-Chapter 9
18.18 already dead. The first thing that comes to my mind is, who survived? Or who didn't? Did Maysilee get away from the cornucopia safely? Did the other tributes from 12 make it? What about Percy? Or Willow? I'll find out tonight. Every night in the arena, the game makers put a giant screen into the sky and show pictures of the tributes who died that day. Back at home, on T.V, we'd be getting full coverage on each death. We'd be shown everything that happened. But here in the arena, us tributes only get simple head shots with a district number below them. It's said to be an unfair advantage to the tributes to see how they were killed and who killed them. For example, if I killed somebody, my secret would be broad-casted to all the tributes. So tonight I'll just see pictures of who died.
When I turned around, I also noticed something else. When I was using my knife to slash through things, I created an obvious trail of twigs, leaves, and all the other destruction I left in my path. I have to be careful from now on. I can only slash things that are impossible to pass through and won't give me away.
My pace slows very quickly, since I now have to duck or go around thick branches to get through. I look up and notice it's starting to get pretty dim. I've been traveling for, what........5.........6 hours? I don't know. But judging by the sun I think it might be about 7:00 pm. My family must be glad to see that I've made it this far and still alive. My mother, older sister, and even my girlfriend. Oh, yeah I guess I should tell you the truth now.
I lied about my father. He was never there to say goodbye to me. It was my mother and my sister who were there. My dad died in the mines when I was only 2 years old. Sometimes I just pretend that he's still around. My mother says that my sister looks exactly like him, so sometimes when I look at her, I see my father. I forget that he's not really there, that it's just her. But then again, we all live in the seam, the poorest part of district 12 and have that seam look to us. Olive skin. Gray eyes.
But what really shows the resemblance in my father and sister, is their dark auburn hair. I got blond hair, from my mom. My girlfriend, on the other hand, has tanner skin. She has bluish, grayish eyes. She has light brown, straight, long hair. But you can still tell that she is from the seam. Her name is Autumn. I can tell she's been crying.
Now as I walk, the foliage is getting thinner so I don't have to use my knife anymore, but I keep it out for protection. I need to find a place to set up camp for the night. I pick a little circle of grass surrounded by some big shrubs and bushes. Almost perfect concealment. I decide to eat something. I take out the small container of food and eat some dried fruit and then sip some more water. I get out the blanket and put on the jacket since is is pretty cold. The game makers will be showing today's death toll soon, so I don't try to fall asleep just yet.
About 15 minutes go by. 30 minutes. 40. 50. Then after about an hour, I hear the anthem. Looking up at the peaceful night sky, I see the capitol seal. Then a giant screen is projected across the sky. The first face to come up is the boy from 3. That means the tributes from 1 and 2 are alive. Next, the other boy from district 3, and one of the girls.
After that, it shows both girls from district 5. So all the careers made it. No surprise there. One boy from 6. Next is the girl from 7! But I let out a sigh of relief because it's the other girl, not Willow. Next is, wow, all of the tributes from 8. Then Percy from 9! He died. I forced myself to stay calm by reminding myself that he has to die if I am going to make it home, right? True, but still, Its not like I am going to win anyway.
Next up is one girl from 9. Both boys from 10. One of the boys from 11.The other boy from 12, and Maysilee made it! The other girl from 12 didn't though. But I am so glad to know Maysilee is okay! Well, I shouldn't say okay. At least she is alive. Who knows? She could have wounds or be starving, or dehydrated, or - honestly, the possibilities are endless here in the arena.
Then, the anthem stops, the capitol seal goes away, and the sky goes black. I lie down under the blanket. I shut my eyes and fall asleep. Surprisingly, the dreams aren't horrifying. I dream about my family back home. I see my father again, going down into the mines. He's working with a smile on his face. But then I hear yells. My father looks up, there's a loud noise, and then the explosions go off.
I wake up with a start. I realize it was only a dream. But it wasn't. It was real. Just not happening at this moment in time. It's early morning and there's a thin fog throughout the forest. But it's clear enough to see through easily. I put the blanket in my pack. A twig snaps. I turn around and see 3 fluffy golden squirrels staring at me. One of them makes a sound that's somewhere between a hiss and a growl. That's when I notice their razor sharp, carnivorous teeth.
It takes all my will to stay calm and stay still. My mind is screaming at me telling me to run and panic. At first we just sit there, staring each other down. Then, I very slowly inch my hand toward my pack. I slowly put it on my back. That took a whole minute. My eyes look ahead of me and I see my sword, lying on the ground, about a foot away from me, about 3 feet away from the squirrels.
We sit there, frozen in time. Then, my hand darts for the sword, one squirrel lunges, but a brief second to late, because it charges right onto the tip of the sword. The squirrels blood splatters my face as it gets impaled. I jump up and dash away, as fast as I can. But the other 2 squirrels are just as fast. Thorns and branches scrape my face. One of the squirrels is running right beside me now.
I grab the dead squirrel that was impaled earlier on my sword, slide it off the tip, and throw it at the other squirrel. The impact sends the squirrel tumbling behind me. It won't hold it for long, but it will buy me some time. Just then, the other squirrel jumps on my back and I feel an excruciating pain as 2 of its claws slices my back. "AAAAAGGHHHHHH!!" I scream in pain.
I start jabbing at the squirrel blindly with my fists. I must have hit something hard because the squirrel lets out a squeal and falls off my back. I immediately turn around and start stabbing it over and over again with my sword until I'm sure it's dead.
My hand then goes to my back. It comes away covered in blood. But then I remember that there's still one squirrel left. I stand there waiting. Not moving at all and listening and watching. But nothing comes. I hear rustling in the tree above me and I slowly move my head up. The last squirrel jumps down on my face and I fall backward, sending waves of pain through my back.
I put my hands to my face trying to get the squirrel off. But it's claws sank into my head too much. Something other than blood enters my mouth. One of the squirrels feet. I bite it so hard I may have cracked a tooth. The squirrel springs off my face and makes a high pitched yelp. I knock it in mid air to the ground with my fist, stand up, and impale it right through the heart with my sword.
I breath heavily trying to catch my breath, but its full of blood and fur. I sink to my knees. My forehead is starting to bleed more and more. I swiftly take off the jacket, the sweatshirt, the T-shirt, and the undershirt all at once even though it hurts horribly. My forehead is pounding and I know I'm going to go unconscious. I rip the undershirt in half. I need to hurry. I tie the bottom half around my back where the claws cut scraped. It starts to feel soggy almost right away, but it will do. I'm starting to feel woozy. I take the top half and tie it around my forehead before the blood starts to fill my eyes. I register one more thought - My food and water are still at the place I slept - before I black out.
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-End of chapter 9. I really really really hope you guys liked it because it took me FOREVER to make. First, I went to type it, I got 2 hours of it done, then, the internet froze and everything was gone! So I had to take another 2hours to rewrite it, and another hour to finish what I didn't write the first time!!! But, anyway, I hope it was good.I hope you liked it was longer. KEEP UPDATING :)
