If Crane Never Made The Call

Rattle My Bones

    I wake up early, around 5:00. The 'sun' is just breaking the 'horizon' leaving shades of pink, orange, and yellow in its path. I sit up and immediately notice that theres no pain in my leg. I rip off the blanket and stare at what used to be a blood poisoned wound, but is now a small scab the size of my finger.

  I sit there shocked for a few minutes not moving a muscle. When I get over it and relize that I'm pretty much healed, I try walking. I get on all fours and push upwards. I get dizzy from the sudden movement and fall on my back. I try it again and succeed.

  I'm a little wobbly since I haven't moved in a few days, but I manage. I wash off in the river and collect food for now and later. I give myself a little feast of fish, fruit and nuts, saving some for later. I pack up my camp and get ready for, I don't know what.

  I see smoke off in the distance, a little ways away from the cornacopia. Idiots. This is going to be Savannah all over again. I begin walking along the river bank, swinging my axe back and forth. Another stream of smoke floats out of the trees on the other side of the cornacopia.

 
  What? Katniss and Foxface are too smart to light fires, the careers may have lit one but why so close to the cornucopia? Rue wouldn't have lit a fire because it would put her at risk and she knows the careers would hunt her, Thresh could have made the fire and so could Noah the district 3 kid.

  A few minutes pass and I just keep walking to no where in particular. Suddenly I here a sound that rattles my bones. Explosion. It sounds like someone set off 30 bombs and no one in the arena sets of explosions for fun without a purpose, well maybe the careers.

  A few seconds pass and then a cannon sounds. Katniss!? No, no, no, it's not her, that will be clarified tonight. A four note bird song fills the air but it doesn't sound natural. The tune blows away in the wind and is replaced by the high pitched scream of a 12 year old. Rue. Theres no loud 'boom' so she isn't dead, but she's definitely in danger.

  I wait a few seconds as her cries for help stop, but a bang rings clear in my ears. Someone is dead, and its most likely Rue. I look up to the 'sky' and feel hatred towards the Capital, more than usual. They sent a little girl who is just starting to live into an arena where she has to fight people who are older and more experienced than her to the death. Thats messed up.

  I sit down on the rocks for a minute when a second cannon echos through the arena. 3 more dead, 6 left, 5 to kill.

》》》》》》》》》》《《《《《《《《《《

  I relax, well kind of relax, on the rocks for the rest of the day. Night comes and I wait impatiently to see whos left and whos gone. The anthem plays and I watch one by one as the faces of the fallen are projected into the stars. The first face to appear is Marvel, the career from district 1. After Marvel, the district 3 kid Noah, lights up the trees below. Lastly I see the cute, innocent, kind face of Rue Leving.

  At least Katniss is safe, and theres one less career. I leave it at that thought and fall fast asleep.

  I wake up with my arm dangling deep in the water and a fish sucking on my finger. I yelp in suprise and immediately pull up, but the fish stays stuck. I jump to my feet and run around like an idiot until in slips off and I kick it into the fast flowing current. I am officially traumatized for the rest of my life, which probably won't be long. 

  I sit there for ten minutes replaying the incident in my head until it doesn't seem real. A quick Capital intro tune plays over the speakers, letting everyone know an announcement is about to be made.

  "Attention tributes, attention. Commending at sunrise there will be a feast. Now before you  throw away the idea of coming let me tell you that this will be no ordinary feast, all of you need something, and we are prepared to be very generous hosts." Seneca Crane says. Well I don't need anything. At that moment my stomach tightens and I get a slimy feeling in my throat.

  I hang my head over the river and puke. I throw up uncontrollably, emptying everything inside me. My insides get so tight I feel like they could shoot out of my mouth at any second. I start drinking water like mad, but it doesn't do anything. I try food, but it ends up with the rest of my vomit, floating down stream to some tribute who will follow the rocks until they find and kill me.

  Never mind, maybe I do need something. The rest of the day is a blur, every time I sit up my stomach deflates like a peacekeeper's truck tire, my head pounds, and my insides squeeze together. I don't know what caused it or what 'it' is, but whatever it is I can't go on with it. To the feast it is.