Fire is catching
Chapter 39
Authors Note: Hey guys :) Sorry again for my long absence but I'm really trying my best to keep this story going. I wish you a happy new year and all the best for 2016. I'm definitely going to finish this story in the upcoming year and I hope that you'll read it until the end haha. But for now, enjoy chapter 39!
This dream, no, it felt way too real for a dream, had been so bizarre. And it had left me with that throbbing feeling, that intuition, that we were more than just tributes, that we were all weirdly and inexplicably connected.
The dream had pulled me out of my trance and it's only now that I realize how drained out I actually am. My stomach is so empty that it hurts, cramps making me feel like I'm being stabbed over and over again.
I want to get up, want to do something about the aching thirst and hunger but my body is no longer listening to me. It's as if all my energy has left me and I am no longer capable of moving. With a sigh I manage to roll on my side and stare at the grass dancing in the wind.
The sky is cloudless and a perfect shade of blue, the ideal weather to take a walk or have a picnic with your friends. No, that isn't true. The weather isn't really like that, everything in here is fake. For all I know, it could be raining cats and dogs in Panem. The entire arena is being controlled by a team of game makers, nothing in here is real, except for the pain and the suffering.
I lay there, not moving a single muscle and simply staring at the sky, or at least the projection of it. It feels weird that nothing is happening, why aren't they doing anything to make me move, why is nobody trying to kill me?
Because they still have plans for you Lucy, they won't let you go down that easily.
It was back. The deep voice that spoke aloud the darkest thoughts that erupted from my brain and always brought me close to becoming insane.
Shut up, this voice needs to shut up, don't listen to it, don't give in!
I try to get up again, but there is no way. All my muscles are incredibly sore and just won't listen to me. Defeated, I fall back to the hard ground, wipe the back of my hand against my forehead and jerk back in surprise. It is boiling hot, beads of sweat running down my face. I had to have a fever. That would explain the weird and vivid dream I had and the fact that my body is feeling so achy.
I smile as I remembered what the instructor in the training center told us: "Most of you won't even be killed by another tribute, it's way more probable that you'll die due to dehydration, famine, infections or another kind of illness."
Awesome. Here I was, lying in the middle of a field, unable to move, with a fever that was most likely high enough to kill me.
I try to picture cold things, roads covered in white, fluffy snow, the transparent ice cubes capitol citizen put in their drinks to keep them cool, a breeze blowing its icy breath on the back of my neck. If I didn't have any medication, I could at least try to mentally fight my fever.
With my eyes kept closed, I reflect on my situation, let all the horrible events of the last days, or even weeks, I am unable to keep track of the time anymore, repeat themselves in my head. Strangely, the pictures don't stir any emotional response anymore. Instead of feeling angry, sad or desperate, there is just a prominent feeling of emptiness left inside of me. I'm just fed up with this, don't want any more pain, don't want any feelings at all, to be more precise. I just want to float in this blissful nothingness and sleep. My eyelids flutter as I drift off into a deep black void and my mind turns itself off.
Just as a big part of me already expected, I am back in the hall I dreamt of earlier.
"What's wrong Lucy?" Levy asks, looking up at me with big eyes filled with worry.
"Nothing", I say with a sigh, "I just haven't been feeling good today, but it's nothing, really"
My gaze flickers around the room and I am still amazed by the incredible details my mind is able to come up with, the dirt between the lines of the wooden floor, the particles of golden light that flood through the glass window, it all looks so realistic and vivid and a lot clearer than a fever dream usually would.
"To be honest, you're not looking too good either. Do you have a fever or something, you look a little…warm. Wait, let me check your temperature." Before I could stop her from doing so she had already pressed her hand to my forehead and her eyes widen.
"Lucy, you're temperature is way too high, what are you even doing here, you should be in bed at home! I'll go and get Wendy to have a look at you"
She stomps off as I think about sleeping in a bed again, it had been so long.
When Levy comes back she literally drags a little girl behind her. She has long blue hair that is put up in pigtails and her small frame makes her look fragile even though I can sense that she is stronger than she seems to be. I immediately recognize this kind expression and my eyes are instantly flooded with tears. Wendy is standing in front of me, alive and well, not a scratch on her porcelain skin. She looks happy and carefree, as if she is just a normal girl hanging out with her friends and enjoying her life.
I try to keep myself from crying, but I can no longer hold back the tears, they simply start running down my cheek, leaving a small creek of sadness.
Her eyebrows arch in surprise as she sees me break down: "Lucy! What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
She places her tiny hand on my shoulder, wanting to comfort me, but it only makes it worse. I can feel her, it all feels so real. As if there's really a world in which she gets to live a normal and long life. Seeing her like that is like punching me straight in the face because even though I desperately want this to be real, I know that this peaceful world is nothing but a dream from which I will wake up sooner or later and then Wendy will be dead again.
"Lucy, calm down, everything's fine. I can give you some medication to get your fever down if you want to."
"No!" I exclaim, my head snapping around to look her in the eyes. "Don't do anything for me, it'll only get you killed. You have to stay away from me Wendy, are you listening to me? You have to stay away, otherwise I'll..." The words get stuck in my throat and are swallowed up by my sobs "I'll…you'll…you'll die…, he will kill you…and it will all be my fault…you're dead…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't want any of this!
I burry my head in my hands as I feel the hot tears burning in my eyes.
Wendy looks at my with a mixture of concern and pity, as if she's judging what could lead to a fever this strong and how she could treat it.
"I'll go and get you some medicine" she says, flashes a small smile at me and spins on her heels, walking away at a quick pace.
"Ah Luce, you don't need no medicine, I think you're just hungry, right?"
I turn towards the source of the cheerful voice and look into onyx black eyes that have a friendly smile in them.
Pulling myself together, I wipe away my tears as Natsu gives me a clap on my shoulder that is well meant but still a little too strong.
"You know, when I don't eat enough fish, I'm also always very sad and get sick…" The blue cat flies around his head and smiles at me "Do you want some fish Lucy?"
"Yeah, let's get something to eat Lucy, that'll make you feel better and you can pay the bill!"
I don't know how to respond or deal with this situation, so I remain quiet. This is so bizarre…
Suddenly I notice that my surroundings are changing. The detailed room I have been standing in started to blur and spin, as if the colors have been melted and are now blending into each other. My vision goes in and out of focus and all I can make out is that Natsu is standing in front of me, the humor has vanished from his eyes and he is telling me something over and over again but I can't quite understand his words. He is talking about me having to drink and eat or something like that, but as the world around me is falling apart, I have other things to worry about.
Even though I am aware of the fact that this is all a dream I can't help but feel frightened by the destruction that is happening around me. One moment I am in the blurry guild hall, and only seconds later I can suddenly see the evening sky above my head, the only thing that remains constant and stable is Natsu slowly talking to me. It feels like I'm flying through time and space, zapping in and out of two different worlds that are completely out of control. Three Natsus are standing in front of me, then two, four, one, my vision is going crazy. I've never had such a weird yet vivid fever dream before.
Slowly the switching between inside and outside starts getting less and less frequent and I can make out the sky that is slowly fading from blue to the gorgeous orange and red colors of a sunset. Illuminated by the evening light it looks like the contours of Natsu's face are surrounded by a golden halo.
"Lucy, Lucy you have to listen to me. We need to go, we don't have much time, they're coming after me. Lucy, can you hear me? I can give you something to drink once we reach my camp but right now I need you to snap out of it okay?"
"This is just a dream", I murmur as my vision starts becoming clearer again. The world around me has stopped spinning and I can finally let out the breath I didn't even realize I was holding. The guild hall has vanished and now all I can see is the sky painted in red, orange and gold. The only left over from my crazy dream is Natsu that's still standing above me, looking down at me with a mixture of concern and helplessness.
"Lucy? Thank God, at least you're awake now, you were rambling all kinds of things…" He kneels down beside me and tries to help me to sit up, but I just sink back to the floor.
"This is a dream" I repeat, not getting what is going on.
"No, sadly, it's not. This is real. And this is why we need to go, now. The careers are coming after me and I don't know how much more time we've got."
"I'm in the arena?" I ask, dumbfounded.
"Yes", he answers in a rush, "an arena filled with people that want to kill you and me, which is why we need to go!"
"But, if this is the reality, why are you here? I left the valley long ago, you shouldn't be here with me."
"What do you mean you left the valley?" he asks as his eyebrows arch in surprise "I thought someone took you away or something else happened to you. I spent the last days looking for you. It was more than difficult to track you down, I couldn't make out your scent because of this intoxicating, brain damaging stench in the woods that makes my good nose completely useless. And don't get me wrong, I'm so glad I just literally stumbled over you and there's a lot we need to clarify, but it would really be the best for both of us if you just came with me now."
There are so many different thoughts rushing through my half-asleep brain. He was looking for me? He wanted me to come with him? The careers were chasing him? What the hell is going on?
"Lucy, please!" he exclaims, shooting nervous glances over his shoulders, "Get up" He stretches out his hand in order to help me up but I just shake my head.
"I can't" I croak, my voice a lot more hoarse than I expected.
"Why?" he says, the friendly undertone in his voice replaced by disapproval.
"I…I can't move…fever" Those words already cost me so much energy.
He places one of his warm hands on my forehead and his jaw tightens: "Gee Luce, your forehead is lit up! I already have an unusually high body temperature, and even I can feel that this is way too hot. So you can't walk or what?"
I give him the slightest nod and struggle to keep my eyes open as waves of nausea are threatening to overcome me.
"That's no problem, I can carry you. The camp isn't too far from here. That is, if you want to come with me"
Given that I don't really have any other choice except for staying here until someone finds and kills me, I nod again.
A tiny smirk spreads across his lips as he scoops me off the ground "Hold tight, we're gonna be fast" he says as he starts of sprinting at an incredible speed. The wind that's blowing through my hair is a welcomed refreshment and I zoom in and out of consciousness as the trees and bushes of the arena flash past me. I hold on to him with all the energy I've got left, even if that isn't much.
"We're almost there" he says and squeezes my arm reassuringly. I close my eyes and let myself be taken away by the new dark wave, knowing that I couldn't be any safer right now.
When I come back to my senses, I am back in the protected valley and Natu's camp looks exactly like I've left it. I don't know how he managed to get the unconscious me through the narrow crack in the tall rocks, but I decide not to ask, as that would be too exhausting right now. As my head tilts around I see him, sitting beside me, keeping watch.
When he notices that I've woken up, he flashes his pointy teethed grin at me and says "Welcome back Lucy"
I can't help but smile a little bit. I guess this alliance isn't over yet.
Authors Note: Uuuuuh, it looks like Natsu and Lucy have finally joined forces again! What will await them in the future as the games are slowly coming to an end? Will their alliance last or will they have to turn against each other? Find out in the net chapter!
Natsu: Yes, the main character is finally back in the game!
Lucy: Uhm excuse me, but you are definitely not the main character of this story…
Natsu: Yeah? And what makes you think so?
Lucy: Oh I don't know…that the story is told from my perspective for example? That the reader gets to experience my thoughts and feelings first hand, at all times? That I am in every single scene? Need more evidence?
Natsu: Okay, okay. Let me rephrase that. The coolest character is back in the game.
Lucy: *sighs* You're so full of yourself…
Natsu: Yap, I'm just that awesome…
Entire Team and Author: *sudden need to violently cough*
Natsu: Oh come on guys, no fair!