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chapter 15

We sit in silence for a while, gathering our thoughts on what had just happened. My hand had almost healed, which was a good thing. Mandolyn's neck seems better, but the way she grimaces every time she moves her head makes me think otherwise. I know she needs special care after all she's been through, especially camouflaging under toxic snow for a couple of days without food or water.

"Thank you," she says, breaking the silence. "You sacrificed yourself for me."

"Not necessarily," I counter, smiling. "If I had sacrificed myself, I would be dead right now. But I was only returning the favor."

She lifts her head, questioning.

"When you "died" to save our group." She smiles but looks away. I can tell it's a bit of a sore subject for her, so I change it.

"Swear to me," I say. "That we will stay allies throughout the rest of the games. That we won't kill each other, no matter what."

"I promise," she says, sadly smiling.

"Now, come on! We should make a shelter just in case those birds come back. Or if the clouds part. Or if it snows again."

"Good idea."

I help her to her feet. 

* * *

Much to my dismay, I retrace my steps to where Jack threw the axe and hit Tigerlily. I know he had cut lots of firewood or at least collected branches for it.

And there the axe lay.

Covered in Tigerlily's blood.

I look away and see that under my feet are lots of chopped firewood. I grab them and tears spill from my eyes as I make my way back to Mandolyn.

When I reach her, she has already built a sort of roof, but is only holding it up with her hands.

"Little help?" She mutters, and I rush to grab a piece of wood long enough and sturdy enough to hold the roof of bark and rope. I place it under one of the corners, and Mandolyn lets go, emitting a sigh of relief.

"Thank you!" she says, grabbing another piece of wood and placing it under the other corner. We step back and admire our work.

"This should protect us," Mandolyn says proudly, taking a seat under the roof. She gestures to me to sit down, so I grab some firewood and join Mandolyn.

"This time, I'm keeping watch," she says, pulling out her fire starter.

"But-"

"I'll be fine." she waves me away from the blazing fire to make sure I don't get burned. Sometimes I wonder if I really am protecting Mandolyn. Maybe she can take care of herself. Maybe... maybe she's actually taking care of me. I shake that thought off and warm my hands by the fire.

I suddenly feel very sleepy.

* * *

I guess I fall asleep, because I'm awakened by Mandolyn shaking my shoulders.

"Wake up. WAKE UP!" she yells in my ear.

"Okay, okay! I'm up!" I lift my head. "Is something wrong?"

"Dracon and Seth are close," she says, helping me to my feet. I'm about to say something about how she knew, but she presses her finger against my lips. Then I hear them.

Voices.

Two male ones, to be exact. I climb a tree and press myself up between the bark and a branch and watch as Dracon and Seth argue about who should get the last bit of water. What's interesting to me is the fact that they could just go to the Cornucopia and collect more water. I know if I attacked, one of them would kill me. So I sit there and watch.

"Just because you're the "leader" doesn't mean you get the water!" Seth is saying.

"Well, I'm much more important than you," Dracon huffs, lunging for the cantine between them. Seth pulls out his knife and attempts to stab Dracon but misses. Dracon smiles cruelly at Seth and throws toxic snow into his eyes. Seth stumbles and falls, screaming.

"I never needed you anyway to win," Dracon sneers. He takes out an arrow and drives it into Seth's heart, just like he had done to Mandolyn.

"I trusted you," Seth chokes, and the cannon fires. Dracon watches as the hovercraft comes and scoops up Seth's body, then leaves swiftly. 

* * *

As soon as I get down from the tree, Mandolyn presses me with questions.

"Who was the cannon for?"

"Seth."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, Dracon did."

"Why didn't you kill one of them?"

"They would have killed me anyway."

"What were they fighting over?"

"Water."

"That's stupid. They could have just gone to the Cornucopia and gathered more water."

"I thought that too, but I think Dracon wanted an excuse to kill Seth."

"Ah."

I nod. "Will that be all for today, Mandolyn?"

"For questions?"

"Yep."

"Yeah. I'm done." She smiles at me. "Now it's just you, me, Dracon, and Jack."

"Yeah," I say, but I'm not really listening. I'm thinking about when, where, and how I'm going to kill Jack.

"Eve? Earth to Eve?" Mandolyn waves her hand in front of my face.

"Hi. Sorry, I was just deciding how I would kill Jack. But you need rest, food, and water."

"So do you."

But I grab my dagger. "I'm going hunting. STAY HERE."

"Okay, okay! Calm down! I'll be fine."

"Okay. Hopefully I'll get something for us to eat."

And with that I leave her.