The Tribute From the Ocean (A Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

•18•

Brandon drops down from the tree with the glasses in hand. I climb down in the darkness and follow him. I hold onto a knife, just to make sure nobody attacked us.

"Here try them." He hands them the me and I slip them over my eyes. I look around and grin. I was like a child with a new toy. Everything was brightened with a light green.

"It's so cool." I murmur quietly as I slip them off and hand them back to him. "Nothing has been happening for a while. The game makers aren't going to like it." I sigh.

He puts the glasses back on and stands quietly for a minute. "You're right." He nods. "It's too peaceful. I just wonder exactly how many people are still left."

"Me too." I say and continue to walk away from the tree. It was peaceful now. I didn't care if the game makers heard what I said. I think most of us came into these games confident and ready to fight to do what we could to live, but somehow I didn't care anymore.

"You okay?" Brandon turns to me and stops. I shake my head and continue to walk.

"I'm okay. Sorry, I got a little stuck in my thoughts." I shrug. "Why do people watch this stuff?"

"The Capitol makes us." He shrugs. "I guess it's just the way things are."

The way things are? That didn't sound like the way things should be. I look down and keep walking. Why did nobody do anything to fix it? As I zoned into my thoughts, I heard a cannon in the distance. We both hold our breath.

"Who all do you think is left?" I ask him. Neither of us were sure. We had missed s couple nights and may have missed cannons.

"I think there was a little boy from ten. Or maybe eleven. I can't remember but I think he's left. I don't know why though. He was never any good during training but he got a really high score for the assessments. Also that one Tribute. He was huge, like a monster and rarely talked to anyone. I never heard his actual name but they called him Badger. Then Brass. I don't know if anyone else is or who they–" he stops mid-sentence. I look over at him with a confused expression.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"I thought I heard something." Brandon says, looking around paranoid. "Let's head back." He mutters and turns to walk away.

"Okay–" i was cut off by Brandon.

"Move out of the way, Kya!" Brandon shouts. I turn to look at him to see where he was looking, but about that time he had pushed me away and into the weeds. I gripped my knife hard in my hand and looked up. An arrow flashed in front of my face with a shimmer.

"No!" I gasp and throw the dagger into the night air in the direction the arrow cams from. I heard a scream and then silence and then a cannon. I turn immediately to Brandon who was on the ground now.

I fall beside of him and try and think of the best thing to do to get the arrow out of his chest.

"Kya, stop." He whispers to me and makes a weak attempt to grab my wrist.

"It's going to kill you if I do." I whisper with tears in my eyes. I knew it would kill him one way or another but my brain refuses to believe it.

"Just don't leave." His eyes shut and he grabs at my hand, stronger this time. I hold his hand in mind and sit in the mud by him.

I shake my head but I couldn't bring myself to say any words.

"I didn't expect it to be this way." Brandon chokes on his words. "It's really scary actually. It's more scary than it hurts."

"You aren't dying. You are gonna be okay." I shake my head. I couldn't let it be like that. I just couldn't.

"Yes. Kya. I'm pretty sure I am." There was a light hearted tone to his voice mixed with dread knowing he was never going to be okay again.

I was lost for words again and I choked on my sob. Is this satisfying the Capitol? Is this enough pain for the Capitol for one night or did they need more? Would there have to be more bloodshed before all of this could end?

"Kya, be strong. Please. For me. Be strong and go home for me. I know you can do this. I believe in you more than you believe in yourself. You promised me once." I remembered the night we had promised we would both try our hardest no matter how hard it became, but I don't think either of us expected it to be this hard.

"I kept my promise. Now you keep yours." He was here because of me and the promise he had made with my brother. He was dying and it was my fault.

"I love you, Kya." Brandon whispers.

"I love you too." I choke out. I saw the faintest smile appear on his pale face and then his hand goes limp. "Please don't leave." I whisper, though he was already gone.

I looked up in the sky to see the Capitol symbol and pictures flashed on the screen.

Brass. He had been the cannon from earlier.

The next picture was of the boy. The one Brandon had spoke of being so young and the one I had also killed. I looked away as Brandon's picture came on. He was so different there from now. I had just noticed how much more lean his figure had gotten and how much muscle he had lost.

It didn't matter anymore though because he was dead. I didn't let go of his hand all night and I didn't leave his side.