Chapter 13.
When we reach the edge of the forest, near the snowy plains in the middle of the arena, it dawns on me: we have nowhere to go. The lake isn't safe. Neither are the mountains, the forest, or the mountains. Every area in the arena we've taken over has been taken from us in one way or another.
"Wait" I say, stopping and forcing Magnus - and Elza, who's still clinging to both of us - to stop too. Zircon nearly bumps into us.
"Where do we go now?" I ask them.
Neither of the guys answer, so I'm surprised to find the silence is broken by Elza. "Th-th-the mountains." Her voice is weak and shaky, but her answer is clear.
"What about the icebears?" Zircon asks skeptically.
"T-t-t-temporary" Elza stutters. I know she's gotten so cold it's hard for her to speak, but I still don't understand what she's trying to say. Magnus does, though.
"She means the icebears might have been a temporary threat." He clarifies. Elza nods.
"Do you really think so? I ask, still reluctant.
"Yes." he replies. "It would make sense. They use traps like these all the time to lure people out from their hiding places."
"But wouldn't that be a reason to keep them there? I mean, we're basically just looking for another shelter."
"Considering the many deaths of the last few days, they might just leave us alone for a little while." Zircon adds. "I don't know for how long, though."
"It's worth a try." Magnus agrees.
So we head back to the mountains again. This time, we don't cross the snowy plains in the middle. We decide to go around it and stay at the edge of the forest. We are more vulnerable now we are with fewer people. Time isn't on our side either, since Elza's condition is getting worse by the minute. Nevertheless, the trees provide little protection.
Eventually the forest thins out and the trees make room for hills, then mountains. We find a cave in a small mountain near the edge of the mountain range. We don't want to go too far into the mountains this time, just in case we have to flee again. When we enter the cave, we discover the ashen remains of a campfire. Another tribute must have been here before, but there is no trace of them anymore, except for the ashes on the floor and the small pile of firewood in the back of the cave. Magnus helps Elza sit down on the floor as I try to get a fire going. Zircon attempts to prepare the fish, but eventually gives up and gives us all a few raw chunks to eat. We even manage to get Elza to eat something, but the journey from the lake to here has clearly worn her out. While I pull the last clean blanket from my bag, Magnus helps Elza out of her wet clothes and wraps her into the clean blanket. We hang her clothes out near the fire in an attempt to dry them. When Elza keeps shivering, Magnus takes off his jacket and wraps it around her too. Elza attempts to protest, but Magnus won't hear it.
While Magnus and I are eating our share of the raw fish, we hear a cannon go off. Magnus jumps to Elza right away, but it wasn't for her. Her bright blue eyes are open, but her pupils are huge. Magnus absently strokes her back in an attempt to keep her warm. We sit like that until we hear the Capitol anthem sound. Zircon and I head outside, but Magnus stays with Elza. The first face we see is Nerida's. Her white-blonde hair is still falling down her back in the picture. I feel a surge of sadness as I breathe out, like a small weight has been placed on my chest. I knew she was bound to die here, but I was starting to like her. The next face is that of Endre, the boy from district 6. Trix's district partner, who was also part of Aran's alliance.
"Another one down." I say bitterly. "Maybe they'll just take each other out if we wait long enough."
"And where does that leave us?" Zircon asks. "I won't hesitate to kill you when the times comes, you know that."
I lock eyes with him. "You'll be up for a challenge." I say determined, even though my heart is beating fast. Somewhere deep inside, I'm starting to dread the moment, but I don't tell him that. I turn away from him and head back inside. Magnus looks at me expectantly.
"Nerida and the boy from 6." I tell him.
"Good." He says. And that's all he says for the rest of the evening.
Magnus stays awake for the rest of the night, so Zircon and I sleep until late in the morning.
"You should get some sleep." I tell him when I get up.
"I need to take care of her." He replies.
"You also need to take care of yourself. I can take care of her for a while." I offer.
"That won't be necessary." He says, but his bloodshot eyes beg to differ.
"Magnus, don't exhaust yourself."
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not, but you're not helping her by being stubborn."
"She's right." Elza whispers faintly. Her shivering has subsided, but her lips are still purple.
Magnus sighs and eventually lies down. I take his place at Elza's side.
I take off my own jacket and drape it over Magnus, who has fallen asleep in a second. It's cold without the jacket, but I'll survive as long as I'm inside. In the meanwhile, Zircon goes outside to find firewood. I don't know how he does it, but he returns with arms full of wet branches an hour later. As soon as he steps into the light of the campfire, I see his sleeves and hands are stained with blood.
"Where did you find that?" I ask, "what did you do?"
"Be glad I got it, don't ask." He replies as he puts the pile down. He looks around in his bag, then mine, then Magnus'.
"What are you looking for?"
"Something to clean myself with." He answers.
"Are we out of water?"
"It seems so." He holds up an empty water bottle from my bag. "I'll go collect snow."
"Should I do it?" I offer.
He looks at me, then at Magnus, then at Elza. There's something about the look in his eyes that makes me come back on my offer. "You know what, I'll just stay here." I say. He shrugs and goes outside. A few minutes later he returns with a bottle full of snow and places it next to the campfire.
"Don't drink that." Elza whispers. I'm surprised by the sound of her voice, considering the fact she's been quiet ever since Magnus went to sleep.
"my bag…" She starts, then looks at me, "purifier"
I ruffle in her bag until I find a small bottle with brown liquid inside. I add a few drops to the already melting snow and the brown liquid dissolves right away, leaving no trace of the colour in the fluid. I put the small bottle back in Elza's bag and check on her again.
The rest of the day goes by quietly. I make sure Elza's warm by keeping the campfire going, and Magnus wakes up in the late afternoon. The three of us each eat another fish, and Magnus shares some of his with Elza. I'm still hungry when I finish it and I'm tempted to take another, but I know we should be careful with our food, since we aren't easily able to gather anymore.
I hear a sound outside the cave and head to the entrance to check it out. A silver parachute with a package attached to it lands in the snow in front of me. When I open the package, a black sleeping bag rolls out. I head back inside and hand the sleeping bag to Magnus, who helps Elza get inside right away. He puts his own jacket back on afterwards.
"Thank you." he murmurs, when he hands me back my jacket.
There are no faces in the sky that evening.
That night isn't as peaceful as the day was. I'm so exhausted that I fall asleep to the sound of Elza's murmuring. Magnus is asking her questions, but I can't make out what either of them are saying. Halfway through the night, I'm awoken again by the sound of Magnus' voice, talking quietly to Elza as she's vomiting on the floor. Her skin has gone from pale to red and her lips have turned blue again. Magnus tries to reassure her but Elza's eyes are unfocused and she doesn't respond to any of his words.
"Come on now," Magnus says as he's trying to comfort her. "stay with me."
"Is there anything I can do?" I ask cautiously.
"I'm afraid not." He says. He takes off his jacket again and wraps it around her. "You're going to be okay, you hear me?" He's talking to Elza again. "I'm going to make sure you're okay."
Magnus stays restless for the rest of the night as her condition worsens.
"We need a medicine." He says to me eventually, but he doesn't say what we are both thinking: without it, she might not make it through another night.
"Attention, tributes." a voice sounds through the arena at the break of dawn. Zircon is awake too now, and we all stop to listen to the announcement.
"This is no ordinary announcement" the voice says. "All remaining tributes have something they desperately need right now."
"The medicine for Elza." I whisper under my breath. Elza has gone quiet halfway through the night, and hasn't been conscious ever since.
"In two hours, there will be a feast at the cornucopia. You will find what you need there." the voice continues. I look at Magnus: we know we have to go.
"That is all for now." the voice concludes, and then it's silent again.
"We have to get that medicine." I say.
"Will it have any use?" Zircon asks. "I mean, she is dying already. We might as well le-"
"No." Magnus says decidedly. "We have to try." He gets up and looks at Zircon. "You and are going to that feast." Then he looks at me. "You stay here and watch her, okay?"
I nod. "You'll need to leave now, it's a long journey to the cornucopia from here."
Zircon sighs, but Magnus doesn't give him the chance to protest. I watch as the two guys gather their weapons and head outside. I walk with them to the entrance of the cave and watch them leave.
I don't know what's coming over me, but I suddenly can't stomach the thought of them not returning and ending up by myself.
"Be careful" I whisper, even though I'm sure they won't hear it. I think I see Magnus hesitate for a second, as if he heard me. But he's so far away he can't have heard me.
Wait.
What am I thinking?
I shake my head. Stop, Satin. You're being silly.
This is the arena of the Hunger Games. I can't afford to be sentimental or weak. This alliance is convenient, but they aren't my friends. Only one of us can make it out here alive.
And that is going to be me.