Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 33

Billie's POV

I slowly step away from James' body and continue to scan the area for any sign of Peter. I'm certain that he's gone looking for Cove.

I decide that I need to head back to the cave and make sure she is okay, or at least get there before Peter does.

Before I go, I look down at James' limp body on the ground in front of me whilst replaying the moment I stabbed him over and over in my head. I don't really know what to do with myself.

I feel absolutely awful. I really didn't mean to kill him, I didn't want to kill him. I was fond of James, he was a good guy.

But, selfishly, most of my guilt comes from the fact that I have betrayed Cove. James was the first person in the training centre who treated her like a human being. He was her first friend.

I crouch down beside him once more to say a final goodbye.

*bang*

I'm interrupted by the deafening blast of a canon. I jerk my head to the side and feel my stomach drop as my heart starts to race.

I think about how Peter is missing and how Cove is alone in the cave, and can't help but think of the worst case scenario.

I don't even give my brain time to spiral before leaping up to my feet and sprinting in the direction of the cave.

Leaves scratch my face and branches brush against my jacket as I dart through the forest.

Even though it should only take me about 5 minutes to reach the cave, it feels never-ending. As I run, my mind thinks of absolutely nothing. I don't allow any thoughts to enter my head, I just need to get to Cove.

Eventually, the sight of our familiar resting spot comes into view, but I don't slow down. In fact, I don't stop until I'm stood directly in the cave, and my heart sinks when she's not there.

I'm distracted for a brief moment when I notice the sight ahead of me. A beautiful drawing of two people stood under a waterfall coats one of the walls of the cave, beside it are the words "Happy Birthday Billie", which she had written for my surprise this morning. Cove must have drawn this while I was gone.

However, I don't have time to fully appreciate it, and I continue to search for her.

"Cove? Cove are you here?" I shout as I check every spot that she could be. I check the outside surroundings of the cave, I check the grassy area just beyond the lookout rock, I even run to the little stream, in case she's gone to collect some water.

But she's not there.

I feel myself begin to panic now, but I don't stop looking. She has to be somewhere. As I walk back to the cave with a tear threatening to spill from my eyes, I can't help but think that the canon was for her.

I've noticed that I've become very protective of Cove. I don't think she realises how much she means to me.

Prior to meeting her, most of the people in my life have been superficial. I don't clique with many people. The only people who ever really mattered to me were my mother and my little brother. They were the people who I could be myself around, and trust that they actually cared about me. But even then, sometimes I felt like the main thing that connected me to my family was my dad's absence. My family needed someone to step up and take charge when my mother fell apart. Someone needed to cook the dinner, and take my brother to school, so I did. I guess I kind of felt like my only purpose was to be responsible.

That changed when I met Cove. I've never connected with anyone like that before. She makes me feel like I'm actually worth getting to know, not just because she wants something from me, but because she actually likes me, for me. And I like her too, she's so empathetic and interesting and funny, she's unlike anyone I've ever met before. She doesn't deserve to die.

I scoff at myself as a singular tear falls down my cheek, and I quickly wipe it away.

This is why I didn't want to get close with anyone here.

I quickly make a sharp turn in directions as I decide to scout out the entire area around the cave.

She's can't be dead. I need to find her.

Cove's POV

After a minute or so of just staring at Peter's lifeless body, I stuff the knife into my pocket and make a b-line in some random direction. I think I blacked out, because I have no idea where I'm going.

I'm so far from the cave that I don't even bother trying to find it. I have absolutely no idea where I am, nor where Billie is.

Hell, I don't even know if Billie is alive.

This is literally my worst nightmare.

I continue jogging through the forest, taking mental notes of any landmarks I pass.

I eventually come across a very large tree, with a hollow dip in the base of the trunk. I decide to reside here for the meantime, and I slowly sit myself within the dip. I rest my head against the tree bark, and after a moment or so, I simply break down.

How did I end up here? One moment I'm sat in my small house in Block 12, my parents playfully bickering in the kitchen about whether the word 'orange' is pronouced "ore-ange" or "aw-range", and now here I am, trapped completely alone in some sick modern-day war zone, my favourite person in the world potentially dead and a man's blood on my hands.

My shoulders bounce up and down in time with my sobs. I don't even care if some player finds me here. They can kill me for all I care. There's no point in being here if I'm not with Billie.

I hope she's okay. I hope she knows that I'm okay.

I would give anything to find her again, and wrap my arms around her, and hide out peacefully until The Games are over.

The thought of that alone is enough to make my sobs begin to soften, and I eventually calm myself down. I just sit there in silence for what feels like hours, my dried tears staining my cheeks until I finally pick myself up and walk on.

I have absolutely no idea where I'm going, but I have one motivation to keep going.

I need to find Billie.

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A/N: Just a filler chapter:)