The Hunger Games | Rilaya

The Announcement

While Riley is resting, I step outside just in time to see the parachute drop down from the sky. I quickly grab it, hoping for some medicine for Riley's leg. But instead, it was a pot of hot soup.

I nearly snort. Shawn couldn't be sending a clearer message. One kiss equals one pot of soup. I can almost hear his voice. "You're in love with her, the girl's dying. Give me something I can work with!"

And he was right. It was the only chance of getting more sponsors for medicine.

I head back inside the cave, sitting down beside the sleeping brunette. "Riley." I reach my hand out, about to shake her awake when I stop. There was a better way to do this. I kiss her awake, which startles her at first, then she smiles contently, making me feel all warm inside.

How had I ever thought that she was faking it? Her eyes told it all.

"Look what Shawn sent you." I hold up the pot.

It takes a lot of pleading and kissing, but eventually she eats all the soup. She drifts back asleep, leaving me to watch the anthem in the sky alone. No deaths but today should've still been an eventful day with the show Riley and I put on. Hopefully this means the Gamemakers will let us have a peaceful night.

I try to stay outside and keep guard but eventually I give up and slide into the sleeping bag with Riley. I spent the night lying awake, listening for any disturbance, and watching Riley sleep peacefully.

When it's dawn, I notice that Riley's fever has broken. Her temperature isn't back to normal but it's gone down a couple degrees. I step out of the cave again, gathering berries from a bush nearby.

When I get back, Riley's struggling to get up. "I woke up and you were gone. I was worried about you." She says.

"You were worried about me? Have you not seen yourself lately?" I joke, coaxing her back down into the sleeping bag.

"I thought Cato and Clove might have found you. They like to hunt at night." She says, then pauses. "They're still alive, right?"

"Yes. There's six of us left. Them, us, Thresh, and Foxface." I say. "How do you feel?"

"Better than yesterday. This is an enormous improvement over the mud. Clean clothes and medicine and a sleeping bag...and you." Riley says, starting to turn red. At first I think it's because of her fever but then realize she was just blushing.

We eat the berries I had collected in silence. But when I offer her the groosling again, she still refuses it.

"You didn't sleep." Riley says.

"I'm all right." I say, even though I felt exhausted.

"Sleep now. I'll keep watch. I'll wake you if anything happens." She says. She notices my hesitation, then says "Maya, you can't stay up forever."

"Okay. But just for a few hours." I say, lying down on top of the sleeping bag.

Riley sits next to me, leaning against the wall, her eyes on the entrance of the cave. "Go to sleep." She says gently.

When I wake up, it's already afternoon. Riley is still next to me, her position unchanged.

"Riley, you were supposed to wake me after a couple of hours." I say.

"For what? Nothing's going on here." She says. "Besides, I like watching you sleep. You don't scowl."

This, of course, makes me scowl, causing her to grin at me.

I tend to her minor wounds which are improving greatly. Then I brace myself, unwrapping her leg.

It's worse, way worse. The swelling has increased and there are red streaks showing up. Blood poisoning. Left untreated, it's deadly. The only way to heal it would be with strong medicine form the capitol. But there's no way Shawn could afford it, even if he pooled every donation with every sponsor.