Chapter 11- Deep in the Arena

I kissed him. He gasps in surprise as I take up his offer. I am kissing him so passionately, making sure there is no space between us, almost forgetting that it isn't Jacob, it's Rachadier. My enemy. I falter for a moment but continue kissing him. I can tell that he gets lost in our passionate kiss. I take an opportunity to fumble in his back pocket and slip out his knife.

He doesn't even notice.

I put the knife to his back and I stab him.

He slumps over, dead.

By some miracle the cannon doesn't boom.

But then it does.

Someone must really want me dead.

I quickly cut myself from my bonds and run. The other Careers turn and see me running. Well, not running, limping. Slowly and agonizingly I limp along toward the merciless desert. I will not relive my experiences in the snow. I look behind me and see the Careers have decided not to pursue me, but rest assured I will be their first target when they go hunting for tributes.

I walk for what seems like hours and decide to make camp in the sand. For all I know, I could've walking in circles for the past three hours, but I can't think about that right now. I peel off my shirt and pants and crawl into the tent I snatched from the Careers in my underclothes and quickly fall asleep.

Line Break

I wake up with the feeling of burning thirst and intense loneliness. I miss my family and my Jacob. I regret that night two nights before the Games when I told him I didn't love him, when I told him a lie.

"Jacob, you have already taken to many blows for me, just forget that our relationship ever happened… I don't love you.." My face is clear and expressionless as Jacob walks out of my room, broken-hearted.

Now I am going to die and he will never know how I truly feel.

I start walking toward the on going desert, not knowing what to do. I am so far into the sand, I can not see the whiteness of the snow anymore. Right when I am about to go crazy from pain and never ending yellow, a speck of green appears in the distance. As I slowly get closer to the speck of color I see what every person stranded in the desert longs to see.

An oasis.

I am running as fast as my injured body can carry me toward the heavenly patch of green. I finally step onto the soft and lush grass and see a waterfall running with clear, blue, pure water. My salvation. I am so thirsty I almost can't stop myself from plunging my face in the cool, clear water. But I have some wits left. I drop a couple drops of iodine from by orange backpack into an, until now, empty water bottle, I wait for an hour until the water is purified and drink the whole bottle. With renewed thirst, I set out to find food while another bottle purifies.

I find some tropical birds that were already dead on the ground that don't show any signs of knife marks or teeth punctures. This doesn't seem right. I shrug the feeling off and tell myself I am just being paranoid. I eat the bird after I am done roasting it over the fire and I realize it has a weird taste to it. It tastes rotten so I chuck the remaining birds over the waterfall. I have just set up my tent when 3 cannons boom.

The Careers are hunting.

But then I realize how wrong I am.

Behind me, I hear growls and feel slobber dripping on me. I get dizzy and smell something syrup-like in the air.

The last thing I think before I pass out is….

Mutt.

Sorry for the late update. I have been busy! I know that is a really lame excuse! SORRY! I had trouble writing this chapter for some reason, I didn't know what to do with it. Review and tell me if it was alright….. i really don't know what to think! Also, is anyone following my One-shot series (I should name it!) It's a series of 12, maybe 13 One-shots based on my favorite characters from the Hunger Games, Please check it out! I have done 3 (Mags, Clove, Haymitch) Vote on my Bio which you think is the best! Also check my Bio for full list of characters! Thanks!

REVIEW, READ, PM, FEEDBACK, TELL OTHERS, FAVORITE, FOLLOW! :)