The Quater Quell: 50th Hunger Games

Chapter 26

       "Good morning sunshine." I say, glancing over to Haymitch as he stirs from his sleep. "Ugh. I think I slept on a rock." He groans and rubs his neck. "Three cannons went off last night. That leaves only four of us left." I try to hint that it's not a good idea to be walking around aimlessly at this point but he either doesn't notice or doesn't care. "Good. One step closer to home then, right?"

       We pack up our gear and head to the cliffside where Haymitch thinks is the closest side to the edge of the arena.

       We walk and walk, keeping to ourselves. I have a feeling that today is the day. The grand finale. I will either be seeing my family tomorrow, dead or alive. They will either be hugging my warm body or crying over my cold, dead corpse. I have a feeling it could still be the later one but I still confident that I can win this thing.

         I don't think I could kill Haymitch though, unless he was attacking me. I will most likely end the alliance today, if the game makers haven't started their little grand finale show by then. I pray that he feels the same towards me and won't betray and kill me. There were only four of us now. Me, Haymitch Demetria and another tribute that I couldn't even place. There were so many of us I lost track long ago who appeared to me in the sky at night.

         After a few more hours of hiking and sweating we take a quick breather. I nibble on some bread and slowly sip on water. I wonder why the game makers haven't forced us to all run into each other? Probably because one of them, or both, are near. Or maybe they are just curious as to what Haymitch and I are doing.

       Surely they do not want us to actually reach the edge. Unless it was an electrified force field or if the whole arena was surrounded by vicious mutts. "Alright, let's go." Haymitch bosses me. "Go? We just stopped." "I know, come on Raven. We gotta go." Haymitch says while staring off into the distance again. I shake my head but pack up the few items I took out of my pack. I sling Deans dart gun around my shoulders and run to catch up to Haymitch.

      "Haymitch. What are you going to do when we find the edge?" I call up ahead to him. "I don't know. I never really thought about it. I'll turn around I guess." He answers. Well there's an answer I wasn't expecting.

       Haymitch was really starting to agitate me. Or was I getting worried? I wasn't sure but I didn't like whatever I was feeling. Haymitch helped me up a steep rock side we were climbing. "Haymitch?" "Yeah?" "What are we going to do about Demetria? I've seen her throw that axe and take someone's head clean off. We don't really have anything besides close combat weapons." "What about your dart gun?" "It was Deans. I'm not really that accurate at it." Haymitch swallows and gives me a reassuring look. "It will be alright. She's just a girl who wants to get out of here as bad as us. So, I'm sure she's worried too."

       I doubt that. I'm not sure if Haymitch has seen Demetria lately but that girl loves it in here. She is a Career. They love the sport of killing the weaker. The Hunger Games were made for them. She was a killing machine.

        Another cannon sounds off farther off than I figured a tribute would be. Man, I hope that was her. Haymitch stops and looks over his shoulder to the direction of where the boom came from. He doesn't seem worried and continues on. How could he be so calm? There were only THREE of us left! I could almost smell home.

         Was he not worried that I would turn on him? Was he going to turn on me? Who's cannon was that? Questions flooded my mind and I could not think straight. I was getting dizzy. "Haymitch..." I was about to break our alliance. "Yeah?" the boy turns around and gives me a slight smile. I think he knew that I was about to break it off. "Haymitch...I-I need some water." His smile grew wider. Was he happy I wasn't abandoning him?

       I can't believe I chickened out. I drank a swig of luke warm water to settle my dizziness. It helped some. I nod my head and we continueon.