The 73rd annual Hunger Games

Chapter 25

Athena POV: 

The day passes rather quickly. We end up killing no tributes today. We just hunt and gather all day. I took Oakley down to the river earlier and we washed up. The sun is extra bringt today. The heat is awful. Lucky for us we have the shade of the tarp. We spent most of the day under it. Talking about strategies and such. Lillian is upset that we killed Harrison. It makes me hate her even more. I want her gone. I need her gone. Oakley and the boys are healing up nicely. I help them change their bandages and wraps. I decide to go hunting for some food. The forest is awfully quiet today. I walk for at least an hour before I find a small group of rabbits. I take down two and continue my stock up. Some of those fat birds sit at the top of a thin tree. I pull a knife and begin to climb up. The branches are very thin and bend under my weight. Once I reach the birds I kill three then climb down. It's getting later in the day so I head back to camp. Oakley, Felix, Wade, and Lillian are all still sitting down under the tarp. I sling the new food down by the fire and set it. I find a sharp stick to poke through the meat to cook it.

"Hey guys, come over here and get some real food," I call to the rest of our group. They all come over and sit around the fire. I pull the stick with the rabbit on it out of the fire and throw some around to the group. I cook the rest and start a new conversation.

"So... I was thinking, since we have very little tributes left, I think we should split up tomorrow and go our own ways so we don't have to kill each other. Well, I wouldn't mind killing some of us," I say the last line looking directly at Lillian. She gulps and looks at Wade for comfort but he just smirks back at her.

"I think that's a good idea," replies Felix.

"Yeah, I agree," adds Wade.

"Me too," Oakley chimes in. We all look at Lillian.

"Ummm... Ok I guess..." She says unsurely.

"Great, we'll set off in the morning," I confirm. I crack my knuckles–something I do when I'm agitated–then get up and walk to my sleeping bag.

"Wade, you're in charge of the food on the fire!" I yell over my shoulder.

****

"What?" I ask Wade as he sits on my sleeping bag next to me.

"You."

"Huh?"

"We talked it over. You will kill Lillian tonight. I know you want to."

"Yes, finally."

"And also.."

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to stay together?"

"Like, when we separate?"

"Yes."

"Sure."

"Ok."

"Ok."

Wade gets up and walks back to the fire. The Anthem plays but no tributes appear tonight. It's getting late and I'm very tired. I can't wait to kill Lillian. I stay up late and wait till the moon hits 12:00. I'm lying in my sleeping bag and eavesdropping on people. It's quite funny honestly. Hearing Wade talk to himself about me. "What if she doesn't like me?" I heard him whisper, and. "She's so strong, what if she wants to go out on her own." I also heard Oakley and Felix talking. Though it wasn't about anything interesting. Just Oakley explaining what had happened to her and why she was so nervous so I tuned most of that out. But when Oakley goes to bed and Felix takes over his watch is when I hear movement.

"Hi Felix." Wade.

"Hey," Felix responds.

"How's she doing?" Wade asks.

"Oh, Oakley. A lot better, but she has her moments."

"Understandable."

"Ya."

"Well. I'm gonna go back to bed."

"Good night."

"Good night." Wade walks off. Instead of towards his own sleeping bag he's heading to mine. He sits down in front of me,careful not to sit on my injured leg. "Athena. Don't be a 'pretend to sleep' bitch. I know you're awake," I roll onto my back.

"Hi," I say.

"That's it? Just hi?" Wade smirks.

"What were you expecting? Hi, my deliciously hot boyfriend?" I smirk back at him.

"Deliciously hot? Haven't heard that one before."

"What have you heard?" I sit up.

"Things that are better off not being said."

"I see. I see."

"Deliciously hot," He repeats.

"Sorry! I couldn't think of anything else to say," I lean in closer to him.

"No need to be sorry. I think it's cute," He smirks at me. I busy myself twisting my fingers through one of his brown curls. I stare deep into his dark green eyes. I notice how they blend from dark to light green to a grassy yellow.

"Find anything interesting?" He asks with a smirk.

"Just your eyes. They're interesting."

"Is that so? What about the rest of me? Is that interesting?"

"You could say," I push myself closer to him and wrap my hands around his neck. Our lips meet and his hands grab my hair. Through our kiss he grabs my legs and wraps them around his waist so I'm sitting on his lap. He moves away from my lips and busies himself with my neck, cheek, and the outline of my shirt. He moves back to my lips before I pull away.

"Good night Wade." I shoot him a smirk. Time to kill an annoying Lillian.

"Goodnight Athena." He stands up and walks away. I grab my knives, this should be an easy kill.

I walk over to Lillian's sleeping bag. She is curled up in a ball. I can feel the blade of my knife pushed against my thigh. I pull it from my pants and kneel over Lillian. With a quick swipe of my knife the girl's throat is slit and blood pours from her neck.

"Easy," I whisper. Wade looks up from his sleeping bag.

"Ah, that was pretty quiet. You're getting better and better at that. Better watch my back."

"You better," I chuckle back at him.

"So...."

"So what?" I look at him.

"Wanna–" He's cut off by a scream. I whip around and see Oakley sitting in her sleeping bag. A pure look of panic on her face. We swiftly walk over to her sleeping bag. She is covered in sweat.

"Morning sunshine," Wade smirks, I punch his arm "Ow! What was that for?"

"Shut up, you idiot!" I roll my eyes.

"Uh. I was just playing," He looks at me. I give him a look and he stalks off.

"Are you ok?" I smile slightly.

"I'm fine. Just a bad dream," she looks around. "Where's Lillian?" she asks.

"Oh. Umh, well. She kinda left us in the middle of the night, you could say."

"You killed her?" she looks up at me, I feel uncomfortable.

"Ya..." I say.

"I don't know how you guys can kill so easily." She looks down. "I mean.. Lillian sure but, just random kids."

"I don't know. I guess when you've trained your entire life for this moment, and it's there. I guess you just gotta take it." I shrug.

"Right."

"I mean. Haven't you trained for this?" I ask.

"No, I wasn't trained. I don't know, I just needed to know how to use an axe," She smiles.

"Oh ok."

"Yeah." She stands up and smiles. "I'm gonna go get some food."

"Ok."