Nightmares And Seashells

chapter twenty-two

Taking in her surroundings Avery realized Marcel was right. It's sweltering hot in the arena, and as far as she could see there was no sign of water.

Around the cornucopia was a giant field of dead yellow grass that would reach up almost to her chest.

To the far left of her, she could see sand dunes that would surely spell death for any tributes that found themselves stuck out there.

To her far right were extremely tall evergreen trees, those don't need much water, and their roots dig deep enough to get it were humans could not.

That's where she would go, hopefully finding a stream or pond but if not at least they provide shade and cover from other tributes.

As the timer started counting down she next scanned the tributes in her line of sight looking for Jasper.

She could see his bulky frame about seven tributes to her right. Good maybe that will make it easier to find each other in the bloodbath.

Then looking out to the cornucopia she saw bright backpacks dotting the farther edges in the grass. Grabbing one of those on the way in or out would be smart. It looked like all the good stuff was in the cornucopia itself though.

"Great that will definitely be a fight." she muttered. When the timer hit ten seconds she got into stance preparing to make a run for the center, she would worry about a backpack on the way out unless it was easy.

At the sound of the starting cannon Avery took off.

Only running at a comfortable speed at first saving her energy for the run back when she would have more weight to carry.

Thankfully she'd been training for this, and being on the smaller side she was one of the first to reach the inside of the cornucopia.

Grabbing a belt of knives, and putting it on quickly, then swinging a full feeling backpack onto her shoulders. She turned on her heel coming face to face with the boy from two swinging spear for the center of her forehead.

Not giving herself time to think Avery flipped over her left shoulder and landing on her left foot and right knee on the ground the spear lodged in the crate where her head used to be.

As soon as she saw him try to pull it free, one of her knives flew from her hand and lodged itself in the boys head.

"Boom."

First kill of the games and it was Avery. She didn't have time to think about that though. She grabbed the spear putting it through the arm loops of her bag as she started running in the direction she had seen Jasper last.

Hopefully she'd find him before making a break for the trees.

"Boom."

"Boom."

"Scream"

"Boom."

It's safe to say the rest of the careers are at the cornucopia meaning they will find Gentry the boy from two's body.

"Great and Bella already had it out for me.." Avery huffed slowing to a jog as she saw Jasper running from the direction she'd just come from two bags on his broad shoulders and a sword in his hand.

Just as soon as a smile made its way to her face it fell seeing the girl from seven aiming her axe at his back.

"JASPER HIT THE DECK!" She screamed.

Growing up in the fishing district, Jasper reacted instantly hitting the ground.

The axe landed a foot in front of him. Avery let loose anther knife hitting the girl in the chest, dropping her instantly.

"Boom."

Five dead already, two because of Avery...

As jasper got up, he grabbed the axe as well closing the distance between him and his district partner.

"Come on Winters! We can cry for the dead later!"

Snapping back to reality she started sprinting to the tree line.

As they sprinted through the trees they counted four more cannons.

"That's nine, almost half of us." Jasper said slowing to a jog.

"I think we're far enough we should look through the backpacks see if we have any food or water." Avery said slowing with him before stopping and leaning against a tree to rest. Wiping the sweat from her face with her shirt.

"Good idea, that's why I snagged two while running. If we combine everything I can ditch the empty one. How many knives you lose?" Jasper asked sitting across from her so they had sight lines both ways.

"Two. I've got four more and my spear." Avery said opening her heavy backpack dumping it's contents on the forest floor.

"Here take mine too. I've got an axe now thanks to you." He said handing it over.

"Thank you Jasper, I owe you one."

"I think you got that backwards Winters, but alright. Call it square." Jasper said chuckling.

"Alright so I've got crackers, and some kind of dried meat as far as food. Also two water bottles one is empty but the other smells alcoholic, maybe for wounds? Then matches, some iodine tablets for purifying water, I think. And a sleeping bag. What do you got?"

Jasper looking through his own packs said.

"For food I have two things of crackers and some kind of protein bar maybe? But no meat. Two water bottles, both empty. Meaning here must be water somewhere. I also have two rolls of bandages, and some kind of cream. Then two ropes and two sleeping bags." He said trying to repack everything into one bag instead of two.

"Here I'm gonna ditch the extra sleeping bag with the backpack, but I can't fit the other rope can you?" He asked.

"Yeah I got it. It was pretty smart of you grabbing two we're pretty set. I say we split the protein bar and maybe a couple crackers then find water before we break camp." Avery suggested getting a nod from the older boy as he fished the bar back out and traded her half for a few of her crackers she'd left out.