Hope and Nightmares - A Hunger Games Fanfiction

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I follow the creek, swiftly yet quietly, as the late afternoon declines into nightfall.

Parachute in one hand, knife in the other, I am praying to myself that this plan will work.

I had prepared a nice little fruit salad for the Careers. Thatcher aided me when selecting which greens, fruits, and berries to put in, which ones smelled the best together, which ones looked the most appetizing. When I roasted our lunch that day, which was a bunny rabbit, I scraped off the black parts and ground it up to sprinkle over the collection of fruits lightly, to make it look like pepper or a spice of some sort. I even added a finishing touch by grinding up nightlock and watering it down to make a tasty yet deadly dressing.

I'll admit, it looks pretty good. I had to stop myself from indulging in the juicy fruits myself.

It takes hours to get back to the original Career campsite, and I made Thatcher hang back to guard the cave. And even though neither of us said it, if something happened, at least there's one of us left to win.

Soon, the scenery is starting to look familiar again. The creek deepens, and I can see the banks of the lake through the thin spreading of pine trees. I am careful to watch where I step, not to snap any twigs.

I soon come up to a familiar gathering of bushes, the spot where I distinctly remember hiding behind before going in to kill the girl from 4. I remember why - it's perfect cover. The way that the branches are spread apart offers concealment to any watching eyes but the arrangement of the bushes allows for a perfect spying position.

I crouch down low, holding my breath even though they would never be able to hear it from this distance.

Through the brush, I have a clear view of the Career campsite. A wave of relief washes over me as I make out multiple huddling figures near a blooming fire.

When I count five figures, I'm momentarily confused. After I killed the girl from 4 and Flint, that left only Priscilla, Trexler, and Myles. The only other tributes left besides me and Thatcher are the girl from 6 and the two cousins from 9. I identify the three original Careers from the chatter drifting from their campsite, then a husky female voice and a booming male's. I peg them down as the cousins.

Now the real obstacle is getting the parachute to them. I can't just set it down near their camp while they're awake - plus the sun hasn't completely set yet. My options are to climb a tree and send it down to them during the anthem, or set it near the camp while they're all sleeping.

My plan B is soon shot down. "Do you want me to take first watch?" I've got to send it down during the anthem, unless a distraction provides another opportunity.

As the sun sinks out of sight and darkness starts to creep out over the arena, I analyze my tree options and climb the one next to me as silently as possible. I'm at least thirty yards away, and some of the figures have already laid down and started to doze off, but the silence of the night would expose me if I make too much noise.

I reach a point in the tree where I'd be able to climb over to the branch of the next tree with ease. I place my foot in one of the footholds of the ancient
tree, and...

I loose my foothold, the side of my boot scraping down the coarse bark. I cringe as the sound alerts Trexler, who was taking first watch.

His bulky figure bolts up with unexpected spryness. Through the thick mass of branches, I can vaguely see his unpleasant face illuminated by the fire.

I am silent. The branches offer protection of being spotted, but if I do as much as breathe too loud, I'm at risk of detection.

Twigs and leaves crunch under his feet as he comes up below me.