Not Just A Game

Chapter 24

Hand in hand, Dustin and I walk into the cave steadily, preparing for possibly our third kill in one day. I honestly hope the cave is vacant.

The entrance to the cave us dark, making my eyesight turn slur since I'm used to the sunlight. It smells of wet dew and damp stone. The air is humid, yet cold all at once.

It feels too open. I'm used to the protection and cover of the trees and leaves, providing a canopy from the sun. Here, there's no sun to protect you from, and it's just wall to wall stone.

I can't see how far the cave runs into the mountain because it's dark, but I can assume that it goes deep enough to hide a tribute. Gamemakers wouldn't put a cave in the games for no reason.

The sound of dripping water echoes throughout the open space.

I keep repeating in my head,

"Only three more...Only three more...."

Grasping Dustin's hand a little tighter, I walk quietly through the cave, my footsteps creating a hollow sound as they hit the solid stone.

Any tributes could be lurking just out of sight with these circumstances. But if we don't kill anyone, who will?

A low, faint grumbling sound rings throughout the open air, creating a sickly feeling in my stomach.

It stops, and we keep moving, slower, quieter, more cautious this time.

I squeeze Dustin's hand and he squeezes back reassuringly.

The grumbling sound starts again, louder. It's almost recognizable. It's an animal. Not a friendly one.

"Dustin we have to go." I whisper softly.

He nods, and we shift our feet ever so quietly as to not wake the sleeping beast hiding in the cave.

We walks lowly and quietly back towards the entrance of the cave, and see light at the other end.

I mentally sigh in relief, but maybe it was a moment too soon.

An ear shattering roar blasts from the heart of the cave, and without a moment to stop and blink, we sprint away desperate to escape.

The cave shakes as whatever is chasing us runs, pounding it's enormous feet against the cave floor.

I steal a glance behind me to see a huge bear-dog closing the gap between us.

There's only about twenty feet between being eaten alive and resting breathlessly on the warm grass.

Something in my gut tells me that the

bear-dog won't follow us out into the forest.

I can actually make out the shape of trees now as they get closer.

My adrenaline rushes through my veins and shoots me forward as fast as my knives that fly through the air.

I focus my energy on the pumping of my legs, my lungs on fire. I can almost feel the hot sticky breath of the creature behind me, grumbling away.

Dustin is beside me, his strong arms pumping with the weight of the backpacks on his shoulders.

I can make it out of here. We both can. The exit to the cave is in view, and my surging fear starts to melt away from my body, casted down to the cave floor to be crushed by the soles of my shoes.

I can hear the birds chirping in the forest once more as we break out of the cave and into the sunlight.

The grumbling and pounding of the beast's heavy feet cease and fade away while we come to a stop at the tree line. Everything is quiet except the panting sound of our heavy breathing filling the void.