Author's Note:

Back! I just wanted to say thanks to every reviewer, from the first chapter to this chapter! I would've died if you hadn't reviewed. (Or maybe just become comatose. He he.) Read on!

The night is cold so I unearth a towel from my backpack and use it as a scarf. I had used it after the swim in the store so its dirty, though already relatively dry.

The apartment is spooky, the fire we built being the only source of light. The flickering flames make distorted shadows on the ancient furniture and everything is quiet. I'm used to the sounds of the forest but in the deserted city, all is silent.

I channel all focus to the book I'm reading. It's not hard. The book is really interesting. Although the book mentions a lot of things I don't understand, (What the heck is a roller coaster or a pier? What kind of people eat Candy Floss? What kind of name is Eddie?) I can forsee that it's about humans. People's morals and what they think will happen when we die. It's not too far off to how we think now.

I'm a slow reader but from my little late-night reading session, the story is about a man who works in some kind of place where kids have fun. They called it an amusement park. He's old and there was an accident in which he dies. He goes on an adventure to the afterlife and feels like a boy again. Then, he meets a man whoose skin is blue. That's about as far as I've read.

"Hey" Mercury taps my shoulder, making me give a start. "Sorry. My turn as a lookout."

My eyes have trouble focusing on Mercury's face. I nod, my mouth feeling like sand. I shut the book and Mercury asks, "What are you doing?"

I force words through my dry throat and whisper, "Reading. Found it in that building. Can you tell me what this thing is?"

I show him the cover of the book and point to the wheel thing. Mercury squints at it. "That's a ferris wheel. In the old times, people used to sit in those... benches, I guess you could call it, and the wheel spins around. They say its great fun."

I imagine people sitting down on the edges of the wheel, slowly being rotated up and down. It all seems silly to me but then I imagine I'm on the top seat looking down at the earth. Makes me feel... impowered somehow.

Whatever.

I slip the book inside my jacket and curl up on the floor. I hear Mercury humming a cheerful melody.

Without opening my eyes, my fist lashes out and hits him. "Shut up," I mumble, though my slurred words sounded more like, 'Shunudup."

I don't have to look to imagine Mercury smirking. But he shut his trap so I don't really care.

I curl up in a tighter ball but for some reason, can't fall asleep, even though my legs are numb with exhaustion. I try to count turtles. I count the green things until there are about 500 of them but I'm still asleep. I consider grabbing my book again and reading until I fall asleep but Mercury will scold me to no end so I feign sleep.

And think of turtles.

I stay in a doze when the armchair in the corner and the occupant groans. Opening my eyes to slits, I see in my periphal vision Zee stretching up on her makeshift, black hair messy from sleep, and Mercury standing up and walking over to her.

"Hey," he says in a quiet voice.

"Hi," she says in a sleepy tone. "My turn for lookout yet?"

Mercury shakes his head. "I just replaced Rooba."

"Oh. I just can't sleep." That makes two of us.

There's a pregnant pause.

"Can I ask you something?" Zee asks.

"You just did." He smiles as Zee rolls her eyes. "But you can ask another one." Mercury pulls up a footrest up and sits on it.

"The war's coming soon, or at least that's what President Coin said. Who do you think will win? The Capitol or the rebels?"

Mercury thinks about it for a while. Then he shrugs. "Beats me. I'm not a politics kind of guy."

"Same. But who do you really think will win the war, though?"

Mercury runs his hand through his brown hair and says, "In my honest opinion, if there isn't some sort of miracle, the Capitol would win."

Zee leans back as she processes the information.

It's hard. It's hard to be fighting for a losing team. And in wars, the losing team will most likely die. Usually the leader first. My mom's the leader.

Not that I care. A lot.

Zee leans forward again and says, "Yeah. Me too."

I feel a stab of dissapointment. Apparently, some dark side of me feels resentful that I'm reminded that I was fighting a losing battle.

After all, I'm 15, and they recruit 16-year-old soldiers.

Then Zee says, "What about New Brooklyn? Do they have their own wars?"

"Not that I know of," Mercury says. "But our government takes extra measures to ensure safety and command the discipline and loyalty of everyone. Namely, the Evacuators. The President made sure to keep our reputation as the only safe haven out of Panem. Not that it's untrue."

Zee nods. "And what do the Evacuators get after they return home?"

"Well, glory." Mercury replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Zee, the whole point of the Evacuation is to prove your worth and strength. If you fail, you're weak. If you're weak, you're useless. If you're useless, they kick you out."

Zee stares at him disbelievingly. "That's it? I mean, you face death, Peacekeepers, whiny boys like Marlin,-" Truth! "- flooded stores and lycanthropes, run into a warring country, probably become traumatic and go on an adventure around the world and your reward is the government not kicking you out?"

"Well, when you put it like that, that does sound bad. But at least we had some laughs, right?"

Zee laughs in laughter. "I guess. But if there's anything I can do for you, I'm happy to oblige. Saving our lives and all."

"Well actually, there's this one thing..." His voice trails off and he leans in to whisper in Zee's ear.

Zee suddenly blushes and bites her lip. She flinches away from Mercury and says, "You mean it?"

Mercury also turns red but keeps a smirk. His dull blue eyes suddenly looks piercing and sharp. "Did I tell you today was my birthday too?" he says unconvincingly.

Zee relaxes slightly and says, "Liar." She drops her gaze.

Mercury leans back. "It's okay, Zee. You don't have to." He sounds hurt.

Zee shakes her head and leans even more forward. "I didn't mean it like that." She suddenly grabs Mercury by the his jacket and pulls him closer. "Happy birthday."

"Wh-wha-" Mercury's stuttered reply is cut off by Zee's lips.

It's not just a peck on the mouth. Immediately, Mercury's arms twine around Zee and he kisses her back.

I can feel the powerful emotions radiating through them. From Zee, I sense fear, anticipation and apprehension but also curiosity and a lot of mixed emotions. What is that all about?

I feel uncomfortable for a moment. Like I'm intruding on something very private.

Then, it hit me. I am.

I shut my eyes and open them when they start talking again. A full three seconds.

Mercury mumbles something incoherent and Zee looks horrified.

"Ah," she starts. "I feel sleepy. Yawn." She heaves her feet on the armchair and hides behind a blanket she found in one of the rooms.

Mercury sighs and says, "Good night, Zee."

He stands and walks over to the dying fire and feeds it a few more dry logs of wood. He sits down against Marlin's couch and stares at the flames blankly. It's going to be a long night.

Author's Note:

Gah! This chapter was so hard to write! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!

Chapter 16: Coming Soon.