𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐒 | hunger games ✓

chapter 16

━━･❪ 🌸 ❫ ･━━

"Can you stay focused for more than three seconds?" Azalea hissed through gritted teeth as Daphne paused to pick up a pebble she'd found on the ground.

Daphne tossed the pebble up and down. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm bored."

"Shut up, the Gamemakers may take that as a cue."

"Well, great, now you've just given them the idea if they hadn't thought of it before. Nice job, Azalea."

Night had fallen, and they'd spent the entire day exploring the arena, keeping an eye out for any tributes. They hadn't encountered any signs of life, miraculously, save for a half-crushed bush in between two houses that looked as if someone had decided to take a sudden nap on it.

Nobody had died on Day Three. It made Daphne somewhat uneasy, since if there was a lack of bloodshed, that meant the Gamemasters would throw in a twist to keep things interesting.

They'd searched for a bridge or some alternative method of crossing the canal to explore the other side of the arena, but to no avail. The only way Daphne could think of was to lasso Azalea's rope across the chasm and test out their balancing skills, which earned a hard pass from Azalea.

Daphne had secretly kept an eye out for Caelum the entire day. She used to think he would shoot her on sight if they ever were to encounter each other in the arena, but somehow, she wasn't quite sure anymore. Not after he'd killed Mellie, for her.

They didn't find Caelum, but instead had stumbled across something nearly as rewarding: a fruit tree bursting with plump apples. They'd feasted like pigs, Daphne stuffing her hunger cramps away. They'd taken ten in Azalea's backpack for the road, Daphne making sure to memorize the route back to the tree if needed.

Daphne's throat was beginning to feel less raw whenever she spoke. Her arm wound had alas stopped bleeding, and if she looked close enough, it was finally beginning to knit back together. It still hurt whenever she used her arm, but she refused to flinch or give Azalea any sign that she was in pain.

"Should we turn in for the night?" Azalea suggested. They now found themselves close to where they'd sheltered last night, in the suburban beach town near the canal.

"Sure, but this time, I'm taking the damn watch." Daphne insisted, prompting an eye roll from Azalea.

A gleam of silver flashed from the depths of a hedge by the front steps of a nearby wooden house. If Daphne's eye wasn't trained to look for miniscule details in her surroundings, as was crucial for a shepherd looking out for her sheep, she may not have noticed it.

Her spine stiffened. Azalea was a couple steps ahead, and Daphne reached out and yanked her backwards. Azalea gave a hiss, but she didn't fight back as Daphne expected her to. Instead, Azalea settled for a venomous glare.

"Look," Daphne pointed to the bush. "Tell me that doesn't look like a hidden weapon of some sort."

Azalea turned to peer towards the bush. Daphne crept a couple cautious steps forward. The moonlight illuminated three thin lines, practically invisible crisscrossed across the front steps of the house. Tripwires, all connected to the silver thing in the hedge.

Daphne nodded towards the steps. "We touch these tripwires, we'll probably die." Despite this, something like excitement flickered to life in her gut. She began to examine the wires, attempting to map out a safe path up to the front door. The wires were so thin and transparent that it was hard to keep track of them.

Azalea's tanned face seemed to leech of color. She jerked backwards, taking hasty steps away from the porch. "Then let's get out of here, what are you doing?"