Running With The Careers- A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 9- Brady

Brady didn't wake me up all night. So when I woke up I was mad.

"Brady Jeremy Thompson, why didn't you wake me up!"

"I was letting you sleep, Sunshine," he says with a yawn.

"Well, now you're tired."

"Am not!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"Brady, let's just pack up camp."

"Fine."

Then a few minutes later I hear him whisper, "I won!" And I roll my eyes. Brady starts to fill up our pack. "Give me the water container."

"Sure," he says and hands it over to me. I head down to the stream and fill the container with all the water I can. I head back up the bank and put the container in the bag.

"It's going to be heavier now," I say. "I'm gonna carry it for a little bit."

"No you're not, Aaliya." He swings the pack over his shoulder and takes off, leaving me to run after him. We are making our way to the cornucopia, I'm not sure why. When we get there all the remaining tributes could be stalking the woods, planning a way to kill me. The careers would be there for sure, but they wouldn't kill me. They'd kill Brady, but not me.

"Brady let's head west a bit, stay a little bit away from the cornucopia."

"Whatever you say sunshine."

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Your new nickname. Now come on!"

Brady and I continue trekking through the woods, whenever we feel we're heading towards the cornucopia we vear west a bit. The woods are loud again today. The rabbits played near the bushes and mockingjays sing above us.

There have been no cannons yet today, and it was already mid-morning. The careers mustn't have had much luck last night. I am shocked the boy from District 8 hasn't died yet, normally they don't last long. The boy from District 10 looked pretty strong along with Thresh from District 11. The little girl from District 11, Rue, was doing quite well. All the careers were still here, along with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

The rabbit has kept me quite full, but it won't last much longer. The water from this morning has no effect on me any longer, seeing now my throat is drier than ever.

"Aaliya stop, get behind me!" Brady says sternly.

"Brady chill out, there's nothing here."

"Aaliya Mia Camron, get behind me now!" And that's when I do. "Aaliya grab your trident. Now!" And I do. I pull out the trident and Brady pulls out one of the knives.

"Brady, what is it?" I ask, a little scared.

"Someone is here," he says.

That's when I hear it. Someone was lurking around us and there was no way out. I just hope it's one of the careers, but I know it's not.

Then before my eyes can adjust to what's happening a knife comes barreling my way. The tribute didn't know how to throw a knife because it just missed me.

But the tribute was going to die. I run right towards him and he looks scared, but he doesn't run. I put the end of my trident right to his heart, when he speaks.

"Please they made me-" he begs but I don't listen. I stab the blade of my trident deep into his heart and a cannon booms. With all the blood now oozing over his body it was heard to make out who I just killed. But I still knew, it was the boy from 8.

"Hey Brady I think we're good to keep going now, the guys dead." And that's when I saw him. I turn around right in time to see Brady collapsing to the ground, pulling a knife out of his stomach.

I scream running over to him. "Brady hold on, it will just take me a second." I rummage through the pack trying to find the medicine or the first-aid kit, but he grabs my hand.

"Aaliya, stop. None of that stuff will work," he says weakly, his face draining of color.

"Brady, I won't let you die," I say and tears begin to fall down my cheeks. "You have to let me help you!"

"Aaliya, only one of us is coming out of here and you know it!" Brady says struggling for breath. "Aaliya listen to me!" he begs. "I want you to go find the careers."

"But Brady, you hate the careers."

"I know, but you're safe with them Aaliya," he says struggling. "I-I can't protect you a-anymore."

"Brady you're not dying!" I yell, not caring if anyone can hear me.

"Aaliya, I'm dying. The blood is leaving my body and little air is coming in!"

"Brady you can't die, I love you!"

"I love you too, Aaliya," he says and smiles. And I kiss him. Deep down I know it will be the last time I get to do so.

"Take this, Aaliya," he says and grabs at a gold chain around his neck. He's too weak to take it off so I take it off for him and secure it around my neck. I hadn't noticed it before. It's a beautiful golden locket with his initials carved into the center.

"It suits you," he says.

I smile as the tears stream down my cheeks. I unzip

his jacket and press my hands against his bloody t-shirt trying to stop the blood flow.

"I love you," he whispers and then his chest stops moving, and his eyes don't blink, and he has a permanent smile planted on his face. And a cannon goes off.

"Brady! Brady! Brady, wake up! Please Brady wake up, I love you, wake up!" I sob into his chest. I zip up his jacket and close his eyelids so it looks like he's sleeping.

But I don't get up. I don't leave. I sit here, beside him sobbing for what seems like hours but really it could only have been minutes. They would remove his body soon, along with the boy from 8. If I didn't leave, they would make me leave, forcefully. But I will stay. Then I hear a voice.

"Aaliya?" says a male voice that I instantly recognize.

"Marvel?"  

A/N: I cried writing this chapter! :(  I likedBrady. His death had t happen early on for Aaliya to find the careers.

I know this was a short chapter.  The next chapter is even shorter.  I could have combined he two chapters but I really wanted this chapter to focus on Brady's death.  It will be important for the rest of the series.  Remember the District 8 male's last words, they will also be important .  Next chapter coming Friday!