Grain & Blood | A Hunger Games collection

Who's next?

I spin around, terrified, wondering who could be behind us. But there's no one there. I'm beginning to think I was imagining it, until I notice movement from behind one of the trees. It's a deer. Nothing exciting, and nothing useful either, because even though it's a food source it's too big for both of us to eat now and it'll just go off.
Maybe, if I let it live, it'll stay alive until we need it.
I sink my teeth into another rabbit leg. The juicy flesh is very welcome, especially so, as I haven't had properly cooked or fresh food since yesterday, in the Capitol.
"Who's next?" Asks Robin.
"What do you mean?"
"Who do you think is next to go,"
"Oh. Well, who is there?"
"All the careers, except the girl from 2,"
"That's 5 of us,"
"And the girl from 5..." he trails off, uncertain.
"The boy from 6, both from 7, both of us."
"Is that it?"
"Yes. 11 tributes, 5 of which are careers."
The two of us fall silent for a moment. Then, "Can you show me where the stream is?"
"Sure."
I walk with him, through the quiet woodland and towards the stream.
"Here it is,"
Robin crouches at the bank and trails his hand through the water.
"It's kinda warm," he says thoughtfully.
"I wonder why that is," the sarcasm drips from my voice, "maybe we're in a desert and being baked alive!"
Robin doesn't reply. He keeps staring into the water, like he's analysing something.
"Someone's walked through here recently. But only to the middle, stopped for a bit and turned around and walked out."
"That would be me. I didn't see the stream until I was ankle deep, then I called to you, turned around and walked out."
"Oh. Okay. "
He stands up and walks back to camp.
"Are you okay," I ask him.
"No. One of us is going to die, probably both. And what am I doing about it? I'm building the most obvious shelters ever and digging small holes for fires."
"Those are still useful things,"
"I hadn't finished. You're out there, finding water, hunting, killing people to keep me alive. Many times you've risked your life for me, but what have I done for you?"
"You've been there for me. You've kept me going. You've built shelter, made a fire. I love you, and nothing will change that."
Robin pauses. Then, "I'm tired,"
"Do you want to go to sleep? I was going to go looking for berries, but I'll stay nearby."
"Mkay."
He takes out the blanket and curls up in the little shelter. I walk out of our camp, supplied only with my knife vest. If I bump into anyone, I'll kill them, and that's it.
What do I do now? I never planned on collecting berries, that was just an excuse to get away from Robin. Sure, he's my brother, but he can be very exhausting at times. Like, he's tired? I didn't sleep at all last night.
I need to get away from this world, at least for a while. My best option is to climb somewhere high and reminisce about home.
A tall oak tree rises to my left. Easy.
I'm up it, right at the top, and sticking my hand out into the sky. What would happen if I jumped from here? Would I die?
There's only one way to find out.
And I
Fall
Through
The
Sky.

Hello people! I was worried I wouldn't get this chapter finished on time, but I did, phew. Thanks for reading! And now it's time for a random fact: On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year. Which reminds me of the time I swallowed a pen lid, age 8. Don't ask.

-Katherine