A/N: Hello, readers! I'm just here to give a warning that this chapter contains torture. I think I might bump the story up to an M rating.
Surprisingly, we all sleep until late morning that day, Azure switching with Melanie taking watch. I finally got a good amount of sleep and this morning I feel great. Azure has slight circles under her eyes but for once she doesn't complain, and Melanie seems just fine for having stayed up half the night on watch.
We decide that we're going to walk in one general direction each day looking for the tributes that ran on the open plain. We keep some of our supplies hidden as best as we can in the mouth of the Cornucopia, and today we walk straight behind the Cornucopia in search of tributes. On our way, we pass the withering cornfield, and I notice Boeh walking around the edge of it.
"Guys, Boeh's in plain sight over there!" I whisper.
"She seems a little far away," Priscilla says quietly. When I look back, she's gone.
"She went into the field," Cutter said.
"Fine. We'll let her live a little bit longer. Come on," I say, leading the way away from the field and back on the plain.
We keep walking and about a half an hour later, maybe longer, we hear a cannon. Nobody that we killed. The other tributes must be up to something. Oh, well.
I lead the way, Cutter either close to or beside me the whole time. Priscilla isn't far behind us, Melanie behind her, and Azure in the back whining about everything a girl could whine about.
"My feet hurt!"
"This grass is dewy and my ankles are wet!"
"It's too muddy here!"
"It's too hot!"
"The sun's in our eyes!"
"I'm hungry!"
"We should just turn around, there's nobody here!"
We go on like this until the sweat is dripping down my face and we decide it's time for lunch.
"God, it's hot," Priscilla pants, collapsing on the grass. As we moved through the Arena, it's become a lot hotter and a lot dryer. Now there is no mud, and the grass is already dying in the aridity and the heat.
We open the backpacks and pull out the water and food. Luckily for us, we have three canteens that are currently of water, as opposed to the poor saps that got nothing and have to drink from the stream directly. Nobody could survive around here, I see no water sources anywhere near. We drink one full canteen combined and half of the second, but all of us silently agree that Azure took way too long with the pitcher as compared to the rest of us. We also silently agree that she's the one we will abandon if we get into a sticky situation.
After lunch we decide that we really aren't going to find anyone here and that we best be heading back to our base. We pack up our supplies and set off again. As soon as we start walking, Azure starts complaining again, about everything she already was bitching about and more.
"Guys, this sweat is going to make my skin all oily!"
"My hair feels greasy!"
"My body just isn't moving anymore!"
"Where's that canteen?"
"Safely in my backpack," Cutter says, "And you're not getting any until we're back at the Cornucopia and all of us can have an equal amount." She pouts and falls to the back again, and I whisper to Cutter, "Why can't we just kill her now?"
"Because then we won't have anyone to sacrifice when the going gets tough," he whispers back. He's right.
Because here's how I see it.
If we all have someone (Azure) that we all mutually hate, fights are a lot easier because we can just push her into Cliff and run. Whereas without her, we're all locked in an every-man-for-himself fight against each other. So, we decide that even though the girl's annoying as hell, and flirtatious, and wasteful of our supplies, she can stay around.
The sun sets and suddenly I'm not so sure where we are. "Uh, do you guys know where we're going?"
"Of course I do," Cutter says, but he pauses and looks around and says, "Uh, maybe."
"Let's face it! We're lost," Melanie says.
"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Azure wails.
"Not so fast," Priscilla says, "We're not exactly lost yet."
She starts walking to the left of the course we were originally taking.
"Priscilla!" Melanie says, "Where the hell are you going!?"
"You'll see. Come on!" she says. I follow and suddenly realize what she's up to. I run to catch up to her.
"Priscilla, you're a genius!" I say.
"You don't even know what I'm doing, do you?"
I roll my eyes, "I get it now. We haven't crossed over the stream at all today and therefore it should still be to our left."
"You're catching on," she remarks.
The temperature starts to drop quicker than I thought it could and we're all shivering soon after the sun starts to set.
"We're doomed!" Azure whines and Melanie says, "Not yet, Azure! Now keep up, you're dragging!"
Suddenly my foot goes into something and I pull it out. "Ew! I just stepped in something!"
"We all did, Nate! Don't you see? It's getting muddier!"
Suddenly, she's cut off by the sound of running water.
"The stream! We found it!"
I breathe a sigh of relief. "This means we're getting close, I hope. And even if we aren't, at least we won't die of thirst."
Cutter especially appreciates this incredibly lame attempt at a joke.
We walk some more, staying close to the stream, as the sun continues setting and the night becomes dark.
Cutter walks in front of me and I grab the flashlight from his backpack, taking the official lead with him looking close behind me. We all keep our weapons in hand, just in case, except of course, Azure, who got sick of carrying her ax because it was heavy and promptly left it back at the Cornucopia. In case you haven't guessed, this is why she's the sacrifice.
We suddenly reach something I've seen a couple of off in the distance. I'm glad I can finally see it up close.
"What is this?" I ask, approaching the big, circle constructed out of stones and cement.
"I think it's like a fire pit," Melanie says. "So you can start fires without this whole place going up in flames.
"That's handy," Cutter remarks, and we agree.
"This means that we can also look for smoke," I remind them, "I've seen some others around here."
Cutter smiles in the twilight. "Nice."
Suddenly, up ahead… Is that it!? It is!
"The Cornucopia!" Azure squeals happily, running forward for the first time all day.
We all follow with a collective sigh, but I'm glad when we finally get to eat again and drink to our heart's content.
Suddenly, we hear something move behind us. Cutter whirls around and shoots it with an arrow. It's not a person… Too quick and silent for that. But when we approach, it's actually an animal. Unlike any animal I've ever seen, but it looks like a variation of a woodland creature.
"Who wants to skin this?" Cutter asks.
"Who has the stomach for it?" Melanie provides a blunt translation for his question.
"I can," I say. I think that the coming darkness, it'll be easier. Cutter puts the carcass in my hands and I sit down and start to skin it. Cutter and Priscilla wander off, but soon they come back with news that there's another of those fire pits fairly close to us. I finish skinning the animal, or at least to the best of my ability (I'm no butcher!) and take the pieces of meat back to the others. They all seem satisfied enough with it, though, so good for me, I guess. We sit in a circle around the campfire and take turns passing around a stick from one of the surrounding bushes to heat up the meat.
I sink my teeth into the chunk of meat I saved for myself and decide it was definitely worth the smell of skinning the animal. I didn't realize how much I missed having meat.
Over dinner, we have a conversation about the next day, and all of us make bets on which of the tributes died earlier this morning. I think it was the girl from Five. Priscilla thinks it was the girl from 11, while Melanie bet on the girl from 9. Azure picks the boy from 3, and we both inform her that, if she wasn't paying attention last night, (which she SHOULD'VE been, she was on WATCH!) she should've guessed.
"Who do you think it is, Cutter?" Priscilla asks.
He takes a bite of his meat and looks uncomfortable. "I think it's, uh, the… Seven boy…"
I doubt this. And I doubt he means it. He sends Priscilla off to check our supplies and he says, "You guys… I think it was Bean."
"You're probably right," Melanie says.
"Don't say that in front of Priscilla!" Azure exclaims defensively, "She's had enough!"
I hate to admit, but I agree. "I think it's Bean, too," I confess.
We all sit and eat in the darkest of silences. Priscilla even feels the tension, when she gets back.
We extinguish the fire a little later, and walk back to the Cornucopia with the guidance of Cutter's flashlight.
By the time we get back, the sun has set and it is officially night. Tonight, though, there is no fog. The sky is crystal clear, with bright stars and a bright, yellow moon. It gives us some light to see.
"Why don't you refill the canteens again, Nate?" Cutter asks. I take them and nod. Just in case someone gets thirsty in the night. I get to be on watch.
I walk to the stream with the flashlight, sit, and start filling the canteens. While I'm there, I scoop some water on my sword, too. Suddenly I hear another person walking in the grass towards me. I duck, even though I know in the back of my head that it won't make me any less visible. A figure, that's all I can see of them, kneels by the stream, on the opposite side than I am. I don't know if they see me yet.
If I get the element of surprise, they'll be my kill. I sneak a little closer to see who it might be.
In the moonlight, I can see him. It's Birch, from District 7. I raise my sword, close enough that I can charge at him.
I see his features clearly now. His breath is practically visible. He only shivers slightly. He looks to be filling a canteen with water himself.
Suddenly, a figure seems to come from the dark and before I know what's going on, Birch is suddenly gone.
What just happened!? Who just took him!?
I know I should be returning to the others, but part of me is dying of curiosity. I decide to leave the canteens and follow the sounds of Birch screaming. I jump over the stream as Priscilla comes running.
"What are you doing!?" she hisses, as Birch's screams become muffled.
"I'm going to find out what happened," I whisper back.
"By yourself!? Are you crazy?" she whispers.
"I won't be long, I promise."
"Don't you think-"
"I'll be fine. If I don't come back, you can either go looking or have a party."
She looks genuinely hesitant. "Fine. Dumbass."
I smile slightly and slip into the night, following the sounds of Birch's screams.
I walk until I see the warm light of a blazing fire. As soon as I see it, I crouch into one of the tall tufts of grass, peeking out between a couple blades.
Something, someone… Tied Birch's legs to one of the stones making up the fire pit. His feet are stuck in the inferno. The sight is charred, bloody, and terrifying. Birch is a strong guy, but not even all the resistance of his legs can move his feet away from the fire.
Who could've done this to him? Cliff-
My thoughts are quickly interrupted when I see a pair of humongous, smiling green eyes in the darkness. She emerges right at that moment.
Boeh.
She has a knife in her hands and a smile is pasted on her face that makes me want to run away right at that moment. Her eyes look every which way insanely, as always.
"Welcome, District 7!" she says, words just slithering out of her mouth and making me uncomfortable. "I see you're feeling nice and toasty."
Birch can't get out a reply. Just a scream of agony.
Boeh just laughs. "Aw, don't be like that!"
She kneels next to him and I wonder what happened that she was able to get his hands and knees tied.
"I have to admit, Seven, I was hoping for McIalwain."
My stomach flops. My heart beats out of my chest, so hard I feel like I'll start hyperventilating, then I'll be dead for real.
Birch lets out another scream in response.
I cannot move a muscle. I cannot make a sound.
Sweat drips down Birch's dirty face as Boeh giggles, looking down at him, finally. I grip my sword slightly tighter and suddenly her head snaps up and she stares my direction.
I cannot breathe. I cannot move a single muscle.
She stares for a while and finally kneels down next to him. "You shouldn't look down, now. These could very well be the last seconds of your life. You should enjoy them." She giggles again, and chills run up my spine.
Birch screams, and Boeh puts the blade of her knife against the corner of his mouth, cutting into his cheek. "You should really smile," she says. He screams again and a tear combines with the sweat and blood running down the side of his face. She does the same thing to the other side, cutting a crooked smile into his cheeks. "There you are. All happy." Boeh says, "Too bad happiness is a lie."
She suddenly plunges her knife through his chest in the blink of an eye.
One last scream.
I bolt just as his cannon goes off. Boeh is too busy untying him to notice me. I finally turn on my flashlight and sprint back to the Cornucopia to tell the others what I saw.
Priscilla runs over to me and throws her arms around me. "Nate!" she cries, hugging me tightly.
I hug her back and look over to the Cornucopia. The others all have on sad smiles and watch. Priscilla finally lets go and dries her eyes, and the two of us meet Azure, Cutter, and Melanie back at the Cornucopia.
"Welcome back, Nate," Cutter says with a smile.
"Glad you're back," Melanie adds.
"What did you see!?" Azure asks.
I collapse on the ground against the Cornucopia and my alliance sits around me, all listening for me to tell the story.
"I saw the District 7 boy. By the stream. I was going to make him my kill, but he was suddenly taken away. When I followed…" I see the sight in front of me again and suddenly cringe.
"Nate, are you alright?!" Melanie asks.
I blink and slowly nod. But when the rest of the story comes out, it's a weak whisper.
"I hid in the tall grass. And then I saw… Boeh. Boeh was there. She tortured Birch…" I can't make myself tell them the terrifying details of my endeavor. "She said she wished it was me… She suddenly killed him, right like that. And I ran."
My alliance exchanges looks back and forth.
"Nate McIalwain! You could've gotten yourself killed!" Priscilla says.
"That was really close," Cutter whispers.
"So she's kidnapping people…" Melanie says quietly. I nod.
There's a pause before I say, "I'll take first watch tonight."
Suddenly, the Capitol anthem plays and we look up at the sky. Birch's face flashes first. Soon after, the boy from District 8, Mitt. I have to wonder who killed him.
Then the hologram in the sky disappears and my alliance curls up in their sleeping bags.
It's going to be especially hard for me to sleep tonight.