'So just dip each arrow in this okay?' I instructed Aidan to copy my actions as I moved onto soaking the daggers with the lethal liquid.
'And this will kill them? Definitely?' His anxious self needed reassuring several times throughout the day but it didn't bother me. I was scared too.
The red killer bubbled around each weapon before settling.
'Okay, don't touch your eyes, mouth or anything really. And make sure your arrows don't touch your bare skin.' Aidan took in all the information I threw at him carefully.
Survival instinct had finally kicked in for me and I was ready to fight for my life. Maybe I'm more like my father than I know. Killing my enemies with a dreaded poison.
It didn't take long for all the weapons to be armed and ready with the deadly substance so it was time for the next stage of our master plan.
In order to survive snow you need warm shelter which you can make out of the freezing weather conditions surprisingly. I hadn't seen any attempted igloos around the arena so I don't think anyone else had my idea.
Aidan was eager to get started too since he lost feeling in his hands and feet long ago. Using their rucksacks they built the snow around them in order to make the correct shape and structure. Protecting their hands they put their jackets around the bare skin and then shovelled the snow on top with covered fingers.
Gloves would've been handy.
About an hour later I assumed, but there's no way of telling the time in the games, we stood back and admired our masterpiece. It wasn't perfect but it was shelter nonetheless.
Aidan entered the warmth of the manmade house and smiled. 'This is nice.'
'I'm glad you like it, because we need to build about 10 more.'
His face dramatically dropped with my response. Our fingers were in agony with aching and our backs sore.
'Why would we build another one or any other 10 even! We have a perfectly good one right here.'
The young boys eyebrows furrowed down into a scowl and he began to gather his belongings, careful not to destroy their creation as he pulled his bag out from beneath.
He did as I said and helped build a lot more shelters in various areas around the arena but it wasn't without grumbling. He was not happy and was letting it be known.
'Cant believe this.'
Was uttered many times but I chose to ignore it remembering he was a lot younger than me, but middle fingers were stuck up behind his back many times. At least this boy would teach me patience.
'So why did we do this?' He paused the moaning for a second to find the answers he wanted.
A huge sigh fell from my lips before I began my explanation, in a whisper, there were ears everywhere here.
'Nobody else has built shelters that I've seen so all the other tributes will do anything to get one of ours. I have poured poison beneath the snow in each one and no doubt most of them will drink that. And the ones that don't we can use your bow and arrow to shoot at them.'
Nodding along the way the information set into his brain and I could see his mind working a million miles an hour to figure out how it would work.
'But where will we stay?'
He worried but I had already thought of that, although I'm not too sure he'll be happy with the plan. And he wasn't.
Nighttime had set in by the time their days hard work was over, the sky was pitch black and the two of them admired the stars. Proudly Aidan named each special star and explained what makes it that specific one. He was a big fan of astrology it seemed.
'You're very clever you know Alia. You're not like President Snow at all.' He surprised me with the change of topic. But I appreciated his words nonetheless, it was nice to know others thought I was the contrast of my evil father.
'Well I think you're very clever too Aidan.'
'Like my mum.'
That slapped me right in the face as guilt settled uneasily in my stomach. Aidan was a boy who missed his mum. He should never have to be here, fighting for his life.
'You'll see her again Aidan.' My eyes met with his own now saddened pupils, tears were on the brim of his waterline threatening to release themselves.
Without a response he took himself down to their own shelter they had finished building moments before. Theirs lay well beneath the ground not easily accessible to a tribute passing.
I couldn't save Callissa, but I'll do my hardest to save Aidan.
YOU ARE READING
Allied Hearts - Finnick Odair
General Fiction'We're joint by way more than a gold bracelet Alia, you can't forget the bond we'll always have. No one escapes the past' Alia's whole life changes when she's back in the cruel games with the one boy she wanted to forget, Finnick Odair, darling of t...
