Reaper ~ THG AU

Ch. 21: Apples

We've been walking for at least two hours, still looking for any traces of water. The closest we've come is finding damp shrubbery with bits of moss clinging to the rocks. I gulp away nothing, my throat completely dry and scratchy. All the running and walking is no doubt causing the dehydration process to set in faster.

"If that wet patch is any indication...there should be water nearby...."

Acacius puffs out, stepping over a tree root. I nod, clearing my throat as I scan the area. We haven't seen any evidence of anyone else since the careers earlier. If anyone else is nearby, we don't know where they would be and who they are.

"What if we don't find wat-"

A loud boom sounds through the air. This one was the closest it's ever been. Acacius and I both jump before crouching down and taking a look around. My breathing is rapid, my heart not much better. Acacius has a protective arm over my back, his eyes looking for any threat.

All I see is trees and shrubs. Maybe some wildflowers, but no threat that could hurt us. I take a deep breath, pulling out both of my swords.

"I don't see anything..."

"Me either. Stay alert anyways. We gotta keep moving and find water as fast as we can. We can't run off of apples for ever."

I smile, shaking my head a bit. Holding out the longer sword, I nudge my brother.

"Here.."

"I don't need that."

I huff, setting down my own sword before grabbing his hand and forcing the blade into his grip. I give him a look before backing away and grabbing my weapon once again.

"The same with me and your knife. You need more than just a few knives and a hatchet. Take it."

I stand up, scanning the area before continuing the way we were heading. Acacius falls into step next to me, keeping an eye out behind us. We get passed a few trees when a hovercraft approaches. Acacius and I both share a look, moving to take cover beside a few bushes.

"Look."

I glance over at Acacius's tap, seeing a familiar lighter brown jacket laying in a small clearing. No weapons or supplies can be seen, just her lifeless body half in a shimmering puddle of water. The hovercraft lowers a crane of some sort, aiming right Igor her body.

"That's the girl from 7...."

"I know...how did she die?"

We share a look as they raise her body up into the sky. No blood soaks her clothes or the ground where she laid just moments ago. We both watch as a hatch closes behind the body before the hovercraft flies off. Once the ship is far away, Acacius and I both slowly stand up. We do one final scan of the area before moving forward towards the small watering hole.

It's far too small to be classified as a pond. As we grow closer, it seems like it shrinks in size. I bet if I laid in it, both my head and my feet would be completely dry. Acacius and I share a look as we come to a stop beside the large puddle. He bends down, surveying the area with a sigh.

My own eyes look around. Dirt, rocks, and grass is all I see at first, all the same as I've been seeing for a full day now. A reddish tinge shows in the bright sunshine that covers the dirt. A few patches of daisies and babies breath scatter the greenery surrounding us.

There's not a single abnormal thing about this place....

Wait....

I rush over to a cluster of daisies, my eyes catching on a green stem poking out. My hand snatches up the branch with such force, nearly stumbling back as I straighten up. Most of the stem is bare, stripped of all it's leaves and berries. All except one lone dark, almost black berry.

I pick it off, feeling the smooth flesh of the small fruit. I've encountered them twice in my life, once in school when learning about what plants are harmful, and once when I was seven and almost died. The berry smashes between my fingers. A deep red, almost purple, color stains my fingers as I bring them closer to my face.

A sickly sweet, almost nauseating smell fills my nostrils. I sigh, looking over towards Acacius as he fishes something out of the water.

"Nightlock..." he holds up familiar white bead-like berries, staying silent as I step closer. "And mistletoe. It's poisoned."

I plop down next to my brother, leaning forward to wash off my stained fingers. Acacius tosses the mistletoe berries to the side, leaning back with a sigh. I do the same, slipping off my bag with a deep exhale.

"At least we know what they were planning." I look up towards Acacius, his dark eyes meeting my own. "The two from 5."

"Yeah. Poison the whole damn arena."

I exhale, wiping sweat off my brow. My whole body aches, my limbs tired and my throat and mouth completely dry. Acacius looks towards the small pond, clicking his tongue.

"It's pretty ingenious.." my head snaps up to look at him, his eyes staying on the glistening water. "Contaminate all the fresh water so the other tributes either die drinking it, or die from dehydration. It takes the actual act of killing out of the equation."

He looks towards me, his face neutral and emotionless. Flashes of the boy from 7 comes to mind. How fast he fell. The light leaving his eyes...

All at my own hands...

I study my hands, the scrapes and cuts from the parachute long gone from the medicine. My pointer finger and thumb on my right hand are stained a dark pink from the nightlock berry I crushed just moments ago. No actual blood is on my hands, but I feel it coating my skin.

The warmth. The smell. The slick, sticky feeling that comes from it. I feel it all. Clearing my throat, I wipe my hands onto my pants before looking towards my backpack.

"I guess it's a good thing we have these..."

I say, digging into the large pocket for one of the crisp, red apples. Acacius looks down, watching as I grab out the knife he gave me. I cut the apple in half before glancing back up to meet his eyes.

"Apples have about..86% of water in them. They will help us stay hydrated enough not to die, but not as much as water or another fruit or vegetable with over 90% like watermelon, cantaloupe, tomato, celery, lettuce..."

"Cucumber?"

"Yeah. Cucumbers actually have the highest amount of water in them."

Acacius stands, walking around the small watering hole. I give him a confused look, slipping my knife back away with both apple halves in my hand. He bends down near some vines, slipping one of his knives free.

"Well...Z. I guess this wasn't a total bust." I give him a confused look as he steps back over, slipping his knife back away with a smile. "We have cucumbers."

"What?"

I smile, watching as he sits back down. He hands me the larger of the two cucumbers, both a deep green color. As a thank you, I hand him the larger of the two apple halves. We sit in a comfortable silence, eating our lunch of apples and cucumbers.

For now at least...

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