Garden of Eden

Chapter 12

The last remaining female tribute from 11 is the first to appear in the night sky. Then it's her partner also from 11. I inhale sharply through clenched teeth as the sound of three cannons echo off in my mind, nothing but a distant ghost of a memory from earlier today. One more death is yet to be announced publicly to us surviving tributes.

I had just about come to the conclusion of who it is when the face of Evelyn Vinsmoke of District 12 appears in the night sky. Her face is soon replaced with that of the Capitol seal. The final music is played before there is darkness and silence once again.

Seeing Evelyn's face in the night sky renders me absolutely gobsmacked and speechless for a minute or two, which is just as well for there would be absolutely no merit to being heard by any other tribute lurking about in the general vicinity.

Calling it a day, I hobble cautiously on my bad leg towards the fallen branches. I drag them in front of the hallow tree and squeeze in myself before covering up the entrance with the branches, making it blend into the natural environment as much as possible. It certainly wouldn't do to be found, trapped in from all sides like a cornered mouse. It is a little bit of a tight squeeze but nonetheless more comfortable than being exposed out there; in the openness of the dense woods.

With the safety and protection of a little hideout, I allow myself to sleep immediately rather than staying up as long as possible. A bitter breeze seeps through the gaps in the tree, resulting in me using the Capitol-issued camouflage thermo jacket as a blanket. It doesn't take long before sleep and fatigue quickly overcomes my weary body. The image of Evelyn's slowly fading face is the last thing that my conscious mind is able to bring up before I fall asleep.

The sheer force of the ground shaking is what wakes me up early the next day. These earthquakes have been getting more and more frequent and much more violent over time. Poking my head cautiously out the small gap I am greeted with nothing but chilly mist everywhere. The fine fog is so thick that it is nearly impossible to see the next tree over. The surrounding mist actually makes it impossible to see even the forest floor it is so heavy. My eyes make out eerily dark shadows through the fog that I am really hoping is just my imagination, paranoia, and fatigue playing mental tricks on me.

Already it looks as though one to two hours have passed since the start of dawn. Usually I would be up and travelling by now but the mist makes trekking out in the woods extremely perilous. My sprained foot makes me even more so reluctant to head out just yet. So instead of braving the mist I furl up on my side and catch up on some sleep, wrapped up snugly in the comfort of my thermo jacket once more.

After two or three more hours of much needed sleep I wake up more alert than ever I have been upon entering the arena. My senses seem to be almost over heightened. It really is fascinating just how much even an hour more of sleep can do for the weak body. Unable to ignore my growling stomach any longer I decide to eat two pieces of fruit. Shortly after that small breakfast it is time to scout the outside world yet again.

By now most of the eerie mist seems to have cleared off; or at the very least thinned out significantly. Gloomy dark grey clouds roll across the vast sky, discernible only through the gaps between the leaves and branches that make up the dense forest ceiling. My face breaks into an inexorable but weary grin at the sight. Grey clouds equal rain. Rain equals water!

Surely the Gamemakers will show some mercy and give us some source of drinkable water. Nothing more so boring for the Capitol audience than watching tributes all die of dehydration.

The timing couldn't possibly be any better. After spending precious water on cleaning out my bloody wound, the supply is now dangerously low. The sight of those grey clouds instantly has me motivated and wanting to get out in order find the perfect and ideal place to collect maximum rainwater when it does finally come pouring down. The fast rolling clouds are such a dark shade of grey to the point of being black. But that small detail doesn't deter me in the least.