Highway to hell

14. Cornucopia

Mara's POV:

I get ready to shoot at whoever unfortunately crossed paths with us. I take the most light knife in my vest since the burn on my arm stops me from doing anything too challenging.

"Please don't kill me!" Says a voice, I can tell it's a young boy's voice but I can't recognize it.

"Or what?" Says Marvel.

"You need me!" The voice says.

"For?" Asks Cato.

"I can help you!" It says. "I promise I will, if you promise not to kill me!"

"Alright, just come out!" I say.

The kid comes out of his hiding place, which happens to be inside a hollow tree log. I promise, it's not as pathetic at it sounds for place to hide. The boy looks around my age, maybe less? 14? I dunno, but if he can help. Who knows? We might need him.

His slim face looks scared as fuck and he fiddles with his hands as he looks at his feet, only letting us see his jet black hair.

"So, you say we need you?" Asks Marvel

"You want to take over the Cornucopia, right?" He says

"Yes."

"And you need to protect the supplies, right?"

"Yes." Where is he going with this?

"Let's just go there, you can tell us on our way there." Says Cato.

Apparently Cato found something that might lead us to the Cornucopia. Me, I honestly have got no fucking idea for directions so I just follow the rest from behind, making sure our little helper doesn't have any brave ideas.

On our way there, he explains the whole plan to me. "So, you know that under the platforms that launch us into the arena there are mines that will blow you up if you try to get off early."

"Yes."

"Good, well I think I can get the mines out, reactivate them, and put them around your supplies." He explains. He does it in such a way that makes it look easy, even though I know it isn't, plus, he makes me feel like a little kid who's learning math or something.

That sentence gives me a lot of information about the boy, for example: I know he's smart, he's from Three and that he's quite fond of nuclear stuff, such as minefields.

"You think?"

"No. I know."

_____________________________

After a day and a half, Noah, that's what he says his name is, has managed to do as he told me. I have my doubts about this but, considering I've never even seen a minefield I can't really discuss anything.

We've gathered all our supplies in front of the large metal building, leaving it all in a big pile of food, weapons and first aid kits. I've had trouble with the burn on my arm, since it's not healing quite as I expected, but it's progressing, slowly, very slowly.

We've decided to stay put right where we are, we don't want trouble. Plus, we've got things to take care of, such as burnings, stings and a few more other things that might slow us down in a hunt. For example, Cato has a massive sting on his neck that has been causing him hell the last days.

And Marvel is no better, he's got several stings plus a cut on his leg that only hell knows how he got it. And considering my burn we're not in condition to fight anyone, I mean, if we find the girls from Eleven or Twelve we might be able to kill them, but there's nothing we can do to prevent certain death if we cross paths with the male tributes from their Districts.

And there's more reason to fear them now, seeing that they've probably become allies.

Although, I have my reasons to believe that they've both been stung and Twelve has a massive gash on his leg, courtesy of Cato.

"I say we hunt them down." Says Marvel.

"Have you seen yourself?!" I yell-ask.

"Well no, we don't have mirrors here, princess."

"Piss off." I say.

"So... is that a yes?"

"No!"

"She's right Marvel, we can't fight. What if we find Twelve or Eleven?" Says Cato.

"I'm not scared of two twelve year-olds."

"Not the girls Marvel!" I yell.

"Oh right, I see." He says

"Thank you!"

"You like them!" He exclaims. As a response, I smack him hard on the back of his neck. "Hey! That's not fair!" I hit him again and run off. "Oh, alright, that's how you wanna play uh?" He laughs running off behind me.

"Kids." I hear Cato mutter to himself. I slow down to answer with a sassy remark but a great force pushes me to the ground.

"I got you now Two!" Laughs Marvel, falling over me, we roll over the grass, play-fighting each other. I ignore the piercing pain that used to torture me when I have nothing to do, but now, for the first time in years I'm actually having fun. Marvel rolls over me and traps me under him. "I'm so Marvelous." He says, flipping dramatically his imaginary hair.

"Get off me!" I say I'm between laughter and childish giggles. As if i wasn't laughing enough, Cato comes by Marvel and starts tickling my side. I'm saying random things like "Cato! No, stop! I'm ticklish!" But you can't really make them out because I'm just laughing so hard right now "Cato! No! Please, stop! My arm! Careful, you beasts!"

I try to get away from them but they're just too strong, Marvel keeps me stuck to the ground while Cato keeps tickling until he gets tired and he suggests we go hunting (food not people), considering that it's going to get dark soon.

We leave the campsite, leaving the boy from Three to guard the supplies. On our way there we casually find a tribute, girl from Seven I think, after we hear the cannon we continue to hunt for food finding two rabbits a bird and a squirrel.

It's already gotten dark when we get back to the supplies and right when we light the fire, the anthem blasts, showing the faces of the dead tributes. I recognize the girl from Seven, but neither of the tributes I actually want dead appear on the sky.

After the anthem is finished, Cato taps my shoulder. "I think it's for you." He says pointing at a flying piece of metal. It falls right into my hands, I take a moment to look at the metal box before opening it.

Inside the box, there's a smaller box which I don't last long before opening it. It contains a white creamy texture and a note:

'You're doing great, apply it on your burns daily. E.G'

I look at the sky and silently thank Enobaria. I take a scoop of the cream with my hands and softly apply it on my arm. At first it itches intensely, but little by little it starts feeling better, until I feel no pain at all.

"I say we go to sleep." I say to the boys. "Your stings are much better and now that my arm is healed, we could try hunting."

"Fine." They both say, getting their sleeping bags ready.

"Goodnight." I say.

"Goodnight sweetheart." Says Cato.

.