Sunshine - A Hunger Games Story

16| Stabbed

Around midday the next morning, a small beeping sound comes near us.

I look around and spot a small cylinder coming towards us connected to a parachute. We got sponsors?

"Oh my gosh, look! A parachute," Henri exclaims.

Sydney runs up and plucks the package out of the sky. "Who do you think it's for?"

"Just open it and find out."

Sydney opens the gift and a small slip of paper falls out. Henri picks it up and starts reading it to the whole group. "'It took alot getting this to you so late in the game. Hang on a little longer. -4589.' That's all it says. I guess that means it is for all of us," he smiles showing off his dimples.

"What's inside Sid?"

"Some blue goo." She tilts the can over for everyone to see. "Medicine maybe?"

"Want to try it on a cut? Ayesha?"

"Sure, go ahead Rhett," I extend my leg out to him to try putting some of the goo on one of my less painful leach wounds. Rhett comes up to me and places one hand under my knee to steady it and smoothes the blue substance onto the indent of my skin. Instantly, I feel relieved. That particular puncture wound didn't hurt as much, but the cream made me feel ten times better. "Oh, yeah. I'd say that works for healing. That feels so much better."

"In that case," he plops a big glob into my right hand, "put it on the rest of your wounds. I'll get Faith's back since she can't reach it herself."

I unravel my bandage around my left, slightly less pale hand and wrist. As I do, the cloth turns from white to a deep crimson. It reveals several holes in my flesh with very dark crimson inside and green/yellow surrounding the punctures. It might be infected, great. Well, there is not much I can do about it. I spread the goo all over my arm before switching the side of the bandage touching my skin and wrapping it back up. All of the pain, stress, and tolerance built up over the past few days all dissolves into relief. I don't know how to explain it other than going back in time. It's as if I never got the injury. I feel like the sun came up after a hurricane.

"20 days in. Tomorrow will mark this as the longest Hunger Games in history," Sydney mutters to herself.

Sleeping is a lot better tonight. We made it out of the forest and into the tall prairie grass, a step closer to finding the two other groups and getting everything over with. The wind doesn't blow through the grass as it did with the trees so it's less cold. Still chilly.

No one in particular is on watch tonight. We all lay down in various spots covered by tall green and golden grasses. My hair has long since fallen out of its pristine condition with water, grass, wind and bugs all messing it up. My clothes are stained red, green, and yellow, I haven't slept in days, and images play out in my head of the horrors I've already experienced in the games. I only go as far as closing my eyes and relaxing my muscles when going to sleep.

The next morning, Faith shakes us awake. Apparently she heard some ruffling coming from around us while we were sleeping and she thought one of the career groups was onto us.

As we are walking in the prairie grass, everyone drifts apart. It is hard to see each other through the surplus of plants, but we stagger ourselves so that we can see the faint color of another's clothing. I guess with the end of the games nearing, being next to another is a risk no one is anxious to take. Also the fact that if they do attack, it will be harder to kill everyone. Rhett and Sydney take the lead, about 10 or so feet in front of me and Henri. And Faith is about 7 feet to my left and a few steps behind.

The tension was an expected shift in the group's dynamic. I guess it started when Faith started arguing with Rhett on who should take the sword. Her homemade slingshot with another one of my hair bands and a few perfectly curved sticks from the ground was not enough to defend herself in the grass where she couldn't see long enough to hit anyone.

As we are walking, Henri links his right and my left hand together. It causes a mild discomfort with my injured hand, but I wave it off because it's a comfort to him.

After about an hour of walking, I hear a rustle, similar to what Faith described. It would amaze me if there actually was a person weaving through the grasses after us and only making the occasional sound.

Henri tenses next to me. I readjust my grip on my sword and stay aware.

Over top the gentle ruffling coming from Rhett, Sydney, and Faith, I hear a fourth ruffling. I pause for a second, bringing Henri to a stop next to me. Quickly, my hand flies to my lips to shush him before he can ask why we stopped. My heart beats quicker as my ears confirm my suspicion. Before I can call out to the rest of the group, Faith cries out to my left.

I quickly tell Henri, "Go find Rhett and Sydney," as I release his hand and fly though the grasses to Faith.

Then I see it. Faith, her blue eyes glossed over and legs wobbling. A long spear pokes out her stomach from behind, creating a growing circle of blood to stain her shirt.

"Faith," I gasp and she starts to fall to the ground. I catch her before she hits the ground. My hands grip the spear, sticky from blood, and try to pull it out as painlessly as I can. Then, I rest her on the ground. I place my hands on her stomach and press down. That's what you're supposed to do, right? You need to stop the bleeding or else she'll die. I can't lose a friend, Floyd already died, she shouldn't die. It's unfair.

"Tell them–" she gasps– "I'm- I-I'm sorry. Ple-please? Sor-sorry." She grabs my hand in hers and looks me in the eyes. I meet her eyes, blinking out the tears, and nod to her.

Oh my God, there is so much blood. The dark red continues pouring out of her and there is nothing I can do about it. My hands and bandage get soaked with it along with my knees that are right next to her abdomen. I grip her hand tighter as I feel it slipping away. She's slipping away.

Faith's eyes roll to the back of her head as a cannon goes off.

I hear movement from the opposite direction of Faith, someone moving away from Faith's body. With my legs numb and my mind blank, I get up and run towards them. They hear me coming and race away. I can tell that I am gaining on them, but cannot pursue much farther as Rhett calls me back.

I snap out of my instincts and in return, my emotions catch up to me. I make it all but a few feet back to where Faith's body is before I collapse.

Even if I have only known her for 3 weeks in the arena and 5 days before for a total of just under 4 weeks, It feels like it was longer. I talked to her, spent time with her, and interacted with her every hour since we met up in the woods. I got to know her personality, her snarky smarts and her undisclosed genius. She told me about her older brother who's back home cheering for her and praying that she gets back. At that time, I could imagine a boy a few years older than her, with similar features. I could imagine him engulfing her in a hug and spinning her around when they are reunited. Now, I can only see a grieving family. The anticipation built up at Faith making it 3 whole weeks in the arena for her to die such a ghastly death.

I sit crouched on the ground, with my bloody hands pressed to my forehead as tears stream down my face. A hand is placed on my shoulder.