Day Fourteen: Alone

Cocoa had never felt more alone than when he was in the arena. He'd had plans, plans to meet up with Sierra from Five and together he two boys could venture into the Arena together. A perfect alliance, Five and Eleven. It would have gone so well, had they allied for real. An alliance which could have challenged One, Two, Four as the alliance with the most sponsors. After all, Chaff had told him they'd do great, and what would his mentor have had to lie?

Maybe Cocoa was fifteen, after all, but he could still fight. He was sure of it, he'd won scraps and all. How different could this be? And he had the machete, heavy steel hanging cold in his hand. He'd cut someone at the bloodbath, he wasn't sure who, and now he was using it to cut through vegetation. How different could vegetation be from cutting down people, after all? Same general principle, really, when it comes down to it.

And Cocoa has Sierra, somewhere out there. Si is waiting for him, he just knows it. His face hasn't been in the sky, and if it wasn't in the sky then surely he's fine. Sure, maybe he could be dead or trapped today or something. But how would that be fair? He has to believe that his friend's alive and looking for him, belief after all keeps him sane.

And though he won't admit it because it's an idea that if he lets get to him he knows he'll fall, Cocoa really needs Sierra to be alive because otherwise he's alone and alone means no friends. Alone means less chance of allies. Alone means dead, Cocoa can't remember the last time he'd seen someone win without Allies.

So he's stumbling through the woods, hearing words and snatched conversation but yelling for Sierra until the words become clearer and the yells die in his throat. He hides in a bush, just as Two's boy tramps through, discussing with One's girl the merits of hunting. The rest are behind them.

"Send them out to forage. The hunt begins at sundown." "There's not going to be a hunt." One has spotted him, he knows she has, and now she's making a beeline for his bush. Cocoa tries to scramble back, tries to run away, but it's too late. One has her sword out, and One's ready to do whatever it takes. Cocoa raises his machete, but a rap to his knuckles from the blade of One's sword and it's flying across the grass. "Where's your friends? Who sent you?"

Cocoa wasn't sent by anyone, she must know that. But still, she's glaring, knife in her right hand and sword in her left. "Tell me, Eleven. Who the hell sent you, and why are you here alone? Tell me, Eleven. Or I have to get the information some other way. I need information"

Two's girl steps in, and it's all Cocoa can do not to scream because she's carrying her spear with an ease that she really shouldn't be able to. It's unfair, really. He'd thought he was good for a scrap, good to fight like that. Instead he's got a spear waved in his face, and Two's clearly good because she's waving it mere inches from his face without a slip. Waving it, even, back and forth and with a bored tone. "Answer her, Eleven. Or we can make this fun."

Cocoa's glaring, terrified. One, after all, has her sword, Two has a spear, and the rest are milling around. "I'm alone, please." His voice is less confident, wavering and terrified. He should be pressing any chance he can, should be trying to yell, but instead his voice is thin and reedy. Still, he tries again. "Please. I, I."

"You got all your fingers?" That's Four's boy, and when Two looks at him with some concern he raises his hands like a surrender. "Hey, hey. Just making conversation, yeah?" A wink cast at Cocoa could be interpreted as either problematic psychopathy or friendly good humour. For his sake, Cocoa really hopes it was the latter. He offers another plea, crawling back for a second. "Please. I don't want to die like this.."

"Don't worry." One has a curious smile, and Two's smiling as well as if there's not some kind of alliance about to kill him. "You won't be alone, kid. Not any more." She flashes a smile that seems all too friendly, and pats his back, putting her sword away. "As long as you're a good kid and don't make any trouble, I'm sure we can keep you around for a couple more days! Could be fun for us!"

Fun? Well, Cocoa can't exactly disagree without possibly alienating this definitely dangerous girl, so instead he nods and forces a smile, hoping it doesn't look too fake. "Yeah!" She gives a coo, and soon enough the girl's sidling up to Two and pressing against her and now Cocoa has to turn his eyes away because this isn't right, Mama wouldn't approve. Instead, he can only wait until they're done, until like he's a stray puppy One is done with asking 'can we keep him? Please...'

At least she gets approval, and now Cocoa isn't quite so alone because now One, Two, Four are all there, and there's seven of them. Seven tramping through the forest, even if Four's whimpering to One that 'Sapphire, I'm hungry'. Cocoa isn't quite sure how the mewling girl got into this flock of vultures, but One's called a stop, embracing the girl and promising her that 'we won't be hungry for much longer, I promise sweetheart.'

Cocoa's glad, because that's two of his worries assuaged. He isn't hungry, he isn't alone. And that's enough for now

Author's note

To dispel concern they do not eat Cocoa. That's a rule. No cannibalism dw.

We will see what happens to him, but not for a while (it'll be in None By Chance)