Out in the Battlefield

The Peaceful Kind of Quiet

"Delancy!"

I felt someone shaking me by my shoulders. It was making me dizzy, actually, though I'm sure I was already dizzy the whole time.

"Delancy, wake up!"

I can't. My eyelids were too heavy. I'm too tired and aching to move. I don't want to wake up. I want to rest... I don't even know what happened or what's happening.

"Delancy..."

The voice. It sounded familiar, like I've known it for a long time but rarely heard it. I can't point out, nor identify, who it was, but that person was in my mind. I need to know who that was. I want to.

I tried to moan, thinking that it would wake me up somehow. Then I tried moving my arm. It felt heavy, but I had to move.

My eyes fluttered open, and I took in the slightly blurred sight before me.

There was a person beside me. I could tell that it was a boy. He was crouched beside me, his face facing me.

I opened my eyes and tried to stand up, every movement I made making pain shoot up through me. I winced, and I saw the boy help me up, surprise and astonishment clear on his face.

Once I sat up, I realized who the boy was. Perhaps that was why his voice was so familiar.

Webster.

"What...happened?" were the first words that came out of my mouth, and, with a smile of relief, he replied with a "I don't know either".

"You were in the ring of fire," he explained after I insisted him to. "I pulled you out."

My eyes widened when I remembered. That heat. That bright light. That tensed and panicked feeling. I didn't even know what got into me when I was convinced and felt like...giving up.

"Oh, well...thank you," I said with a smile. I didn't even know what happened to him since yesterday before the honk sounded. I think it's already the second day, and it's already dawn, judging from the slightly lit sky. "How about you? What happened to you since yesterday?"

A grim look formed on his face as he pursed his lips, his eyes drifting over to the ground, like he was in deep thought. Then after a while, he looked back at me, the grim look still on his face. "I'd rather not talk about it. Is that okay?"

I nodded. I knew what it felt like. I, too, would not want to talk about everything that I did, and every people I've killed. I felt like a scarred person, with nothing else left. I know, right now, that I won't make it out alive. I could feel it.

Then there was a moment of silence. It was the peaceful kind of quiet, where both of us felt comfortable. He was in deep thought, and I felt like sleeping again. I didn't know why, but I just wanted to hide from every tribute here until the game ends.

We were hidden in a cluster of tall and thick rocks, though I'm sure we could still be seen, if ever someone was to pass by. Birds chirped and the sun started to rise, giving me an unwanted warmth. I didn't want warmth. Not after last night.

"I thought you were allying with Turra?" I asked, trying to strike up a conversation just so that I could somehow forget everything around me.

"Well..." He paused, his eyes drifting over to the sky. "I couldn't find her after the bloodbath. I don't think she died already, though. I'm certain that her face did not flash on the sky. How 'bout you? How are you so far?"

I paused for a moment, suddenly remembering what happened over the last twenty-four hours. My attempt to forget everything happening even for a while failed, and now Webster reminded me of it. I shifted a bit, suddenly becoming uncomfortable. "Well, um, I uh...I'm..."

"That's okay," he said, seemingly realizing how I felt. I let out a small exhale. He must also know how uncomfortable the topic was to me. I was glad he did. "It's a beautiful weather today, isn't it?"

"Yes, but if only we were back home," I replied, not looking him in the eye, but rather at the sky. He was doing the same thing I was doing―talking about a random topic and trying to blur out everything around us. But we were stopped when an ear-splitting scream broke the silence, followed by the sound of running footsteps nearing us. It meant one thing; they were running away from something or someone. My heart raced again and I knew we were in danger. We always were.

Webster and I looked at each other, a frantic look on our faces. Then Webster's mouth opened, and I heard him whisper: "Run."

Like horses racing through the forest, we ran, not even caring if something fell off of our bags or if thorns and sharp branches scratched us. We just needed to get away from it.

I had a hard time catching up to Webster. He had long legs while I didn't.

He craned his neck to look back at me, before frowning when he saw the great distance between us. I felt a bit relieved when he slowed down to let me catch up, but then I forced myself to run faster. I didn't want him to think that I was slowing him down.

"What are they running away from?" I asked breathlessly.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

As I was running, I felt another branch scratch my cheek. I felt it sting. Then something warm trickled down, but I just ignored it and wiped it off.

"Watch out!" I heard someone yell from a distance. I turned to see Holly, a worried look on her face as she tensely stood meters away from us.

Then before I could ask her, a bright light blinded me, and I heard a loud explosion. An invisible force sent me flying, until I felt myself suddenly collide with something hard behind me, knocking out my breath and sending pain through my spine.

The back of my head throbbed, and I didn't know why. My back somehow felt distorted and, once again, I couldn't move myself. I felt limp, like a doll. I couldn't see anything, and I was starting to freak out. But somehow, there was this strange feeling where I just wanted to lay down here and imagine none of this is happening. It'd be more...peaceful and easy. I wouldn't have to suffer then.

Is this what it feels like? Is this what it feels when a person is-? Maybe it's not so bad after all. Maybe it's better to stop fighting for something I wouldn't get, anyway. I wouldn't have to suffer then.

I let my mind drift off to nothingness. Everything is peaceful now. I don't have to fight anymore. It's all over, anyway. I wouldn't have to suffer then.