The Capitol Games

Chapter 56

As the night goes by, we try lighting a fire in order to dry up a little before tomorrow. The fire is smokey and has all of us coughing. Luckily, the winds from the rain outside are so strong that most of the smoke gets whipped away. We crowd around it to try to warm up, and it's a pale, sad reminder of the glorious heater we had back at the cornucopia. Thanks to the spare clothes that we got, most of us are dry, and the wet clothes are laid out a few feet away from the fire. We try cooking the dead fowl, since the fat from it will help us tomorrow, but once it comes off the spit across the fire and we cut away the burned parts, there's barely two mouthfuls remains for each person. Luckily, we got food from the cornucopia, and eat the food that looks most perishable. Fruits and cheese are a real delicacy. The storm rages on as we try to get to bed. Laython and Kace take first watch, Mayra and Summer (surprising combo there) are going to take second, and Zeke and I are going to take third. Leigh doesn't offer, and nor does anyone ask if he would like to. While I was out in the rain crying, he applied a salve and bandage to his ankle, before pulling back on the brace Summer gave him earlier.

We roll Addie into one sleeping bag, drape another over Finnick, which leaves three. Leigh takes one, Summer and Mayra take another, and Zeke and I take the last. It's not until I actually lie down do I realise how exhausted and sore I feel all over. I fall asleep in no time, and before I know it, Mayra is gently shaking me awake for the last watch.

As I wake up, I realise how cold it's gotten. The rain and wind has stopped, and a tiny glare from the sun off snow is coming into the cave. I sit up, blinking sleepily as Mayra hands me a bottle of water. "Freshly melted, so it's a little cold." She informs me.

I take it from her, and eye the dying fire. I make a mental note to melt more snow once I'm up.

"Also," Mayra says, "Addie woke up."

My grogginess vanishes in a snap. "She did?" I ask hurridly, looking around.

"Yeah, but she's gone back to sleep now," Mayra says, shushing me.

"Well how was she?" I ask.

"Fine," Mayra says, casting a glance at Addie. "She was still a little dazed and had a headache. She was mortified when she heard about Finnick's injury. Actually, she seemed shocked in general when we brought up Finnick. For a moment, I thought she might have forgotten what happened, but she assured me that her memory is fine."

Still, I think, sticky situation. I put that in the every growing to be dealt with later pile.

"And Finnick?"

"Out cold," Mayra says. "I think he had a little bit of a fever in the night, but Summer gave him a pill." She takes the bottle from me and screws it up. "Don't you run the risk of choking if you feed someone something when they're unconcious?" She asks.

"Not if you angle the head correctly!" Summer whispers in exasperation.

Summer and Mayra being friendly? What was going on.

Zeke and I start to get up, making space for Summer and Mayra, but Leigh comes over.

"It's fine, you girls can use mine," he says not unkindly. I exchange a brief glance with Mayra. This is the closest thing to polite and chivalrous I've ever seen Leigh act. "I'm not sleepy. Zeke, Lian, you guys can remain put."

I think this is the first time he's addressed me as Lian, and by the looks of it, it's definitely the first time he's called Zeke 'Zeke', and not 'Costello'.

"Oh, thanks," Mayra says. Summer fully ignores him, before sauntering after Mayra.

Leigh shrugs off his jacket, and lays it on the floor before sitting on it. After a couple of mins, I hear Mayra and Summer both snoring softly. I quietly whisper to Zeke that I wonder why Leigh is being so nice suddenly. Leigh catches Zeke and I looking at him in wonder.