Disclaimer: I still do not own the Hunger Games.
Ok, to most of you this chapter will seem very familiar. And why is that, you might ask? Because some of the exact same things happened in the book, I just twisted them around a bit. You actually find I do that quite a lot…
Our plan was simple. Well, to me anyway. We would head to the Cornucopia at dawn, that way we would get there before everyone else. Mason would sneak out and hide in the Cornucopia, because that was the closest hiding spot to where the table would rise. Once the table holding the feast was raised, he would sprint out and grab as much as he would carry. I offered to do that, but Mason said that he would be able to carry more than me, and also, he needed me in the trees. He would then bring all that he grabbed to the forest, where Tannor and I would be hiding.
Tannor would help me get the supplies into an empty backpack, and I would hang it up into a tree that was close to the clearing. I would then hide in that tree, bow at the ready, and wait for the others to walk by. Tannor and Mason would then go back out into the open, as if to get more food and supplies. That would hopefully lure out the Careers if the food itself hadn't. I was then to take out the Careers from my tree, that is, if Mason or Tannor couldn't. We would then head back to the hideout, with a grater supply of food. It was a good plan. It would work. Then we could go home once they realized we weren't going to kill each other. That is at least what would happen if we managed to kill what was left of the Careers.
We woke up before sunrise that morning, reviewed the plan for what felt like the gazillionth time, making sure that we could recite it in our sleep if we had to. There wasn't room for error. We then headed for the Cornucopia. It was two hours to get there; we didn't talk along the way. Mason was in the lead, then me followed up by the idiot. We got there when the sun was just over the horizon, rays of light gleaming of the golden surface of the giant Cornucopia. We stopped just at the edge of the forest. Mason motioned for us to squat down. "Ok, so we all remember the plan, right?" Tannor and I nod in unison. I expected Tannor to say something extremely stupid, but he looked nervous and held his silence. "Alright, Glynn, this is your tree." He gestured to one of the trees with the thick branches. "The feast doesn't start for a few hours, but I'm going to go to the Cornucopia now. Have your weapons ready, in case any of the others show up early."
With that said, he got up and sprinted the one-hundred and fifty yards to the opening of the Cornucopia. Soundlessly slicing through the water to the island. Like a fox. I watched as he disappeared in its shadows. Tannor leaned against the trunk of the tree. I hesitantly followed, laying my loaded bow beside me, ready to grab in an instant. "Don't worry, he's a smart boy. He won't get himself killed." Yeah, he is smart unlike you, I added silently in my head. I didn't say anything, because it seemed that he was reassuring himself more than me. He reached into his pocket and brought out some nuts. "Do you want some?" He whispered.
"No." I whispered back in an annoyed tone, while glaring at him with disgust. How can you eat when you're preparing for such an important event? And where did he get those anyways? He probably has his head full of them, says that voice in the back of my head.
He shrugged. "Suit yourself." He then popped an almond into his mouth. We sat there for close to three hours. I was nearly driven insane by the munching sound of Tannor eating his nuts. By that time, the sun was midway in the sky. I lifted my hand to brush the drips of sweat from my forehead. Some of my hair was plastered to my head, so I moved that behind my ear. We turned to face the Cornucopia, making sure that we were still concealed in the bushes, and watched to see what would happen. After a few minutes the table rose from the ground, and locked into place. It was riddled with food, and supplies. It made my mouth water to look at it. Once it was set in place, Mason bolted out of his hiding spot, and started to pick up food and supplies as he quickly made his way back to us. He almost made it. Almost, but not quite.
He was intercepted by Allia, who had bolted out of the forest and across the water soundlessly, just as Mason had. I was so busy watching him, I had forgotten to scout the forest, and apparently so did Tannor. This had not been thought of when we made the plan. Her eighteen-year-old form tackled him to the ground. I heard the muffled thump from the impact where I was standing, one-hundred yards away. Or maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I aimed my bow, but Tannor shoved it back down. "You might accidentally hit Mason, believe it or not, your aim isn't the best." I realized that was true. All I could do was watch as the horror unfolded. Mason struggled to his feet. Allia pushed him back down once he managed to get up and made him sit executioner style on the ground.
I didn't see Alec nearby. He must be scouting the woods for us. Allia started to circle Mason, one of her curved daggers tracing around the skin on his neck. Mason was breathing hard, his chest heaving in and out. "So, where is your stupid friend, I forget his name, the one who is an, well I don't know, idiot?" That thing better be talking about Tannor. False surprise spread onto her face. "Oh, and how could I forget your newest alliance, the little girl who plays in the trees, the one who always seems to get her friends killed?" I remember back to Glitch. Was it really my fault she died? Wait, how did she know about me and Mason forming an alliance? We had just teamed up yesterday. Fear filled me. Maybe they had been spying on me.
Mason looks at her with disgust. Through gritted teeth he says, "I would never tell you. He is not an idiot. He and Glynn are hunting through the forest right now, looking for Alec." Yeah! That a boy Mason, sticking up for the idiot.
Allia appears to roll her eyes. "Well fine, be heroic. Alec will find them before they can find him. Doubt they even know one thing about tracking. In the mean time, I suppose I must take care of you by myself. Maybe I should tell you a story." Mason didn't respond. She kicked him in the gut. Mason doubled over in pain. Allia moved his head up with her knife, so she could look directly in his eyes. She was a few inches from his face.
"Listen when I'm talking to you Mason, it's very rude to ignore people." She moved away from his face and started to circle again. Like a vulture circling a dying animal. "Along with that story I was talking about then. Let's see, where to begin? Oh, I got it. Once upon a time, long, long ago, before the great rise of Panem, there were savages that lived on the lands. That was when the area was known as 'United State of Amrica'. One of the things that the savages did was carve into each other's body, making, what they thought to be, beautiful designs. They called them tattoos." Her head tilted to the side. "Do you want a tattoo, Mason? How about one on your pretty little face?" Mason wasn't responding to her now. Allia gave a look of false hurt. "No? Well, I'm going to give you one, I'm sure you'll warm up to the idea once I start. You would be surprised; I'm a very good artist."
She drove her dagger across his neck, making a thin, shallow, swirling line. Mason screamed out in agony. It echoed through the forest. Allia stopped for a second to examine her work. I ran forward, but Tannor held me back with one arm before I could make it out into the clearing. Alec sprinted out of the forest, went up beside Allia, and started to pace behind her. Probably to anxious to search for us when fresh blood was spilling onto the ground. He was laughing as she tortured Mason.
Allia started to carve all sorts of designs into Mason's face; she smiled with joy as she did it. As if she enjoyed cutting his face, hearing his screams. We watched for what seemed to be days, but it was probably only two dozen minutes. He was bleeding heavily at this point. After a while Mason's screaming stopped. The pain was too much. He stopped caring. He was going to die soon. Allia stopped carving. Mason's body dropped motionless to the ground. His cannon fired. Allia let out a shrill laugh, and she and Alec turned their backs to him, turned their backs to us. They headed for the food that was placed on the table. Mason's body laid there in a pile of blood. Tannor's grip loosened around me. I wasn't crying, but my eyes were wide in shock.
Tannor ran forward. Even if I tried, I wouldn't have been able to hold him back. I don't understand why he didn't just throw his spear, and get out of there. He kept running forward. Maybe he wanted to look into Allia's eyes as she died. See the look on Alec's face as he tortured her, if it would be like ours when Allia tortured Mason. Though if he wanted that, why didn't he just do so before Mason was killed. Maybe it was Mason's death that set him over the edge. How should I know his motives though?
All I know is whatever he was going to do; he never got to do it. Alec turned around just as Tannor was raising his spear. Alec smiled and then lifted his sword. Alec's blade entered Tannor's thick neck, most likely slicing a main artery. It wasn't decapitation, but it still brought back memories of Demetri's death. Tannor didn't even have time to scream. And I didn't have time to look away. Yet another cannon was fired. Maybe Tannor was an idiot after all. Brave, but an idiot none the less.
I remembered my bow that was waiting in my hand. I centered my arrow with a shaking hand, and raised it toward Alec and aimed carefully. My breathing was heavy. I needed to hit him. I was far away, but I needed to get my revenge. Anger was what made my arrow fly straight. I struck him through the heart. It should have been a victory for me. Allia turned around to see what happened. She saw Alec crumple to the ground. She screamed. Her eyes looked rabid; she was turning around rapidly, scanning the forest for the person that shot the arrow. By the look on her face, she never found out who did. Alec's cannon fired.
Allia let out a blood curling scream. Guess she did like him after all. I also guess that I should get out of there soon, unless I want to die a more painful death then Mason. I look back to Mason and Tannor's bodies. There was nothing I could do for them. I hoped Allia didn't mess them up any more. I also hoped she would get out of there soon, so the hovercraft can retrieve them before she does any more to their bodies.
I pick up the empty pack that we were supposed to fill with food and escape to the trees. I hesitated about leaving it. It would only carry failed memories of what had happened. Now I escape to the trees empty handed. While I was climbing up, I felt a bite on my hand. I looked down to see that it was only a small bug. I squished it and continued to climb.
It took three hours to get back to the hideout. This was only because I got lost along the way, when I took a wrong turn. I finally found it though after backtracking my steps. When I got through the trees, I found it was exactly how we had left it this morning. I dropped the pack and went to sit on the root in the middle of the clearing. I was surprised that I hadn't started to cry yet. I guess I was so used to death at this point, that I figured there wasn't any use.
I put my head between my knees. The stray piece of hair that always bothered me fell in front of my eyes. I sat back up. I didn't even bother to move it though; I just left it there to hang. Just like Tannor and Mason I think in my head. Just like Glitch, and everyone else who I could have helped but didn't have the courage to. A silver parachute drifted by my face. The parcel that was attached to it landed in my lap. It took me a second to register what had just happened. I looked down, and picked up the small box. A gift from a sponsor!
I excitedly open the wrapping to find a clip. It was exactly like the one that I had worn to the reaping. It had a butterfly with open wings on it. The only difference was that it was real silver. The other difference was the small sapphires that were on the edges of both wings. It was beautiful. I took the strand of hair and placed it back with the clip.
"Thank you-" I realize that I still didn't know my mentor's name. I guess I was just going to have to leave that statement at thank you. If it was some self absorbed psycho in the Capitol who gave the gift, they would think that I meant them, not my mentor. So I just left it at 'thank you'.
Then I notice; I actually have a sponsor. A bit late in the Game, but I still have one. It makes me excited; and kind of angry though, they could have sent me anything, anything at all, and they decided to send me a clip. A useless clip. They could have sent me food, or water, but no.
I looked around the opening. Then again, I had all of the supplies that I needed right here. Food, water, and first aid kits. Mason and Tannor had stocked up on water and food mostly. They must have fought for it at the Cornucopia. Either that or they had very generous sponsors.
It was almost dark. Light was fading over the alcove, casting an eerie shadow over the whole place. I decide to might as well stay here, where there is food, water and shelter. I'm going to miss my spot in the tree though. I knew that soon the anthem would play and the faces of those who died today would be shown in the sky. I didn't know if I would be able to see from the cover of the mangroves, but I really didn't want to. I was tired of looking at dead people. I walked over to see what all supplies that Tannor and Mason had. That's when I started to feel dizzy.
I figured that it might just be dehydration. I remember I had been drinking plenty of water today, but maybe not as much as I thought. I walked over to the pile where they had kept the supplies. I dug through it and took out a water bottle and made myself drink the whole thing. I stood up again, but still felt dizzy. Something wasn't right.
It sure was hot in here. It seemed a lot cooler last night. It even seemed cooler that day. I whipped sweat from my brow with my left hand. It felt different than normal. My hand, I mean. When I looked down to inspect it, I saw that the bug bite that I had gotten earlier had swollen. My whole hand was inflated three times its size, like a balloon. That was the last thing I saw before collapsing to the ground in unconsciousness.
I doubt any of you care, but the reason I haven't been able to post recently is because I was so sick that I couldn't even walk in a straight line. Because of that, I had to miss three days of school. So I had a lot of makeup work… not fun. And my internet had not been working. But I can post now :D. Read and Review. Thanks for reading. :D I'm posting a second chapter today as well.