Kill or Be Killed [Survival Games Fanfic] [ON HOLD]

[6] Not Yet

// BajanCanadian POV //

The sun was a little past the center of the sky, revealing the time. It was afternoon. Twilight would approach quickly.

"Mitch!" a voice called. I turned. "Mitch," Jason repeated, "I found sleeping bags."

"How many?"

"Seven so far."

I smiled and walked over to the pile of neatly organised loot. I selected out a dark green sleeping bag and dumped it next to the river. Then I picked up a carrier bag and poured it's contents onto the grass. After digging through, I'd found a small iron knife with a wooden hilt, some different plants and mushrooms, and some rolls wrapped in foil. I tore the foil off, then went and sat next to Jerome. I passed him one of the rolls and stretched out across the grass. The sky was still blue, but a little duller now. The clouds had cleared to reveal it's seeminly endless azure. My daydreaming was cut off by Jerome elbowing me in the ribs.

"Ah, fuck!" I groaned, sitting up and clutching my ribcage.

"Sorry, biggums." Jerome replied, sliding an arm around my shoulders. I relaxed into the warm gesture. "I wanna ask you something."

"Oh?" I replied. The air was loosing some of it's warmth. I scooted a little closer to Jerome and he did the same. At that moment, everything felt okay.

"What do we do at the end?" he mumbled, avoiding my gaze. I turned to him, confused.

"The end? What do you mean?" I asked. He looked troubled, and it hurt me to see him so worried.

"You know they'll only let one person win. I know everybody here. None of them deserve to die. None of them. The world will feel different without them. But you guys are so close to me, it'd hurt me even more to live without you guys." he whispered, turning to look at me at last. I slipped both my arms around his waist and hugged him. He instantly returned it. I was certain that I could feel all of his apprehension and sadness in that hug. Neither of us dared to break it until Jason's voice perked up.

"Look, over there! Pass me a bow, quick."

Me and Jerome lifted our heads. A girl was crouched at the edge of the clearing where the trees began. She had only just noticed us, and had frozen. Before we could even blink, an arrow flew across the sky. It hit her directly in the chest, and she collapsed. I narrowed my eyes to see who it was.

"Cupquake..." Jerome told me, eyes saddening. Even after all the training, all the preparation, seeing the innocent soul collapse to the ground never to walk again clenched at my heart a little. I may have not been close to her, but someone was. Someone was at home watching the games. Family, friend, boyfriend. Any of those. And they had just looked at her for the last time. A cannon fired in the distance.

My gaze met Jerome's. I tried to imagine what it would feel like to see him killed before my eyes. I couldn't. "I'm not going anywhere. Not yet." he whispered to me, as if he'd known what I was thinking.

"Not yet." I repeated, closing my eyes and breathing out a sigh.