The 25th Hunger Games (fanfic)

Chapter 44: The Games

Author's Note: This is dedicated to Mason5735. He's my best buddy ever! My BFFEAEAE!! Well, you get it. He's awesome, and so is his book that he's writing. I'm reading it, and I'm hooked! Go check it out! It's called 'Jason Stride'. The reason I haven't been uploading is because I've been writing this long chapter every day, breaking it up. Please enjoy! 

A low growl forms in the back of my throat and slowly crawls up and out of my mouth. I don't know who I'm mad at: the Gamemakers or myself. This wouldn't have happened if I wouldn't have stuck out my tongue at the Capitol! 

I can't believe what I did. How stupid of me! Why did I do that?! I curse myself a gazillion different ways in my head. What was I thinking? I can't do that to the Capitol! No wonder they're going to hold a feast in our house!

I begin to think the situation over in my head. Crystal and I are in the Hunger Games, somehow still alive in the top 9. Darrien just invited all nine tributes to a feast, located in our house. And what does that mean? It means blood-thirsty tributes will be showing up on our doorstep tomorrow at sundown. And if we don't want to go get eaten alive out in the orchards, our only other choice is to hide in the town. 

"Zac," whispers Crystal. I turn to her. "How many tributes do you think will show up?" I look outside at the raging storm, practically rocking the house with its power. But I don't hear the thunder. Don't even notice, because I'm in my own little trance. The only thought I have is: Should we stay and fight?

"I'm not sure," I stammer, clearing my head. How many? "Well, we all know that Shane, Sky, and Brook, the three remaining Careers, will show up. Cody is also coming without a doubt. The tributes from District 8, the only other team besides us and District 2, will most likely show up. And who's the guy from 3?"

"Draco?"

"Yea, him. I'm not sure if he'll come. He's smart enough to realize everyone else showing up still have allies or their partners. But he may come up with some genius invention somehow, being from District 3." 

"That's probably why he's made it so far," grumbles Crystal. I can't help but agree. Kids from District 3 typically are pretty weak, but they make all the electronics back at their district, so they're highly intelligent. Usually, when a District 3 tribute gets far in the Games, it's because they've created some invention to help them somehow. One year, a District 3 tribute snuck into the Career's camp (they camped out at the Cornucopia), stole as much as he could, and built a horrible invention with it. He used twigs and stones as triggers along with everything else he had to create it. With one button, the thing would shoot a spear at top speed through somebody's body. With others, the machine would whip a weapon into his hand. He even used it to hunt and with a button, he could gather berries easily. He even stored water in there. It's no wonder he won that year.

"So basically," I state. "Everyone, except maybe Draco. He may or may not come." Crystal nods. 

"So what do we do?" asks Crystal. We have two options: run for the town and camp there, or stay and fight. If we stay in town, it'll be hard to get water and food, and we'll be exposed, but we'll be away from the fight. If we stay and fight, we'll most likely be killed. But we can give it a try and fight with all our might, and possibly, we could even win tomorrow. We're so close to going home.

"We either stay and fight, or we go to town for a few days and hide." Crystal contemplates this for a second before responding.

"Well, we can't stay here. We'll be slaughtered. But in town, we won't be able to get food or water. And the orchards aren't an option, after... what happened."

"Well," I respond. "It's one or the other." We stare at each other for a few moments.

"Why are they doing this to us?" she whimpers. I stare at her guiltily. It's because of me. Because I couldn't just stop and not taunt the Capitol. I had to freaking stick my tongue out at the Capitol!