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Enjoy this chapter everyone! Oh, and if you don't want a spolier for the chapter, skip below as best as you can. Then read from the usual start. OK! READ ON!
SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
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SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
ANTics
Day 4
CHYNA
I rushed along the path, letting shallow breaths out to relax. I had no idea what just happened, and I didn't want to know. How could Fletcher yell at me like that? I thought...I thought he loved me!
I stopped for a second and looked up. The sun was setting, and I would have to stop soon.
That was when I realized that I had nothing. Nothing at all. No flute, no backpack, no tent. Nothing.
I looked around me. Everything was very concealing, so I wouldn't have to worry about that. But where would I stay?
I grabbed a big stick and leaned it against a tree. I had an idea. I took another stick, and another, and a few more,, until I had made a simple lean-to to protect myself from the harsh night.
I crawled in and put my back against the tree. I also had no one to stay awake and look out. What if Lexi came around? It was only me, Lexi, Lunetta, and - and - Fletcher, left. Anything could happen.
I decided to stay awake. It was for the better. I couldn't risk anything. I hummed a tune, trying to keep my eyes open, but it was very difficult. My eyes shut, blocking the world out of my head.
My dream shocked me. There I was, laying on the grass, and all of a sudden Lexi came into view. She had me pinned down, and was holding a knife in her hand.
I looked around, frantic, for anything or anyone to save me.
I saw Fletcher on a high tree branch, sitting next to Lunetta. He looked me right in the eye, and shook his head.
I opened my eyes, searching for Lexi.
She wasn't there.
I was breathing hard, and my wings were flapping. I counted to 10, and then they slowed down and eventually stopped.
I noticed that the air was hot and sticky. Funny, the sun hadn't risen all the way yet. I turned to my right, and my eyes bulged at the sight.
There was a roaring fire, heading right towards me. And it was tearing everything down in the process.
I knocked down the lean-to and started flying. I tried to fly higher than the fire itself, but it was impossible.
When my wings grew tired, I landed on the ground and started running. I was fast, but not fast enough. The fire was so close behind me, that the heat was burning my legs.
A hole formed in the back of my pants and I could feel the heat on the skin of my leg.
"Agh!" I cried out. I tried to run faster.
Finally, I saw a small pond off to the side. I dodged a few trees, and jumped right in.
When I came up to the surface, the fire had passed right by me. I breathed a sigh of relief and climbed out. My clothes were soaking wet. My wings wouldn't be able carry all of the extra weight.
I had no idea where I was, so I just sat down on the shore of the pond and inspected the damage the fire had done. They were only mild burns, so I put my leg in the water and let it stay there.
FLETCHER
All 3 of us had gone separate ways. I felt horrible about what I had said to Chyna, but it was true, wasn't it? I mean, she always has to think that she's right. Can't she think about other people for once?
But then again, I didn't mean any of the things I said. I am stupid. I had no right to hurt her. I knocked my head on a tree continually, trying to figure out what to do.
I stopped and brought my hand over to my head, waving it. Whatever bruise was there, disappeared.
I leaned against the tree and slid down. I opened my backpack - wait, Chyna's backpack, Lunetta had mine - and took out a couple of nightlock berries. Maybe it would be best if I just ended this now. Hopefully, Chyna would win, and she could go home and forget about me. Yes, forget about Fletcher Quimby. It would all be for the best.
I held the berries up to my mouth and shut my eyes tightly, ready to drop them in any second.
But I was disturbed by my breath being caught short.
I dropped the berries and started coughing. What was going on? I tried to breathe, but the smell of thick smoke and burning wood gut caught in my nose, and my lungs was being filled with bad air.
Wait...
Fire!
I quickly turned my head. There was a blazing fire. Right. There.
I grabbed my - her - backpack and slung it on my arm. I held it in place with one hand and used the other arm for balance. I quickly got up and started running.
Sure, I could've flew, but it just didn't occur to me.
I was running for a while, but the fire never seemed to disappear. It was always there.
I suddenly got an idea. If I ran in a circle, I would eventually get to the places where the fire had already gone.
I veered right. The fire followed. What the...?
I kept going, but the fire seemed to keep following me. My legs were tired, and so were my wings, but I kept going. I was fighting for my life.
Run, run, as fast as I can. The fire can't catch me...right?
I reached a small clearing. I kept going, but only noticed the block at the last minute.
Several trees had fallen, blocking my path. I couldn't think fast enough.
What to do?
What to do?
What to do?
I turned around. The fire was extremely close. Any second now, and I would be burned to death.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1-
I was quickly pulled to my left and dunked underwater.
What? The person held me under for what seemed like a long time. Maybe it was Lexi, trying to kill me.
Surprisingly, I was accepting it with open arms. It was my time.
The person let go. Wait. It couldn't have been Lexi. Lexi was merciless.
I flailed my arms and started kicking my legs. I reached the surface, and started gasping for air.
When I crawled out, I realized that whoever did that did it to save me. Because I was underwater, the fire passed by and I was safe because of my now dripping and soaked wet body.
Luckily, the backpack had been pulled off in time.
I turned around, and was met face to face with my girl - ex - girlfriend, Chyna Anne Parks.
"Oh," I whispered, shocked and scared. What would she do to me?
"Oh? Is that all you can say, after I just saved your butt? I knew I shouldn't have done it. I should've let you die."
I frowned and sat down on the shore. I remembered, just hours ago, when I sat next to Chyna after she saved me from almost drowning in the swamp.
"Sorry," I said.
"About what? Not thanking me or...earlier?"
I shook my head and turned to face her.
That's when I noticed her appearance for the first time.
Chyna's hair was...different. Different than she ever wore it. She had put it in a single braid, and then used a vine to hold the ends together. Her dark skin was coated with dirt and grime from the last few days. Her shirt was dirty, and her jacket was, too. Her pants had blood stains on them and had a few holes, showing her skin. And, she was wet, but not as much as me.
"Are you going to stop staring at me and answer my question?"
I looked up and blushed. "About everything. I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm a jerk, and I know that you won't accept that. When you win, I hope you forget about me and continue your life."
Chyna's face softened. "Who said I was going to win?"
I scooped some water from the pond and then let it drip between my fingers.
"You have to win."
"No, you have to. We already decided this, Fletcher. Why are you backing out so suddenly?"
"Because if I win, I might as well be dead because I wouldn't have the love of my life there with me!"
There was silence. I stared at my reflection in the water. I didn't look so good, either. My hair was matted with dirt and grime, there was dry blood caked onto my face and hands, and I had scars over me.
I remembered what I was about to do earlier, before the fire rudely interrupted.
Chyna was staring off into the distance. It was my one chance. I reached into the backpack and took out a couple of berries. I opened my mouth and dropped them in.
Chyna turned around. She saw the open bag, and the berries falling out.
"No!" She yelled. Tears started streaming down her face. She ran up to me.
My mouth was still full of berries, but I hadn't bitten into them yet. The juices inside are what kills.
Chyna seemed to have gained sudden strength, because she took both her hands and tried to force my jaw open.
I put up a struggle. She wasn't going to do it. My tooth grazed a berry, daring the juice to come out.
Chyna finally opened my mouth and whacked the back of my head, making me spit out the berries. She grabbed my head and dunked it in the water. My mouth was open, so whatever was still in there was out.
When she let me come up for air, I wiped my mouth with the back of my nearly-dry hand.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked.
"Chyna, you've got to go home! I can't stand to after what I did."
"We had a freaking deal! We're supposed to stand by it!"
I looked down at the ground. There was a small flower, and it was just standing still. Not moving at all. The harsh fire that had passed had taken all the air with it. The flower was lifeless.
"Chyna, I..."
"You what? Fletcher, I don't blame you for blaming this all on me. Because it was my fault. We shouldn't be here." She looked in the water.
I thought I saw the flower move.
"What I did was wrong. I love you, Chyna. I'll never stop. I would do anything for you."
Chyna looked up. There was a gleam in her eye that wasn't there before.
"Even - even, die for you. Without a doubt."
She smiled and grinned. Before I knew it, there was a pair of lips crashing onto mine, and I happily kissed back. I was too lost in the moment to do anything else.
"I would to, Fletcher. I would too."
A gush of wind came by, and the flower moved freely, full of young life. Just like us.
So, that was it! What do you think?
Next update: Next Saturday/Sunday. School started yesterday. Awesome :)
Hopefully, the big finale of the Games will be in the next chapter. Then a couple of chapters for part one, and then the next part will come. Thanks for reading! :)