A/N: No Beta-reader this chapter(: Sorry for any grammar mistakes!
~Day III~
Cheer Up; the Worst Is Yet To Come
"Ren. Ren! Wake up!" Shay calls to her partner who snores loudly in his deep sleep. Her elbow nudges him until he slips off the fork in the tree he was sitting in and plummets a few branches. The wind gets knocked out of her partner's lungs and he looks up at her puzzled. "… Oops"
"What's the rush?" Ren asks pulling himself off the branch and looking over his scratches from the fall.
"I don't know… I can't remember if it was the paranoia acting up from being in the games or your snoring." A giggle erupts from the district seven girl and she gives a hand to Ren to help him back onto the fork in the tree.
Ren's face turns a plush pink and he scratches the back of his neck nervously. Luckily Shay doesn't notice because harsh rain starts to fall onto them; like the gamemakers had dumped a jumbo bucket of water onto them. "It could be worse." Ren applies his usual optimistic self again. "It could be acid rain… Or thunder and lightning… Or, or it could rain fruit."
Shay laughs. "Raining fruit? Sounds more like a miracle to me." With that, Ren throws berries off the nearby tree at her. "Ren stop!" She laughs almost falling out of the tree. Most likely poisonous due to it's bright coloring that could warn away birds and the hideous mutts that hide and lurk in the area at the center of the arena.
"See! Being pelted with fruit isn't as fun as it sounds!" He stops with a smile and a small laugh.
XxXxXxXxXx
It had been a long couple days with all the careers in the arena and Amelia could feel that there was still a lot to come. Maybe it had been the eerie aura steaming off of Julian ever since Aurelia escaped; or the eager atmosphere that Lexi and Riley had suddenly started exhibiting just yesterday. Something big was going to happen, and Amelia did not want to be included at all.
The sun had just risen when Riley suggested a hunt for the tributes. Amelia was surprised to hear Julian had thought it was a good idea considering how much they hated each other. Lexi seconded it, but gave an extra perception on how our day should go—"Why don't we split up. Better chances for a good kill if we spread out."
Amelia had no say in it. They were to head out later this afternoon to kill anything in sight. Whether it was a tribute, or an animal—it was dead meat.
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"Can we sit down for a little bit?" Aurelia asked helplessly. Her knees were weak and she had been having trouble keeping in this morning's breakfast. It seemed odd to her though: Having as much of the same fish as she did at home, but feeling so much worse. Safin and Nan agreed, both knowing that hey had no other choice now that Aurelia's new disease was finally settling into her immune system.
"Where are we heading?" Asked Nan to fill in the awkward silence while taking a small sample of their water. Being in alliance with the district four kids was coming in handy. Finding water and fishing was their superior strategy in the games above all others.
Watching Nan drink the water made Safin's throat drier, he ignored the scratchy feeling though. He needs to salvage as much water in his own water bottle so he could manage the long journey he planned to make. The route he was going to take was nowhere nearing water until the destination, which was a full twenty-four hour trip. "I'm not quite sure where we're heading exactly… All I know is that it's away from the careers. They're the most of our troubles."
"Oh yes. Minus the frequently changing weather, our shortage on iodine, and well… maybe the danger of dying in the Hunger Games." Laughs Nan. It saddened Aurelia the way she laughed. It sounds so similar to her half-brother's laugh; so child-like and happy.
Safin playfully pushed Nan and then helped Aurelia up. They had a long journey to make and Safin had double the trip to make in two days time.
XxXxXxXxXx
The cold air stung as it rushed upon Daisy's cut leg. The gash was most likely infected, which was not a big deal to Daisy usually. She had, had plenty of cuts that had healed wrong. This particular cut was different. Three days from the day she got it and it was still somewhat releasing that red liquid Daisy knew so well from growing up with her abusive parents. The air was only fairly freezing compared to the water in the smaller sized lake she used to wash away the blood.
Daisy let out her biggest sigh of relief. Though her despiteful experiences in the game so far, she was on the right track. It wouldn't be long before the second bloodbath happened and she would get what she needed. Daisy imagined it to be like a Feast, besides the notification they give a day ahead to give everyone a day of preparation before they kill each other.
Suddenly it made her think: If Ren and Shay know about this bloodbath… Who else?
XxXxXxXxXx
"Today's the day." Lexi whispers to Riley who looks at her with a smug smile. The two walk together ahead of the three other careers. They were all heading to the designated meeting place for after the large hunt the careers would have take place today and later tonight. The group was to split with Julian and Lexi in one hunting group and Riley, Apollo, and Amelia on the other. The five were to meet at the meeting place in the forest near the river rimming the arena after they have made their kills. Lexi had to smile at the fact that the only kill she would make is Julian. As for Riley, it was up to him to fend off Apollo and Amelia- a piece of cake.
Behind the pair, they could hear Julian and Apollo trying to squeeze out information about other tributes hiding places from Amelia. Riley could tell that Amelia had gotten a grasp on his and Lexi's plan. He couldn't help but glance back a shoot a glare or two in her direction warning her not to make a sudden move.
Lexi makes a small leap over a rock and turns to her new partner, "How much farther until the meeting place?" Her feet were in pain from walking. The training her district instructed her seemed to be of no use lately.
"Not much, we're almost there." Replies Riley. All these years Lexi thought the games would be easy, but through all the walking and planning was paying a toll on her mind and body. She laughs at all the weaker opponents and how much trouble and pain they're going through without their years of experience. And then she laughs at her fellow careers and how much pain they'll be in later tonight.
XxXxXxXxXx
Nirvana's wide black eyes struck open in fear. After the incident with Zane's death last night she couldn't close her eyes at all due to the fact that she could end up just like Zane; just another face in the sky. Luke suggested she sleep in while he goes to hunt for something other than rabbits. All Nirvana could dream of was her dreaded days and nights in the games.
She knew she wasn't the only one. Nirvana would take night shifts watching the camps surroundings for any dangers. The district twelve girl would watch her last man in alliance toss and turn in his sleep. Inside she truly felt bad for him. Luke told her about his life back in district nine and how you'd never hear a single story of victory. Even though they all knew how to hunt and kill their prey, they lived in fear of the games and the capitol.
"The peacekeepers beat you until you're senseless there. The stocks are always filled with people who were so hungry they'd result to trying to steal. No one can even consider for a moment what they'd do to us if we were to steal one of the hunting weapons or something from the market." It was quite an odd perspective for Nirvana. Back in twelve, the peacekeepers didn't really care what they did. People were rarely whipped or punished.
Nirvana took a second to remember the reaping days where she'd go to district twelve's candy shop and she and her friends would steal a few bites to eat. Her thoughts must of followed her into her sleep right then, because all she could dream about that night was her best friend Winnie in the peackeeper's hands.
XxXxXxXxXx
Julian sets down his heavy pack of weaponry and checks the area of the meeting place for anything peculiar. "So we all agree that we'll meet here once the hunt is over?" All gave a nod in return. Amelia kept a glance on the ground, occasionally looking up to get a close look on Riley and Lexi.
"Should we begin to-", Lexi is cut off by the smallest of sounds of a person's voice. Soon after, another voice joins in- the voice that Julian vowed to get rid of when he ripped out her throat. Dashing towards the noises, the careers ready a weapon in their hand, yet knowing that Julian will be the one to get the kill. The group jolts to a stop at a small clearing in the trees in the exact place where they heard the noises. "I heard them! I know it!" No one doubts Lexi's statement; everyone knows they head something from this general area.
Unexpectedly, a couple of leaves fall as a branch from a tree above them shakes. They all look up, seeing Nan and Safin on a mid-low branch on the tree towering above them. Safin had quite the trouble climbing, especially since he was so tall. Nan may have mastered the climbing, but Safin was not easy to hide in a tree with. The two climb as high as they can, about fifteen to twenty feet higher from where they were.
The careers smirked at how easy this kill would be. Lexi clenched her knife between her teeth and started lugging herself up the tree, with Riley and Apollo right behind her. "Where are you hiding her? We know Aurelia is here!" Julian shouts from the bottom as he throws his best sword to Apollo. Nan and Safin look at each other in confusion; they must have mistaken Nan's voice for Aurelia.
Nan jumps into the nearby tree and motions Safin to follow. And with some difficulty, Safin jumps from the fork in the tree they were first in and grabs onto a thick branch on the one next to him. He slips, but is able to pull himself up. The careers, who were already half-way up the tree, weren't able to follow the alliance particularly since they were already half-way up the wrong tree.
One more day, the two had survived. Now all they had to do was make sure Aurelia was a shoe-in to make it through another day as well.
XxXxXxXxXx
Slowing in his tracks, Light reaches down and picks up a silver band fit for the skinniest finger. It instantly hits him. Arabella's ring. He remembers the exact glossy and shimmering look it gave off in the interviews. The hum of her soothing voice lives inside his memory. "I'd never guess I'd fall in love with the guy from district twelve, but I guess even the craziest things happen!" Light smiles and rubs the sterling silver ring between his thumb and index finger as if he can almost feel a piece of her still with him. "I don't think I've left his side since then"… Bella's voice rings in his ears just as the gong in the cornucopia or the sheer instrumentals is the capitol anthem.
In mid-thought, a flash or horror wipes across his big blue eyes. Her name, showing bright across the arena sky as the anthem goes off. Light had the most similar dream the night before about this- or more like a nightmare.
Instantly, Light forgets about the district he told himself he'd come back to. He clears the memories of little Lissa and even his best friend, and twin brother, Dark. About the other tributes, his parents, the games, everything- every thought he ever could have during the current hell he's living in- was gone.
All he wanted was his Arabella. So he could revive her and send her back to her father and friends. Even if it meant his own death in the Hunger Games.
A/N: I was looking through some old documents of mine and saw this chapter that I had forgotten to post. Sorry for the lack of posting, it's already May and I was supposed to update this story in late December. I understand if you've all moved on from this story, but I haven't. I'm going to finish this story whether it takes me another two years or not. Also, because of the lack of death in this chapter, it may have seemed somewhat slow- sorry for that!
Although many have probably given up on this story, who could pass up some sponsor points(;
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Love, Fifi