The Last Games

Chapter 11: The Enemy

        I walk back in Mercer's direction in silence. I can hear Shasta behind me as she hastily gets dressed to come after me. I hear her yelling after me pleading with me to talk to her, 'Don't listen her!' 'Just wait a minute' 'Talk to me, please!'. I ignore her and shove through the brush, I don't feel like talking right now. I know she's trying to be a good friend, but she won't understand. Shasta's always been confident, dull but confident. She's never had trouble attracting guys, or keeping them.

        "Hey, feel better now that the mud's off of you?" Mercer asks with his perfect smile.

        "Oh, um, yes, thank you. You can go bathe now if you want, I'll stand watch," I offer.

        He furrows his eyebrows, "No, I'm good,".

        I smile lightly at him and turn to continue walking. I feel Mercer grab my wrist and I turn to face him, he cups my cheek with his other hand, "You alright?". I nod lightly and put my hand on top of his and entwine our other hands, "You sure?" he ask again.

        No, I'm not, but I don't want to burden him with my problems. There's already enough to worry about, there's no need for him to have to worry more about me. I force a smile,"Yes, I'm great for being in the games and all,".

        "Okay good, in that case I will take that offer of a bath," he gives me a peak on the lips before heading toward the river. He turns around, "no peaking," Mercer winks.

        "No promises," I smile and he laughs before disappearing through the bushes.
I sit down and lay the knife next to me in case I need to get to it quickly. I've never thought about what I would do if I ran into another tribute. Well, technically I've run into two already, Hawker and Bonnibel. I guess if a third came out of no where I'd probably run, again.

        "Hey, there you are," Shasta says sitting down next to me.

        "Hi," I say meekly, I can feel the tears stinging my eyes. I've never been embarrassed to cry in front of Shasta, she's very understanding. She was the first person to find me after my parents left me behind.

        "Rania," I heard her before I saw her. I hear the short creak of my bedroom door and a tall triangle of light appears on the floor. "What are you doing sitting in the dark goof-ball? Here, I'll open the curtains,".

        I hear the scrape of the rings on the curtain rod then light floods into the room. I keep my eyes on my feet, not bothering to move.

        "There, isn't that bette -- oh Rania, what happened?" Shasta asks as she turns around. I know I must look awful; puffy eyes and nose, my make up running down my face from crying. In the light I see make-up on the sides of my hands from wiping my face, bleeding onto the note I clutch in my hand.

        "They're gone," I squeak, barely audible.

        "What do you mean they're gone? Who's gone?" Shasta asks, sitting down next to me.

        "They left and they didn't even say good-bye," I sob and ball up the stupid piece of paper in my hand and throw it across the room.

        "Rania? What was that?" Shasta gets up to look at the paper. I pull my knees to my chest as and lay my head down as she flattens out the paper. "Oh my... Rania I-- I'm so sorry,".

        "Why are you sorry? You didn't leave me behind like old furniture," I say.

        "Come here," Shasta sits next to me again and pulls me to her. I lay my head on her shoulder and let it out, I cry until I can't anymore and it just sounds like dry gasp for air.