The Ultimate Sacrifice (The 107th Hunger Games) [Fan Fiction]

25. To Kill or Not To Kill

25. To Kill or Not To Kill

I felt like I had a horrible hangover even though I had never gotten drunk in my life.

I couldn't pry my eyes open; it was like they were glued shut. I fought hard to get them open. A terrifying thought gripped me. What if I couldn't open them again? What if I was dead? My shot at living my dream, my shot at reuniting with my parents—it would be gone.

I heard a loud roar of running water. It sounded like I was on a beach, where the waves would crash against the sand and retreat back into the ocean. I've got to be dead. If I was alive, where the hell was I?

Finally, my eyes opened. I saw mostly darkness except for a trace of light—wherever I was had a ceiling.

I propped myself up on my elbows, my elbows hitting something solid and harsh. My hands felt damp rock. I looked behind me. I realized I was in a cave.

I felt something latch onto my neck. I tentatively touched the area, only to pull off two leaves, where the tracker jacker stings had been dealt.

I remembered that situation, all the bad of it. It was a rough, vivid memory.

I touched my stomach under my clothes, wincing. Yup, there were surely bruises. I licked my lips, realizing they were clean. I looked at my fingers, they were bloodless. That had to be because of the venom. I was hallucinating. Just like how I saw my mother in the arena, and the trees up in the flames. But the trees could have been up in flames, Gamemakers could easily start a forest fire if they felt it would spice up the action.

I saw ahead of me that the cave was hidden behind a waterfall. I could see it was day, maybe afternoon. I couldn't have been happier. I didn't have to go looking for water anymore, it was right here. What if it's poisonous? Could the Gamemakers be that cruel?

Yes, yes they could be.

"You're up, finally," boomed a voice.

I shrunk into the cave as a figure came into the cave. I just stared as he came in to see me. Shane was here. This has got to be his camp...or I'm dreaming and this isn't real.

"I thought you were going to be out forever." He knelt down beside me, I watched him carefully. "You're not going to speak?"

I shook my head.

"Fine, suit yourself."

I showed him the leaves I peeled off my neck. "They helped you with the venom. You were out for two days, Crystal."

Two days? I hadn't felt like I had been in a long sleep. I put a hand to my head, feeling it pulse violently.

"It'll go away soon. I also patched up your arm, too." He reached for my arm, rolling up the jacket sleeve. My left arm was bandaged. I was stunned, looking at Shane for an answer. "I think your district partner got you during all that chaos when I dropped the nest, or it was the girl from Four. I figured you hadn't felt a thing. I noticed it when I brought you back here."

My fingers brushed his handiwork. Bane had slashed me with his sword or Jenna had with one of her knives. We wouldn't know for sure. I hadn't felt anything sharp slice my skin, so I couldn't tell Shane who dealt me the damage. I can't stand this. He won't give me the information I want. I had so many questions for him. The only way I would get answers was if I spoke.

"How bad was I with the venom?" I muttered.

"Ah, so you are speaking," he teased. "Well, you were screaming, and then you looked like you were trying to reach for your mom—you thought you saw her. I tried to get you away, and then you bit my hand."