(Leigh-Anne)
The cool early morning air sliced into my skin, I shivered pulling up the blanket around me as best as I could. The cold still surrounded me, invading the little gaps left by me and penetrated my clothes. Fucking games, fucking retarded blankets, stupid everything. I was practically freezing to bloody death out here in this damn arena. My legs were stiff from the cold, totally helping me roll onto my side and reach for my canteen of water. "Morning sleeping...beauty?" A new voice spoke lightly. Jesy was there, pocketing little strips of something in her pants. "Goodmorning." I croaked while downing the liquid. It's been two surprisingly normal days with Jesy near the cornucopia. And during this time she hasn't lost her temple or cut my throat open. On the contrary she's been very helpful in keeping watch while I take a short ten minute nap, or when we alternated night shifts. Then I stopped, did she say sleeping beauty? "Yes?" She realized I hadn't spoken. "Nothing." I blushed madly at the thought of what happened. She nodded and began to sharpen her knife. I observed her long lashes as she focused on sharpening the weapon, how her freckles contrasted beautifully with her long and luscious dark brown hair. How the hell do I think she still appears familiar to me?
Jesus take the wheel I'm loosing my mind.
I rubbed my temple and pushed myself slowly to my feet. Jesy watched me curiously as I pulled a jumper over my head. "Where ya taking my jumper?" She asked, I realized it was hers once I looked down. "Er, down for a little check on the perimeter, is it alright?" I tugged at it, I didn't want to rock her little nice boat. "It's okay, be careful and remember what I said." She warned. I nodded before turning and leaving our campsite.
What the hell is wrong with me. I took a careful step over a couple of broken branches and looked back, I hadn't gone very far, just how Jesy had asked me to. I had no desire to stray any farther either, I wasn't trying to get lost in the middle of this arena. I checked the little route we set up, my gaze landing on an abandoned bag. I froze on the spot. We aren't alone here, someone else was in the area also. I did a complete 360 turn to survey my surroundings carefully. Nothing jumped out at me or suddenly fell on my face thankfully, the someone or something had most likely gone out to explore the territory. I shrank back into the undergrowth and hugged myself. Jesy's jumper was wrapped snugly around me, almost as if she herself was hugging me. Why did she seem so familiar, I don't think she was taken from the districts. Or maybe she was. A shiver passed through me, remembering when the capital raised the peasant homes in eleven. I wasn't home that night, I was out in the fields with my best friend Perrie. We saw the whole thing, the raiders, the fires, the crying mothers and children being separated from each other. It was terrible, my father had stayed in town that night thankfully, but my sister...I bit my lip hard. Loosing Sairah was not my fault, nor my father's. I actually remember a young girl my age named Jessica disappearing as well, my father helped her mum a lot. I can imagine what it must've felt like to loose someone you actually love. The girl was always quiet from what I had seen, always sitting in the orchards outside the school during lunch break, or working in the fields. She had beautiful hazel eyes, that's for sure, one thing I truly remembered very easily. Janice lost a beautiful daughter, the poor lady was a wreck when she realized. She looked like-NO.
My eyes widened and my mouth almost dropped. When Jesy and I finished fighting the tributes her eyes turned a neutral hazel color. Just like Jessica's.
Jessica...Jesy.
I didn't want to believe it. But holy shit, these mutts were really designed to destroy us, physically and emotionally. I felt like my heart was made of iron. How could they, my hate for the capital was at its peak. How hadn't I noticed before?!
I felt the need to scream or pulverize the closest thing near me. But I couldn't. I was stuck with throwing a stone I found as hard as I could. It did the trick however, the stone went sailing and a loud cry of pain came from my right. I froze in fear and turned to hide in the brush farthest away from the backpack I stumbled across. My heartbeat picked up when I heard footsteps coming closer to where I was, and in the clearing I saw a very disheveled boy burst into the clearing. He went over and picked up his bag and murmured curses under his breath while holding his forehead and nose. I winced in pity, I probably broke his nose. Speaking of which, now is the right time to leave. While his things are creating noise it's enough to muffle my footsteps at the point for me to be able to make a run for it. Slowly and surely I began to step back, one foot behind another in the way of a tree and bushes in case I had to hide. He continued to work about and sat down on his knees. I shuffled back even more and reached the end of the clearing soon enough.
*Snap!*
A sudden branch snapped beneath my foot. I ducked behind the tree moments before the tribute's head popped up. He turned in my direction and reached for a weapon. I gulped holding my knife close to me seeing his javelin. He eyed the brush around me cautiously. I held my breath fearing that he'd hear me if I even breathed in at the slightest. Thankfully another snap farther away distracted him to look away. I shuffled back and took off immediately, running as fast as my injuries would allow me. I didn't look back and ran right into the entrance of Jessic-Jesy and I's little camp after a short while of running. Soon enough I reached our little camp spot and ran right into the girl. She grabbed me at first but then relaxed when she noticed who I was. "Are you okay? What happened?!" She looked concerned seeing me in my bewildered state. "Tribute. Boy was. By the edge." I wheezed clutching my abdomen; feeling the burn. She helped me lay down in the den and covered me up with a blanket. "What did he look like?" She asked me whilst fetching me some water. "Big, blonde, angry." I chittered. She nodded. "I've seen him a few times." She played with her knife while watching me. "I threw a stone and it hit him in the face." I looked down at my waistline to not see Jesy's gaze. "Why'd you do that?!" She exclaimed quietly in wonder. "I-I was lost in my own thoughts, I was scared and I wasn't thinking, he could've heard me you know, he could be around here somewhere." I gulped remembering the boy's face when he appeared. Jesy shockingly sat besides me and ran a hand soothingly up and down my arm as if to calm me. "Relax, I'll take care of him." She played with a loose strand of curls in my hair. I shivered remembering how my mum used to do the same thing to calm me down. "I hate this." I sighed out feeling more relaxed and silently praising the beautiful brunette girl for finding her way back into my life. Jesy didn't speak, instead she surprised me. Two arms wrapped me gently into a hug and brought me towards their body. I was being hugged, Jesy was offering me physical affection; I nearly wanted to start crying from relief, who knew I'd need some actual affection at a time like this? I'd only ever been affectionate with Jade to keep her calm in the arena, but she... left and I'm still here. But I'm in Jesy's embrace, in her arms. Without a second thought I wrapped my arms around her neck and hugged back. It felt so nice to hug someone, to feel another body close to mine. "I'm sorry." The lightest whisper from Jesy grazed my ear. "For what?" I croaked silently. "Being this, thing." She whispered against my curls. "It's not your fault." I spoke silently. "It could stop though." She whispered so quietly I almost feinted at her words. There was a way out!? No way. "Just need a smooth plan." She said playing with my hair. My breathing tried to level out, no way there'd be a way to get out. The whole arena was a force field, completely armored. Unless...there was a gap somewhere. My eyes widened. A gap in the armor! How hadn't I thought of that before!? "You're right." I breathed excitedly. We could make it, we could probably do this.
Holy shit.
"There's a fault in the force field." Jesy nodded quietly at my words. "We just need to find it." She said. My heart was pounding in my chest. There's a way out, I could get the fuck out of here, I could live! Instead of voicing my thoughts I tugged Jesy forwards and hugged her tight, I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes. There were only five more tributes left in the arena, me two careers, Caroline from 9 and a boy from 7. Maybe I do have a chance. But not to just get out of the arena alive, but to possibly leave the districts for good. But sadly, that would have to only be possible with a bit of outside help. But who cares for now, at least I know what I'm up against.
