The Second Annual Hunger Games (Book 2)

Twenty-Three

The water spreads in front of us until it touches the horizon. "How are we going to get across?"

He bites his lip, then takes the map from my hands. After staring at it for a moment, he hands it back and signs, there's a town just north of where we are, or I think there is. Maybe they have a boat we can borrow.

"Borrow?"

What other choice do we have?

I purse my lips then shrug. "Okay." It takes us an hour to reach a hill on the edge of the town. I spot a dock extending into the lake with a couple boats parked there. I start down the hill and motion for Talon to follow. We hide out next to a building and survey the area.

Those boats look like they haven't been used in twenty years.

"Then they won't mind us borrowing them."

Do you know how to sail a boat? He looks at me skeptically.

"Hey don't judge me, I could be an expert sailor for all you know."

Are you?

"No, but how hard can it be. We can just row it, right?"

If there's a motor I think that would be better.

I shake my head. "We can't start a motor, people will hear it, that is if those motors actually work."

Okay. So, we row out until the town's out of earshot and then we start it.

I nod. "Okay." I survey the docks one last time. They are empty. Most of the townspeople seem to be home; the sun is dipping in the sky. "Let's go."

I run to a boat that looks newer than the rest and load my pack in. Talon jumps on then helps me in. I check to make sure there's oars and then help him untie it from the dock. We push away from the dock and then start rowing. After the town grows distant Talon moves to the motor at the back of the boat.

He examines it for a moment then presses a button. It gurgling noise then dies away. He fiddles around with it pulling a rope and pressing more buttons.

I don't think we're going to get anything else out of it.

"You're probably right," I sigh.

He sits down across from me. We can take turns rowing, he signs. I'll go first. You should get some sleep.

I nod and curl up with a blanket. Soon I'm off in dreamland. I wake to the boat rocking back and forth. I sit up.

The sky has darkened with storm clouds and the currents shift all around us. Talon has tied all our supplies to the boat and is desperately trying to control the boat, but the wind beats at it, blowing it off course.

"Let me have one of the oars," I yell over the gale. "It'll be easier if we work together."

He nods and passes it over. I stick the oar back in the water and it's nearly ripped from my hand. I get a tighter hold and try again. Together we are able to keep the boat on a straighter path.

Rain begins to pound on us and I can hardly see anything. The wind blows it sideways, making it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open. A huge wave hits the boat and knocks me into the water. I scream before my head submerges. My legs and arms kick but it doesn't seem to have an effect. Finally, I break above the surface. It's not much better though. I've lost sight of the boat and all I see is water around me.

I hear a banging noise and turn in that direction. I can barely view the outline of the boat and Talon hitting his oar against the side and waving with his other arm. I swim like crazy and my oar passes in front of me. I grab onto to it and use it to propel me through the water.

A wave comes and drags me under, but I reach the surface again quickly. Another wave thrusts me toward the boat. I hold out my oar and Talon grasps it, pulling me back in the boat quickly. I cling to him, afraid to let go of the one steady thing in this water.

He holds me against him and the wind dies down a bit. The rain shifts to falling straight down again and Talon and I are able to look at each other. His eyes flicker back and forth between mine, communicating without words. I look back at him steadily as he pulls my face to his.

This kiss is the opposite of the one we shared before. I kiss him hard and long putting everything I feel into it. Eventually we break apart and hold each other for the duration of the storm.

Hey guys! How's it going? So as you can probably tell we're getting close to the end of the book. What do you think of it so far? Do you have any last predictions? Did you like this chapter? Do you think Talon finally remembered what happened on the night before the games? Let me know in the comments and if you liked this chapter please give it a vote! Thanks for reading!