Near the end of this it gets... *cough* violent... *cough* not unbearably so. Just... poor Rue. I'll leave it at that.
Also, I've made some modifications to Bella's shield. I firmly believe that Panem has changed her more than we realize. She agreed with me while she was narrating, so... well, you'll see, especially in the next chapter.
The Plan (and failure)
In a matter of hours, we're ready to attempt a trek through the forest. We've worked everything out, down to the last second. Rather than slowly push through, trying not to provoke the Mutts, we're going to go through as fast as possible. If they attack, there should be enough of us to ward them off. We won't hesitate and we certainly won't stop in the hopes of keeping the pain at bay. Rue will climb a mountain and light a fire at the top of it. This should be good bait. When they start moving in that direction, Edward and I will corner them. We should have the element of surprise. We'll chase them into them up the mountain. Or maybe be chased. Conveniently, we'll have a fire at the top. Which is perfect for sending them up in flames.
"How are we going to know that we all made it out of this alive?" I ask, feeling stupid. Rue and Edward already seem to know something I don't.
"Mockingjays," she says. "Haven't you seen them?"
No, actually I haven't. I still don't see how that has anything to do with our survival. To my surprise, Rue looks up into the air and sings four notes. It sounds like Big Ben, only minor. The mockingjays repeat it, and the overlapped tones sound unearthly.
"During harvest, I whistle it to signal to everyone that it's curfew. So just whistle that once you're safe. Or once you're on your way," she says.
I've never killed anyone. It's a funny statement, and something that should feel completely natural, obvious. But it doesn't. As a newborn vampire, and as a Tribute in the Hunger Games, the idea of murder feels as natural, as easy as blinking. Although I once thought we were turned for the super speed and strength, I'm starting to think that it's only to dampen our natural repulse to killing. Too often, Tributes will form alliances and refuse to kill. But Rue is too innocent and Edward is my own, private Prince Charming. We're in no danger of turning on each other. Hopefully.
"Are you ready, Bella?" Edward asks me a little after dawn. I nod at him.
"How long?" I question.
"We move at dusk."
"And until then?" I ask.
"Your shield," he says, as if it's obvious.
"Yeah," I ask. Well, say. I forgot to inflect it.
"You need to learn to project it."
"Huh?" I've no idea what he's talking about. I mean, I know he mentioned this earlier, but my brain was fogged by pain.
He sighs. "You have a shield that can protect us. I should have started on this earlier. But we still have a few hours. . ."
"How can I even tell if I'm projecting it?" I ask.
"You just have to use it like, a muscle I guess. I could only read people a few feet away from me when I first started hearing thoughts."
I ponder this for a few seconds. "So. . . I can get better at this?" I ask. "I don't know exactly what, but. . ."
"Bella, you're powerful. Rue, to give you an idea, her gift worked when she was human." Rue's eyes widen. For a second I can swear that I'm blushing.
"A shield," she states. "What does that mean?"
"It means that I can read just about everyone's mind. Except hers," he says.
She looks impressed. "So, if she projected the shield, could she keep you from hearing my thoughts?" asks Rue.
Edward nods. "Do you want to try, Bella?"
It's the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Edward tells Rue to think of a word. I have to keep him from guessing what it is. Although, considering the fact that I feel like I'm trying to protect someone from a ghost with a fake bed-sheet, it isn't really guesswork for him. Rue is time and time again impressed with his ability to read minds so easily.
Hours pass, and I'm exhausted. Rue and Edward exchange mental jokes. I can't help but think that they're talking about me. The worst part is that they say they won't tell me unless I can block him from reading her. I'm exhausted.
"What now?" she asks with a grin.
"You're thinking of mountain lions."
She waits a few seconds. "And now?"
"The ocean."
Rue purses her lips and cocks her head to the side.
Edward nods. "I know. We need a little more motivation, or something to go from." He turns to me. "Do you remember when I broke through your shield, Bella?"
I instinctively flinch at the memory. "So. . . you're saying that you don't think my shield is strong enough."
He shakes his head. "No, your shield is very strong. The Capitol damaged it I think, but it's still incredible. You're not even trying to use it. Just remember what you felt break when I broke through your shield. Try to feel it. It's a muscle; use it."
I try to, I really do, but I just don't think it's there. After another hour or so, it seems completely hopeless. How can I use something that isn't even there?
Rue cocks her head to the side, a wry smile spreading across her face. Edward immediately bursts out laughing.
"What?" I ask. They're laughing too hard to respond. I feel insulted. What did she think of?!
"Bella," Edward says in between laughs, "I'll tell you if you can block Rue's thoughts."
I'm furious. "What did she think about me?!" I demand.
Rue tries to compose herself for a moment and fails. "I. . . I never said it was about you!"
"Then why won't you tell me?!"
Birds fly away. Oops.
I sigh. "Edward," I put on my best puppy-dog look. "Please."
He can't; he's laughing too hard. Rue. I like you. A lot. But I hate you right now.
"Bella," Rye manages to stay serious. "Just. . . try!" On the last word she starts laughing again. I can't restrain the growl in my chest. It escapes as a mixture of a hiss and a snarl. Afterwards I narrow my eyes. Did I really just make that awful noise? At Rue? At Edward?
That seems to calm them down a bit. "Sorry, love," says Edward. "You just need some motivation."
"Tell me!" I shriek at him. He shakes his head.
Now I know they're talking, well, thinking about me. And when Rue starts spitting other mental comments on the same note to him, they both laugh harder. What are they talking about?! I'm so furious, so utterly irrationally furious, that my vision takes on a strange reddish tint. Strength that could bend steel and shatter diamond pulses through my limbs.
The rage brings every aspect of my being into sharper focus. I'm like a gemstone, multi-faceted, a face or a vertex for every emotion, feeling, and sensation I have; my senses are clearer than ever. On the diamond, I'm aware of another part of me. One I never knew I had. It's a sort of sixth-sense. I can feel it now, feel it with every part of me. A thin membrane that separates me from the world. That protects me.
But it's stiff. Like any human muscle that hasn't been used for a long time, it physically hurts to move it. But I feel that it's all but unbreakable. Perhaps I could lower it if I chose to, perhaps not; Edward broke through it once, but now that I can feel the way it protects me, I don't think he ever will again.
I suddenly can see Jane's attack. Thin and dissipating slowly. This is her attack from all those months ago? I push my shield out to the attack. I can not only feel it, but I can see the small bubble. I doubt anyone else can. I swaddle the near-invisible daggers and they disappear entirely. It's like my shield is made of extra-strength duct-tape. Not only is it incredibly strong, mental attacks stick to it until they go away. I wonder, though. If I can move that thin wisp of pain, could I redirect it to someone else?
Snap! Barely an inch and already my shield comes back to me. So much for that idea if I can't even support it. I'm mentally exhausted. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever done. Edward and Rue are still laughing, unaware of the fact that I even moved it an inch. I remember my fury. Even though my breakthrough has clouded some of the newborn rage, it isn't very hard to unlock have an endless reservoir of wrath. I tap back into the bank of ire and suddenly I am livid.
My vision is tainted crimson again; it gives me the strength I need to move the shield a few inches. I walk closer to Rue. Still, I can't cover her entirely. Neither of them are laughing anymore, my serious expression has tamed them. "I'm sorry," I say. "It's useless."
Edward sighs.
"Will you tell me what was funny?" I inquire. He shrugs. For a few seconds, we sit in silence.
Finally, the sun reaches the rim of the horizon. I'm shaking, almost as badly as I was before the Games started. It feels hard to believe that, less than a minute ago, I was laughing. Edward tries to calm me, but it's not use. What if something goes wrong? What if Cato kills me? What if Cato kills Edward? My mind can't stop running in circles, spinning around the what if questions that I hardly dare to ask.
Without much conversation, we take off into the forest. The Mutts fly at us from all directions, but I manage to swat them off of me before they can sink their teeth into me. The attack stops early, and I suspect the Gamemakers have something to do with it. They don't want an attack this promising to fall flat before it's even started.
The forest has an eerie quality when it's this empty. So many horrors happened to me here in such a short period of time. The boy from District 4 ripped apart here, the girl from District 1 smoldering there. Daylight only accents the ghostly quality to it. It's like a funeral in burning sunlight. It haunts but doesn't frighten, only aches and throbs until I'm certain that my dead heart is being ripped to shreds. People died here.
But these are the Hunger Games. I can't worry about it.
We quickly reach the foot of the mountain. I realize, for the first time, that we can't all win this. The odds are not in our favor. That honor only belongs to one Tribute, and I can only guess who. I'm reluctant to say goodbye to Rue, but I'm grateful to her for letting me stay with Edward. I'm going to have a hard time leaving him for the next half of forever.
"I'll see you again, Bella," she says before flashing a grin at me. There are six other Tributes out there, not counting us or the Careers. Any number of things could go wrong between now and then. Thresh is monstrous. He may be from her District, but he could still kill her. And that fox-faced girl, Melanie, could give anyone a knife in their back, flames dancing on their hair. I knew the moment I saw her mischievous grin that she was no good. Rue will see me again? I hope so.
Even though I've only known her for a day and a half, I still feel a connection to her. I pull her into a slightly awkward hug and then give her my best smile.
"I'm sorry," I say.
"Why?" she asks, confused.
"For coming up with this stupid idea," I breathe.
The sun finally sinks below the horizon. "It's time to move, Bella," says Edward. "Go on, Rue. We'll see you in a few hours." She nods at him and, with a heavy sigh, turns to scurry up the mountain. She plucks a handful of greenery before blurring out of my sight.
For a moment, I'm still, just breathing and watching how my arctic breath doesn't make clouds of smoke in the icy forest. The snow looks so odd, after the days in the tropics. Then Edward turns to me, and I hear his words before he speaks. We're going to be alright, the Careers won't kill us, nothing bad is going to happen, Rue will be fine. It will only sadden me, confuse me, make me feel like my heart is being torn out of my chest because I know that any of our lives, well, existences, whatever, could be ended in a fraction of a second. So before he can talk, I stop him with a tilt of my head— the temptation of a kiss.
Kiss | kis | verb [with obj.] touch with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, reverence, or greeting: he kissed her on the lips.
Someone burn the dictionary.
Edward takes the opportunity eagerly. For the crowd or for me? When he starts to pull away, I know the answer, but I don't want to. I feel the moment slipping away, running through my hands like grains of sand, and I, selfishly, throw my arms around his neck. The caressing warmth of hope bubbles up in my chest. The forest is ablaze. The arena turns to dust. In a pillar of fire, the whole of Panem fades to ashes. I hardly notice.
The heat grows inside of me. It's the same fire that I found in the Capitol. Pleasing. Addictive. Dangerous. The flames of love are the shade of blush, light and airy and soothing. But it becomes something else, a brighter red that could destroy the Capitol. There is a fire inside of me, and this is an act of rebellion. I know I have to end it. But I can't.
My desperate fingers clutch the thin fabric that covers his heart. I'm scared, Edward. I'm scared for your life, not mine. Don't leave me. Never, never, never leave me.
I don't want the moment to end, but it does, too soon. He pulls away, and I'm powerless to stop him. It isn't as though he's stronger than I am, but I know that this is wrong. That we have to stop, now, before the Capitol grows bored of this and hurls a fireball or cracks apart the earth between us. I want him to tackle me to the ground, but obviously that isn't going to happen.
I force myself away and we plunge deeper into the snowy woods. The majority of the white has melted away, leaving bare, brown grass peaking through. As we move along, though, it gets colder, and the dead plants disappear. After about ten minutes of solid running, Edward halts.
"Are we close?" I mouth, too afraid to speak in a whisper.
He nods. "Come here." He doesn't make a sound, either. I glide towards him at inhuman speeds, making sure I don't disturb the ground beneath me. He spins me around and covers my eyes. Blinded, all of my other sense go into overdrive. Then he whispers, "What do you hear?"
Voices. One, two, three. There are three of them. I know without thinking that those are the Careers. I couldn't have noticed it if he hadn't pointed it out.
"The Careers?" I ask, so quietly I can hardly hear it. I glance back at him and he nods. "Where?"
He inhales. "What do you smell?" he mouths.
Blood, and lots of it. It isn't the thick, synthesized stuff, but the very same kind that nearly drove me insane at the restaurant. It reeks of euphoria more potent than morphling.
"Blood," I whisper back.
"Human blood," he replies, a hint of a snarl to his tone. My eyes widen. That was human blood at the restaurant? My mental voice shoots through at least two octaves. I feel disgusted with myself. Impure. Repulsive. All of that time preparing for the bloodlust did nothing in the end. I drank human blood without even realizing it. Somehow, that seems even worse than killing someone on accident.
"Why is that in the Games?" I ask, my voice a little too loud.
The sun passes completely below the horizon. Nightfall. Twilight. The end of another day. It becomes noticeably darker, and my gaze automatically jerks in the direction of the sinking yellow orb.
"Not all newborns are so controlled, Bella," he says. "They're probably trying to drive the others insane."
"No one died at the interviews."
"True," he admits. "But it will make some people overly competitive for the, well, feeding."
"How did you get in with the Careers, Edward?" I breathe, suddenly curious.
"Join or die," he says. "I led them to you to try to find you. That didn't work too well."
I nod. Back on topic, Bella. "So how do we attack?"
"We don't. We wait for them to go after the fire. They'll know that a Tribute's over there. We chase them there and up the mountain. And then. . ."
"We toss them into the flames."
He nods.
"We have you. And me. And Rue. But they're armed. We aren't."
Edward smiles sadly. "They'll probably leave the Cornucopia unguarded. We can pick up a couple of flame throwers if it makes you happier."
"And super-sharp chainsaws?" I ask playfully. He gives a silent laugh.
Then we hear shouts in the distance. The Careers. There's whooping and a bit of laughter. Cato cackles and I hear the girl, who must be Clove, warble a little chuckle. Edward holds a finger to his lips, and we silently slide through the forest. I quiver slightly, and I don't dare to breathe. Without my sense of smell, I feel blind. As though someone has wrapped an invisible wall around me and I hopelessly beat it, in vain, to attempt escape. The barriers that can't be seen are the most frightening.
Suddenly the Careers are flying at us. There are only three of them, but it feels like hundreds of them, coming from all directions. A hiss escapes me. Edward and I bolt from them, but I'm almost gleeful. Did I really think we'd make it there unseen? Are they going after us or the fire? It doesn't really matter. They'll chase us up the mountain and right into our trap. I glance at Edward and raise my eyebrows. Do they know? I ask with my expression. After looking to make sure we aren't seen, he grins at me. We're not the prey, we're the bait.
Bait isn't exactly the best position to be in, but it works. Bait is better than prey. It's a little higher on the food-chain. And at least they'll be the ones gone at the end of this. I try to hide my glee as they chase us through the woods.
There is no wolf pack this time as we advance towards the mountain, and it's broad daylight. I thought my new eyes could see everything, but it still looks so different than it did a few nights ago. I glance over at Edward. He's so much faster than I am, but not stronger. I can't make sense of how fast his legs move. Still, my strides match three of his, and I manage to keep up. I'm not following, and I'm not leading either.
I glance behind at the Careers. We're ahead of them, but they're still following. Right into our trap, I tell myself. Right into our trap. We have nothing to worry about. Probably. Even so, I can't stop my hands from shaking.
We reach the foot of the mountain. Edward makes me climb first. I clamber my way up until I get to the plateau, where the wolves chased me. He's right behind me, and the Careers less than an arms length from him. He wraps his arm protectively around me and practically drags me to the cliff face. I shove my hands and feet into the rocks and force my way up. Chips and stones fall on the Careers, too.
"You're not going to get away," I hear Marvel laugh at us. Truth is, I don't want to get away. "So you may as well stop now."
I glance down at them. Clove is a lot smaller than I thought she was, but she looks far fiercer than I expected. Cato is as anyone would expect— cold and heartless. We've slowed down quite a bit, probably because everyone, hunters, hunted, and bait, knows how futile running is in this arena. We don't ever tire. Running only prolongs the chase.
We bolt to the top. We're not the hunted, we're the bait, and bait it better than prey. I have to tell myself this dozens of times to get myself to calm down. About halfway up, Edward sweeps me off of my feet. I wrap my arms around his neck and cling to him as he runs at speeds faster than I thought possible. He is faster than the others. Much, much, much faster. The world around me blurs.
I blink. I blink again. Before I can try it a third time, we're at the top of the mountain.
"How did you do that?" I ask, breathless. Well, no not breathless. Stunned.
"I'm faster than the others," he says.
"I know that," I reply. "But I've never seen you do that before." I look up into his suddenly black eyes. They're tense and glazed over, like glass, appearing ready to shatter.
"I never did that around you because, well, you were human. Vampires can push their abilities to their maximum, beyond just about anything. But it makes us incredibly thirsty."
That's how he moved so fast. "Are you going to be alright for the fight?" I ask. He nods.
"A little weak, but I'm more experienced. . . Rue?" he calls. No answer. He whistles her notes, over and over, and the mockinjays carry on the tune.
Ten seconds later, she peeks out from behind a rock. "You're back?" she asks.
"Yes," I reply. Obviously.
"Are they coming?" asks Rue.
Edward nods.
"And last words of advice?" I ask him.
"Stay alive," he replies dryly. "And don't let them get their arms around you, even if you're as strong as they are, they'll crush you." I remember these words and I smile at him.
"And never go for the obvious kill," I say. He smirks.
"They'll be expecting that," says Edward, to both of us, though he's really doing it for the inside joke. "And you will lose." He mimics Jasper perfectly.
A sudden gust of wind blows the Careers' scent in our direction and destroys the humor. "I can smell them," says Rue, glancing at both of us. "They're coming!" she whispers.
We stand in a triangle as they approach. Remind me why we decided to lure the Careers like this? The fire burns brightly in the night. All we have to do is push them in. Why didn't it occur to me that I could be the one burning at the end of this? I look up into the sky. There is, without a shadow of a doubt, a camera trained on my face.
"Jasper," I mouth at the clouds. "Help."
I see the Careers. They stand a field's length away. Edward and I charge at them. Rue stays behind a little bit. For someone so small, she's awfully quick.
Cato's fist flies at my face. I bend over backwards to avoid him, ending up doing a full backflip. I take a swing at him with my foot. Clove grabs my arm and pulls me away. Edward and Marvel are engaged in combat. Cato knocks me to the ground, and his mate stares at him with a look of disgust on their face. She could have killed me if he hadn't interfered. Marvel catches Rue and locks his hands around her neck. I sprint over there, kick him in the face, and give her enough time to escape.
Clove tries to wrap her arms around me and I grab her hand, swing her over my head, and thrust her into the ground. I've never fought like this before. Even I can barely see my movements. Clove isn't a threat for now, so I bolt towards Cato, punching him in the gut. I dodge a few more blows, as does he as I swing my leg over his shoulder and almost into his head. Then I charge at him head on. He catches me and sends me flying into Marvel's arms.
Clove is up and running again, she and Cato take on Edward while Marvel struggles to end my life. I want to scream at the top of my lungs. I wriggle out of his grasp. I don't even try to knock him to the ground, I just lunge at Cato and get him off of Rue's neck. Everything starts to descend into absolute chaos.
That's when I notice Cato staring at Rue. She acts like someone's hitting her and strangling her. And I realize his gift. He can fight people with his mind.
It hasn't been ten seconds yet.
I make a habit of standing in front of Edward and Rue to block his attacks. Once again, my shield keeps them out and away from me. Another vampire power blocked. With Cato's gift out of the way, we start to make a bit of progress for half of a second before Clove gets annoyed and shoots a look at Edward. I'm not standing in front of him, and he crumples to the ground in absolute agony. I twist her wrist, grab her neck, and knock her to the ground. Again.
It's been ten seconds. My vision is tainted crimson.
Edward is still on the ground. He's in pain. Rue and I are against three. Clove swings at me and I jump out of the way. Everyone here is too strong, too fast, and we don't tire. This could last for hours. I try to kick her. I see Edward focus on me as I fight with her. He mouths the word, twist. I'm supposed to kill this girl. But I don't want to. I don't want to. . .
I block Cato as he swings at me. Rue bends over backwards and lands back on her feet. We both know we can't do this forever. Clove gives her that same evil look and she screams. I step in front of her before she falls to the ground. Clove gives me an evil glare while Cato tries to mentally punch me in the gut. I feel the pressure on my forehead— a sharp, burning pain— but I don't let my guard down. Not for one second.
With a sudden burst of rage and panic, my vision turns completely red and my shield feels stronger than ever before. I push it out in front of me, still struggling with Cato and Clove, who is still trying to attack me. I remember the duct-tape. Sure enough, her attack is still clinging to my shield. It isn't harming me, but it's there. I manage to cover Rue, and she looks up at me. Thank you, she seems to say.
My vision is turning a brighter red.
Marvel is in my sight again. Senseless with bloodlust, I charge him and kick him into a boulder. He flounders for a few seconds while I tackle Clove to the ground. She's shocked and gives a feral scream. For the first time in the Games, I try to kill someone. I raise my hand to strike her, but Cato sends me flying up and away. I land just off of the cliff. I could hold myself up with a single finger, it isn't a problem. It's just that the overhang of the rock is cracking. I use my hands to push me back up. I clear it by ten feet and land back there.
I manage to shield her again, but it's distracting. Cato kicks at me. I snap at him. Clove tugs at Rue's hair. She looses an arm. She howls in panic and pain. When she approaches me for revenge, I slide underneath her. We're defending ourselves, nothing more. No one has died, and it's been thirty seconds. Impressive for a vampire fight.
Cato gets his hands on my neck and laughs. "Ready to end this?" he whispers into my ear. Rule number one of being a real life bad-guy: don't make epic speeches. Edward is up again and he tugs Cato off of me. Cato is stronger. He nearly crushes me with his force. I dig my teeth into his shoulder and he howls something unintelligible.
I can't get my shield around Rue and Edward, we're too far apart. Rue or Edward, Rue or Edward. Clove keeps making Rue scream with her ability to cause pain. She taunts her with cruel words. Cato folds his arms and kicks Edward with invisible limbs. I stay close to Edward. He's the one that matters most, here.
Marvel's gift is ineffective on me, but I see its effects on Rue. By the way she freezes every time he glances at her, I know he can freeze people in place for brief seconds. Still, he can fight. He finally manages to land a blow on me. A kick in the stomach. I see a long crack on his arm, I know he wants revenge for my throwing him into a boulder. He grabs me by the neck and swings me to the ground.
Edward gasps. He looks at me with despair. Cato has him too closely cornered for him to help me. I look to my other side. The fire is very, very hot. I look up at Marvel, fearfully, and he smirks at me.
I keep my shield around Edward. I'm going to die, but I want to help him for as long as possible. They're all gifted with offensive weapons; they'll die if I can't protect them.
I shut my eyes.
I am silently shouting at the top of my lungs. I want to die with dignity, not with a girlish shriek and a sob of hopelessness. Every time something has happened to me, I have been too injured to think clearly, or I have closed my eyes. When Edward beheaded Victoria, when they killed James. I always shut them tight. But now, as I stare at certain doom, I can't bear to keep them closed. They snap open. I'm wide awake. I gaze at my death with my
Eyes
Wide
Open.
Rue gives a shriek and flies at Marvel, sending Edward to safety in the process. Clove tries to hurt her but she ignores it. She knocks him off of me. For a moment she tries to fight him. She tries to kick him in the head. I can't get my shield on her, it's riveted on Edward. Marvel freezes her in place for a moment. Before she can react, he brings his hand down on her neck. There's a horrible cracking sound as her body contorts in unnatural, broken ways.
I've barely had time to mouth the word no when he knocks her into the fire.
Oh yes. I just did that. I'll go hide and hope no one hates me for this... on a side note, I'll probably be done with this story in ten to fifteen chapters.
Review?