After a while I start to walk through the forest. I try and find a hill somewhere so that I might be able to see what's happening around me. It feels like I'm walking in circles. The same tree after another. The same ground surface, dirty and covered in leaves and twigs.
My stomach rumbles. My throat is dry. My body is aching. I decide to look around for water. I keep feeling the ground to see if it's moist. Just the same every time. I start to get frustrated. Suddenly I see something different in the distance, sparkling in the sunlight. I quicken my pace. The ground changes its surface. I kneel down again and feel it. Moist. Finally, a sign of water. I keep walking. I feel small rocks under my boots. I see bigger rocks in the distance. I start to run. I want to get to the water. I need water. As I approach the rocks I realize they are boulders. I start climbing. My arm aches. I start climbing down the other side. Sure enough I see the water, sparkling and clear.
I pull my backpack off of my back. I look for the water bottle. I fill it up with the water. I scoop up some of the water in my hands and spill it on my face. It cools me down instantly. I'm refreshed. I take a gulp of water from my bottle. My throat is still dry and every time I swallow down the water it hurts. I can't stop, I'm too dehydrated. The water tastes delicious, the best I've ever had. After drinking lots of water I look into the lake.
I stare at my reflection. My face is full of tiny cuts here and there. My face is screwed up in a frown. I don't smile any more. How can I? I look a little bit like a real fighter. Hunched shoulders, bruises, cuts and the frown. Suddenly the reflection changes. The water swirls, full of different colours, then Nick's face. Smiling up at me. Perfectly normal, realistic, you wouldn't have thought he'd been hurt so much in the Hunger Games.
The next vision is Lil. She's crying on the couch at home. But why? It's so realistic. Is this actually happening right now at home? Is this what Lil's going through. Watching me struggle through the Hunger Games.
Next is Ruby. She has a deep gash on her forehead. She's holding a knife. She's saying something.
"I can't wait to kill Sarah," she says. "She doesn't deserve to live. I'm surprised she's made it this far."
I gasp. I'm scared, frightened, horrified.
Next is Lucas. He's fighting with someone. The question is, who? Isn't that the district 6 girl? The girl has lots of weapons. She has a sword. She's trying to swipe him and create gashes so that she can win the fight. The sword knocks into Lucas's leg. Where are they? I recognize the trees in the background. Then I see one of the things that we stood on at the start, behind the trees. The hill. It's where I fought with the district 5 girl. Lucas is on the ground holding his leg. I can't watch. This must be really happening.
I grab my possessions and shove them in my bag. I swing my bag onto my back and start climbing the boulders again. I jump to the ground and start running. I think I'm going in the right direction. I feel the wind brushing up against my face. My blonde, bloodstained hair flows in the wind. I just keep running, I don't stop. Up hills down hills. Tripping in potholes. I hear a grunt and think I must be getting close. The clank of weapons. The smell of blood. I see Lucas through the trees.
"They underestimated me," the girl yells. "I can do this."
She has Lucas pinned to the ground, about to stab him with the sword. Lucas rolls over and keeps her on the ground. He punches the girl in the face and grabs the sword. He stabs her in the chest and she instantly dies.
I emerge out from behind my tree. The sword quickly slices my hand. I yell in pain.
"What was that for?" I ask Lucas furiously.
"Sarah," he gasps. "I didn't mean it."
"How can I believe you?" I yell at him and start running away. My hand is pouring blood everywhere. I can hear Lucas's footsteps behind me.
"Get away!" I yell.
"Sarah, I didn't mean to hurt you," he says grabbing my arm. I grab an arrow, set it up on my bow and prepare to shoot.
"That's what you think?" he asks. "I didn't mean it. I thought you were someone else."
"We can't be allies," I say firmly. "You betrayed me. This is the end of us. I already lost Nick, I'm losing you too and I don't care because you obviously were playing the game."
"I don't know what's got into you?" Lucas argues. "You've changed."
"I've been through a lot," I reply. "We all have. I can't deal with this. It's stupid."
"I can help you," Lucas says. He's so convincing. "I care about you."
I put my arrow back in the quiver. I hold the bow tight next to me.
Boom! The canon goes off.
Lucas is staring at me, expecting me to answer him.
"This is the end for us," I say. "We can both make it far, we could win, but if we were allies we'd have
to split up sometime. One of us would die. I don't want to build our friendship and then lose each other."
"What if we both die," he argues. "I don't want to spend my last few days alone without those who I care about. I want to keep us safe. I want to spend every last minute with you. You're not like the others. Your one of the most important people in my life. You mean a lot to me. I'm not leaving you."
"You have to," I say. "You have a better chance at winning. You don't need me tagging along slowing you down."
"You don't get it," he continues. "How many tributes have you killed? Lots. You can win. We both have a chance at winning. Why can't you believe me. I don't want to hurt you."
I don't speak. It seems like it was an accident. He apologized. He's always helped me and Nick. He can help me get over Nick's death. He'll be there for me, like he's always done.
"Come on," I say and walk past him to the area where all the tributes first stood in the arena. I hide behind some trees. "Any idea where to go?"
"I haven't been in the rainforest," Lucas replies. "I don't know what could be there, but I'm almost certain that this part of the forest is haunted. Full of illusions to muddle our brains, make us believe unrealistic things."
Suddenly there's a scream nearby. Another canon.
"Let's get out of here," Lucas says, grabbing me by the arm. We sprint across the grassy, open area and into the rainforest. We keep sprinting through the rainforest. My legs are stinging. I've never ran this fast. I feel like my life's in danger. I feel like there are things lurking behind the trees.
"No," I say, skidding to a halt. Lucas stops and stares at me. "This isn't right. There's something wrong. I feel safe in the forest. Not here. Please, we have to go back."
"We can't," Lucas replies. "Someone died there and they were close to us. We had to get away. Yes, the rainforest may feel unsafe but we have to face it. We have to get as far away from the middle as possible. We can't go back now."
His voice is wobbly. He's scared to. The sense of insecurity is strong, so strong. My vision goes blurry. Everything is blocked out by white. I lose balance and fall to the ground.