Jewel shook me awake violently. "Wake up sleepy face!" she yelled giggling. I got up groggily and propped myself up on my elbows. Art and Ray were putting together some supplies while Casey searched the area for tributes. Fred was having a conversation with Jewel next to me within the Cornucopia. I stood up, brushed the dust off my pants and walked out of the Cornucopia. It was unbelievably hot. "Is this an Arena, or an oven?" I joked. Jewel and Fred cracked up hysterically. Art glared at me. "Listen Skye. We need to figure out what to do with the remaining supplies. We can't just leave them here for people to take. What do you suggest?" Art explained, annoyed. I thought. We could put the supplies inside the Cornucopia, then block off the entrance with boulders. But we would need a way to access it as well...
"I got it!" I snapped my fingers. Ray rose an eyebrow. "Would you like to share?" he asked. I nodded. "So first we need to put the supplies inside of the Cornucopia. Then we block it off with boulders," I was stopped by Art trying to intervene but I waved him off. "Then we use these," I grabbed a pick axe and a shovel, "To dig a tunnel into the Cornucopia and camouflage the entrance!" The group thought it over, took a vote, then decided to do it. Fred and I were assigned to dig the tunnel while the others put the supplies inside and blocked the Cornucopia. I grabbed the shovel and tried my best to dig up the rocky dirt. Fred used the pick axe to help me out. Eventually we got about six feet down, then we dug forward in the direction of the Cornucopia. We worked tirelessly for about 2 hours until Art came to check on us. "Looks to me like you are below the Cornucopia already. Start going up now," he said then left the tunnel. I shrugged to Fred and we began digging upward.
After breaking the ground, we got up and looked around. Yep, we were inside the Cornucopia but it was pretty dark. The entrance to the structure was completely sealed by large boulders and rocks. There were only very small beams of sunlight coming in from the cracks in the boulders. I gave Fred a high-five and we sorted out the supplies. After leaving and announcing our victory to the others, they cheered and went inside the tunnel. The Careers were impressed. Then Art and Jewel announced that they had successfully camouflaged the entrance to the tunnel. It had a group of small boulders clustered around it with a bush wedged in between them. So, unless someone literally steps on the bush, no one will find the tunnel!
We gathered our supplies and got ready to hunt down tributes. Ray pointed out to a spot on the horizon behind the Cornucopia. "I saw a group going that way," he explained. I nodded. "Let's go." The others agreed and we set off toward the chasm that stood before us. The main reason I wanted to go this way was because Pete had run away last night in the opposite direction. Hopping across the rocks again was a good 15 minutes. Art and I stood on the other side rolling our eyes at the incompetence of the others. Eventually though, we all gathered on the other side. Then we set off just as the sun began lowering on the horizon. The trees in the distance slowly began to grow in size. There seemed to be a woodland forest surrounding the rocky desert. We made it about three quarters the way to the forest when the sun went down. Casey pulled something from her bag and hit a button that illuminated the path before us. It was a flashlight. "Here there's another one," she tossed the other flashlight to Art, "This way we can keep walking into the night." Ray grumbled something about being tired from moving boulders but we kept going in the pale gloom of the flashlights. Then the forest suddenly loomed before us.
"Tonight we can either go hunting in there," Art pointed into the massive forest, "Or, we can sleep the rest of the night right here," he then pointed to the ground below him. Ray plopped down. "I'm tired..." he groaned. Art shook his head. "Fine. Let's take a vote. Who wants to sleep?" he asked everyone. I didn't want to look like a wuss, so I didn't raise my hand. Jewel, Ray, and Fred rose their hands. It was three against three. "Humph. I guess we'll split up then. Casey, give them a flashlight. You guys sleep here, and we'll go hunting. When day breaks, we'll come back and regroup," Art concluded. I nodded. "Sounds like a plan," I told Art with confidence. I was actually horrified at the thought of going out in the dead of night into a forest with Art and Casey
- the most ruthless of all the Careers. "I apologize ahead of time if a cannon wakes you up," Casey snickered. Fred laughed and they set up camp while Casey, Art, and I turned to the forest.
I'll admit, walking into a creepy forest, with only one flashlight, walking next to Careers, got me pretty scared. Okay, I was terrified. I could just imagine Art whipping around and murdering me. Or a random tribute falling from a tree and killing me. Or, I even pictured Tammy up in a tree pulling out a knife silently and aiming it at my neck. The thought sent shivers down my spine. But I just kept stumbling alongside Casey and Art. I was assigned the compass since we had concluded I was the best with directions. I watched the compass as we headed northwest. Then, suddenly, Art hushed us and we came to a stop. Then I heard it. A crunch, crunch, crunch. Someone was walking near us. Art turned off the flashlight and whispered with a chuckle, "Get ready to hunt."
The tribute was slowly walking. She passed our path without even noticing us. Before she was out of our way, Art told me to get her on the ground. I gulped down rising vomit, and nodded. Then I spurred into action. I jumped up and charged the tribute. She spun her head around in shock. I leaped at her growling like some kind of tiger. Then suddenly I was on top of her and we were rolling across the leafy forest floor. I eventually pulled myself on top, and shoved her to the ground. Looking at her face, I realized that she was Katie, the girl from District 12. She looked horrified. "Skye...what the?" Then Art and Casey must have appeared beside us because Katie's face cleared and she screamed. Art's small sword was immediately slashing across her neck, and a cannon fired loudly, echoing in the dark forest.
"Run!" Art hissed. I hopped up away from Katie's lifeless body. I was open-mouthed looking at what we had done. Casey grabbed my arm and we set off sprinting through the forest. "Where are we going Skye!?" Casey yelled over the sound of smashed leaves. "This way!" I ran in front of them and lead them in the direction of the rest of he Careers. "Why are we running again?" Casey yelled to Art. "Because she screamed you idiot! Who knows if she had allies nearby!" he shouted back angrily. I rolled my eyes. Even I knew why we were getting out of there. Then, the unthinkable happened, as I was rushing through the forest with Art and Casey behind me, a figure flashed across my view and we collided! The other tribute and I fell to the ground in a heap. I shoved whoever it was off me harshly and pulled out my weapon. I jumped up, kicked the person in the ribs and pointed my sword at them. Then I realized who it was.
Fred stood up clutching his chest. "Hey, Skye! Chill, it's me! You guys might want to see what happened!" he explained gesturing back where he had come from. I sheathed my sword and nodded. Then Art, Casey and I ran behind Fred following him back to camp. Once we got there, we saw what Fred was talking about. Supplies were strewn about. But most of all, Jewel and Ray were gone.
"I don't know how it happened!" Fred yelled tousling his hair, "Jewel was on watch! I woke up to the cannon, and looked around. When I saw that they were gone I came running to find you!" Fred explained breathless. I nodded. "Who knows where they could be now..." I looked down. I saw the other flashlight on the ground under a blanket. I picked it up and turned it on. "We've got a lot of searching to do guys. Let's go," I encouraged. We packed up all our supplies, then we began a search of the area. It was easy to tell there was no one in the rocky area, meaning Ray and Jewel's captors would have to be in the forest. As we walked into the forest, Casey posed the question that was on all of our minds, "Why didn't they take Fred?"
After a few hours in the forest, we didn't need our flashlights anymore. The sun was coming up. There were no kills on Day 2 technically. Katie was killed after midnight I guess so she died on Day 3. We were just about to give up on looking anymore, when we got a clue. A single, burnt match was on the leafy floor. Casey showed us her find and we grabbed it. Then we kept going through the forest when we heard the screams. Male screams, coming from our left. We turned that way and charged through bushes and past trees. Then we found a small clearing. Jewel and Ray were tied to two trees. There was a group of two tributes hunched over Ray. He was screaming. "Stop it! Please stop!" Jewel was yelling at them. Then I decided to act. I unsheathed my sword and charged yelling, "Back off you maggots!" One of the tributes glanced back and said something to the other as they stood up and faced me. Another tribute came at me with a long metal bow staff. Both tributes were female. The one charging me was Riley from District 11. Pete's partner. I skidded to a stop. I didn't want to kill her. But she hacked at me with her weapon nonetheless. I blocked the blows with my sword and slashed at her feet. Riley jumped over the strike and swung her bow staff at my head. It hit me hard and I collapsed in pain. I watched with purple dots dancing across my vision as Fred untied Jewel, Casey attacked Riley before she killed me, and Art battled the other tribute. The other tribute was Natalie from District 9. I was about to pass out from the immense pain in my head when Jewel appeared above me smiling. She extended a hand and helped me up. Energy surged within me and I shook off the pain. I cleared my head and focused on Ray. He looked bad. He had black burn marks all over and his shirt was torn to shreds. He had bags under his eyes, and he looked on the verge of death. I ran to him. "Ray, are you alright? What..." I stuttered. He shook his head. "Natalie...she was...mad. I killed her...boyfriend. Sh-she tormented me. She burned my skin with matches! HELP ME SKYE!" Ray erupted into a fit of screams and complaints. Yeah, he was crazy. But that look on his face. That scarred skin. It was terrible.
Art had Natalie on the ground. "You MONSTER!" she yelled at Art. The Career shook his head and shouted some kind of war cry, then he stabbed her in the stomach. A cannon shot and Art wiped the sweat from his forehead. I turned to see Casey get smacked with Riley's bow staff. Then she got hit again. Riley was beating her to death! "Get away!" Jewel yelled. Then Jewel ran to Riley just as Riley took her staff and drove it hard into Casey's skull! Then Riley ran away as fast as she could. Jewel pursued her off into the forest. I ran to Casey's side. She was knocked out cold and bleeding something awful. That Riley girl was a real fighter. I held Casey's head and took a first aid kit from my bag. I heard a cannon and snapped my head back. Ray was slumped against the tree. Fred, and Art were there looking at Ray as the life left him. I was about to watch the same happen to Casey if I didn't act quickly. I patched up the larger scrapes and gave her some ointment.
After the Careers set up camp in the clearing, Fred took over caring for Casey. He had more first aid experience. Art waited for Jewel to return. I approached him. "I wonder what's going on out there..." I whispered. He nodded. "I hope Jewel destroys that worm!" Art growled back. I can't say I could agree with him. Although Riley did almost kill me, she did some work on Casey and Natalie killed Ray, so...I hate to say it, but Natalie and Riley were just making my job easier and I was fine with that. Eventually night took over and Casey lost more blood. Art and I still waited for Jewel while Fred tended to Casey's wounds. "I can't believe what happened today. We're supposed to be the strongest. We aren't supposed to lose Careers to little worm tributes!" Art threw his hands in the air. Then he looked at me. "And YOU," he jabbed a finger at me, "almost got yourself killed! What were you thinking charging in there like a fool trying to kill that girl?" Art sighed, then he turned away from me. I was speechless. The more Art disliked me, the sooner I would have to execute my plan. Then that awkward conversation was broken by the anthem playing.
First, Ray's face flashed in the sky. I looked at him. His sandy hair and brown eyes really complimented his features. It was a shame he had to die. Ray actually wasn't a bad guy. Not quite as ruthless as most Careers. Then the image of Ray tied to the tree burned up and insane came flooding back. I remembered it all to well. It was scarring! Then Natalie was shown in the sky. I spat at the ground in the most disrespectful way I could muster. As if on cue, Art spat just like I did. Katie was the last picture to appear that night. Art volunteered for first watch. Fred now lay on his back looking at the stars. I sat next to him.
"Do you think the stars are fake too?" Fred asked. I shrugged. "I don't know," was my response. Then a beeping noise emerged from the darkness. "What's that?" Fred scrambled to his feet. Then a second beeping noise began. I looked around wildly. Two small shapes floated down from above - parachutes. I celebrated, cheering and hollering. "Parachutes!" I announced cheerfully. One of them drifted into my hand and the other landed next to Casey. I eagerly opened my long package to find a note, a weird gadget, and three spears! I cheered. I also read the note, "Keep going Skye! These should be helpful!" Then in small letters in cursive handwriting, "Two days. Then do it. Use these." I stuffed the note in my pocket. I took the spears and placed them in my backpack. I took the gadget and looked at it closer. It had imprinted on it, "HoverBoard - Skye Locksmith." I looked it over and over. It was a small cube. Then I found a small metal button on the bottom and pressed it. To my surprise, the cube extended into a long metal board that fell to the floor. It had metal boots attached to the top to place my feet. I cautiously slipped my feet into the boots. Upon contact, the attached boots covered my entire feet in metal, keeping me placed firmly on the board. Then I jumped on the board and somehow stayed in the air. I was hovering! I guided the board with my feet up and down. The board could go about 10 feet off the ground and about 70 miles per hour! It was amazing! I must have some really wealthy sponsors! Then Art called me down.
"Well, clearly Skye's got some interesting new toys. But Casey was sent a package full of medicines to give her. They're working clearly," Art told me. Then Casey walked into the circle of Fred, Art and I. She had a bandaged head but otherwise looked fine. Casey smiled and said, "Let's get some sleep guys." I smiled back.