Through the Struggle (Through the Eyes Sequel)

Chapter 7

Kyan and I get back an hour later with a few more lizards. They're all over the place, we just haven't noticed.

Hummer and Lawson are back from securing the area. They said no one was around. Amma and Malia set up the sleeping bags for all of us, spread out over the place. I hand Malia the berries and watch as she looks at each carefully. 

"No, they're all poisonous. Was there any others you found?" She asks. I shake my head.

"We have lizards tho. I think we got four in all. We could cook those and spilt it. There's no water around for miles probably. No signs of it." Kyan says while pulling the dead lizards out of his bag.

Amma gets a fire going with the matches and we roast the lizards. I let Malia have my half. I'm not hungry yet, and I won't be for a while. My appetite has been nonexistent since Asher died. I've had to force myself to eat so I wouldn't starve.

It seems that Malia is the only one eating hers. No one else is in the mood to eat. They know what will happen. These games will be much harder and much bloodier than the others.

The sky finally begins to darken and the capital seal appears in the sky. All the careers are alive, including District Three. Both tributes from Six were killed. The District Nine girl was killed, along with the District Ten boy, and both girls from Eleven and Twelve were killed as well. Only six dead on the first day. Six. This will not be easy.

"I think we should get some sleep. We have to have our energy up." Amma says.

"I'll take first watch." I volunteer.

"I'll stay up with you." Amma suggests and I nod to thank her.

"Wake us up in a few hours so you can get some sleep too." Hummer says and Amma and I both nod.

Everyone settles into their own spots, not designated of course. I sit and lean up against a nearby tree. Amma sits on the other side of the camp, drawing pictures in the dirt with her axe.

It's completely dark now. The only light is from the moon. I look around me, trying to see if any tribute is stupid enough to set a fire. Of course, no tribute here is.

I sigh and lean my head against the tree. It's not smart to stay here in the jungle, especially with the careers after us. Tomorrow we should move to the beach, take camp there or even better, the cornucopia. It would help us see who's coming for us, if anyone would even dare to swim to get to us. Hummer could shoot them with his bow and I could throw a knife, or Lawson throw his spear. We have a lot of long range weapons. It would be the smartest decision.

I look to Amma and see her drawing a picture of a family. I can easily tell that it's her's and Kyan's. I imagine what it must be like to have an older brother. Someone to look after you, to take care of you. It gets tiring being the one that has to look after everyone; the one who has to be strong all the time. I want to be the one to have someone hold me while I'm crying. To rub my back and say, "You're okay. I'm here."

The thing I love most about my dad: he doesn't invade. But since he doesn't invade, he doesn't know when you do need someone to be there for you. He's always figured that since I'm a teenager I can handle things by myself. But I couldn't. I still can't. And Tayla was good for that, but ever since she moved to the Capital, I've forgotten what it's like to have a best friend.

I miss my secret spot. The meadow behind the training center in Two, where I could just lay on the grass and watch the clouds. I haven't been there since last year before the reapings, when the Head Trainer told me I was to volunteer.