Glimmer's Story

Chapter 19

  "MARVEL!" I screamed as loud as I could manage. His head snapped around to look at me as the tip of the spear was an inch away from Lavena's stomach. Cato grabbed the spear out of Marvel's hand and broke it in half. Lavena ran to me and threw her hands around my neck. Her whole body was shaking, and her tears stained my shirt.

   "What the hell was that!?" yelled Cato.

   "I... she... I didn't," muttered Marvel. He started walking towards me, and I took a step back.

   "Glimmer-"

   "No. I don't care what your excuses are! Don't talk to me ever again," I said, turning on my heel.

   "Please! Let me-"

   "NO! I thought you said you would never do anything to hurt me! What a lie," I said and turned around and ran away with Lavena still in my arms. I heard Marvel calling out my name, but I didn't turn back. How could he ever do something like that!? He knows I treat Lavena like she's my little sister! If he killed her, it wouldn't be much different from him killing Damien.

   After a while of walking through the woods, my arms got tired, so I set Lavena down.

   "Are you okay? Did he hurt you!?" I asked.

   "N- no," whimpered Lavena.

   "Why would he try to hurt you? What happened!?" I asked.

   "I don't know. The Hunger Games change you," said Lavena. It was true. Most people turned into a completely different person when they went into The Hunger Games. I didn't really know what I was going to do now that I was in the woods and away from Marvel.

   "Hey," a voice said behind me. I flipped around to see Clove standing a couple feet behind me.

   "You followed us?" I asked.

   "Well I wasn't just going to stand there watching you walk away. What if you never came back?" said Clove.

   "That wouldn't happen," I reassured her.

   "I watched it happen once before," said Clove while staring at the ground. "I'm not letting it happen again."

   "Clove... I'm sorry," I said.

   "Don't apologize. It's not your fault. Well, while we're out here we should make the best of it," said Clove while holding out weapons. I laughed and grabbed a couple knives, but Clove wouldn't let go of them.

   "My knives," she growled.

   "Fine!" I laughed and grabbed the bow. Lavena grabbed a couple of smaller knives that Clove didn't care for. Clove put the remaining weapons in her backpack, and we started walking deeper into the woods through the cool evening air. It was late, but not late enough for it to be dark yet. After a while of walking, we heard a twig snap.

   My bow flew up in a shooting position that aimed at the distance. I didn't see anything or anyone. Clove, Lavena, and I had our backs to each other, in a triangle. I was positive we could take down any wandering tribute.

   I heard more leaves rustle and more branches snap, but I didn't see a thing move! I could tell Clove was frustrated, too. I saw a shadow appear next to the tree I was closest to, and I raised my bow higher. Someone was behind the tree.

   I tapped Clove and nodded to the tree. She nodded and both of us slowly walked towards it. A figure jumped out from behind the tree and sprinted in the other direction. Before I could react, a knife whizzed by my face and landed in the tree behind me. I pulled the knife out of the tree and turned around to see Clove fighting with a boy a little older than me. And he an ax.

   "Lavena, run," I whispered.

   "No! I can defend-"

   "I don't care! I promised I would protect you! Now go and find Cato! If we aren't back in half an hour, come find us," I said. She glared at me, but then ran towards the direction of camp. I turned around and ran over to the new tribute that was now pinned to the ground by Clove. Clove was struggling to keep him down, though. The boy looked really strong and about seventeen years old. As the boy got a good grip on his ax, I knew what his plan was.

   "CLOVE! Heads up!" I yelled. Clove let go of him and ducked her head just as the ax flew one inch over her face. I sprinted over to the boy and threw my knife as hard as I could. It hit the ground where he was a second ago, but now he was running off in the other direction. I shot an arrow where he was at, but I was pretty sure it missed him.

   Clove was panting, and I was exhausted from the day's events.

   "Let's head back," gasped Clove. I nodded and grabbed the knife out of the ground. When we got back, Cato pulled Clove in a huge bear hug. I laughed, but my smile faded when I realized that could of been me and Marvel. We were that happy together. But notice how that is past tense.

   The anthem played, but no faces showed up in the sky. There were no deaths today. I slipped in my sleeping bag, right next to Lavena and Peeta. Marvel was way across the other side of camp by Aaron. He looked depressed. He should be. How could he even think of killing Lavena!? I didn't even care if he died now. He deserved to die. Lavena was like a part of my family. He knew that. And I do not hurt my family.

   Yeah that's right. Marvel's no longer the one I'm trying to get home. Lavena is.