Welcome to the nineteen chapter of the Untold Hunger Games.
And the games begin. Sorry, it took me so long to update this. Lots of things happened and I finally got a new iPad to post my stories again I'll still be pretty inconsistent with my updates, but I promise there will be more chapters coming soon.
Without gilding the lily and with no more ado I give to you Chapter Nineteen of the Untold Hunger Games.
I can't believe I did it. I'm safe in the trees with my prizes. I almost died but I did it.
The second that timer had reached zero I ran for my bag, I was faster than most, with Diane and Rue being my equal in speed. Rue had grabbed a bag and ran for the tree with Fox, no bag in hand, following the same strategy. I had my bag and believing I could make it I ran for that damn bow and quiver. I was insane, I knew that. But I had to get my hands on that weapon. Tributes were already falling around me, as I jumped over them, dodging knives and punches, my bag held in front of my chest to keep it away from others. I could see that the Careers were all too busy killing the weaker tributes around them and giving me a straight shot for the bow.
It felt like a dream to have it in my hands, with the quiver slung over my shoulder and the bow in my grasp. I had only seconds to think as Gunnar came running at me with a dagger. I drew my bow and shot at his leg. He fell as I ran at him, relieving him of his dagger and retrieving my arrow. I can still hear his painfully cry from pulling the arrow out of his leg while dodging his massive hands that reached out for my neck.
I had jumped up, dodging another attack from Gunnar before turning just in time to see Clove glaring daggers at me. She said no words but instead pointed at her right shoulder. Oh no. I knew what that meant the second she had gestured. I quickly shielded myself with my bag just as two new daggers hit the fabric while a third stabbed Gunnar through the head. I ran then, escaping Clove who had started following me.
She didn't have my speed though as by the time I was fifteen minutes into the forest she lost me completely. I took a few breaths before hearing the cannons firing for each death. The Bloodbath had ended so much quicker than most games. I listened to the cannon fires. One, two, three… I counted eleven before the firing stopped, eleven dead, leaving more than fifteen alive. It was a large number for the first day, but I knew it would dwindle by the night's end. I knew of a certainty that Peeta wasn't one of the eleven since I had seen him run for the trees with a bag and spear, not sure how he got his hands on that. Though I assumed he hadn't taken a great risk like me.
I can hear Haymitch's scolding words right now, "What the hell did I say. Are you trying to get yourself killed girl?! I said don't go after the weapons in the bloody Cornucopia! You're lucky you aren't dead right now!" I chuckled, almost falling out of the tree I was hidden in.
Well enough of Haymitch, I needed to check my supplies. I placed my bag on my lap to do a quick inventory. I pulled the knives from the bag, one from Gunnar and two from Clove. That's three knives all together, I think to myself as I opened the bag. Inside are two small packages of food; one with about four crackers and another with four strips of dried beef, a box of wooden matches, primitive in the eyes of the Capitol who use plasma lighters, a small coil of wire and about of a meter of rope both excellent for making snares and a half-gallon plastic bottle that is, of course, empty. Finally bundled at the very bottom is a thin black sleeping bag, which I can tell from the lining is made to be well insulated and waterproof.
I looked about the dense trees, listening for any signs of water. Nothing. Darkness was descending upon the false sky of the arena, I'd have to look for water in the morning when it was safer to move about. I pulled the sleeping bag over my legs and lower torso before wrapping the rope around the hem of the opening. This will be secure and warm enough to sleep in. I eat the strips of beef and crackers for dinner, I'll have to set up snares in the morning after I find water, I think to myself as I let myself drift into a restless sleep.
I'm awoken to the sound of the Panem anthem playing above me. The tribute to the fallen. It was a sideshow of dead tributes' moving portraits to tell the living tributes who had died. I suppose it was the Capitol's away of showing remorse, but I thought it was just a sick way of reminding us that we might be up there soon. I looked on as the faces flashed above my hiding spot.
Cida, only 13 years old. It was upsetting how common it was for the youngest ones to die first.
Wade, which surprised me, since it was rare for a Career to die during the Bloodbath.
After Haynes and Palia's faces flashed in the sky I knew whose would be next. I had seen Jason being attacked by Cato, who had kept his promise to kill him in the arena. I could still see his dead body with a dagger sticking from his back. I felt sorry that his parents had to see him die like that.
Gunnar's death was one that stung a little, since I had inadvertently caused it just by dodging Clove's dagger.
Eunia's portrait also appeared, which meant both District Six and Seven had no more tributes. The next two also showed that District Nine had no more tributes either, I felt sorry for Tule's parents, having to watch their daughter's death just hours after she told us that they would be.
The final face was Thea.
I did a mental note of who was still alive. Peeta and myself of course, all the Careers from Districts One and Two, Auricula, Sextus, Fox, Saffie, Canwarn, and to my relief, Rue and Thresh. I was glad that Peeta and Rue had lived through the Bloodbath and the first day, but I was too tired to enjoy the moment. I closed my eyes again listening to the sound of the forest as it lulled me to sleep.
POV Peeta
Deep breaths, deep breaths. She's not dead, she's too quick for that. Those thoughts kept running through my head as I ran through the woods, not stopping until I was far enough away from the Bloodbath to be unnoticed. Damn it, why did Katniss have to recklessly go after that damn bow? Did she listen to anything Haymitch told us?
I looked at my spear and smirked a little, of course I didn't listen either. Sure I didn't run straight for the center, but I did grab the spear without thinking. I had been startled by the District Four boy, Wade something, that I hadn't realized the spear went through his side until it was too late. He was just a kid, a Career sure, but still only a kid and I had killed him. I gripped my spear tighter and looked around, the light was still visible. I should probably use it to check my supplies.
I opened the bag to find a box of matches, coil of wire, a can of biscuits, a bag of bite-sized dried meats, an empty canteen, and a tin of black paint, that would be useful. I piled everything back into my bag and went in search of water.
Katniss' survival training came back to me then, Water is easy to look for if you know the signs. I took a deep breath and stood silent, Listen for any running water. I could hear animals and bugs, the wind through the trees, the grass brushing against my boots, and… a rushing sound? Water?!
I walked slowly so as not to alert anyone around me, following that hopeful sound. As I moved closer and closer the sound grew louder until I came across a babbling stream. Water! I had found water! Don't drink the water until you find the source. Katniss' words stopped me just as I bent over to take a drink. Right, water from a stream wasn't as safe as where it came from.
So with a longful sigh I started moving in the opposite direction of the rushing water, following it for as long as I could. It seems like hours, and night was falling by the time I came across a small spring. I sighed in relief and began to drink from it, filling up my canteen after I had drunk my fill. I leaned up against a rock and looked up at the fake sky. At least I wouldn't die of dehydration.
"What do we have here?" I froze as I looked to my right to see Marvel and Cato emerging from the trees. I sprung to my feet, spear raised high to attack if they got any closer. I knew I couldn't take both of them both by myself, but I'd take one of them with me.
"Hello Lover Boy, I thought we'd find you with Fire Girl, but it seems you're on your own. Too bad. We were hoping to kill you off together." Cato said with a chilling smile on his face.
He was looking for Katniss? Fear and anger rushed through my head at the same time, but there was something else, an idea, "I know how to find her." It was the first thing that came out, but it wasn't a lie, I did know how to find her. She would most likely be up in a tree asleep and awaiting the next morning. I had to buy her time so she could be secure in whatever tree she picked.
Cato looked suspicious at my words, but Marvel just smirked, "Looks like Lover Boy wants to help us find his princess." he joked, passing the sword in his hand from hand to hand, "What do you think Cato? Should we trust him?"
The expression on Cato's face didn't change even as he answered his fellow Career, "No, but if he is lying, we can kill him later."
POV Katniss
Snap!
I awoke with a start. What the hell was going on. Looking down I could see a shadow walking towards me.
Snap! Snap!
I watched as the shadow moved closer, I reached for my bow, ready to aim if the need arose.
Snap! Snap!
The shadow stopped for a moment and then seconds later a fire appeared burning profusely nearby me. Oh God. I rolled my eyes as I tucked myself back into my secure sleeping bag, Why not add a fog horn and some ringing bells singing I am here! I am here!
Whoever this stupid tribute was they didn't know the first thing about stealth. Do not ever light a fire in the dark when you're being hunted by anything. I give the owner of the flame ten minutes, tops, before someone else notices her.
It was actually more like six when the sound of footsteps crunched right below my tree. I sighed in regret for the tribute, looking down to see three figures had joined the tribute by the fire. I could hear voices and laughter before a sharp scream and the sound of the cannon firing in the air. The fire flickered a little before it was dosed by something causing the night to return to the trees. I knew by the number of the figures that the killing group was definitely the Careers and they were definitely moving back in the direction of my tree.
"Did you hear her scream? I can't believe she begged for her life." I heard a familiar voice floating up to my spot. Cato.
A laughter echoed through the trees, "Yeah, though I should have been the one to mark her, I didn't get to with the ones from the Cornucopia." A voice that I knew belonged to Marvel grumbled. So the Careers were actually keeping their promise. Surprising since I thought they wouldn't even want to. I had to smile a little, then as quickly as the smile had appeared, it vanished as I heard the next voice.
"I didn't think you'd actually mark every tribute you killed." The all too familiar voice said, causing my heart to skip a beat.
"Oh we didn't kill all of them. I saw you killed one yourself and left him unmarked." Cato's remark left me speechless. Peeta, my Peeta, actually took a life? On purpose? "Enough talk, you promised us you knew where your girlfriend was. Stop stalling and show us, or we kill you like we promised." Cato growled, I could see him gripping the sword in his hand tightly.
"This way," Peeta said, leading them through the trees, passing mine as they walked.