The Hunger Games-One Direction Edition

Chapter Ten

**"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol**

Harry’s Point of View

My weary eyes crack open to the early morning sunlight as my head stiffly turns from my makeshift home of branches, slowly examining my surroundings. Today was the day I would get my revenge by killing that monster, Thread, and making sure no Career tribute won these Games. For hours I had been tracking both tributes of District 2, making sure to be hidden or all of this planning would fail. Crawling out of my den, I stand up and crack my back, casually glancing around. Going over to the edge of my camp, I grab the sword I had taken from Rose’s ally, the one I think was called Crystal, and quietly make my way to the traps I had set. Being from the district of agriculture, it was easy to reverse the trip wires and move the booby traps to where when Thread and Rose would come racing after me, they would trigger it and die. I double check the wires and begin to make my way back when I hear the soft footsteps running towards me, and the terrified, shallow breaths she was taking.

Whipping around, I yell at the girl from District 5 as she stumbles right into one of the traps, glancing away as the knives pierce her body and before she can even hit the ground, her cannon fires. A thought flits through my mind: What was she running from? I prepare myself as Rose leaps into the clearing, her eyes fierce and teeth bared at me in a snarl of hatred. Her blue eyes flashed as I knocked her back, and my own must have been blazing in victory as she hit the tree, dazed and the wind knocked out of her as I slowly approached her.

She stumbled away, to my dismay she tripped the wire but it never triggered the spear. I raised my sword to drive it through her when her eyes met mine and my resolve wavered. Her eyes, accepting what her fate would be, but the small fear in them reminded me so much of Louis’s eyes…The thought of him causes me to tear up and hesitate, then all of a sudden they widen as the spear drives itself deep into her and they fade. I jolt back as her blood splatters me, her body slumping over the spear as her life ends with the fire of a cannon. I go to cheer when a blade drives itself into my stomach, my pained wail echoing around me as I crumple and try to crawl away from my attacker, seeing Thread’s angry eyes and snarl as he raises his sword for the death blow. I know I’ll die quick as I raise my sword and swipe his leg, creating a gash across his thigh as he growls.

A faint melody fills me with peace as a strange warmth overcomes me, and I smile with blood-red lips at my attacker. “If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?” I gently sing, more to comfort myself in my final twenty seconds of life. “Forget what we’re told, before we get too old…Show me a garden that’s bursting into life. All that I am, all that I ever was, is here in your perfect eyes, they’re all I can see. I don’t know where, confused about how as well, just know that things will never change for us at all…If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world…” I trail off before one final thought hits me, that I’m leaving my brother, Niall, behind…I take in as much air as I can and let my wail ring around me, tears of sorrow rolling down my face. Then Thread stabs his sword through my chest and all goes black, my final wish to just chase the days with dreams, to waste time chasing cars.

Lauren’s Point of View

I tremble in fear as Niall moves my hands away from my ears, tears rolling down my face as I recognize the acceptance and understanding in his eyes. I swallow hard, opening my mouth to speak.

“I’m so sorry Niall,” I manage to croak, and his blue eyes fill with sadness as I whimper. He raises a hand and I flinch, relaxing as his thumb wipes away a few tears, his hand resting against my face.

“It’s going to be fine,” he whispers, a soft smile on his face. “It’s not our fault. There was no changing his mind once he had that determination set in his eyes.” A tear streaks down his face, mourning the loss of yet another brother.

I drop my eyes, avoiding the sorrow in his eyes as he lets out a choked sob, hiding his face in my shoulder as I rub his back to ease his pain. A low rumble causes me to jump, a raindrop splattering on my face as soon as I look to the sky. I usher Niall back to the safety of our cave as a streak of lightning flashes across the sky. My heart sinks at the thought of being stuck inside the small cave, then the thought of not having enough food causes me to curse and look at Niall.

“Love, I have to go hunt,” I begin, and my heart tears when he gives me a sad smile.

“It’s fine,” he whispers before disappearing into the cave, and I head out to check the area for food. To my surprise, I manage to take down a rabbit and catch two fish in the stream, and I hurry to the cave as a thunder clap booms around the arena. By the time I get back, I’m soaked through and it’s a torrential downpour outside. Niall has a large fire going, and he takes my kills from me as I peel off my wet clothes, hanging them over the fire to dry. I keep my undergarments on as I crawl into the sleeping bag, not wanting Niall to see the blush on my face after I saw him looking at me as I changed. He has a shy smile on his face as he eats a package of dried beef, his own backpack filled with supplies left over from the Careers.

I close my eyes, slithering farther into the sleeping bag. “Niall?” I ask, knowing he’ll want time to himself to mourn. He turns to me, his eyes still red but a smile plastered onto his face.

“Yes, Lauren?” he answers, and I smile tiredly back at him as I open my eyes.

“Can you take watch for a little while?”

He nods, turning back to the fire. “Of course I can, dear,” he replies, his eyes flickering to my face. I feel the blood rush to my face as he smiles at me.

“Thank you,” I croak, then I close my eyes once more and I let sleep drag me under. I toss and turn as the nightmare of Harry’s death haunts me at every corner, his face bloodied and mouth formed in a silent cry for help. I wake up, gasping for air as I look around in panic, realizing that I’m in reality. Niall is kneeling by me, his face worried, and now I truly realize just how close he is with his hand resting on mine.

“You were crying,” he whispers, stroking my cheek that feels damp with new tears. I blush and try to cover up, but his hand rests on my shoulder and I slowly raise my eyes to meet his. He leans close to me and kisses me, his lips gentle against mine as I raise my hands to rest them on his shoulders, smiling as he relaxes at my touch.

“It was horrible,” I admit, shuddering at the thought.

Niall kisses my forehead before going to get my dried clothes, and he kneels by me.“I already told you. My loved ones will never be hurt as long as they’re with me. You’ll be safe,” he whispers, then he kisses me before I quickly change, in the sleeping bag, into warm clothes.

We watch the announcements after eating the fish for dinner, and for a brief moment I relax at the sight of Rose from District 2 dead. Then it shows the girl from 5 and Harry of District 11 before the sky goes black. I sit next to Niall as he sleeps, his face relaxing as I stroke back his blonde hair. I keep alert through the night, silently thinking of how we were going to ever win these Games with that monster, Thread, on the loose.