The Capitol Games

Chapter Fifteen

~~ Bryony ~~

We prowl through the city like a pack of hunters stalking their prey, searching every room in every building. We had chosen to search through one of the more developed sections of the arena, thinking that would be the most likely place a tribute would choose to camp in, and at least here the roads were more organised, easier to walk on, and are actually roads, instead of the dirt paths I can imagine weaving in between the shacks in one of the poorer sectors.

There is no moon in the sky, making it hard to see, so we have had to go slowly. We have been slogging through the city in a tight line, me somewhere in the middle, for at least a couple of hours. So far, we have found no one, which both relieves and worries me. Relieves, because we haven't had to murder an innocent tribute yet; worries, because I have a feeling Violet and Marco, and all of the Careers basically, are going to come out of this hunt very, very annoyed if we don't find anyone soon. And I don't want to know what Violet is going to do when she gets annoyed. I hope I will be far, far away, preferably on the other side of the world, when that happens.

Somehow, I don't drop dead out of exhaustion, even if I have been awake for almost twenty-four hours. I can feel my limbs slowly getting heavier, though, and each step is becoming harder and harder to take.

At some point, I have to stop - I can't keep going in this state. "Marco?" I call out quietly, him probably being the best person to ask, seeing as he is the only one that really acknowledges I'm there.

"Bryony?" he replies from behind me, speeding up to fall in step with me. We stop for a moment and search inside one of the buildings, and when we emerge back into the night I ask.

"I'm really tired. Can we stop now?" Marco doesn't look convinced, so I add, "There's no point to practically being the walking dead when you are in the Games. Some sleep, even if it's only an hour or two, will keep us on the best of our game."

Marco paces silently beside me for a while, contemplating. Then he nods. "Let me check with Violet. But it's a good idea, Bryony. Well done." He claps me on the back like we have known each other since we were little, and jogs up to Violet at the front of our line. I see them murmuring to each other, too quietly for my ears to pick up the words, and then they both halt.

"Troops, we stop here. Two hours, for rest. I'm first watch. Then Max, then Marlene, then Marco. I'll wake the next person up in half an hour," Violet announces, and heads into the nearest building, a tall skyscraper. I can't help noticing she doesn't let me be watch. She didn't let Brayden, either, but I suppose that's because he looks like his brain is smaller than my fingernail. By the time he realised there was an enemy approaching, we would all be dead.

We camp on the third floor." She directs us all to the stairs, and points out the spot on the floor we are allowed to sleep in.

My section is right by the clean glass window. I stare out over the city just like I used to do with my bedroom back home - only this time, there are no lights glittering and sparkling. This city is dead, forgotten, abandoned. These lights will shine no more; something we discovered when we quickly flicked a switch on and off in a small house a few blocks away. The room had stayed dark, and once we had tried a couple of other buildings it was obvious the whole city - or at least this section of it, anyway - had no electricity.

The moonless sky doesn't let me see much except silhouettes, and I wonder if Celestia is looking out at the same view. I hope she is very far away. I am terrified that something bad is going to happen to her.

Overcome with exhaustion, I lay down, far away from the other Careers. I fall asleep almost instantly, despite the looming fact that I could easily be murdered in my sleep, betrayed by the Careers.