Nightmares And Seashells

chapter twenty-four

A few hours later, as the sun was just starting to rise. Avery heard voices coming closer. Getting to her feet she kicked Jaspers leg lightly.

"Psst Jasper wake up!" Avery whisper shouted.

Opening his eyes he shot up seeing her on her feet with her spear in front of her.

"What is it?" He whispered back.

"People." She responded pointing to where she heard it.

"Pack up your bag in case it's the careers." She advised, and he didn't have to be told twice.

Once they were both ready to move they started creeping back too the stream to refill before moving on.

Getting closer they saw the girl from 10 using her hands to get a drink of water, just down the hill from them.

Avery looked around, if this was one of the voices she heard then who was she talking to?

Before she could say something she heard a thump turning around to see the boy from 10 had tackled Jasper flinging the pair down the hill and holding his machete over the larger boy getting closer to Jaspers neck as he sat on top him.

"Jasper!" She called watching as his hand started bleeding while holding the bade away from killing him. As she pulled a knife into both hands, sliding down the hill after them. She heard the running steps behind her.

"AVERY NO BEHIND YOU!" He screamed at her.

Finnick sat in the victors lounge on the edge of his seat, watching as both of his tributes fought for their lives. He had moved from the quiet viewing room to try and get some sponsors for his tributes.

"Come on you two, you got this." He mumbled to himself.

Just as he thought Jasper was done for, a cannon sounded and the boy from ten collapsed with an axe in his head. Jaspers hand was mangled from using only one to hold the blade at bay and grab his own weapon.

"Come on get up man, she needs you.." He switched back to watching Avery fighting the girl still. She had taken one of the girls cleavers to the leg slowing her down and making the fight more even between the two.  As Avery couldn't get to her spear, and the girl was purposely staying in close enough range it'd be hard to throw a knife.

Just as Avery hit the ground the girl kicking her in her bad leg thenpunching her in the throat. Finnick put his hand over his mouth watching as Jasper started running over to the pair. then the girl from ten buckled over dropping her weapon. It took Finnick a moment to realize what had happened. Both of his tributes had halted all movements as well.

The girl was vomiting blood.

The water wasn't safe after all, Avery was right to treat their bottles. This made Finnick smile.

"That's my smart girl.."

"Boom."

"Avery? Are you alright?" Jasper asked kneeling next to her to check out her wound.

"Don't drink the water untreated.." She rasped looking at the poor girl laying in her own blood. Still rubbing her neck from where the girl had punched her in the thoat.

"I see that, thanks I think that's the second time I owe you my life Winters." He said pulling out the bandages and cream from his bag as Avery grunted trying to pull her own off to grab the alcohol from her own.

"Hey, hey. Let me. You're hurt bad Winters."
He told her grabbing it himself with his good hand.

"Awh are you going soft on me Riggs?" Avery asked with a cheeky smile.

"Oh please. I know exactly who I'd be pissing off if that were true. No thank you." He said his own smile falling slightly as the girl winced.

"Do you want me to pull it out? Or do you want to try?" Jasper asked.

"Either way it'll hurt like a bitch." She said while trying to get a better look.

"But just take it out quick, I'll try to hold the wound so you can wrap it without me losing too much blood... only here let me wrap your hand first." She said getting a nod from the boy.

Letting the girl take his hand, after washing her own with a little alcohol. Jasper watched as Avery expertly wrapped his hand.

"How'd you get so good at this?" He asked while she tied it off securely.

"After my best friend died, I started fighting harder in hand to hand and weapons training at the academy. I was reckless.. so I got hurt a lot. Finnick would always patch me up after." She said giving the boy a nod knowing he was trying to distract her from what he was about to do.

So looking away from her leg, Avery continued. 

"I guess after watching it be done over and over I have the technique do-"

Before she could finish he pulled the blade out in one quick motion. Making Avery bite the sleeve of her shoulder to keep from screaming out.

She kept her sleeve in her mouth as Jasper said a quick sorry while pouring some alcohol on it.

Avery then watched with tears in her eyes as he moved her bloodied hands out of the way once he got the beginning of the bandage secured wrapping it as tight as he could.

"Okay Avery I'm going to help you up now. Lean on me and your spear as much as you need. Like you told me one the train I'm a giant, so I can handle whatever you need." The boy told her. Lifting her from the ground with a light chuckle.

"We need to get out of here before the careers or anyone else sees the bodies picked up. We need some rest before we're fighting again."

"Wait get another two tablets out of my bag. My water is almost empty and I know one of yours is too. We'll need it until we find more water." She said leaning against a tree so the boy could get the water.

"Just don't get any in you hand okay!" She said as he walked a few steps away to get to the stream.

Looking up through the trees as she tried to keep weight off her leg Avery said quietly,

"Hey fin we could really go for some help here."

Watching his two injured tributs wander further into the trees. Finnick pulled his eyes away from the screen. Downing the rest of his drink and wandering over himself. To the bar where a few capital women were talking with a gamemaker.

"Hello lovelies." He said putting on a dazzling smile as he hailed the bartender. 

"Have you seen how wonderfully four has been doing this game?" He asked trailing a finger down the arm of the one closest to himself, his smile turning into a smirk that made their fake colored faces blush.