The 73rd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 13- We are Like Murderers

Cyrus and I silently sat down where we were at, after I picked up the trident. I sat it on my lap and watched as the hovercraft came and picked up Asterid's body. After the hovercraft was gone, Cyrus and I just continued sitting there without a word. THe silence was consuming us like a wave, taking over, addicting us. As I pondered the great mysteries of silence, Cyrus finally spoke up. "What do you say we get out of this jungle and in to the pine forest?"

"Why?' I asked him, though I'm pretty sure I knew the answer already. It wasn't hard to figure.

"Because everything in this jungle is dangerous. From the plants, to the animals, to the fog." He shook his head.

"What makes you think the pine forest won't be the exact same?" I asked.

"How many cannons have you heard from that side of the river?" He asked simply.

"Okay, fine. It is a good idea, in heinsight. Are we going to cross straight through the river, or walk all the way back to the COrnucopia, and go across there?" I asked.

"Well, crossing the river here is faster, but if we go down there, we can see if they left any supplies at the Cornucopia," Cyrus said. "And now that we're both armed with weapons of our expertise, we'll stand more of a chance. Easier to win with less people."

"Okay," I said. "That sounds like the besst plan I've heard yet. I think we should travel as much as we can before sleeping, though," I said.

"Okay." We gathered together all of our things, including the backpack and the fishing nets. I made sure that my shark-tooth necklace was still on my neck, ate a fish, drank water, and we set off.

We walked for about five minutes out, until Cyrus flat keeled-over, and I sighed in frustration. We're such an easy target.

"Wake up," I said, shaking him.

"Whaa-?" He asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"At least get out of the open, dolt," I said. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Well sorry that my heart already stopped beating today, then started again. My bad," He said grudgingly, sarcastically.

THen, he made me feel bad, so I stumbled, half-carrying him into a dense wooded area of the jungle. I hid us behind an outcropping of rocks and shrubbery, then I kept watch while Cyrus slept.

I must've been really tired, though, because I fell asleep in the middle of my shift.

~~~----~~~

When I woke up, the bright sun was gleaming in midday heat across the Capitol skyline. I squinted, knowing  it'd be hot today.

I woke Cyrus, eager to get moving. He was still groggy, but I splashed him. Youd've thought I tried to kill him from the look he gave me.

"Wow. You're so nice, Caspia." He smirked, stressing the last three letters of my name, knowing I only liked to be called Cass.

"I could say the same thing for you, zombie. Once dead, now living." I said cleverly. He rolled his eyes as we ate some of our dwindling rations and drank some water.

We picked up our already-packed belongings, and started following the stream towards the Cornucopia.

A thought struck me. "I never got to teach you how to swim!" I said.

"So? I don't need to know how to swim." He said. "I'm already talented enought as it is."

"Yeah, yeah, yeahh, Mr. Bigshot." I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, you can teach me when we get to the Cornucopia." He caved.

I fist-pumped, yet my mind wandered to other things, like what my parents wee doing now. Maybe my being in the Games brought them together. And how is Dad coping without me? Is he okay? What about Ray? Somehow, it seemed rude to think about him by Cyrus. I'm not sure why.

I Was so deep in thought, I almost got ran over by the Careers. Cyrus yanked my arm behind a bush we were walking beside as the Careers passed by. How he had the wherewithal to do that, I'm not entirely sure.

The Careers were talking, and I caught some phrases. "Kill that witch.... Stole our most important weapon... To attack the girl we wanted on our side.... won' t let her... our kill..."

I won't tell you how frightened I was, not because I was much too afraid, but that I'm afraid it might be too stron gof language.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Cyrus said.

I knew what he meant. If the Careers were here, the Cornucopia can't be far.

And it wasn't. It took us about a half an hour to walk there, and to our dismay, it was obviously empty. The Careers were truly savages, taking everything.

"Well, now I wish we'd swam," Cyrus said. I perked up at the word swam, though, because I'd be teaching Cyrus how to soon.

"Time for water 101 with Cass,"  I said quietly.

Cyrus rolled his eyes at me, and I pushed him into the water. He easily reached the bottom of the water with his feet.

I slipped in too, feeling the relief of the cool water on my hot skin. I kept the trident in my belt loop, though, because I wasn't taking any chances.

"Now, just wave your arms when..."  For the next two or so hours, I taught Cyrus techniques of swimming, I was surprised when no enemies showed their faces.

I was finishing up teaching Cyrus. "So, when you are under water, make sure to cup your hands for more momentum."

"Okay, okay, Mrs. District 4." He smiled.

"Whatever you say, Mr. DIstrict 5." I smiled back.

He kicked water in my face, and I splashed water back at  him. We engaged into a full-force water war. I kicked water at him, then he splashed water at me. He dunked me, and I tripped him. I laughed when I saw how the red from the blood-fog was dripping off our faces, like we were murderers. Well, I thought, We kind of are. I splashed him for one last time before he took off running towards me and hugged me as tightly as possible. I could feel a blush starting, but we were interrupted by the amthem playing as lously as possible, and a single face in the sky, the cold, steely eyes of Asterid Trane.

The sky went black. Cyrus started to let go, but I stopped him. "Don't let go. I need... I need something to hold onto so I don't lose myself completely right now."

"I know how you feel," He said. "But why don't we go set up camp somewhere. Being in the open is giving me the creeps."

"Have you ever thought about how much we have in common with criminals?"  I asked him quizzically.

"Yes, actually. I can't stop thinking about it." He said. "We are like murderers, and there's nothing we can do about it but live or die."