Run or Die (sequel to A Career)

Chpt 4

We passed district eleven and went east. I wasn't sure of where we were. Everything looked kind of the same in the forest. The morning light shined brightly through the forest's leaves. April and Flora still slept. I promised to take morning watch. Sweat trickled down my face. My clothes were dirty and worn. My skin was dry and cracked from running and working nonstop.

We slept in a tree like always. April's once beautiful wavy red hair was tangled and ratted up. Flora's sleek black hair was pancaked with mud. They both had scars, bruises, dark circles under their eyes, and skinnier then they were then in the games. They looked better in The Hunger Games then now. I probably looked worse. I twirled my trident necklace between my fingers. I heard running and growling.

"Flora! April! Get up!" I shoved them around.

"What?" Flora moaned.

"So something's coming." I hissed. They quickly readied their weapons. I heard human and animal feet running.

"Help!" A young voice shouted obviously panicked. I saw a boy run by. Chased by muts. Two of them. They looked like mutated dogs. Except they had human like features.

"Oh my god." Flora muttered. April stared in horror. Wow that boy was fast. I had to save him.

"Don't you think about it Analisse! You'll die to!" April warned. I ignored April and leaped down from branch to branch. I hit the ground and ran after the muts and boy.

"Help me!" The boy screeched without looking back most likely he didn't see me. I ran with my trident in hand. I stabbed one in the neck and it dropped dead. The boy fell to the ground.

The mut loomed over him. I threw a spear that was tied to my back. It skimmed the mut's side. The mut turned to me and growled. It leaped at me snapping its massive jaws. I stabbed at it repeatedly. I threw the trident into its head and the mut let out one last whimper then fell. I ripped the trident mercilessly from it's head then walked to the boy who shook in fear on the ground.

"Are you ok?" I asked and laid my trident off to the side.

"Yeah. Thanks. My name is Marco Highpoint." The boy informed. He had curly honey brown hair and bright green eyes. His clothing was dirty but much better than mine, he wore a leather belt with a dagger and rope. Neither good to fight off muts.

"I'm Analisse." I informed. Marco flashed a big goofy smile, he looked younger than me. Then again. I thought April was younger than me when she was actually older. His smile looked like Toby's. Childish,caring, smart, and bright. Marco's eyes widened in fear.

"Analisse!" Marco shouted. I turned to see a mut barreling towards me. I couldn't reach for my trident the mut was too fast. Time felt like sap falling from a maple tree. Slow and sticky. I could already see my unfortunate death and the innocent Marco's death. I grabbed his arm in fear. When the mut suddenly fell. An arrow stuck out of its back. Time sped up again.

"Analisse. You can't lower your guard like that dummy." April taunted then plucked the arrow from it.

"Oh shut up." I rolled my eyes. Flora nimbly leaped down the tree and stood beside April. I stood up and helped Marco.

"Thank you." Marco thanked. "Why are you three out here anyways?"

"We're running away." April informed.

"From where? District four?" Marco asked.

"And two." Flora added.

"And seven." April added.

"But- how?" Marco looked at us nervously. He glanced at me then saw my necklace. "No way...you're the victor Annalisse Brey a-and they were you're allies April and Flora...but aren't they-"