One Lucky Winner

Chapter 72 ~ Bilbo

Day 7
9:34 PM

I wander around, tired yet determined. I still haven't found Hermione or Tris. One of them should have the ring, according to my plan.

A fear still pricks in my mind. What if Katniss really did have the ring? That would be horrible; I would have to hunt her down again and stalk her. I don't want to do that.

It's very dark out, I suddenly realize. I stop walking and decide if I should stop for the day. I'm tired, but I also promised myself I'd find the two other girls today.

After standing there and thinking about it, my fatigue takes control and I lay down where I am. I have tomorrow to look. I'm sure Katniss and Hermione are around. I'll find them tomorrow.

I use my backpack as a pillow. I'm just starting to drift off when I hear a cannon. I look up in the sky and see one of the two people I really hoped it wouldn't be.

Hermione.

I don't care about her at all. I haven't said a word to her. But if she has the ring, it goes to the Capitol with her. It's out of my reach then.

I jump up, suddenly fully awake. I need to find her. I need to find her before they take her.

I take off running. I'm not very fast, but it seems that way because my mind is racing. If they take her, they take the ring. Then the ring is gone forever. I can't let it be that way, because I'm having serious withdrawal from it and I don't know why.

I could win, if I find the ring. I have enough to survive. Enough food, enough supplies. I'm not injured at all. I'm perfectly fine except for the intense need for the ring. If I find the ring, I could win. I'd disappear and kill people while I'm invisible, and then I would win. I would go back. I would go back home to my hobbit hole and my books and my garden...

I sprint harder, feeling fast but probably looking very ridiculous. I need to find Hermione before they take her. I remember someone telling me in the Capitol that, once someone dies, they leave the dead body there for a few minutes, then they come and take it away. But, if someone is within 500 feet of the dead tribute, then they have to wait until everyone's more than 500 feet away. I'm pretty sure it's been more than a few minutes since Hermione died, so someone must be within 500 feet of her. Good. That's good. I pray that whoever it is will stay there until I get to her.

Minutes pass. I still run, looking for her. I didn't see the giant claw come and take her yet, so someone still must be within 500 feet of her. Maybe it's me...

Or maybe not. Maybe she's on the other side of the arena. Maybe I'm running the wrong way, completely opposite of her. Maybe I'll never get to my ring. Then I won't win. I will never see my hobbit hole or my garden or my books ever again.

My mind immediately turns my attitude around. It might be me that's causing the gamemakers to not pick her up. I could be very near her. It very well could be me, unless she has some allies that are still grieving by her. But she died 10 minutes ago, or something close to that. I'm sure the allies she may have had moved on. And, she might not even have the ring. I still haven't found and spied on Tris yet. She could have it, too.

A cannon interrupts my thoughts. I stop running and look up. There's this random guy in the sky named Newt. I remember seeing him around a few times. He soon disappears.

I take this dead person as a sign to take a quick break. I bend over and try to catch my breath. I stay like this for 20 seconds, then I force myself to keep going.