Still Day 2 of the Hunger Games
We began to gather sticks, branches, whatever we can find.
"Nina, I just evaded the Careers who want to kill me. And starting a fire is really good way to get us killed by said Careers," I stated.
"Careers can't resist smoke. And they're awfully loud the Stabberjays will immediately detect them," Nina explained.
"You really thought this through," I joked.
Nina and I finished the trap and quietly ran away and climbed a tree and camped there. I estimated that thirty minutes had passed when Kai and Ruby approached the fire, as it began to die down.
"Nobody's here. They ran away," Kai stated, scanning the area.
"Don't be so sure yet, Kai. Check the trees," Ruby replied.
My heart stopped and I looked Nina with wide eyes and she mirrored the same expression.
"Check the trees," The Stabberjay echoed.
"Ruby, what was that?" Kai asked curiously.
"Ruby, what was that?" The Stabberjay echoed again.
"Okay, stop, whoever you are!" Kai shouted almost fearfully.
"Okay, stop, whoever you are!" The Stabbejay repeated.
"JUST SHUT UP!" Ruby yelled.
And the voice disappeared. And a group of at least fifteen birds flew out of a nearby tree directly at them.
"STABBERJAYS!" Ruby yelled.
"What?" Kai exclaimed confused.
"Mutts! They'll stab us to death!" Ruby explained yelling.
The first one flew at Kai, and he deflected it with his trident. Two birds attacked Kai at once. He swiped one away, but one stabbed him in his shoulder. Kai ran away and left Ruby to fend for herself.
"Ruby come on! There are too many of them!" Kai shouted, as he ran away.
Ruby turned to run, but a Stabberjay had made its way around the back. She reached for her knife, but she's not quick enough. The bird flew at her and impaled its beak in her heart. Her cannon goes off.
A career died on only day two, that was unheard of in Hunger Games history.
"It worked," Nina whispered.
I smiled, and I looked at Nina, and instinctively gave her a high-five, "You're a genius, you know," I told Nina.
"Thanks," Nina replied.
The anthem began, and the seal is shown. Ruby face is shown, Willow from seven is shown, and Blair the girl from twelve was shown.
There are thirteen of us left.
I tied myself to the tree with some rope and push myself inside my sleeping bag. I looked up at the branch above me and already saw Nina sleeping. I tried to do the same, but I can't stop thinking about how I am suppose to kill these people. The Careers would be a stroke of luck. I would never kill my allies, ever. I closed my eyes and let my worries fly away. I am determined to win this, not just for me. My family and everyone in District 8 is who I am going to win this for. I pushed away my thoughts until nothing is in my mind. I shut my eyes and darkness fill my eyes and wind go through my hair.
Day Three of the Games
I woke up the next morning and wiped the sleep out of my eyes. I untied myself and shook Nina awake to apply a fresh pair of bandages then we ate crackers and drank water for breakfast. As we walked, I tied my hair up out of my eyes. Twigs snapped under our boots and leaves crunched under the pressure. We kept walking, unsure of where we were going.
We stopped by some rocks about a few hundred yards to rest. Nina's water was out so I gave her mine, at first she refused but eventually caved and drank it. It wasn't much and soon my water was out too.
"You know Paige, you have this fire in your eyes," Nina commented randomly.
"Really?" I asked curiously.
"Yeah, you do. One day you're going to change Panem in a very big way," Nina stated.
I chuckled in disbelief, "That's if I survive, first,"
"You will Paige , you're a fighter," Nina said firmly.
"And what about you, Nina? Are you not a fighter?" I asked back.
"I am, but there's no way in hell, I'm surviving these Games," Nina stated grimly, and looked at me. "So, Paige , I need you to promise me that you will watch over my sister," Nina said seriously, and then whispered into my ear. "Promise me you'll end the Hunger Games,"
"I'll try, Nina," I promised. "We have to find water," Nina said, standing up and looking around.
There was none in sight and we didn't have much food either, some berries, crackers, and roots.
"And food," I added.
"That too...Come on, let's go!" Nina ordered.
I got on my feet and once again we started tracking. I read some about it during training but only the basics, Nina was clearly much better at it. We searched for hours with no success. I was so tired and my mouth was dry. Nina's strength was out too, she had been carrying on for hours on about the lake.
"Can we just stop for a moment?" Nina asked, bending over panting.
"Of course," I agreed, catching my breath as well.
Suddenly something silvery and big landed at our feet.
"Nina! Look!" I exclaimed.
Nina stood up and she smiled as I opened it. It contained two water bottles and a large perfectly cooked chicken. There was a note that said: Enjoy! - W
"Oh wow," I whispered. "Thank you!" I said up in the air. "Paige , who's W?"
"It's Woof, my mentor," Her entire face was lit up with gratefulness.
We ate a little part of the chicken and decided to split the rest evenly between us. We continued on our path, the sun was high in sky, appearing to be about noon. Soon we reach a fork in the path and we stopped.
"Which way do we go?" Nina inquired.
"I think-" I began, but stopped when I heard a rustling in the bushes.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
"Did you hear that?" I asked stopping in my tracks.
"The twigs snapping?" Nina asked. "It's probably an animal," Nina said, brushing it off.
Snap! Snap!
"I don't think so," I replied, as I got poised to throw my knife.
A couple of seconds later four people emerged from the bushes. We're outnumbered. But then I realized who it was; Sage, Ryler, Tera, and Bran. I ran over to them and hugged them all.
"Bran what happened to you? You had me worried sick," I said angrily, hitting his chest with bawled fists.
"When I left you the Careers chased to me to the point where I got lost and I didn't know my way back. But then I found these three," Bran answered.
"This is Nina from District 5," I said introducing her to everyone.
"We can do introductions later right now we need to get out of the open," Ryler suggested.
All of sudden a thick fog quickly set in, making it impossible to see anything.
"What's going on?" I asked scared.
A low dangerous growl bounced off the trees, making me jump and spin in a circle knife in hand.
"What the hell was that?!" Bran exclaimed.
The growl sounded again and this time it was followed by a human scream. A canon sounded. Someone took out there flashlight and flashed it around, I spotted the silhouette of something was rising in the fog.
"Run, run!" I screamed.
"Where?!" Tera exclaimed.
"Away from whatever that is!" I yelled.
All of us started running for our lives, the vicious growls of the beast right behind us. I don't know where we're going, but I hope it's safe.
"There's some vines we can climb! Come on!" Bran shouted.
"Where?!" Sage yelled.
"Just follow my voice!" Bran ordered.
Soon I found the vines that Bran that was talking about and started to climb up them.
"Paige, Tera come on!" Nina yelled.
Tera and I were the only ones who hadn't made it yet. I heard cry and it sounded more like a child screaming in pain. In sudden fear I looked down to see Tera silhouette had turned around and now held an axes in her hands.
"Come on Tera! Don't fight them, climb!" I cried, but she didn't turn around.
The fog was starting clear up a bit when from the fog a mutated cat appeared with long fur and golden eyes. Tera hit it through the head with her axe, letting the creature fall dead to her feet. But it wasn't alone and more were jumping and pouncing by the second. She struck them down, but soon it would be overpowering. Not even if all six of us fought them would we managed to kill these creatures.
There was no hope in helping her so instead, my hands shaking and eyes struggling to focus, I started to climb, my legs trembling and struggling to hold on. From above I could hear the others shouting, my fear and the screams of the animals took over any sense I had and soon I could barely see. I just kept climbing, trusting my hands to move and my body to save me from what waited below. Suddenly I felt strong arms grip my waist and pull me over onto the ledge. I sat shaking, forcing myself to turn around and stare at the scene below.
It was still foggy, but I could only just make out the forms of each creature and Tera, hacking at them. I cried out and flung myself over to reach out for her.
"Climb! Climb Tera!"
At that something fell from her pocket. It was a necklace made of wire with a watch pendant. The gift from her district. It hit against the ground by her feet and Tera paused. The next moments seemed to take forever and with every heart beat the world seemed to shudder. Tera picked up the watch and looked up for the first time, her eyes meeting ours.
And what her face spoke of said it all.
She gave up.
She would die.
And she knew it.
And then the creatures pounced.