The Ninth Hunger Games

Chapter Five

In the morning we made our slowly back down to the ground. I slipped two times, but Catalina caught me. What does she have to gain by helping me? I thought.

We walked all around the forest. It was interesting being teamed up with Catalina: she knew every tree in the forest, and had a vast knowledge of nature.

"And you don't want to pick that, Paris. It's poisonous," she warned me when I tried to grab a dark red berry off of a nearby tree.

"Right, poison. Thanks, Catalina," I said, truly grateful.

We heard a piercing scream from somewhere to the left. "Come on!" Catalina said, dashing into the woods, giving me no time to decide whether or not to follow.

It was Emma. The Careers had her cornered. "Go on then, Morgan. Kill her," Nemo said in a very casual way.

Morgan raised his sword and, in one blow, killed the bouncy blonde.

"Emma Storm, District Twelve." Boomed out the intercom voice.

Nickolas laughed and high fived Morgan. "Good job! Let's go get Rosebud!"

"No!" Snapped Nemo, he was getting agitated with his comrades. "We're going after Giovanna next and you," he pointed at Nickolas. "Can kill her."

Nickolas turned ghost white. "I-I've already killed somebody. It's your turn," he said to Nemo.

"What? You're afraid of a little girl?" Nemo asked him. "She's only seven. It'll be easy, Nick. Just wait and see." The Careers marched off.

Catalina jumped out of the underbrush and looked at Emma. "If she had run faster, she wouldn't have died second," she said. "Let's keep going." She marched back off into the woods. I gave Emma one last glance. If only she'd run faster. I'm sure she would've been in the final four, but she didn't run fast enough. I thought before marching off after Catalina.

* * * * * * * * * * *

It was midday and I was starving. "Can we eat, Catalina?" I asked for the umpteenth time.

She sighed. "I suppose so." She said.

I smiled and gratefully devoured two slices of bread.

"Eat and walk, Paris," she said, walking down to the river side. This was as far as the course went. We weren't allowed to cross the river.

"What now?" I asked, sitting down on a rock to finish my not-so-delicious lunch of bread.

She sighed and turned around, a smooth, flat rock in her hand. She froze when she saw something up on the bank. "Paris, move!" Catalina yelled, throwing her rock at whatever it was.

I dove into the icy cold water, dragging my bag along with me. I swam up the current and, when I was a good distance away, got onto the bank to see what was happening.

Catalina was being attacked by the Careers. Nickolas and Morgan pushed her into the water and waited for her to come back up. She didn't.

"Catalina Strait, District Seven."

Nemo was looking through her bag. "A first aid kit, some chestnuts, and an apple. She was traveling light."

"What about her companion?" Morgan asked. "Shouldn't we be looking for her?"

Nemo shook his head. "If Paris isn't dead by now, she will be soon. Hypothermia sets in quick. Now come on," he started back up the bank. "We're looking for Giovanna."

The Careers left, and I sat shivering beside the river. Catalina, Emma, and Marlee were dead. This left seven competitors. One of which I could never bring myself to kill.

I shook myself off and walked slowly towards the barn. I had just lost my ally. But had she really been my ally? What was the point of her befriending me?

I made it to the barn just as the sun was setting. I climbed up into the hayloft and collapsed. It was so warm up here. I could inventory my supplies later. Right now, all I could do was sleep.