The 100th Annual Hunger Games

Chapter 17

Benjamin coughed, his lungs feeling like they were going to collapse on themselves.
His head throbbed, dried blood stuck to his forehead where the guy had hit him to knock him out.
He sat up, tenderly touching the wound.

"Bout time you woke up." Fayora's taunting voice pierced his ears.

He jerked to the side, jumping to his feet.

She had been sitting behind him, leaning against a tree.
She rose a single eyebrow as Ben stumbled, woozy from the sudden movement.

He sat back on his knees, steadying himself with his uninjured arm.

His eyes opened wide as he looked at his bandaged shoulder. There wasn't any pain that normally came from a wound.

"You're welcome midget." Fayora smirked, twirling a knife between her fingers, the orange light of her suit glinting off of it.

Ben looked around, trying to get a grasp of their surroundings.
Off to their right, the cornucopia sat in the sky.
Two colored suits could be seen patrolling it's deck, one orange, the other, yellow.
Other than that, all he could see were a couple trees, though from the silhouette they cast on cornucopia, he could tell that there were more trees than the ones illuminated.

"Why aren't we up there?" Benjamin nodded in the cornucopia's direction.

"Because that's where she would expect us to be." Fayora said simply, kicking her feet out and crossing them.

That's when Benjamin noticed Wesley's green suit, which had blended with the tree's own color.
  He was tied against one of the trees nearby.

Ben shot a glance at Fayora, to see how she would react as he stepped over to Wesley.
He pulled his head back, revealing that he had blood splattered all over his face. He also had dark bruises littering his face, sharpening his features.

"What did you do to him." Benjamin muttered harshly. Juniper wouldn't be very happy with him if she found out.

"Made sure he wouldn't wake up for awhile so we could have a chat." Fayora stated, flipping the knife into a tree next to four others.

"A chat about what?" Ben asked, sitting down again to try to keep his head from spinning so much.

"I believe you already know." Fayora answered. She stood up and stretched her arms over her head, releasing a yawn.

A strong gust of wind whistled through the trees, taking Ben's warmth with it.
Goosebumps crawled over his skin as he nodded. "Then why bring him here? If what I'm thinking is true, it doesn't have anything to do with Wesley."

"Fair question. Though the interviews should have explained that thoroughly enough for you." She replied, walking over to the tree and effortlessly plucking the knives from it.
"And what is your answer little midget?"

Ben shook his head. "I don't know." He muttered. Deep down he felt he shouldn't take her offer. That the more trustworthy allies were Juniper and the rest of their group.
But he couldn't shake the feeling that if he joined forces with Fayora, it would lead to his victory. Not only that, but it would be better off, considering the careerers had control of the cornucopia and all of it's supplies.
Yet, it felt disloyal to the others who were counting on him to bring Wesley back.

His head snapped up.
"You're trying to lead her back aren't you."

Fayora grinned. "There you go midget, finally using that brain of yours deep down inside that tiny mind. Yes, I'm using Wesley to lure Juniper back so I can make him suffer even more so by having him watch her die by my hands."