could use the bow and arrow for long distance, but it didn't look like anyone was going to run out and get it. I might as well go while I have the chance.

Taking a deep breath, I throw my bow and quiver to the ground and grab my knife in my right hand. Then, I dash out. Sprinting with all my might I hear a shout and hear other footsteps. An arrow whips past me, but I keep going.

That is, until I feel a large weight careen into me. The air is knocked out of me and I feel my self slam into the ground. My knife falls from my hands and I'm turned, my back on the ground. I feel a blade just barely hover over my neck. I look up and meet the eyes of the Careers.