Allies

The Games Night 1: Austin Wheeler

I... I... I can't even get my thoughts together.  I never thought I'd even make it this far.  My situation hasn't even really set in yet, and I'm not sure what to do.  The fallen tributes were just shown. Eight of them already dead. We all just sit there, none of us really knowing what to do.
  Finally, Jadynn speaks up, "We should really get some sleep. We'll need it."
She's right, almost everyone looks practically asleep.
"Yeah, we should." Taylor says, "You guys get some sleep, I'll keep watch."
I know I won't be sleeping anytime soon, so I volunteer to help, after all, 2 people are better than one in a fight, if We were attacked.  Taylor raises an eyebrow, clearly suspicious, but nonetheless, the group agrees, the fire is put out, and they all lie down. 
Most everyone falls asleep within a few minutes, and pretty soon, it's just Taylor and me.  We sit in silence for a while, until Taylor breaks the ice.
"Who was that boy?"
"What?"
"The boy you volunteered for at the reaping. Who is he?"
That is not what I was expecting. I think about whether or not I should answer, Abby said that we shouldn't try to make friends, but one or both of us is going to end up dead, so what does it matter if she knows a little bit about me?
"He's my little brother. He's only 12, and I'm not going to let him die."
"Oh."
"Can I ask you something?"
"I guess it's only fair.  Go ahead."
"At the reaping, you looked terrified. I've never seen that in a career before.  What was that about?"
She's silent for a moment, like she's lost in thought. "I'm just full of surprises."
"Seriously."
She takes a deep breath, clearly unsure on how to answer. "Yes, I was terrified. I didn't count on being sent into a barbaric battle to the death anytime soon. I just wanted to stay in district four and live my life."
"With your family?"
"I...I, uh, don't have any family." She pauses before continuing,
"My parents died when I was really young, since then, my whole district's taken taken care of me. I'm just sent from house to house, and that person takes care of me till I move on to somewhere else."
I can't believe it! She doesn't have a family? I couldn't imagine not having my family. "Oh, I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." She starts laughing, hard. I don't get it, what's so funny? I must have looked confused, because she tries to explain through bursts of laughing and catching her breath. "I'm...sorry...It's just...considering...where we are...you don't...want to make me...uncomfortable!" I realize what I said, and soon I'm laughing too. It feels good, to laugh, and it makes me realize just how long it's been since I've felt happy. I can tell that maybe, if the situation were different, the two of us could be friends. But it isn't, and only one person will walk out of here alive. But, I push the thought from my mind and focus on what's in front of me, laughing with Taylor Byrd.