Becoming Adamant [#1]

Chapter 22 - Forever In Debt

So, I’ve probably fallen asleep sometime during the night. I find myself waking up, feeling poorly rested and still dead-tired from yesterday. Just imagine it yourself: carrying backpacks for two and a 16 year old boy on one shoulder at the same time. I’d actually consider myself having a problem if I hadn’t ever fallen asleep if I’m honest. As I look out of our ‘cave’ there is no rain, but it looks slippery as hell. It’s all muddy and shit. That’s just perfect when I have to continue carrying Talon like yesterday…wait, he’s still alive, right?

The second that thought crosses my mind, I race up from my lying position and get over to Talon who seems to be fast asleep…well, I hope that’s all there is to it. I can see his chest is barely moving and I’m really scared that I have managed to sleep through a cannon during the night. “Talon?” I say, but I get no response. Come on, brainless, answer me! “Talon!” I shake him once again and I can see him opening his eyes, but the moment he wakes up, it’s like he remembers reality, the reality in which he is stabbed and in unbearable pain, almost unable to move. I don’t blame him for the disappointment. He probably dreamt of a better place than this one. Well, it doesn’t take much if I’m perfectly honest.

“Don’t worry, Feisty, I got your message last night.” He manages to say with a weak voice as I smile weakly while finding his bottle of water. I help his head up for a little bit as he takes a few sips of it. He struggles to swallow it as I guide his head down again and get ready to pack up our stuff when I feel his hand reaching for me. I turn myself over to him. “You have to leave me here. I’m not getting up from here.” He then says. I sigh deeply in frustration. I thought he got the message last night? “I’ve told you I’m not leaving you, brainless! I thought you said you got my message last night!” I then answer back at him.

For a moment there, it feels like he’s gathering strength for something. He’s taking a deep breath and stays silent for a while, though his eyes are open. “For once, why aren’t you letting go of that damn stubborn attitude of yours and put yourself first, like you usually do?” He then asks me. Wow, hold on, he’s also telling me to let him go? He’s telling me to just be a douchebag and leave him here. No, I don’t want that tab on me! “Blight isn’t sending me any medicine because firstly, you won’t know how to use it, and secondly…because it’s getting to close to the end of the Games.” He says as he looks over at me. “There aren’t many tributes left and if I get back on my feet, we could end up against each other and I know none of us want that.” He adds.

There’s a sense of sincerity in his words, and I do understand them. I haven’t exactly said that I won’t kill him, but at this point, I’ve grown too dependent on him to even think the thought of killing him. He’s been the one with the best ideas and he’s practically been with me through this entire time in the Arena. I’m about to lose him and then be all alone, with no one else to rely on than myself. I mean, yeah, I’m feisty and I can get by with what I know, but…the thought of being on my own at this point, it scares the crap out of me!

“I guess it’s all too soon for me…the end, I mean. Feisty-Mason ain’t that feisty at the moment.” I manage to let out as I see him nod understandingly. “I know that you can be when the time comes.” He says as he takes a few breaths to calm down his body which is still in shock. Still, I’m not gonna leave him here as I finish packing. I only pack one pack though. If he’s going today or tomorrow, I can’t waste too much energy on carrying everything. I turn around to him as I consider myself finished. “I’m still not gonna leave you here, though. I’m not gonna let you die alone.” I say quiet resolutely. “I know…” He says as he tries to get up. I take his arm and drag him the best I can, but as it turns out, he’s weaker than yesterday…well, that’s not really surprising.

We don’t get far before I hear the thunder rolling in over our heads. “That’s early.” I say before I actually realize that I have said that out loud. It’s really early I think…well, the rain comes earlier than yesterday, that’s what I’m trying to point out here. We don’t get a long way ahead and we stop for a break. Talon sorely needs it, and I need to refill our bottles. It takes a few minutes to get the damn spile to work…Talon did this, I just watched. I hand him the bottle as I have a look around us as the rain is now pouring down on us.