Chapter Two: Holosity

I saw the Cornucopia ahead of me. I stood on the circular plinth, waiting for the blast to announce the beginning. I was thinking. If I could get a trident, I would be fine. I spotted one right at the back of the pile of weapons. What to do, what to do…? Finnick had told me to grab a pack and run. I saw a few in front of me. I judged the sizes. Maybe I could bag two… I looked around for people I knew names of. I caught the eye of a small 12 year old boy from district 11. He gave me a reassuring smile and thumbs up. I smiled back, trying to laugh a little. I liked him instantly, and made it a point that I couldn't. I knew he wouldn't last long. He was small and rather physically weak. I noted to bring vengeance to the one who brought him to harm. Bang! I missed my chance! I ran as fast as possible, trying to get to the packs. I grabbed a large orange on and a small grey one. I hesitated for a second, considering whether or not to go for the Trident or not. But when I saw the girl from five rip small boys head clean off its body, I decided against it. I know it wasn't the boy from 11, because he slipped away into the woods with a small grey pack. Smart move. I backed away from the bloody battle, and turned to run to the forest – only to be stopped by the girl from 10. She towered over me with a knife in one hand and a pack in the other. She raised it, ready to attack, until lowering it slowly. She stepped aside. 'What-?' I asked, bewildered.

'I'm not that heartless. Go, quickly. Please go!'

I ran past thanking her. 'I won't forget this!'

I ran for a long time. Swerving in and out and round and round the tall and thin, old and new, withered and strong trees. I couldn't tell what I would find round the next corner. I had a reckless round, I guess. I wasn't usually this loud and open. Not in school training anyway. Not when they taught 7 year olds how to slit throats in twenty different ways. That was how old you were when they taught you how to be a Career. I sought some means of shelter and water now. Those were the main things to focus on. Water and shelter. Water and shelter. Those two words revolving in my brain. I put my instincts first to find what I grew up around. Water. The moister the mud was, the closer you were to water. I knelt to the ground now, and put my nose a thumbs length from the grass. I felt the mud with my fingers. Solid. I stood up quickly again and looked around. Animals. They had to have some means of hydration. I sought out a rabbit or a fox or some sort of animal, for about half an hour, until I found a Hare in the bushes, burrowing. I watched it for a while and followed where it went. After another forty minutes, it leads me to a stream. The tiniest flow of water there was, but water none the less. I followed it for a long time. It grew and grew and grew, before finally resting in a huge lake. At the end of the lake, a majestic waterfall, stood proud. I thought to myself, 'sometimes, not always, a cave can be behind a waterfall.' It would be concealed, and it would have a never ending water supply. I tried my luck. Dumping my packs in a nearby holly bush, I studied the wall. It seemed misshapen and jagged, so it would be easy to climb. Taking a risk that could either cost me my life, or save it, I climbed. The spray of the water felt too much like home. When out on the fishing boats, in a wild storm with my uncle. Hearing him southing in that rough accent, inaudible, what with its gruffness, and the wind and rain and storm. I paused. Taking a deep breath, I plunged beneath the waterfall, clinging on, for dear life. I was right! Before my eyes, saw a suitable cave, small, but warm and completely hidden to any by passer. The only damper on my plan was the mutts. There were four. Wolves. Two adult, two cubs. A slab of carcass of what ever unlucky creature crossed their paths, lay in the corner. The mutts were sleeping. Breathing heavily, their chests rising and falling. I got such a shock; I clamped my hand to cover my mouth, to refrain from screaming. I lost grip, and plunged beneath the water. Being learned in swimming, I had no bother escaping, it was the trouble of perhaps waking the beasts, which followed me. I couldn't stay for long. Once out of the water, I ran for my packs, and bolted. I climbed a near by oak tree and waited. I heard nothing. I was concealed well, like the cave. I took a deep breath and rested my head against the trunk. I took this time to check the contents of the packs. In the larger one, was some bread, kiwis, an apple, a dagger, a plastic water bottle, a compass, some night vision glasses, a watch and a torch, and in the smaller, a slab of pork, a matchbox with matches, a large flask and a sleeping bag. I was pleased with the contents, as they seemed useful. I took a moment to doze, before, accidentally, falling asleep.

It must have been hours I was asleep, as it was dark. I must have been asleep for the cannons, announcing the end of the battle at the cornucopia. Suddenly, the Capitol seal appeared in the sky, and the anthem played. I saw some faces I recognised, some I didn't. I counted eleven before the seal reappeared. Eleven? That was nearly half of who came in! Thirteen left. The little boy from district 11, both from 12, her from 10 who let me go, one from 7 (the boy was in the sky), one from 5, both from 1, the boy from 2, someone from 3, a boy from nine, Garth and myself. We were all still hanging on. I wriggled out my sleeping bag and peered over the branch. Clear. I jumped down, and squinted into the dark. After retrieving the night vision goggles from my pack, I put them on and instantly felt a difference in my sight. I had an advantage. I fished for a while, until I was satisfied, but hesitated. If I started a fire, I would instantly become a target. The smoke would serve as a signal confirming my whereabouts. Stuck, and with valuable time wasted, I took to the tree again and tried for some sleep once more.

I was dozing. It must have been early morning that I felt him prod me with the tip of a knife. I jumped down, knocked the attacker the ground and kept him down with my foot on his chest. After a closer look, I recognised the twelve year old from district 11. Alexita's face shone with sweat and mud and blood. I dropped my dagger, and held out my hand to help him up. He took it after a moments hesitation. 'Sorry. I thought you were a ruthless Career or something like that!' I said with a slight laugh.

'How do you know I'm not a ruthless killer? I have the eyes of a hawk and ears of a fox, and I can attack like an animal!' he replied, sarcastically. I laughed at him.

'Anyway, why do you trust me?' I asked, 'Well, I only assume so, because I would have been slaughtered by the animal that stands before me now, but why didn't you?'

'Because I do trust you. In your interview, I saw a real person, not a fake like the others were. And also, I wanted to ask if you'd ally with me?'

I was surprised by his request, and how sudden it was, but I couldn't refuse someone like my little brother. 'I'm going to say yes, Alexita. You remind me of my Brother. He'd kill me if I didn't mention him! Well…if someone doesn't kill me first anyway,' I said, sounding light hearted. Alexita smiled and held out his hand. I shook it and we walked on up the stream.

'I think I have arranged allies. My Mentor, Lucius, said that he talked with that Sara from Seven and Katia from Ten. There good people apparently!'

'Katia. Is that her name? she let me go. She trapped me at the Cornucopia but let me go, instead of killing me,' I said smiling again. Alexita looked up at me.

'Well, that's obviously a good thing! If we know we can trust her, we may be able to get her to ally with us! And Sara!' Excellent. Just how do we find them?

It actually didn't take us long to find Katia.

Alexita ran on ahead while I caught some more fish. After about five minutes, I heard him cry for my name. I dropped everything ad ran. I ran, crying, 'ALEXITA! Where are you?'

After a minute of frantic running, I found him and Katia, trapped in a net in a clearing. I ran over and cut the ropes binding them. They stood up and Alexita hugged me tightly. I looked at Katia, who looked back. I had my dagger held up, blocking her from any attack. She held up her hands and I lowered my weapon. 'I'm not that Heartless,' I said, smirking slightly. She laughed a little, and dropped her hands.

'Katia. How you doing?' she introduced. I smiled.

'Seems like a general meeting of strangers on the street, not in the Hunger Games. Really, the only introduction you get is when the other is trying to rip out their friends throat!' I said.

She turned to Alexita, saying, 'I've been looking for you. Yours, Sara's and My mentors all made agreements about sponsors and allying. What do you say. If Pius, Lucius and Victoria all trusted each other, then I trust you and Sara like that. Holosity, you can join us too!' she looked at me as she finished. I nodded and shook her hand. We went back to Katia's and Sara's camp. Sara was waiting for us when we arrived. She was, well how do you put it… a bit mad! Every now and again would be the odd quirky little jokes, or weird sayings her grandmother used to say. She had tied her floppy chestnut hair into a short ponytail, even though her hair was cut to a bob. She would laugh randomly in complete silence and murmur little poems or jokes under her breath-and burst out laughing again. I enjoyed her company.

One afternoon, Sara and I were scheduled to gather and hunt for food. It was a warm midday breeze. We were just about to leave, when an apple flew into our fire, with an arrow through the middle. We all readied our weapons. A rustling in the bushes, then, Sianer Turner from district twelve, the girl from backstage at the interviews. 'Sianer Tuner. Wondered when I would see you round!' I said lowering my dagger.

She laughed, 'Well, I have been looking for you! Wondered if you wanted a hand fighting the bad guys!'

'Erm, Holosity, what are you dong?' asked Alexita. He looked wary, while Sara and Katia seemed alright.

'It's fine, I wont bite! I just wanted to see if Holosity was alive. I heard a cannon a while back and was worried it was you,' She said. She had an ashen bow in her hands and an arrow carrier strung over her back, 'I bring Rabbits, as a peace offering.'

'Aaahhhhhhh! You hunt?' asked Sara, awestruck. Sianer nodded. Katia held out her hand, saying, 'Welcome to the mad house, enjoy your stay!'
'Well, come on Sara, we better be off, we will be about an hour, ok guys?' I said. They murmured in agreement and we set off.

For a long time we walked in almost silence. I listened to Sara's random outbursts of nothing in particular, and giggled with her when she began to laugh for no reason what so ever. A cannon blasted. That stopped us both. I took my dagger and Sara took hers. We walked slower than before, until we saw the body of a boy lying before us. He was from District six. His pack was lying beside him. In his chest was a very visible stab wound.

'We have to go,' said Sara. I turned round for a second; a second to late, as following was Sara's mangled cry of pain as a knife pierced her back. She fell to the floor, revealing the girl from District two behind her, with a trident on her back, but otherwise weapon less! I threw my Dagger and it hit her between the eyes; she was dead instantly. I ran to retrieve the trident, and fell beside Sara. Her breathing was laboured and heavy. She was slowly dying. 'Sara!'

'HOLOSITY BEHIND YOU!' she managed to cry, just in time too, as the burly boy from Two was here, possibly to avenge his fellow tributes death. I had a trident now though, and this was my weapon! I slashed and blocked blows, before finally, I pierced his heart. He was gone. Another cannon, and silence. I fell to Sara's side once more and held her cold hand. She blinked a few times, until, with one last smile, she breathed no more.