Fighter | The Hunger Games

Chapter Thirteen

The rain began on our third evening and hadn't stopped since. I was grateful we managed to catch an additional two squirrels before the torrential downpour began. "At least this time it's not acid rain" Olivia commented as we awoke on the fourth day of the Hunger Games. 

"We might have a bigger problem though" I responded skeptically. The rocks surrounding the opening tunnel to our cave had begun to erode resulting in water leaking in. "I don't think we'll be able to stay here much longer, this will flood by the end of the day." The water was already beginning to form puddles on the ground. Our sleeping bags were packed tightly in our backpacks to avoid getting wet.

The last two nights were rather uneventful. Two more deaths occurred; Tara from Eleven and Christopher from Ten. Neither Olivia or I knew the exact cause of their deaths. As of this morning there was only half of us remaining. It was crazy to think that in four days twelve tributes had already perished. The Games typically moved quickly in the first few days and then stalled after. With all six of the Careers still alive I knew our battle was nowhere near over.

"I think we should relocate" Olivia stated boldly. "Now that the action has died down the Gamemakers will be itching for some fun. We don't want them to target our base. Besides, it's already flooding. We should go before it gets worse." 

I nodded my head hesitantly. It was risky leaving our safe area but I knew it had to be done. "We should leave this afternoon in the storm. I doubt any other tributes will be outside prowling. The rain has been awful and the wind is just as bad" I observed.

Olivia and I had grown closer in the past few days. We shared information about our families, friends, neighbors. She made the Hunger Games experience slightly bearable. I was forever grateful that I stumbled into her on that fateful first night. Without her bandages and water my arms might have suffered worse damage. Luckily by now the pink, fleshy skin had scabbed over. They were healed enough for me to regain all of my motion. 

We took a quick inventory of all our belongings before abandoning the cave that afternoon. I possessed four of our five knives and a large portion of our food. Olivia had the materials we used to make traps. "We should head back in the forest towards the Cornucopia. I feel like most of the tributes have dispersed towards the boundaries by now and I'm fairly certain the Careers are in that open meadow next to the Cornucopia." Olivia instructed.

The skies were darkening around us as the storm built in intensity. Our jackets were zipped on tightly to prevent the rain from leaking through. The temperature had fallen a significant amount since sunrise and Olivia's teeth chattered as she said "anyone would be crazy to be out in this weather right now" through the gusty wind. I ducked my head down and followed her lead through the tangle of tall pine trees, watching the ground closely for any predators like the snake I had seen days before.

The ground was rather slippery, making our hike even more treacherous. Olivia and I spoke very few words to each other. This was most definitely the most miserable part of the Games so far. I longed to take a hot shower and sleep in the comfort of my own bed at home. Those were always the best nights in Seven, especially when my mother would start a fire in our worn fireplace. 

"Did you hear that?" Olivia paused in her tracks, her voice full of alarm. Immediately I crouched down in my place and scanned the area, squinting into the blinding rain. "I can hardly hear anything Olivia" I spoke, slightly frustrated at her for being paranoid but also slightly worried. We were in no place to face danger. Not in these conditions at least.

"It was a twig..." Olivia's voice trailed off as she moved forwards a few steps. My eyes darted around nervously. "It's best we just keep moving forward and hope the threat is behind us" I spoke in a rushed tone. I didn't want to admit that I was on edge in this forest.