Ruins of the past

Chapter 14

I'm lost in my own thoughts.
My legs hurt, I'm tired, my bad stamina is clearly showing.
The sun already started setting, I can't see very far.
My body needs rest, but first I have to find a safe place for the night.
On my way I found a small, clean looking pond and drank from it, I can only hope it was safe. There were also some tasty looking berries, but I don't want to poison myself, now I really regret not spending more time learning about plants.
My family is most likely watching me right now, thinking I'm going to die anyways. The words my father whispered come to my mind again, they hurt.
But Res could believe in me, or at least she pretends to do so.
She always was pretty positive, independent and smart, wouldn't let anything bring her or her friends down.
My lips form an exhausted little smile, I hope she's fine.
Suddently I blink a few times.
There is someone, or something. A shadow in the dark, a few feet ahead of me, not moving.
I forget how to breath, carefully take my sword without looking away.
"N-no!", I hear a familiar voice, it's Ore. So he's alone, understandable after what happened between him and Glorio. He has a bleeding wound on his left arm.
We stare at each other for a few seconds, then he turns around and runs away, a single knife in his hand.
I could have killed him. That would be one less person to worry about.
But I can't kill another person, I'm not a monster. Or am I? She tried to kill me, I just wanted to defend myself!
The ground is extremly soft, I could easily fall asleep if I just layed down and closed my eyes. It would be so easy.
It's getting darker, night is coming.
All of a sudden I start coughing, my skin feels like it's burning, my lungs hurt like hell.
White fog has appeared out of nowhere, makes seeing even more difficult, I can't even see my own feet anymore!
I hear a painful cry behind me, start running.
The cold air smells like burning tires and plastic, a smell I'm way too familiar with. Wood and coal is expensive, so people often resort to things even we have to throw away. But this time it's a bit different, I can't quiet describe it.
My mouth and nose covered with my arm I stumble around, after a time that felt like forever finally outside the forest into a freezing area.
Sand underneath my feet and all around, small white mountains in the distance, far away, an ocean.
With tears in my slightly swollen eyes I sink down onto my knees, gasping for fresh air.
Slowly the pain eases, I can breath normally again.
My skin still feels hot and very sensitive.
The painful cries stop, a canon shot. She's dead.

What a day.
I sat there for a while, rest and, when the fog has completly disapeared, I carefully stand up and enter the forst again.
It seems like nothing happened, dark grey coulds in the sky.
I can go back into this open desert, but everybody could spot me.
I know it's risky, but what else should I do?
It's too dark and I'm too tired to search for a new area, if there even is one.

A body, about my size. It's right in front of me, on the ground, dead.
Thirteen stab wounds, mostly in his chest area, a hole in his hand, he desperatly tried to defend himself. The wounds are bad, but he didn't die from them. It must have been this weird fog.
They will take the corpses in a few hours, it's always that way on the first day.
Next to him a little bag, one of the new packages!
I quickly take it, he doesn't need it anymore.
It's the only thing he had, so I start walking again.

The white backpack opens, revealing my supplies.
I am currently sitting between two big bushes I found close to the start of the desert, hoping nobody will find or see me here.
It's a full moon tonight, meaning I can even see what I have.
They started doing that a while ago.

A dark plastic plane, about my height. Two packs of dried food, one of the most beloved snacks in the arena, it contains apples, pineapples and some berries.
Next to them, a fresh apple, shining red in the silver moonlight. And finally, an empty one liter bottle.
Then I start looking at the other stuff I got, starting with the water container. It's full, about half an litre of clean water.
I thankfully close my eyes. I'm so thirsty, but force myself to only take a mouthful every few minutes.
I also still have both my sword and the knifes, the other supplies now stored in my backpack.
The apple is sour, just like I like it.
I put on my second jacket again, it's getting pretty cold.
So, I'm alive.

I lean back, close my eyes and try to relax for a bit, but my burning skin keeps me awake.
In the small package I found is medication.
Bandages, a cream to prevent infections, some other sprays for burns, irritat-
I grab the tiny bottle and carefully treat the parts of my skin that were exposed to the fog earlier.
I sighn, it cools down immediatly and feels much better.
Hope, it's the first time since I've been reaped that I feel it.
I smile a bit, maybe I do have a chance.

A well known melodie starts playing, my eyes wander towards the dark sky.
The girl from district five, so every career survived, like usual.
Both from six, the guy from seven, I havn't met him at all, both from eight, I killed the girl. She didn't even survive a day, I can still see how her eyes go dark, her body sinks to the ground. A cold shiver runs down my spine.
The male from nine. Lepus, poor guy who had run to the ruin, and the girl from his district too. Mou, and then Lera. She was the first one to die I think, she was so young.
Her parents, crying and not wanting to let her go, her friends waving her goodbye, trying to hide their tears. What are they doing now? They didn't have high hopes but it must hurt so hard to see your loved one die, being brutally murdered for fun.
I'm sorry for them.
I feel anger building up, try to hide it. If you do anything against the Capitol or the games, you won't survive long.

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Sup
So, chapter 14 is here!
What do you think of my writing so far?
I'm also not sure how this will end, I would have an idea but I'm also tempted for something like an "open ending".. we'll see
But what would you prefer?
The normal ending I originally planed would involve a second book, so keep that in mind
I'm also kind of working on a second book idea right now, but that doesn't change anything on how often I upload here

Thanks for reading, commenting and voting btw! It means a lot to me!