Fallen Flower(G.H)

Chapter Ten

Over the last few days Gale has gotten progressively worst. For a split second I wish Prim was here instead of me. I'm ashamed for thinking it the split second after I do. He's got a bad fever and it won't break. There are red streaks crawling up his leg and I know it means blood poisoning. I'm exhausted by the time night falls.

"Attention tributes. There will be a feast at dawn. This will be a very special feast. Each of you need something desperately." The voice says. We all exchange glances.

"None of you are going." Gale struggles to sit up.

"You can't walk and you need the medicine." I answer.

"No!" Gale snaps.

"You would do it for me." I answer sharply. "You would. Don't lie to me and say you wouldn't." 

"But Cato and Clove. They'll come after you. You and Thresh are the biggest threats in the games." Gale answers shaking his head. "I'm useless in here and without you three I'll die slowly."

"Okay." I agree. I'm lying but I've gotten better at pretending. He can't tell I'm lying this time. I step outside and watch a parachute float into my hands. I open the vial and smell it. It smells sickly sweet and I recognize it instantly. Sleep serum. Mixed with berries it would almost blend in. I find a blackberry bush and strip a branch. I take a bowl and smash the berries adding the serum. I add most of it but leave a little just in case I need it later. I spot Thresh and rue and walk over to them. "I'm going to the feast." I hold up the bowl. "I got sleep serum. You don't have to come at all. I'm not letting him die if I can save him." Thresh sighs and nods.

"I'm coming too." He says.

"I'll come as well." Rue answers. I nod and walk into the cave.

"I found a new berry that rue suggested Gale." I keep my voice light. "It's a sugar berry they use it to make jam." I gently spoon some in his mouth. He eats it and takes another mouthful. His eyes widen.

"Their sweet." He says. I nod and feed him another spoonful. "They're sweet like..." He trails off and starts to spit it out. I cover his mouth and he's too weak to fight me off. The look of betrayal in his eyes is enough to kill me as it is. I set the bowl down and he succumbs to the medicine. I take a deep breath and wipe my hand clean. I slip into my jacket and grab my backpack and bow. I'll be back before the next day with any luck. I join the other two and we make it to the cornucopia. We all split up. Rue is going to grab the eleven bag, I'm going to grab the bag for twelve and thresh is going to cover us. The ground splits open and the table clicks into place. The moment it's in place foxface runs out and grabs her bag running away with it. I curse silently. Rue starts for her bag and grabs it but a knife whizzes through air hitting her side. I start for my bag hoping to make it before Clove can get me. The knife cuts across my forehead and the blood starts pouring down my forehead. I pull back an arrow and fire it at her chest. I slip my wrist through my arm and scoop up Rue. A body collides with mine and I roll letting go of rue. Clove is pinning me down.

"There's no one to help you now twelve." She snarls. "Don't worry after I'm done with you I'll make the little girls death easy." I muster up a mouthful of spit and manage to get a great wad of spit into her face. "You're lover boy can't help you now! You've probably got him strapped to a tree trying to keep his heart going." She traces my lips. "Too bad he won't last much longer."

"He's getting better." I snarl back. "GALE!" I scream. She punches me in the windpipe cutting my voice off but Thresh definitely heard it. Her head whips around and she turns tracing my lips again.

"You'll be fun to kill." She whispers. She raises the knife and I silently plead that Katniss has the sense to not let Prim watch. Suddenly she's yanked off me and Thresh is holding her against the cornucopia. He's holding a rock the size of a loaf of bread and she's terrified. I crawl over to rue and pick her up carrying her into the woods. I find a field of flowers and gently lay her down.

"Can you sing?" Rue coughs. I nod the tears streaming down my face.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willows, a bed of grass, a soft green pillow." I sing. A cannon goes off and soon enough a second one does. Thresh sets his hand on my shoulder and sighs.

"She's gone Sam." He whispers. I nod.

"Just stay here." I collect a bunch of flowers and arrange them around her finally giving her a bouquet. Thresh stands.

"It's time to say goodbye. I hope if I don't you two win." He says. I nod.

"I hope if we don't you win." I agree. I turn to where I know there's a camera and press the fingers of my left hand to my lips and raise them. It's my silent rebellion but the anger is clear on my face. Thresh leaves and I lose it slightly. "She was twelve!" I yell at the sky. "She was a child! She was twelve." My words weaken and the tears stream down my face. I'm already light headed and if I don't start now I won't make it back. I just manage to pull myself into the cave and plunge the syringe full of medicine into Gales arm before I pass out.