The Hunger Games: Bad Beginnings

Chapter 8: Cavalla

A/N: That's Cavalla⬆️ She's portrayed by Elizabeth Gillies.

Day 6

Name: Cavalla Elway
District: 10
Initial Scoring: 8
Weapon Of Choice: Sword
Weakness: Trouble with trusting people
Judges' Comments: Although she is new to using a sword, Cavalla has shown an impressive skill set in the weapon. She has a natural ability to adapt to new situations, but her lack of faith in people can cause her to be self destructive.

* * *

I spent the night clinging to the trunk of a big oak tree. My fingers are cramping and my muscles are giving out, but I'm alive. Last night, as I slept, the weather took a turn for the worst. The temperature dropped nearly 20 degrees, and I was practically freezing. So I decided to take the risk, and started a fire. I know I shouldn't have, but I just couldn't help myself. The box of matches sat in my hands, taunting me. Not even 20 minutes went by before I heard the whoops and hollers of the careers, like moths drawn to the light of my fire. I panicked, kicked dirt over the flames and put it out. But it didn't work. Once they knew which direction to run, they continued on that path even with the fire gone.

Terrified, I scrambled to the nearest tree and shimmed up it. I found an arch about mid way up the trunk and decided to camp out there. The girl from 2 was the first to get to the dying fire. She began scouting the area, and ordered the others to do the same. 3 hours they spent searching for me. If I hadn't found this tree, I would have been killed.

* * *

This morning, my stomach was in unbearable pain. I haven't eaten anything but a few berries I found, and I'm starting to feel the effects. I climb down the tree and start searching for any food I can find hidden in this arena. Seneca said it himself, there's supplies all over this place, so there's gotta be food somewhere.

I start looking around and stumble upon a fallen log. I notice that it's hollow and think that it would be the perfect place to hide some supplies. I walk up to the log, but when I look inside, it's not supplies that I find, but another tribute. She's dead asleep inside this tree. I notice she's got a backpack.
"Maybe she has food." I think to myself and climb into the log to grab it.

As I reach for the bag, my foot slips and I snap the branch beneath me. The girl wakes up and starts frantically trying to get away from me.

"Wait!" I call to her. I can't let her get away with that stuff. I won't survive without it. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to partner up."

She stops panicking and looks at me with a cautious expression.

"You do?"
"Yeah," I continue, trying to sound as sincere as possible. "We need each other. Two stand a better chance than one."
"True. What's your name?" She asks me.
"Cavalla. I'm from District 10. You?"
"Delaine. District 8."
"I recognize you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You trained with Fauna."
"Oh. Right." She says and looks down at her feet.

Fauna was my partner from District 10. I didn't know her very well, but she was there supporting me from the moment we got off the train. I remember crying myself to sleep every night, even trying to find an escape every now and then. But, Fauna made it better. She would put her arm around me, and tell me we would get through it together. Once, she even pretended to find an air vent that led back to District 10 for me. It may have just been a joke, but it was enough to get me through the day.

Once we got to training though, it was Delaine who took Fauna away from me. As soon as the man told us we could begin on the first day, Delaine grabbed her by the hand and took her to a corner to talk strategy. She must have said something that turned Fauna against me because that night, she locked herself in her room and refused to talk to me. From that point on up until the games, Fauna ignored me, but I still wanted to make sure she was okay.

On the day of the bloodbath, I remember surveying the platforms until I spotted Fauna. I was told to run away from the Cornucopia, but I wanted to make sure she got the message, too. Seeing that Delaine was on the platform next to hers, I assumed she would be fine.

The horn blew, and I sprinted as fast as I could. As the distance between me and the Cornucopia increased, I had a moment of hesitation. I turned back and headed for a sword lying 30 feet ahead of me. But, as I got to it, I saw Fauna, on the ground trying to fight off a girl from 2. As her dying hand reached to her for help, Delaine ran into the trees without even looking back. Now I am supposed to let this girl watch my back? The same person who stabbed Fauna in hers?

* * *

As the day continues, Delaine starts to let her guard down around me. She even lets me have one of her knives and some food. She's actually relatively nice. At first, I didn't want to have an ally, but working with Delaine might turn out to be beneficial for both of us. "Don't get too close." I think to myself. "Remember Fauna."

We find a big tree and lay some logs across two branches, creating a platform. As we finish laying leaves on top of the platform, Delaine starts to get a little too comfortable.

"What's it like back in 10?"
"It's nothing special. Just farms and factories," I tell her, even though it's not the whole story.

I think back to my home in District 10. Being jolted awake every morning by peacekeepers pointing a gun to your head. Spending hours herding and milking cows, from sunup to sundown. I hated it back in 10.

I start to think back to the horrible times of my past, when a noise distracts me.

"Did you hear that?" I ask Delaine.
"Hear what?"
"That noise. It sounded like someone just sniffled."
"I'm sure it's nothing." Delaine says and laughs it off.

"She dismissed that pretty quickly." A voice in my head says. "I'll have to watch out for her."

That night, Delaine and I slept on our platform, high above the ground. Slowly, my eyelids get extremely heavy. I'm almost completely passed out when I hear someone climbing our tree. My body freezes. If this person gets to the platform, they'll kill us. I grab the knife from Delaine's backpack and pretend to be asleep. As I listen closer, I determine that the person is on Delaine's side, but she still hasn't woken up yet. The person's almost up to our platform. If I move to wake Delaine, they'll know I'm awake and come for me first. I have to make a choice.

I lay still, and watch as a girl from District 6 pokes her head over the edge and grabs Delaine. She screams and I decide this is my chance. I spring up and hurl the knife at 6. It hits her arm, but it surprises her so much that she crashes to the ground. The cannon sounds, but a second one follows. I look to Delaine. Her neck has been snapped. I hold her in my arms, but I can't let my emotions stop me from keeping focused. I roll Delaine to the edge of the platform, and let her body fall on top of District 6.

What am I going to do now? It's only me, 11, and 12 left. The careers will be picking us off one by one. I have to do something to save myself. Something crazy. Suddenly, I get an idea.