Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 28

After about an hour of us roaming around trying to find a place to rest, we eventually stumbled upon a little nook hidden in a small cave. It's so reclusive that you would almost miss it if you didn't look hard enough. It's perfect.

There are brittle leaves and grass coating the surroundings of the cave, creating the illusion that it's just part of the ground. The inside is quite dark, which means we will be heavily relying on the natural light from the sun to illuminate our space.

Once we had placed our things down and made ourselves at home, the sun had already began to set. Billie and I agreed that hunger was getting the better of us, and we needed some food to fuel us with energy in case of a surprise attack.

I'm still feeling a little somber after today's events, so I offered to go to a nearby lake and try to catch a fish for dinner. Billie tried to persuade me to stay behind and keep a lookout instead, but I explained that I actually wanted the walk as a means to clear my head. She reluctantly agreed, and now I'm currently alone sat atop a little rock, trying to spot any signs of fish in the lake beneath me.

I zone out a little as thoughts of Audrey flood my memory. I reminisce on the times when she defended me against Peter, and how she would crack a joke whenever the atmosphere became too tense.

That leads me to think about James. My fellow Block member. My first friend. I really hope he's doing okay. To be honest, I hope he doesn't know that Audrey is dead. I hope the motivation to find her is keeping him going.

I readjust myself when my left foot starts to go numb, when suddenly I'm caught off guard by a gentle beeping sound coming from my right hand side. I slowly lift my head to see any signs of activity in the distance, but all I can see in my line of vision is trees. There's no one there, just beeping.

As the sound gradually gets louder, I reach for the knife in my pocket and try to stay as still as possible, afraid that if I make any sudden movements a player will come charging at me.

I wait in anticipation for something to happen. But nothing does. I stand slowly and walk in the direction of the noise, which seems to be coming from somewhere amongst the cluster of bushes beside me. As I follow the noise, I spot a little box attached to a small parachute caught amongst the leaves. A little tag hanging from the box reads "Billie and Cove". It continues to bleep until I carefully pick it up and silence fills my ears.

Confused, I open the box, revealing a note inside with the words "A sweet treat for a sweet pair ~ Sabine".

I lift the note and see two small bars of chocolate placed inside. Ones wrapped in yellow, and the other in purple.

Oh, Billie's gonna freak.

~

"Billie! Billie look what we got!" I shout excitedly as I jog back over to our spot in the cave.

"Cove?" Billie asks loudly as she briskly emerges from the cave. Her eyebrows are furrowed initially, but relax when she sees the wide grin on my face.

I jog right over to her and open the box, displaying the neatly packed bars of chocolate. Instantly her face lights up and she chuckles at the sight before her.

"Fuck yeah! I love chocolate!"

Her adorable reaction only makes me smile wider, and she takes the box from my hands before plonking herself on the floor where she's built us another fire.

I take a place beside her, and she hands me the bar wrapped in yellow paper. I watch as she hurriedly unwraps her own and takes a hungry bite. As she raises her hand, I notice the yellow ribbon poking out from her sleeve, and curiosity gets the better of me.