The Capitol Games

14: When Dia Doesn't Return

   "Who wants first shift?" I ask. From what I can tell, the sun has just finished setting, so anywhere from eight-thirty to nine o'clock.
"I will. You've had a long day," Treva smiles.
"So have you. You helped me hunt," I offer.
"I'm being courteous. I'll wake you up later, okay?" He urges. I figure there's no point in arguing with him, so I thank him and start into bed. I'm almost asleep when I hear the anthem, and I dart up.
I walk outside, and Treva sits on the ground. I sit beside him and watch Cecile, Kreiger, and Marsh's pictures pop up. Three down today, nine of us left tomorrow. He looks at me.
"Do you think we can win?" He asks. I look at him sincerely. His big blue eyes look tired and sad, and his yellow hair has leaves in it still from this morning.
"I think we can. If we really try," I sigh. I hear a rustling in the bushes, and I run inside. It must seem like I'm being cowardly to Treva, but I come out with his sword and my axe.
"What are you doing?" He hisses.
"Being brave," I whisper. I shove him his sword and creep to the bushes. I pull the branches apart to find a small black bird, sleek and with a blue head.
  A Jabberjay.
I stare, intrigued and paralyzed in fear, at the bird. I hear Treva yell my name, but he sounds underwater. All I can hear is the sound of him, Cecile, Dia, everyone I know and care about, screaming my name in what sounds like pain, fear. I grab my axe and swing at the birds, but more come. I won't let myself cry, only be strong.
I run toward the house with the birds swarming around my head, torturing me in the most awful way possible. I close the door behind me with Treva in the house and listen to the birds hit the roof, windows, and side of the house. I sink to my knees and start to cry. Treva lays his sword on the ground by the bed and walks to me. He slides to the floor and wraps me in a hug.
I wrap my arms around his neck and cry into his shoulder, non-stop. Surely the whole country has seen this. My most vulnerable moment. Treva hugs me close.
"Don't worry. I'm here. I'm really. I swear," he whispers. I don't stop crying, I just let myself get swept off in the river of tears.
"I- I know. They're fake. I hate to hear you like that, my friends and family, everyone I care about-" I sob, gasping for a breath.
"It's all right. I'm gonna take watch in here so you know I'm here," he decides. I stand up and walk over to the bed. I wrap myself in the sleeping bag and bury myself under the covers. Treva sits on the floor on his sleeping bag, watching out the window.
"I- I'm sorry," I squeak, so quiet I barely heard myself.
"Don't be. That there that they did to you? That's torture, Aria. It's wrong. They just want a show.
"The Games changed them, then the Capitol did. You're not like them there. I don't want to be. We don't have to be. We can win.
"We can show them," Treva retorts.
"I want to show them," I decide. I drift off to sleep, think about what other tortures these God-forsaken Games will bring in the morning.

🔅🔅🔅

"Aria?" Someone whispers. I wake up slowly, and Treva kneels beside me.
"Hi," I yawn. He laughs. I look outside, and I can't see the moon. "Is it midnight?"
"Maybe. You wanted to watch so badly I figured I'd let you," he smiles. I unravel myself from the bag and sit by the window. I see someone - two people - sneak around the house across the broken street. The boy has choppy black hair and black eyes with a permanent sneer on his face.
Cer.
The girl has curly brown hair, teal eyes, and a long cut on her arm.
Dia.
I should've known. I really should've. They both had violent nature when we trained. She beat up Cecile, and Cer beats up kids at school.
"Treva!" I hiss. He jumps up out of bed, his sword in his hand.
"What? Are you okay?" He asks. I point.
"This isn't good. They're both really fierce," he mutters. I swallow a breath.
"So we have seven people plus two master assassins-in-training," I sigh.
"Should we, you know-" Treva leads off.
"No. Let them come. They've seen me, probably. They'll get me," I promise. He yawns.
"Aria, be careful," he says.
"You need some sleep. Go," I smile. He goes back into the bed and is asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. His breathing slows, and I watch the moon make its course around the sky while listening to the most calming noise imaginable at this point.