Hunger Games: Lilac Mellark

Chapter 31

That night we watched the screen to see the fallen tributes. Once the anthem sounds, it lights up the fake night sky. Also while we were gathering our things I heard 1 blast go off. The face was the girl from 1. All that's left is the boy from 1, Keene from 2, the boy from 3, the girl from 4, Inna and Gavin from 5, the boy from 9, and me from 12.

I'm guessing that Keene has formed an alliance with the other tributes, now searching for us.

4 of them.

3 of us.

I wonder just how smart Keene is, if he's a dumb but tough 12 year old, or he's a smart and tough 12 year old. Either one horrifies me. Hopefully they don't know where we are or are stalking us. If they were I think they would have attacked already, for they have had the upper hand for a while with all of our injuries.

Once we are ready, we head off and into the wilderness.

We walk slow and steady, all of us having a weapon at hand. Gavin having his sword, Inna with a knife, and me with my bow. All of a sudden I hear a type of hissing noise. All falls silent. No bugs chip, no birds chirp, nothing. I turn in a full circle before landing on a cloud of fog coming our way. I gasp and say, "Run!!" They see what I mean and we sprint.

I fasten my bow to fun faster. My legs pound against the ground. My arms pump at my sides as fast and hard as I could. I glanced to see if they were still with me, and they were. We make it into the town and begin our decent to the water.

What I fear is that we will have to go under water, but for how long before it completely vanishes? All that runs through my mind is the game makers. They are the reason for this gas. And that could mean one thing.

Keene's little band of killers are also coming.

Since I'm in the lead, I veer us off to the right. The gas doesn't follow. We slow down by the tree line, and turn to watch the gas run like fog across the water. I begin to hear coughing. Multiple coughs coming from the forest where the gas is escaping.

Keene.

"Hide!" I yell. We make for the boulders beside the water, my shoes becoming soaked. I peer over the boulder to investigate.

Keene, the boy from 1, the girl from 4, and the boy from 3. The boy from 3 falls to the sand, and a shot goes off. Which means he is dead. I am both happy and sad. Happy there is one less to deal with, and sad that another life was taken away from them.

Inna taps my shoulder and says, "Should we attack and get this over with?" I sigh and look back at them, they seem weak from the smoke. I bite my lip.

"I think we should." Says Gavin, gripping his sword tighter. I take a long look at my two friends, allies. Inna, her short poofy orange hair and her emerald green eyes. Her small lips, pale skin, and scrawny build. But she is strong, for she lived through a spear going through her stomach. I'm still not sure if I believe her story of being kicked in the face by a goat.

Gavin, with his peach fuzz head, gray eyes, and strong build with a set jaw. He somewhat reminds me of my mother, having the same eyes and determined set. It makes a smile creep on my face.

I don't want to lose them.

I scrunch my face into a scowl.

I almost lost them to Keene. It won't happen again.

"Lets do it."