The Hunger Games - Primrose Everdeen

Chapter Twenty Three

Omg, I haven't uploaded in FOREVER! I just got a dog and ugghhh! I'm so sorry. I'll try to make it really long, but I might not be able to cause my dog keeps whining so...

"No, no, no." Whines Rue impatiently. "Like this. Watch." Her arms flow through the water effortlessly. First she can jumps from one tree to the other and now she can swim beautifuly. Is there anything she can't do?

We're in our undergarments, using them as bathing suits, as I attempt to do the same thing as Rue but automatically lose my buoyancy and begin to sulk into the shallow water. "It's no use. I just can't stay afloat." Carefully, I pick my way out of the rushing water and plump myself down on a nearby rock.

With a laugh, she splashes me with water. "Get back in here! I taught myself how to swim just now. Maybe you don't need me to teach you. Maybe you just need to teach yourself." 

After continuously rolling my eyes at her enthusiasm, I jump back in, my feet bumping the small grinded up rocks laying at the bottom of the stream. My arms float outwards and I thrust them back in, repeating this over and over again. With a lot of splashing, my feet kick at the surface of the water. Yet I still can't stay above the water. The current is strong too and my head sinks down, my feet smack the bottom, rocketing me up to the surface. Gasping for air and with a nose full of water, I crawl out onto the very edge of the river. Soaking in the warm sunrays, I chug down my water, panting as I take it away from my lips.

"Slow down there, Prim." Laughs Rue jokingly. So of course I listen like a stupid puppet and drink much slower. Once I have finished, I lay down on the shore and relax in the drenching hot and humid air. My soft blonde flowing hair has become quite knotted over the few days we have been here, so I rake my hands through it and put it in a messy bun over my head. In the background, I can hear Rue splashing around in the river. Maybe today will be the day that we can finally feel safe and away from the rest of the tributes. I just hope so. We've been hammered by multiple harsh situations that have almost killed us several times. And this is very risky, just sitting here. Especially after a quiet day, a day where there was no death. If this quietness continues for too long, the Capitol Audience will get bored and the Gamemakers will kill off on of us, or drive us together, forcing us to fiercly fight to the death unexpectidely. 

Trying to imagine the pain that Katniss must be going at back home in the Seam is impossible to congure up. If it's this hard for me, I can only wonder how heartbreaking it must be for her. Has she stopped hunting? Is it all that she does now? What has she done with her life? I can only hope that magically I will find out some day, make it back to her. But that hope is still not renewed. Those words that I said in the interview... they don't help anymore. If anything they just remind me of a time when I was broken beyond repair, in the head and heart.

The sun burns brightly above our heads as we trudge on. Rocks have begun to spring up here and there. My head throbs and my skin drips with sweat. A light breeze blows our hair into our faces, I have attempted to tie mine back multiple times but it never seems to hold. So far there has not been a single canoon booming in the dryness of the day. I'm frightened that the gamemakers will descend a vicious tribute or muttation that the Capitol created just to destroy and rip out our insides. But it might be more interesting to drive together multiple blood thirsty tributes on other murderous tributes, not two young girls whom have yet to interested the audience. Although, luck has yet to be with us so far.

Rue stares at me. "I hate this. The Games. Everything about it." What is she? Delisonial? Surely she must be. There is no way that anyone, even while they are in the Games could straight out say that. It means an immediate death to the tribute and possibly their ally too. To save my life, and maybe both of ours, I must come up with something powerful and meaningful to say to make it seem as if that meant nothing.

"Rue, this is a life changing experience. Hasn't it made you stronger? I just feel the power surging through me due to this amazing event in my young life. First the food in the Capitol was delicious, training was fun, being able to use all of those different weapons and learn new skills, and now just being alone in the woods." All lies, complete and utter lies that anyone in the districts (except maybe not District Two and District One) would see right through, but any Capitol citizen would believe it and cheer us on. Possibly even sponsor us. I hope so. I've been dying for some real food.

"Pft, no." Spat Rue, rolling her brown eyes at me. I don't say anything else, if what I said doesn't help then nothing will. We're dead.

SO SHORT I KNOW!! I just got a dog and there have been a lot of tests in school so lots of homework and studying. But since Sandy is hitting me today, I'll be able to write a lot more! Promise!!