The Capitol Games

16: Treva And I Enjoy The Scenery From A Cliff

   As the water throws me down the falls, I watch the pond as I approach it. I prepare for the punch of the water on me, and I pull closer to Treva. We've been through so much in the past few days. I take huge gulp of air, and the water punches me all over as I splash in. I open my eyes, and Treva swims up above the water, but my body won't let me.
I'm hurting all over, the water pressure from going down barely helped my burns, and my body goes into shut-down mode. I feel a hand pull me up, and I take gulps of air as Treva releases my shirt.
"Thanks," I manage.
"Let's go," he mutters, helping me out of the water. I find more strength and walk to where the cliff ends, high above us. The jagged limestone has thick branches spindling out of the stone, almost like a ladder. The lowest is only about three feet above the ground, and easy climb.
"Treva!" I hiss, starting to climb up the spikes. They seem sturdy, but I move as quickly as possible in fear of them snapping. I look behind, and Treva scrambles up behind me. I take each step carefully, and it seems too easy once again.  I decide to calm myself. I feel like they think they've put me through enough, they won't put me through any more torture, so I shake off the feeling. After climbing for quite some time, I come to a fork in the branches. Treva takes the sturdy but shorter path up, but I take a risk and go up the slightly-longer, thinner-branch path. I scurry up in a matter of seconds, but Treva still makes his way up while I'm at the top.
"Are you coming?" I ask. He begins to pull himself up to the last spike, but the one below him crumbles away from the mountain. "Treva!" I scream.
He manages to hold on to the last spike, but I hear a ripping noise, and he reaches for the top. I grab his hands and wrap my legs around a tree so we don't fall down the edge. Water sprays over the rocks, making my already sweaty hands more wet.
"Don't let go. That's an order," I instruct.
"Don't plan on it," he mutters. I bend my legs and scoot closer to the tree, and pull him up toward the cliff. It takes the last ounces of strength in me, but I manage to pull him up and over the edge, at least three feet from the drop-off. I lay in my back, tired, but I stand up.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Don't mention it," I breathe as we run upstream.

🔅🔅🔅

   "I found it!" I whisper. Treva and I, after walking upstream for quite a good amount of time, finally found our clearing shelter. He darts from the bushes, quickly and silently like a deer. I smile when I see our small opening, untouched, and the canister of my much-needed medicine in the same spot as it was.
  "I feel like we should be suspicious. Check around for clues that someone's been here," Treva warns.
"I- I don't see anything,"
I admit. I hear the sound of sponsor gifts above the bush, and I grab for it. I open it, and it's full of bright blue and red berries. Written in red ink, like blood, on a piece of leather, like our outfits, is the words:
Enjoy.
   ~K
"We got sponsored again!" I exclaim as Treva checks around again. He jogs over, and I give him a handful.
"Wow. These are good. It's ironic that Katniss sent these," he says between chewing.
"Why?" I ask, watching the sun set over the arena. Darkness sets in after a few minutes of silence.
"I guess today was a big adventure," he whispers, putting his hand over mine in the dirt.
"I'm gonna take first watch," I order, pointing him toward the bush.
"You need rest," he offers.
"You've watched me so much the past day. I can pay you back now. Sleep," I instruct. He reluctantly crawls into the bush and I train my eyes into the dark, listening to the soothing sound of the creek and watching the moon sail overhead. After a long time, my stomach feels like it's twisting in knots.
This cannot happen not. I realize it feels like my stomach is dissolving, and it sears though my abdomen. I cringe over to the bush, and I hear Treva.
"I- it was a- a tr-trap," he stutters. I sit down I front of the bush and black out.