Spell: The First Games

Chapter 19: Survive, Day 3

We split up, each with a job. Dakota would give the wolves a nice bath in the lake and bring back water. I had the easy job of collecting sticks and logs to keep us warm tonight. And Epsilon gets to go hunting.

Since there were so many trees around, I didn't have to look hard at all. I snapped off branches here and there and picked up sticks every so often. When I had a full load, I returned back to the cave to drop 'em off.

On the fifth or sixth load, I noticed that I had less and less wood at base. I was sure I carried twice the amount that was left. Someone must be stealing from us. (Why steal firewood when there's plenty around?)

I sat in the cave, waiting for the thief to return. I heard a shuffling outside. A girl jumped in. I tackled her and pinned her on the floor.

"Why are you taking our wood?" I demanded.

"Our? You mean you have allies?" I nodded my head. "Not fair! I've been so alone!"

"Maybe if you didn't steal, you wouldn't be alone."

"If I wasn't alone, I wouldn't steal!"

I helped her up. Her parka had been torn to shreds. Her pants had been ripped into shorts.

"So...are you gonna kill me? Don't worry, I won't scream. I don't want to give off your location," she said.

"Kill you? Why?"

"That's the whole point of this: we kill each other for the Capitol's amusement and the District's horror. Besides, if I kill you, I won't live long to kill anyone else. You'd survive better."

"I won't kill you. That's wrong."

"If it's so wrong, why did so many tributes kill other ones? I watched Vivian kill Anna and Robin. Garin killed Nelson and Betty. Then Epsilon killed Garin and Johnny and Minotaur."

"Minotaur?"

"I never learned his real name, he just reminded me of the Minotaur from those stories."

"Seems like you've seen a lot," I commented.

"Yeah, dead bodies are all I can think of. Legs cut off, screams in the air -- yeah, not pretty images."

 "Hey, uh...could I have my wood back now?" I asked.

"Well...um...I kinda traded the wood for food..."

"Did you eat that food?"

"Yeah..."

"Is there anything good you could tell me?"

"No, but I can tell you negative things. 15 kids already lay dead. I'm freezing. You're hungry. This is pointless. We've lost hope. It would have probably been smarter to suicide by jumping into the mines at the beginning."

"Here, let's trade our parkas, mine is in better condition."

"What about you?"

"I'll be warm enough."

We switched coats just as Dakota came back. The wolves yipped and barked happily, Dakota had cleaned off all the muck and blood on their coats. He had filled up the water bottle with spring water.

The girl flinched when one wolf came near her. "I've got to go," she jumped out and ten feet away, she was shot through the heart with an arrow.

Dakota and I watched as a girl came over, picked up the arrow, wiped off the blood, and walked away. A perfectly fine parka, totally ruined just moments ago. I wasn't desperate to rip it off of the girl's dead body.

We waited all day for Epsilon to return. No sign.

I started a small fire and we just had some bread and water.

"Good night Holly."

"Good night Dakota."

The cannons went off for the day. 1...2...3 shots were fired. I just hope he isn't one of them.