Sorry about the long delay without any updates, I had some computer trouble, and then lost all of my notes for this chapter. Hope you enjoy, I promise I'll be writing more soon!
I turn towards Faris.
"Nine down, Fourteen more to go."
He nods, his face grim. There is a sudden gust of wind, and what little fire we had goes out.
"What the-" I look around, as though expecting a career to jump out of nowhere. But something worst happens. In the period of about 3 seconds, the temperature drops to about zero degrees. The grasses freeze in place and collect a frosty layer. There is a loud cracking noise as the water turns to ice.
"O-oh my g-gosh," I whisper, wrapping my arms around myself and shivering as the cold sets in. This is the Gamemakers' way of messing with us.
"F-Faris, what are we g-going to do against t-this?"
It's all part of the show, to get the action moving. There might be some very warm area somewhere, they're hoping we'll move together and start fighting, or die of hypothermia sooner or later.
"With this," Faris replies. He takes the net he was working on and swings it over my shoulders.
"Wrap it around you," he instructs, "It'll trap the heat in just like it traps fish."
I do just that and, of course, he's right.
"But what about you?" I ask as I see him shiver. "You'll freeze to death!" "No, I'll be fine."
"No, you won't be."
I crawl over to him and wrap the net around him as well.
"There, we can share."
He looks doubtful. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure, we're allies. I'll stay up and watch, you can get a few hours of sleep."
He shrugs and lies down. I stay seated and rest my head on my knees, poking the frosty ground with a stick. Faris turns over to look at me, his head propped up on his arm.
"Early tomorrow, we'll get up to fish. I'll teach you how, alright?"
"Mmk," I yawn.
"Maybe I should take the first watch."
I look at him, his eyes seem to be laughing. I frown.
"What are you trying to-"
"Nothing! You just, looked tired, that's all."
I sigh. "Yeah I'm tired. We've been walking around all day, and I didn't get any sleep last night, I was so worried."
"I understand," he says calmly, "Just relax. Nothing's getting past me."
I laugh quietly and huddle up. I close my eyes, trying to fall asleep, trying to ignore the fact that someone or something could try and kill me at any moment. Okay, I have to admit, that doesn't help. But then something happens that does.
A quiet whistle fills the air, and I open my eyes to see Faris sitting up, his lips pursed as he gently whistles. It's a calming tune, slow and sweet, like one we would whistle in the meadows and it would travel like a wave through everyone working. I find myself drifting off to sleep.
I'm being nudged awake.
"Hey, Ruby. Wake up, it's your turn."
"I'm up, I'm up," I mutter.
I open my eyes and gasp as I find myself pushed against Faris. He raises his eyebrow.
"Cold much?"
I shove him. "Shut up, it's just for survival."
"Whatever you say!" he whispers in a sing-song voice.
I throw a reed at his face. He catches it with ease.
"Go to sleep before I throttle you," I say through my gritted teeth.
Still smiling, he lays down. But he must be tired, because in a few minutes he's asleep. Now that I'm awake, my mind is racing. The other tributes could be anywhere, plotting to kill us. And what other tricks do the Gamemakers have up their sleeves? Another cold burst of wind hits me, and I begin coughing. Suddenly my throat his paper dry. When was the last time I had a drink of water? A few hours ago there was a muddy puddle I had taken a few sips from. It was warm and left a metallic taste in my mouth that still hasn't gone away. That should be my first priority. Water. Although my stomach is aching from lack of food, the amount I had been eating at the Capitol should hold me for a few more hours. What could I do for water? The swamp water is probably filled with sickening things that I could catch diseases from. Then it hits me.
The frost on the grass, unless the Gamemakers specially engineered not to, should melt when the temperature goes up. Then I remember that the temperature may never go up. But it's worth a try.
I slowly stand up, trying not to wake up Faris. The net falls off as I step forward, and I only realize then how warm it was keeping me. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, my breath fogging in the cold air, I walk over to some of the slimmer reeds. I bend down and grab some at the base. The frost on the bottom melts in my hand, the cold so bad it stings, but I smile vaguely as the water drips down my hand, already beginning to turn to frost.
The reeds rip out of the ground with a tearing noise and I turn around. Faris turns over but doesn't wake up. Reaching over to grab the curved rock, I place the reeds in it. Hopefully by morning, the water would have melted off enough for a cold drink.
I walk over to wrap myself up in the tent, but freeze as a bright orange frog hops out of the grass and in front of me.
"Shoo!" I whisper. "Get out of here!" The frog croaks loudly, and if frogs could give nasty looks, this one would have. It swells up angrily, then opens its mouth. Nothing could have prepared me for what happens next. The frog makes a kind of choking noise and a stream of green goop flies out of his mouth.
"AHH!" I jump to the side. Unfortunately my elbow hits Faris in the face he wakes with a start and grabs his nose. I lean up as the frog gives me one last look and hops away. The puddle of liquid is oozing, and melting away the tips of the reeds touching it.
Faris grumbles something and I turn around.
"Notice, this didn't happen when I was keeping watch," he mutters, massaging his bruised nose.
"If you didn't notice, that frog spit. Acid. Acid!"
"Yeah, yeah, I got it the first time. Just try and let me get some sleep, please."
"Fine," I say through chattering teeth. I'm not sure if it's because of the cold, or the frog.
I should have known that everything here is deadly in one way or another, and this time I don't move a muscle as I keep watch for the next hour, unless you count when I practically had a heart attack as I heard a distant frog croak.
Faris wakes himself up just as the sky around us is becoming tinged with pink. As I assumed, the weather is becoming warmer as the sun begins rising. The frozen reeds have already begun to defrost, though they aren't dripping water, which I find odd. Faris cracks his fingers and gets up, looking perfectly awake. He hold out his hand for me, because I'm still crouched on the ground, my arms crossed over my knees.
"Come on now, we need to get a move on. We've stayed still too long."
Without waiting for me to reply, he grabs my arm and pulls me up, practically ripping my shoulder out of its socket with his surprising strength.
"Geez, be careful, you could have torn my arm off," I say.
He shrugs and leans down, bundling the net up and stuffing it in my arms.
"Why do I have to hold this thing?" I complain.
"Because I'm the one whose going to be teaching. And you're going to do exactly what I tell you."
He begins walking away, fiddling with something in his hand. I start to follow him, before I remember the reeds I had pulled out for water. I turn to look for it, but it is nowhere to be seen. I turn back towards Faris.
"Hey, Faris, did you see that rock that I-" I cut off as he turns around. He's holding the rock up to his mouth, water trickling into it.
"Give me that!"
I lunge for it but he holds it out of my reach. He stares at me, his eyes twinkling, before pushing it into one of my hands. There is still a small amount left in it.
"Thanks," he says, and walks away.
I stand there for a moment, confused. Faris peeks his head between the reeds.
"You coming?"
"Wh-oh right, hang on." I get a better grip on the large net, and follow him.
"So," I say, falling into step with him, "what are we looking for?"
He puts his finger to his lip and whispers, "A pond, or stream. Some large source of water."
"How are you going to find it in all of this?" I wave the small amount of my arms that aren't holding the net, indicating the marsh around us. "You can't use mud to find it, there's mud everywhere." I pull my boot out of the ground as it sinks into it.
"Just trust me, I know what I'm doing." He falls silent.
I can't argue about that. Being from District 4, he's grown up with water his whole life.
We walk in silence, the landscape unchanging. Every few seconds Faris holds a hand to his ear, listening for something. I'm not sure what, I can't hear anything past the buzzing of the unseen insects flying around.
Suddenly he grabs my hand.
"This way," he hisses, then begins running, pulling me along behind him.
I struggle to keep up with his fast pace. He moves like a panther, swift and silent. My boots slosh in the mud, and the reeds smack me in the face. Finally, he pulls me over to the side. He lets go and I stumble, almost landing face first in water and muck.
"Here. Right here," Faris says.
In front of us is a skinny stream, with almost perfectly clear water. My mouth drops open.
"How did you-"
"Find this place? Running water always leaves trails. Plus, you can hear it easily. This is the only stream in miles."
He kneels down on the ground and holds out his hand. I pause, confused, then I realize what he wants and push the net into his hands. He begins tying complicated knots into the end of the net, explaining in detail how we are going to use the net, and what kind of fish he is expecting to catch, but I'm not really listening. At least, not to him. I'm waiting for the tell-tale sound of mud sloshing, or reeds breaking, for I sense we aren't alone.
Faris stands up, still facing the water. He wipes his muddy hands on his already dirty pants. He's still talking.
"-this rate, we're bound to make it to the finals!"
I open my mouth to reply, and then I hear the twang of a bowstring and feel someone's hot breath in my ear.
"I wouldn't be so positive Flower Girl. Turn around."
My heart leaps into my throat as I spin to face the person. In front of my face are 5 careers, and an arrowhead pointed straight at my chest.