The Capitol Games

Chapter 15: Unexpected Visitors

I groan in my sleep as something shakes my arm. No, not something, someone. I lazily open my left eye, yawning, still half asleep. I see the worry on Flávio's face and I sit up, concerned. I spy a body on the ground a few feet away. It wasn't Aiyana, they had taken her away earlier.
I crawl on my knees over to the body, checking for a pulse. I can hear a faint heartbeat and some light breathing. I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding, relieved that it's not another corpse. I glance over the body, my eyes coming to rest on three large, puss filled welts on the person's abdomen. They look infected, nasty little things. Well, nasty is an understatement, as well as little.
"Who is he?" I ask, barely seeing with only the light of the moon.
"I'm not sure, but he was mumbling your name earlier. I figured it was best to wake you." Flávio replies, coming up beside me.
I move up towards his face and brush the dirty, tangled locks of hair away.
It's Dart.
"We used to be allies. He means nothing to me anymore." I say, and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I know that's a lie. He means something to me. What that is, I'm not sure, but I know he's important to me. They're both important to me.
"Who is he?" Flávio asks, studying Dart's face.
"His name's Dart Huyover. He's from the same 'district' as me. He lived in the same building as me before the war. I avoided him as much as I could. He's bad news, we should just leave him." I say, turning my head from Dart's face, looking at Flávio instead.
"Leave me, eh, Babe?" A scratchy, dry through croaks out.
"Don't call me babe. And I thought you were in a coma or hallucinating or something." I snap, not bothering to look at him, avoiding Flávio's gaze as well.
"Who's this guy? Did he kidnap you? Don't worry, he'll be dead soon, so I guess it doesn't really matter who he is." Dart says, wincing as he sits up.
"He didn't kidnap me. Well, he did, but not anymore. You're in no position to be killing anyone, your stomach looks nasty." I say, finally looking at Dart. Dart just looks back at me, eyes catching the light of the moon, showing hurt, pain, and confusion.
"Well, aren't you going to patch me up? After all, you owe me." Dart says, his face showing no emotion, but his eyes revealing more every second I look at them.
" I owe you nothing. We're even, now, if you don't want to die, I suggest you start running." I spit, my feet suddenly becoming the most important thing in the world.
A beeping noise breaks us out of our staring matches between me and my feet and Dart and Flávio. My head snaps up to look out of the cornucopia, seeing a silver canister floating down on its parachute.
It's going to land in the water. Too far from the edge to reach out from land. Someone would have to swim.
"Anyone know how to swim?" My voice was quiet, my eyes still not believing the small thermos shaped container floating from the sky.
No replies. Guess I'm getting it then. I stand to retrieve the can, and as I'm walking down the path of jagged rocks, and arrow whizzed past my ear, narrowly missing my head.
I cry out in surprise, loosing my footing and slipping into the freezing water, cutting open my foot in the process. The salty water stings my eyes and cuts, and chokes my throat as I swallow some involuntarily.
I struggle to the surface, until something heavy pulls me back under with it. The wind is knocked out of me, and I start choking on the water, my lungs burning for air.
I force open my eyes to see a large dark shape, a boy. He has a spear, and as he brings it back to strike, I kick him in the gut, propelling myself forward. I gasp in a big mouthful of water, coughing on it and try to force it out of my mouth. My lungs are on fire now, burning with intensity. I can't feel my limbs, and I'm so cold. I break through to the surface and gulp in air, my lungs welcoming it with open arms.
I'm dragged back from the edge of the water by a large hand, another pulling knife and putting it to my neck, almost slicing the skin.
I aim a sharp kick backwards and am released immediately. I start trying to swim to the shore, but my teeth are chattering, I'm so cold, I can't feel my arms or legs, and I can see the tips of my fingers are taking on a bluish hue.
Hypothermia.
I shudder for the millionth time and attempt once more to exit the water, this time having a helping hand from Flávio. Just I escape the water, Flávio is pushed in by a girl with lime green skin and hair.
The knife plunges into her neck immediately, gushes of blood pouring out. The knife I stole from the boy. The knife I was holding. I release my grip on the knife and watch mercilessly as she gasps for air, falling backwards into the water. I snap out of the trance, wiping the sadistic smile off my face. I turn to the water and look for Flávio, freezing cold but concerned for him.
I spot him struggling towards me, the boy on his tail. Reaching out my numb and slick hands, I help him onshore only to have him ripped from my hands as the boy drags him back, pulling him back in the water. I fall forward, almost falling into the water, if Dart hadn't caught me.
He pulls me back, holding onto my middle. I thrash around, trying to wiggle out of his grip to save Flávio. I scratch him with my nails, breaking free from his grasp. I dive into the water, thinking I'm crazy even as I do so. I begin wrestling with the boy who has another knife. A deep cut in my upper right arm, and that's it. I grab his hand and try to pry open his fingers, biting his forearm to make him release his grip. I clutch the knife tight and plunge it into his stomach, removing it and carving deep cuts in his face as he dies, screaming in pain. I giggle quietly and smile, not a happy smile, an insane one.
I don't realize it until I'm on land, but I've been freezing in the subzero water for far too long to not have hypothermia. There's ringing in my ears as I stare at the blue sky, freckled with clouds and patches of sunlight.
I close my eyes slowly, sleep taking over. I hear someone yell my name, but I'm too far into unconsciousness to answer back.