Games 7

I didn't like the Careers.

Honestly, it takes a lot for me not to like someone. But they were not only from the richer districts and made fun of our two, but they were complete snobs. They reminded me Capital people who'd snicker at District 12's ratty clothing when they'd arrive, and how I'd heard some people talk trash when they thought cameras weren't looking.

It hurt Rue's feelings, which made me mad. Katniss had always shielded me from cruel words, but I was stronger than people would give me credit for. It only bothered me if it was someone I was close too, and as far as these guys, I wanted to run the second we ran into them.

"Come on, you two little rats," Glimmer gave us a sugar smile, ushering us forward, "come along now, be good little slaves."

I wanted to say we were far from that, but in truth, we were. We were going to watch them kill off everyone else, kill each other, and the last Career standing would kill us. If they didn't use us for a shield first.

Our only hope was the escape. But how we'd do that, I wasn't sure. But I knew Rue knew we had to do it too, so we plotted secretly mentally. We'd reveal our plan to each other when we got something useful.

Neither of us had any good ideas yet, apparently.

They'd certainly worked quickly. They had a whole stash of supplies, and I could only wonder what all of that was for when they only limited use of it. That's when I realized the boy from District 4, Scott, had been working on line mines. It was a trap...a very cold, very sadistic trap, at that.

I couldn't watch as it took lives, and neither could Rue. It took three days. Just three days for their only to be a few more left: Thresh, Foxface, the Careers, we two. And Peeta.

I wondered about Peeta. I hadn't seen him since the first day, and while I knew he was alive, I was forming a decent idea. Maybe he and Thresh, or at least one them, could help us out. The big question was how to contact them and not have the Careers knowing about it.

Rue filled me in on an idea of her own the night after I whispered the plan to her as the others slept.

So as the Careers waited for another sucker to step into their trap, we found one of the many hidden camreas. When we found one lodged in a tree a little ways up, we all but scrambled our way up. The pine dug into my hands and sweat beaded on my forehead.

Being kept as a slave with little food or water sure took a lot out of you, even though it'd only been three days.

"To anyone listening out there..." she spoke to the camera as I kept look out, "we need some help. Get us Peeta or Thresh...we need to get out of here if we're going to live."

"Hey! What're are you two little bitches doing?" Cato was the first to see us, and I gulped nothing in my throat.

"We have to stay up here," Rue looked at me with worried eyes.

"We need water, though," I pointed out, and it was then my body hit me with the full effect of needing hydration.

"Then..." she leaned against the trunk and closed her tired eyes, "we pray for a parachute."

So that's what we did. Only a day dragged by, but it felt like years since I'd had a drink. We had the canteen, but we had to have a source of H2O for it to do us any good. I was sprawled out on my back, running my dry tongue over my even drier lips. Rue wasn't look much better as feebly gripped the branch in her sleep, panting heavily as she dreamed restless nightmares.

That's when I saw it. A relection came from within the branches, there was flash of silver, and a paracute landed on my stomach. Unable to contain a squeal, I ripped it open and gazed at the note.

Use this wisely and don't die, ~Haymitch

The old drunk suddenly didn't seem so bad. Inside the package there was a six-pack of water and three packages of Newton bars. Grinning to each other, we two devoured two of the packages and drank four bottles of water before remembering to breath.

"Thank you, Haymitch," Rue leaned back against the drunk, rubbing her swollen stomach and closing her eyes again.

I now felt relaxed enough to curl up beside her. Things were still pretty horrible...but they weren't completley hopeless yet.

Foxface, I had to admit, was very impressive.

We two watched admiringly as she nimbily avoided the landmines, snatching as much food as she could carry and still keep her balance, and dashing off. But her prize had made someone pay, even if it wasn't her.

"You idiot!" Cato was enraged, grabbing Scott's neck and snapping him forward. His form slumped to the ground, and a scream caught in my throat.

"You're cruel!" and suddenly, I was running towards the Careers, my hands reaching for the lifeless boy.

It was my healing instict...my heart cried that I had to save him, I had to help him. But my mind knew he was dead, and when a hand touched to feel a heartbeat, the Death Cannon fired.

Tears streamed down my face as I sank back onto the ground. Murder was cruel and souless, just like these Careers. I didn't even try to move as the helicoper carried his body away. Images of his family played in my mind as I sobbed helplessly, never feeling so weak or exposed in my entire life.

Clove's grip on my shoulder brought me back to reality. I looked over weakly as she yanked me to my feet, pinning me sharply against a tree. Cato smirked, weilding his sword and putting the tip to my throat. My breath came out in short gasps as the tears streamed fast down my cheeks.

Crying wouldn't save me. But it made me feel better right before my throat was cut open.

I'm dead, when I woke up, it was absoultley dark. I could hear voices that were whispery and far-away sounding, and I was confused at the pain in my body.

I'd always heard death was supposed to be a peaceful thing. Then that meant I was still alive. But where was I? My eyes were open, but I couldn't see anything. I felt my body shudder as I coughed up something warm...blood.

"She's awake," a voice rumbled above me as the world came back into focus...well, I still couldn't see, but the voices were clear.

"Is she going to be okay?" I sighed in relief at the sound of Rue's voice.

"Yeah," then I reconized the owner of the voice: Thresh, "Primrose, can you see me?"

"N-no..." I sat up, my hands touching soft moss, "why can't I see anything?"

Oh my God...had I hit my head? If I had...that could mean I was blind. A hand that swallowed my own pressed my fingers to a face, and I felt it shaking no.

"It's only temperary blindless, I think," he moved down so I could feel him shrug, "I didn't hit her hard enough. Sorry about that."

So he had done this. But why was he aplogizing? Had it been accident? All I remembered was blacking out as soon as I heard the sword slit my skin.

"Our prays were answered," Rue was grasping my other hand, "he showed up and killed Clove and Glimmer."

Two more deaths.

I suddenly heard the athem playing, and the two of them announced the names for me, "Scott, District Four. Clove, District One. Glimmer, District 2."

So all we had left were Peeta, those two, Cato, Foxface, and I. That seemed a little hard to swallow...three deaths that had all happened so fast, two of which occured when I was unconscience. Reaching up, I felt a make-shift bandage around my neck with a little sigh. They had saved my life...I was internally grateful.

"You just rest now," I heard my friend lay down beside me, "we'll wait for your sight to return."

"No...just leave me..." if I died, I died. Cato already hated me...I wouldn't last much longer as it was, so I'd only be a burden.

"We're your allies, silly," she whistled those four notes, and sound of the mockingjays' replying made me relax, just like before, "we'd never dream of it."

They were just my allies now, though. They were best friends.