Chapter 14

We of course have to abandon the Lake in order to go to the Cornucopia. We could start the fire in a tree near there, which would theoretically do the most damage. Aquette might be nearby looking at her presents, crying for Squirrel or any of her other dearly departed friends, except of course for Shimmer, who she killed because let's face it... she was useless.

First we have to walk through the part of the woods where I climbed the tree to escape the careers, the spacious part of the wood with the leafy undergrowth. It's the site of the first time I ran into the careers in the arena, and really… The first time I met Flint. And look at us now…

He told me he wasn't going to kill me, simply because he couldn't, and I trusted him. I wonder what would happen if I didn't. To be brutally honest with myself, I'd be dead if he wasn't with me. Who would have saved me from the Careers, the tracker jackers, the rock rain, if not him? And I know I wouldn't have made an alliance with any of the other tributes, purely because I know I'm too proud to ally with someone less skilled than I. After that we wander the windflower meadow, where we received our first parachute, from Flint's mentor. Although it's also where we received the note which gave us the Tracker Jacker warning. It's strange to think I might actually miss all of this. Maybe I just don't want to see it all go up in smoke.

After a short distance we pass the site where the rock rain started. There are still remnants from it lying on the ground, and it surprises me how large some of the rocks are. It's a good thing Flint didn't get hit by any of those, because a rock the size of my fist falling from the sky would have killed him for sure.

This particular spot is only giving us painful memories, so we keep walking, walking and walking. We're both deliberately taking as long as we can, partially because we're tired, and partially because neither of us want to do this. Besides, it might be more beneficial to us if we wait for nightfall; it'll be more difficult for them to run at night, and I know for a fact that they don't have any night glasses. Unless they got them in the backpacks from the feast that is…

"Ugghhhh!" We hear through the trees, and immediately we both stop short. All the cameras will be on us, knowing we're in such close proximity with another tribute.

It has to be Aquette. We're the only two girls in the arena, and that definitely wasn't the boy from 11.

"Flint, did you hear that?" I whisper to him as quietly as I can, and he points in a forward direction, not taking his eyes away from where he was pointing. I peer through the trees and my eyebrows shoot up my head when I finally see her.

Aquette is firing arrows, using a sleek golden bow, at a marked tree, but the arrows are in the shapes of small tridents, and gold as well. So that was her gift? A golden bow with golden arrows? It's very District One, I'll give her that. This could turn out to be really dangerous, because she can throw those tridents even without using the bow, so it's flexible.

We see her aim the bow at a passing fox, but she doesn't point its head or heart, she points on of its legs. She releases the arrow, and it finds its mark. The fox falls. But how… She only shot it in the leg… It wouldn't be dead unless…

Venom! The arrows have venom! Even a tiny scrape could kill you! Maybe she has the same venom I have… If so, we're in trouble.

She sighs and sets the bow down, then opens her backpack. She takes the venom, and I realize it is the same Flint and I have, and she was intelligent enough to cover the arrows with it without killing herself. Then she takes out a blue bottle from the bag and my eyes widen in surprise as I recognize it: plarious. It's arguably the best medicine money can buy. It cures virtually any injury and, at the same time, it'll rejuvenate you. The last thing she takes from inside is a crown.

The victor crown.

I know what the meaning is: you're most likely to win, so act like it. This doesn't reassure me at all. It's an extremely arrogant gift, and I can't believe someone spent money on that. The odds are actually pretty even at the moment. Although, I mean, it's her district that sent her that, and perhaps it'll make her arrogant enough to become vulnerable. Arrogance can kill in the arena. Yu go around thinking you're invincible, and someone will bump you off for not being careful enough.

She puts on the crown and smiles, actually spinning.

I look at Flint and he smiles to me like he's making fun of her. But there's a swift whooshing sound and his face falls.

We both look down and our eyes fall upon the arrow embedded in his chest.

I look back through the trees and see Aquette's smug face of satisfaction. Then, just as I take the axe from my belt, she bolts off into the trees with her weapons and poison, the crown still atop her head.

Flint falls to the ground and I drop down beside him, my cheeks growing wet with tears, my hands fruitlessly wiping at my eyes in an attempt to stop crying.

Many tributes pretend love during the Games, and when they return they just think about how good a strategy that was, but for me, Flint is not a strategy.

Flint is everything.

I'M SO SORRY. But look at it this way, at least Regan won't have to kill him... Aquette and the boy from 11 are still out there, AND IT'S ALL COMING TO A DRAMATIC CLOSE.

I'm away on holiday for a week now, and I doubt I'll get internet, so I though I'd update it now. REviews are MUCH APPRECIATED AND MORE THAN WELCOME, so feel free.

See you in a week guys!

Lucy XXXX