Game On

Chapter 9

I awake the next morning to see Cameron packing his bag, like he’s planning on going somewhere.

“I’m leaving,” he says calmly.

Well, I definitely didn’t expect this. “What? You can’t go!”

Cameron suddenly grows angry. “Geez. You think I need some kind of babysitter? Have you forgotten where we are? This had to happen eventually. Only one person can go home alive. I want Panem to know that I’m more than capable of fending for myself. Unlike some people.”

“Did you just call me a weakling?” I ask, my eyebrows raised in frustration.

“Yeah.” He says it as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Let’s face it. You wouldn’t have lasted without Quinn or me.”  

“Go, on then,” I say. “I won’t hold you back anymore. But…” I don’t want his last memory of me to be one of anger, so I take a deep breath. “Just… don’t forget about me. No matter where you are, I’m still your district partner. I’ll be looking out for you.”

He smirks. “Same here. I mean, we’ve done so much together already that it would be impossible to hurt you if we cross paths. But we need space… Well, if I don’t make it, I hope you do. May the odds be ever in your favor, Wiress.”

“Good luck, Cam.”

Cameron turns his back to me and walks off into the wilderness.

I follow his lead soon after, packing up for a long trek. The sun beats down, warmer than it’s been for the past four days. As I move along, I see the snow turn into slush. I shouldn’t feel grateful yet, though. They might cool everything down again later. Stuffing my coat into my bag, I reach the mountains within a few hours. It wouldn’t be so bad to hide away in there for now. I don’t climb too far before I find a tiny cave. It’s the perfect size, and it’s not easy for others to spot. Just in case, I find a rock that’s the same color as the cave and place it over the opening. Home sweet home.

I laugh to myself. I could seriously stay in here for the remainder of the Games, and nobody would know. But I have to come out at some point to get more food and water.

Somewhere nearby, a boy moans in pain.

It sounds like… Cameron.

I peer out of the cave.  Surely enough, he lies at the bottom of the mountain with an axe stuck in his stomach. He looks worse the closer I get to him. There’s absolutely no chance of him recovering. I slowly make my way down to him, knowing that his attacker might still be around.

“Who did this to you?” I ask. My voice can’t mask my horror.

“The District 2 boy. Mason, I think his name is. What’s weird is, he didn’t even try to finish me off. He just ran away.”

How strange. The Games must finally be taking their toll on Mason and the other “Careers”. Or he got tired of watching his victims die.

“It hurts so much,” Cameron sobs. Over the past few weeks, it was easy to see him as a mature young man, but now, I see him for the little boy he really is. One who shouldn’t have to welcome death so soon.

“I know,” I say. “You’ve been so brave, Cameron.” I have to hold back from crying in front of him. I’ve cried too much since I stepped into the arena.  “If I had a little brother, I’d want him to be just like you.”

“Really?”

I give him a bittersweet grin. “Really.”

“Guess what?” he asks me weakly, trying to sit up.  “If I had an older sister, I’d want her to be just like you.”

I ruffle his hair gently. “Shh. Don’t talk, hun.  Just lie down and relax.”

He barely has any time to relax. His death comes within seconds. I remain with him as the hovercraft descends.

“I’ll never forget you, Cameron Lang,” I whisper. I extend my hand in a three-finger salute when his body takes to the air.

All of District 3 will be mourning tonight, and I’m no exception. Back in the cave, I curl up in my sleeping bag and weep.  It exhausts me until I succumb to sleep.  

Sometime later, the Panem anthem plays, perking me to attention. Cameron’s the only death today. Down drops another parachute. This one is full of wires, dynamite, motion detectors, and two medium-sized hollow balls. The perfect ingredients for a bomb.  

I have to stifle a squeal. None, absolutely none, of the other tributes can do this. The perks of living in the electronic district!

Beetee’s left me a note with the parachute: You and Cameron worked well together. Now it’s time to show people what you really can do.

By the light of a fire, I get to work on the bombs. There’s only enough ammo for two, so I have to be strategic about where I place them.  They can be activated with only the slightest movement. I’ll wait to plant them until tomorrow, I decide.

That Mason kid better hope he’s far away from me, or else I might just kill again.

I am about to fall asleep when I hear rocks moving outside. Immediately, I freeze.  Through an uncovered hole in my hideout, the moon is bright enough that I can see two figures. Standing there are Mason and his district partner, a pale, raven-haired girl named Shay. They’re in the middle of a conversation. I hold my breath, praying that they don’t know about my little cave.

“What about that girl from District 3?” I hear him say. “We have to get her.”

Shay scoffs. “Easy. She’s too afraid, too useless to actually harm anyone.”

So that’s what they think of me, eh? I open my bag, staring down at my bombs.

Well then… they’re gonna regret that tomorrow. Game on.