The Capitol Games

14

OCTAVIA

As it turns out, Adriana's silent treatment doesn't last very long. The next day she was talking to me again, little by little until she was back to her chattering self. At first, I was relieved, then I realized she got annoying after awhile.

She talked about all the Capitol's latest fashion, who was dating who and I knew none of their names, and everything from Capitol's dwindling food supply of the rebellion to how she's always wanted a cat. The worst part was that I was still recovering. I couldn't even run away and Adriana took full advantage of that.

I drank the rest of the soup and just waited as my shoulder scabbed over. I got a fever but it settled in less than a few hours. There had been no cannons as we took back and forth watches over the night. I wasn't very tired and Adriana was the one who went out hunting. Rabbits were becoming scarce and she began to fry up the snake. Adriana said it didn't taste half bad but I didn't agree. The meat was tough and whenever I took a bite I imagined there being poison, making me foam at the mouth and twitch on the ground.

Finally, one day when the sun rose and the light filtered down into our little hole, I was strong enough to get going. It was time to leave out little home behind and go back to the Games. It felt like we were gone from them for too long. It was a miracle on its own that the Gamemakers didn't throw some atrocity at us while we were done, especially with Adriana around.

We crawl out of the hole and Adriana offers me her arm but I ignore it. My shoulder is mostly numb and I only feel a full throbs at times but I can hold my sword and swing it fine. Which was good considering I was out only protection. Adriana proved to be good with snares, hunting, and gathering but when it came to an old-fashioned fight, my money would not be on Adriana.

"Where to?" I ask.

"District 9," Adriana says quickly as if she's been planning this. I don't argue and we head through District 10. The land is clear of any of the fast twisters that I've seen earlier and we walk at a quick pace. I hate the open land around us and Adriana's constantly shifting eyes tells me she agrees.

"Why are we going to District 9?"

"Food," she says. "If they have grain like you said."

"It was all rotted when I went through there."

"It can't all be. We just have to find the right ones."

I shrug. We have a couple snakes with us if we can't find more food and that would only put us two districts away from 7, which was plentiful with game. We just had to watch out for the birds.

Dirt around our feet swirls with a gentle wind. But then that wind grows. Particles and pieces of grass float up, spinning sharply. I notice it from the bottom of my eyes and it takes me a full minute to realize what's going on.

"Run!" I yell, pushing Adriana into a sprint before picking up one myself.

"What is it?" Adriana shrieks. My grip is tight on her arm, dragging her with my longer legs. District 10 is laid out fair and I don't know if Adriana can make it. She's already panting. On second thought, I don't know if I can make it. My ankle is on fire and nausea eats away at my gut.

Behind us, the twister is growing. It's ripping at our skin and making our hair flop around. I can feel it cut my skin like a knife and Adriana screams as a branch flies at her. She ducks and it narrowly misses her head.

I jump to the side, hoping to get out of the path of the twister but it follows up like a hoard of bees. The wind is howling in my ears now and I growl, "Gamemakers."