PREDATOR | THE HUNGER GAMES

STOLEN GOODS

"Where does a girl find water around here?"

Lara had been limping around the whole day. She'd spent two days hiding in that cave, unmoving except to apply more medicine. Her body had healed significantly as the nights passed.

No new deaths, except for the one who had died failing to escape from the acid rain-District 12 male.

There were no longer gaping holes in her skin; all that remained were scabbed over clumps of blood and a few minor burns she had wrapped with leaves. Although the injury was almost cosmetically gone, she could still feel the impact on her body.

She'd been searching for food and water. The burns were speeding up her dehydration, and this was her third day without it. She hadn't eaten at all during her time in the arena. The only animals she'd seen were birds and they were too quick to catch.

All she had was a knife, what was she supposed to do? Throw it at them mid-flight?

She kept walking, lagging more and more with each step. The sun was bearing down on her back and she felt her eyes get heavy. The gamemakers liked to change the weather spontaneously; it had nearly been winter weather this morning.

When she spotted berries on a bush, she almost began to cry. She stumbled as fast as she could to the bush, falling to her knees before tearing away the only source of sustenance. Recalling her training, she had enough sense to check them before shoving them in her mouth.

It was bitter and disgusting, but it was food. Beside the bush were budding flowers. She recognized them from her home as fennel blossoms. Her mother would pick them out sometimes to add in their stew.

Lara yanked them out of the ground. She tore off the head of the yellow flower viciously, mushing the petals in her mouth. It was sweet and bitter simultaneously, it's aftertaste leaving behind a citrusy tang in the back of her throat.

The mud the flowers grew in was crawling with insects. Lara paused, fingers grazing the blackened earth. She'd never been this hungry before-and that was saying something.

In a desperate measure, her hands clawed at the ground. She flung the clumps of dirt behind her until a bed of worms were exposed. Before she could change her mind, she picked one up and slide it into her mouth.

It was slimy and she thought she could feel it wriggling in her stomach. The queasiness threatened to make her vomit, but it would've been a waste of food. She gagged once and continued to shove the worms down her throat to get it over with quickly.

She dry-heaved for several moments before washing down the earthy taste with more berries and flowers. But she had to preserve some so she gathered as much as she could and threw it into her pack. Who knew when the next time she'd find food would be?

She pushed herself off the ground and forced herself to keep going. There was one place she could go for water. It'd probably get her killed, but dehydration would kill her first if she didn't find water.

She trudged towards the lake on the other side of the cornucopia. She panted and stopped to throw up a couple times-despite how hard she tried to keep it down. The heat was getting to her.

"How big is this place?"

Just as she spoke, she heard it-raging water.

Something ignited in her. A hoarse laugh escaped her as she began to run. Crystal clear water came into view and she propelled herself closer.

She crashed into the lake, sighing in relief as she sunk. She closed her eyes, feeling the coolness soak through her clothes. Her mouth opened in delight as the liquid lapsed past her lips. Her throat and lungs no longer felt scratchy and about to crumble to dust.