The Last Hunger Games

Chapter 36 - A Second Basement

"I'll make myself useful and pack up stuff, if you want. we should get off this roof and make camp somewhere else," he says, sitting up.

"Yeah, okay," I reply, and we spend the next few minutes gathering up what little we have into 2 rucksacks. We use a match to burn the useless items that we don't need, like the spare bad and a few other things. 

Then we start to walk. Not on the ground - that's much too risky - but on the rooftops instead, heading in a straight line with the Cornucopia to our left. The plan is to find a basement to make camp in, but I'm the only one out of the two of us who knows where to look, so at the moment Jack is just backup in case we get attacked by a lone tribute wandering this part of the arena. It's unlikely though, as there's only around seven of us left, five not counting me and Jack. 

After 20 minutes of walking and still no luck, I can tell we're both starting to get bored. 

"Can't we just stay here? This is so boring," he whines like a five year old. I will agree though, it is getting boring, and after seeing my ability to find the supposedly 'hidden' basements, I doubt the Gamemakers have left any without twice the number of death traps inside. The possibilities of how they could take my life are endless; that became obvious when the rebels stormed the Capitol. 

"Fine," I announce, flopping onto the rocky surface of the roof. We haven't been walking long but my muscles still ache from whatever was in that syringe. "We'll camp here for tonight, but you're taking the first watch."

"What? That's not fai-" Jack starts.

"I said, you're taking the first watch," I repeat more firmly this time. 

"Alright," he says. "I think we should play a game."

"What?"

"Noughts and crosses? This is roof is alright for it, we could draw it in the gravel," he suggests.

"That's boring. How about truth or dare? It lasts longer and it's way more interesting," I say, although the main reason I proposed it was so that it would take my mind off the grief, at least for a few minutes.

"Truth or dare?" he says with a grin. I really need to stop looking at his face; I'm not that desperate and besides, we're just allies, and not even by choice on my behalf.

"I dare you to..." he thinks for a moment, "Yell out who you like."

"Really? That's the best you can do? And who's to say I don't have a line of lovers waiting for me back home?" I laugh, and although he laughs too I can see right through his facade. I notice more than people think. "No, I don't have a boyfriend. Pfft, who would want to spend their life with me of all people?" I do a dramatic pose, the back of my hand on my forehead, and say in a fancy accent, "I shall die alone!" Then we burst out laughing; something which I have not done in far too long. 

"Truth or dare?" I ask him once we've finished our laughing fit. Just as he's about to reply I notice something familiar a few crumbled buildings away. I hold a hand up in a motion for him to shut up, and he does. 

"Over there," I point.

"Over where and what am I meant to be looking for?" he says, confused. 

"A basement," I reply. "Get off your ass, we're camping down there." He slings his bag over his shoulder and we jump over the few rooftops it takes to get there. 

"Keep watch," I say, and again he does. I scan for pods, and to my surprise I can't locate any. Perhaps the Gamemakers have learnt to keep them hidden from the view of even me. 

"Come on, douchebag, we're good to go," I call up to ground level, and with a clatter Jack falls clumsily down, landing on my shoulder and taking me down with him. We land with his hip on my shoulder, and I have to punch him on the leg to get him off. I think he's he's done something to my joint in my shoulder, as pain throbs through my whole arm. 

"Sorry, is your neck alright?" he asks.

"Oh fine and dandy apart from a pulled muscle or two that definitely won't hold me back in this arena," I sarcastically reply.

"Sheesh, your personality changes real damn fast."

"Yeah, well, a lot of practice," I say. On with the game. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Ah playing it safe I see. Now then, is it or is it not true that you have a crush on me?"

"Not true," he says a little too quickly to be the truth. I make eye contact, squint a little, and when he looks away first I say, "Ha! I knew it!"

"Damn you Avita!" Suddenly there's a loud crash from outside and we go silent. Grabbing both my mace and my spear I stick my upper body out to investigate. I see nothing, but I don't trust my first instincts. Everything must be second guessed if you are to survive in this place. Climbing out of the hole, I peer around corners and even check the roof; not a sign of anyone or anything being here. 

I climb back down into the basement to find our sleeping bags laid out side by side, and Jack offers me from of the bread we have left. I politely decline as I'm not hungry right now, and then burst into tears. All this is too similar to when Celestia died. The basement, the sleeping bags, the bread, all of it. Even though I don't want them to, it is now that the tears I've been holding back all day decide to arrive. Not like before, where I was calmly crying like in the movies, but huge sobs that make horrible gulping sounds in between and shake me to my core. Why did she have to die? Why did any of them have to die? Why is this even happening, I thought the whole reason behind the rebellion was so that this wouldn't happen anymore. Why am I having a mental breakdown whilst hiding in a basement with my cousin's friend's brother? I am so utterly lost in my thoughts and my questions that I hardly notice when two arms that are not my own wrap around me and hold me tight. Pain radiates through my shoulder and down my arm from where he landed on it earlier, but I'm too absorbed in grief to feel it or even acknowledge that it's even there. 

a/n: So. I haven't updated this since early April. It is now the end of May. I do apologise, although I do actually have an explanation. I was working relentlessly on my Romanogers fanfiction (captain america x black widow, it's called forbidden feelings, it's on my profile) and I genuinely don't have the brain power to focus on 2 things at once. 
But that one is finished now, there might be a sequel later on idk and im not sure. 

is this chapter alright? Let me know what you think! I have a proper plan for this story now and I am determined not to let you guys down again! Have a great day/night :)))