Chapter 9
I hardly slept at all last night. When I did manage to sleep, I would wake at the slightest sound, so it didn't help that I could hear the dripping pipes in the hall outside. I look out the long window to see the smudgy sun rising outside. I didn't hear any canons fire overnight. Maybe everyone was so tired from yesterday's bloodbath that they decided to rest. Not today though. The proper hunting starts today. I don't think they'll find me. If they do then I'll be trapped.
Smacking my lips, I decide to go find water and food. It's dangerous for me to walk out the front door. But I have no choice. I wish I'd run into the forest; maybe I'd have more cover. I've got to fight someone at some point. I can't hide in here forever. I exit the room and slowly open the door; checking for sleeping 'careers'. No one is there so quickly and quietly I slip out. I pause at the open doorway and look out to find an empty and eerily quiet city. If it wasn't the arena then it would be breath-taking.
I take a step toward the outside but a wave of heat crashes into me. I don't remember it this hot before. I slip outside as fast and silently as possible. I lean up against an alley wall waiting for someone to notice me. Nothing. I turn my attention behind me and see the forest rippling in the sunlight. I make a dash into the cover of the trees; my head still slightly pounding. It must look gruesome to everyone else. I can just imagine it. I'm glad I can't see it. The heat is really getting to me now so I stop running, and whilst panting, take off my jacket and stuff it into my bag. I'm sweating too much to keep running. I carry my spear with me, my knives tucked into my belt and boot with the mace poking out my bag with easy reach.
I walk on for what feels like a lifetime and my great need for water becomes greater. The heat is so intense I've already heard 6 canons. I don't know if they're from wounds from yesterday's bloodbath or from dehydration. No one in their right mind would be out hunting today. But then again the 'careers' can get what they want so they'll be out. I must make sure I don't find them.
I wish the Game Makers hadn't dressed me in these tight black trousers. It's sweltering out here, even in the shadow of the trees. I've never felt heat like this. We never get heat in the summer. It's always cold.
With my heavy feet and pounding head I walk on to find the water. After what feels like hours I sit down to take a break. The sweat has soaked me and I can't even begin to explain how thirsty I am. The blade on my spear glistens in the bright light. Rustling behind me startles me to my feet. I look behind me to see two people - a guy and a girl – strolling hand in hand. Great, a couple. A bird flies off above me and they turn to look. All they see is a small girl covered in blood holding many weapons. For a moment we stare at each other, not knowing whether to run or fight. If they fight me, I might not be able to win.
The girl lifts up and whispers something in the boys' ear. He smiles grimly which causes my heart to skip a beat. What did she say? As if answering my question, the boy lifts his bow and arrow up and fires at my throat. It narrowly misses. I duck back behind a tree as he charges towards me. I trip him and he falls with a thump to the soft, green, mossy ground. In this sprawled position it is easy to stab him in the back. I lift my spear up to do so but before I lower a scream sounds in my ear. Before I know what is happening I am on my back being suffocated by a large but delicate hand.
"Get her Konan. Get her." Says a female voice.
The girl grabs my fighting arms and pins them to my chest. Konan, the boy, lifts his bow up; his cheeks are flushed from embarrassment. He takes aim at my head. He draws back. If I can time this right, I won't die. Being an orphan means you're the recipient of some pretty awful beatings inside and out on the street. Twila and Joumana taught Dora and me a few things. I flip the girl onto her back as Konan fires his bow. The arrow pierces her neck as she is bigger than me. The sudden realisation of what just happened set in and Konan drops his bow in shock. De-armed I take this opportunity to take a knife and throw it at him. It hits him clear in the chest and he drops to the floor. Did I want to kill them? No. But they asked for it.
I collect what I can from them before the claw comes from the sky and gathers them for home. They had no water but they did have a bit of food. The girl had a bag with similar stuff to me except she had a coil for snares or something. I have gained a bow and its arrows and an axe from the girl. I decide that this search for water is futile with these bags so I return to my place without being spotted.
Once there I sort through my belongings. I count: five knives, one bow, 16 arrows, one axe, one mace and a spear. More than enough weapons to protect me. Down here it's cool and damp which helps me recover from outside. The weather has taken its toll and my arm muscles and legs feel like jelly. I eat what little food the girl has in her bag. I'm guessing the boy got it for her. She didn't seem that strong. If I had enough to drink then I would have killed her myself. Killed. I actually killed someone. More than one. What have I done? What will Teddy think? My eyes well up at the thought. What has he seen? I hope he doesn't think less of me. What am I even doing here? Why did I even agree to this? There's no way that Beetee can solve any of these monumental problems. Beetee! I rush to open my bag and yank my jacket out. The earrings clink. I forgot about these. I look closely at them. Their eyes seem glazed over like black beads. That must be the tiny cameras. I wonder if they have sound.
"Hello? Hello, is anybody watching?" I ask, staring at the eye. No reply. "I guess not."
I hear buzzing and see that the other earring has started to vibrate. It startles me so I throw it across the room, fearing a self-destruct or something. Eventually it stops and I crawl up to it. I find the earrings and find they are both flashing. I guess they're trying to tell me they're there or something so I say:
"So, you are there."
Immediately they stop flashing and I smile because from some strange reason it all feels ridiculously exciting.
"Ok, here's the deal: one flash no, two flashes yes. Understand?"
Two flashes.
What now?
"Is this Beetee?" I ask, my heart stops for a few seconds.
One flash.
For an unknown reason I am a little disappointed.
"Have you seen everything I've done?"
One flash.
"Everything except those two people?"
Two flashes.
"I wonder what they sounded like." I say to myself. As if answering my question a small sound of what sounds like shouting emerges from an earring. I think they're trying to show me but it soon dies out and there's one flash. I guess they can't do that.
"Do you know Ronald?"
Two flashes. Good. At least this one will know a little about The Isle.
"Will you still use the footage even if I die?"
Two flashes.
"If I survive can I come over to Panem?"
No answer. Of course I couldn't. That would be too obvious that something's going on.
"Stupid question."
Two flashes.
I smirk. Whoever it is on the other end is trying to be cocky with me. I'm about to ask another question when a beeping interrupts me. Reality kicks me and I dive for the nearest weapon: the axe. Gripping its handle I creep up the stairs. The faint beeping grows louder and when I open the door it echoes down the corridor. I walk outside to the staircase. Hooked to the banister is a parachute. Sponsors. Thank god. I yank it down and open the box. Inside is a cool metal flask. I open it to see it filled with clear, clean water. I close it, saving it for later. I go to close the metal tin but I hear a jangly sound at the bottom. I look and I see a round pendant with 'smile' engraved on it. My eyes well up at the thought of Twila and home. I discard the parachute in the cupboard under the stairs and run back to my room, carefully checking that I left no trace behind. Once back I stare at the necklace. Something I never noticed before was that the ball makes a delicate twinkly noise. It reminds me of Twila a lot. Thinking of her reminds me the reason she gave me the necklace. My birthday. It's usually around this time.
It would be rude not to wear it even if it will give my place away so I attach it around my neck. I pick up my jacket and cover myself as I sip at the water. For some reason it's become really cold in here.
I realise that if I want to live then I'll have to eliminate the opposition. Even if that does mean I'll have to kill to get there.
xxxxx So that was the ninth chapter. Sorry I haven't written in so long - been caught up with school work and stuff. Please comment below on whether you like it so far.
What do you think will happen to Vivron next? Please comment below xxx
Hope you enjoyed it! xxxxx