Wow, I haven't updated in forever. I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. Please REVIEW!
'Carabelle! Wake up!' Lilac whispers, shaking me. I sit up and look around. Its pitch black and all I can see around me are reeds.
'What is it? What's wrong?' I ask as she hands me a piece of flat bread. She shakes Ellick and he moans.
'The sun's about to rise so we need to get moving.' Lilac explains.
We each eat a small portion of bread and share one piece of beef jerky. We pack up everything just as we see the first sign of light. Our wet, muddy clothes dried overnight and we all groan when we step into the water. I take the lead, pushing reeds out of the way as the horizon slowly gets brighter.
'Are you sure we're going in the direction of the forest?' I ask.
'Yes we checked twice, remember?' Ellick says from the back. No one really says anything else and we all kind of go into a state of thinking. I hate the fact that I know Tatiyarna and my family are curled up in front of the TV set hoping that I won't die. It's weird, I feel like I could wave to them.
I'm so lost in my thoughts that I don't notice the water getting shallower.
'There's the forest!' The sky is almost fully lit up now, so it's impossible not to notice the trees ahead. But as we clamber onto the wetland bank, I realise it's a different kind of forest to what we thought. The trees are shorter and starker. But it seems to be never-ending so I guess it will make reasonable cover.
'It's more "the bush" than the forest.' Ellick points out.
'Does this mean we're not going ahead?' Lilac asks
'Where else are we going to go? This is the best cover we can get.' I reply. We begin walking through the bush. The sky is now fully bright and I can't see any signs that other tributes have been here. Suddenly, Lilac stops abruptly. She points to the ground a few metres in front of us.
'Don't you think the ground looks strange just there?' She says with concern. I pick up a big stick and throw it at the patch of ground she's pointing to. It lands, but then it falls into nothing. Then part of the patch caves in on itself creating a hole. We tread slowly and cautiously towards it. When nothing happens we bend down and peer into the hole. It's deep but if I stood up in it I would only be a bit shorter than the top. I guess it was as something to stop a running tribute from getting away from a fight. We decide to keep going, but keeping an eye out for more booby traps. We walk in silence for another 15 minutes when I see a fire.
'Quick! Duck behind those trees!' I hiss, jumping for cover. I can hear my heart beating. Everyone at home is probably on the edge of their seats. A minute passes. Then another. Evidently the people or person, have not seen us. I bravely turn my head around the tree. A boy sits at the fire cooking something in a makeshift pot. He's staring into the fire sharpening a wooden spear. I think it's Zac from 3. I slowly crawl behind a small, thick bush so that I am facing him. But as I move, a stick snaps beneath my knee. Zac jumps up clutching the spear. He points it readily, and scans the trees. He walks towards the exact spot where I am. Suddenly Ellick lunges out from a tree and spear tackles him. He jousts the spear and they wrestle on the ground. I don't know whether to move or to stay where I am. Then Lilac comes behind Zac and hits him on the head repeatedly with the backpack. He stands, punching, and then throwing her to the ground. But because he turned his back, Ellick was able to grab a stick. I automatically run to Lilac. She seems okay but Ellick is not coping well with Zac. I look around for something to help him with. I could throw sticks or stones but I might hit Ellick. Then I see the pot on the fire. I think its boiled water or stew or something. I run and pick it up. I run back and splash it in Zac's face. He cries out. Ellick takes the opportunity to seize the spear and stab him. He falls to the ground and we all stare at the body, shocked. One minute he looked so alive and now he's dead. Boom! The cannon fires.
'Does he have any supplies?' I ask, looking around the campsite.
'I don't see any. Let's just bury the fire coals and move on quickly.' Lilac answers quietly. Ellick remains silent.
After walking for about an hour I begin to notice the heat. We sit down and decide to take a two hour rest. I personally think it's a good idea. It's not like we're going to be in less danger if we go further into the bush. And I'm guessing most of the tributes are in the jungle anyway, which is miles away. I feel bad about Zac though. I can't shake the memory of him lying defencelessly on the ground.