The 73rd Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 18- Crazy Ideas

I watched as the sun sunk quickly down the late sky. The stars began to show, and I started looking at all of the constellations, and without knowing it, I also seeked out the ones that Cyrus showed me too.

I sighed, picked up my belongings, and started walking further away from where I last saw Cyrus. I turn away from the river's shoreline, and take off walking horizontally through the forest.

I stumbled across one of the biggest trees that I've seen yet, and started climbing. I climbed up to about midway up the tree, and decided that here is as good as a place as any.

I sat in the tree, the coldness settling like the night. I made sure that Cyrus kept the sleeping bag, and not me. If either of us deserves to make it home, it's him, not me. He's got so much more to live for than I do.

I stared at the moon, knowing it  to be useless to even try to sleep before the anthem plays. As if on cue, reading my thoughts, the anthem blares, and the Capitol's seal appears in the midnight sky. No faces appear in the sky tonight.

I count the number of tributes remaining. Cyrus and I, and Kyle  which makes 3. Then there's both tributes from District 2, Aries and Caiti, and then there's one tribute, Denim, from District 1. That makes 6.

And the Gamemakers must be getting bored and restless, since no one has died today.

And with that reassuring thought, I slowly drift off to sleep.

~~~---~~~

I wake up to the sensation of falling. Scratch that, it's not just a sensation, I'm falling out of the tree!

I get cut up and bruised by limbs and branches, and I'm being pummled to the ground.

I land on my feet, immediately breaking into a somersault to break my fall. It doesn't help like it should.

So here I am, laying on the ground, woozy and nausiated, scratched and bruised, inwardly cursing, one ankle hurting and the other just fine, and it's about 5:00 in the morning.

I dizzily stand up, and look up in the tree. My net, trident, jacket, and food are all still up there. So I groggily climb, one foot in front of the other, barely hanging on.

I get to my supplies before I realize it, and almost fall out of the tree again. I slowly sit down on a branch, and rest my head on the sturdy trunk beside me. I rest for a minute, regaining my sharpness, then I pull out one of my last cooked fish and eat it cold. I drink a mouthful of water, then go about climbing down the tree. I hook my trident in my belt, then get a bright idea. I pull out my vine rope, and attach it to my Capitol net, which is holding all of my fish in it. I put all of my supplies in the net, then fashion a bit of a pulley system. I put the vine over a branch, and attach the end to my belt. I slowly but surely lower my supplies down. Once they touch the ground, I de-attach the vine from my belt, and climb slowly down the tree.

Since I've decided that no matter what happens, that this will be my last day in the arena, I go  ahead and eat another fish, and drink the rest of my water. I trek along in the woods until I find a good hiding spot, which in my case, is a hollowed out tree trunk. I put all of my supplies, except for my trident in it, and cover them with leaves. In case I need them for later.

Then, I climb up as high as I can in one of the nearby pine trees, and look out. I'm about 100 feet from the cornucopia, and about 50 feet left of the river. With great relish, I see that the careers have made their camp in the Cornucopia. Now, the only person left in the arena that I don't know where they're at, is Cyrus.

I wish I knew. I run my fingers over the leather cord of my shark tooth necklace, wondering what will be my next move. I get a crazy idea. Hilariously crazy.

But I think I'll do it.

"What is your idea?" You may be asking.

"Well, if you'd stop being so intrudent and facecious, I'd tell you!" Is my heartfelt response.

See, my idea is to storm the career's camp, and take out as many as I can, so Cyrus has a better chance of winning.

Now I've talked myself into it. Great.

I pick up my trident, and carry it with me. I make myself to the river,and start swimming down it. Well, it is the fastest way to the Cornucopia.

So I swim, and swim, and swim, eyes open for even the smallest sign of Cyrus's presence. But it seems that as soon as we said our goodbyes, he melted into the forest, disappearing.

As I see the cornucopia growing closer, I become more eager to fight the careers, which is starting to scare me.

I look around, making my routine check for Cyrus, and I'm startled to see a familiar face in the woods. I double take, and see him again.

I quickly jump out of the river, and run to where I saw him from the river, but he's gone. We're in the tropical forest section of the arena now.

I look down, and see his footsteps. I follow them, eager to find him. I know it was him, I saw it as plain as day.

But why on earth is he here?

I sprint, intent on catching up with him, and I see the unnatural grey of the tributes' arena clothes.

"Wait!" I call out, into the woods, and he stops.

He turns around, a smile breaking out on his face, and I run up to him and he embraces me in a hug. I hear his familliar heartbeat, reminding me of home.

For the person that I've been chasing through the woods, ever since I saw him from the river, is..........

It's Ray.