savages.

eleven.

Zak

Zak didn't quite know how he'd got here. When his name was pulled all those distant days ago, he'd never pictured himself under the protection of two of the strongest people in the games. Yet, as he trailed behind the two gingers, he faced his reality.

Snapping him out of his thoughts, Ella spin around to face him. "C'mon, keep up," she demanded, a stern expression on her face.

Despite them now being allies, Ella still terrified Zak, and so he sped up to walk between the pair. "We need a plan," Billy stated, and Zak frowned a little.

"Don't we already have one? Find the bastards, kill them, get out?" Ella remarked.

Ah, the remaining careers. Zak had heard two canons earlier that day, so he assumed they were still in action. "It's not good enough." Billy sighed, looking deep in thought. "That Zac kid is smart; we need to get rid of him as soon as we can. Tom's strong enough, but he wouldn't be difficult to overpower if we singled him out. Sarah is stealthy, but she's quick to get worked up- it could be a distraction. I don't know much about Izzy, but I think Ella could take her out if I went for Tom." Billy finished his explanation with a more assured smile.

This was where Zak felt out of place. "Um... I'm not really sure I could..." with the gazes of both Billy and Ella on him, Zak felt as small as ever, and so his voice trailed off.

Rolling his eyes, Billy shoved him in a... playful manner? Zak wasn't sure. "Don't be stupid. That swing you took before the games showed you have good instincts, and good strength. As long as we're looking out, you're gonna be fine."

Stunned into silence, Zak simply nodded. Was it really true? At that moment after the opening ceremony, he hadn't really been in control of his body; his emotions had simply taken over and he'd moved while hardly knowing it. Still, he'd moved and he supposed that was the important part.

The three of them continued to walk for a while, mulling over the plots to kill the careers, and before they knew it, nighttime was approaching, signalled by the burning hues of the sunset. "We'd better find somewhere to rest," Billy stated, to which Ella was reluctant as ever.

Ella carefully picked out a building (Billy insisted she became more and more meticulous with the choice by the day; Zak had to agree, albeit silently) and the trio promptly entered to begin their brisk search. Zak noticed a strange feeling of being watched as he did, but he figured it was due to paranoia.

His suspicions were confirmed once their search determined the building to be clear, and so he set up his sleeping bag with a slightly more relaxed nature. "The projection's starting," Ella called out from across the room by the window, and so Zak wandered over to see who the arena had taken today, since there had been two cannons.

First was the girl from District Three, which Zak found quite saddening- she'd seemed like a relatively pleasant girl, and definitely didn't deserve to be thrown into these games. The projection faded into the next deceased tribute, and Zak felt his face contort slightly as the image of Sophie, the girl from his district, formed. While they hadn't really known each other, they'd gotten on well enough, and Zak couldn't help but think back to her family at home, and the despair he'd seen smeared across their faces at the reaping. The all too familiar rage began to bubble in him again as her image faded to black, and he quietly stepped back from the window.

"You good?" Ella asked cautiously, a surprising shred of concern in her voice.

Shrugging, Zak slumped down on the ground on top of his sleeping bag. "It's whatever- it had to happen eventually. It's just- I saw her family, you know? On the day of the reaping..." he rubbed his eyes as if the image of their already grieving faces would leave. "She had friends at home too; I'd see them together a lot and... it's just not fair." He released an exasperated laugh.