No Regrets (a Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

33. District Five

So, Adam and I kept walking along, and I stopped voicing my paranoid suspicions. "Do you feel like we're being watched?" I whisper, glancing nervously over my shoulder.

"We're always being watched." He points out.

"Yes," I agree. "but this is different."

He shrugs. I grit my teeth. I can't believe that he doesn't believe me.

As we keep walking, I glance over my shoulder a lot. The feeling's getting worse. "Adam..."

"Cynth, will you quit being so paranoid? You're making me nervous. There's no one watching-" He protests as a spear flies through the air, hitting his right hand.

        As Adam screams, I whip around. The District Five girl sits on a low branch, pulling her long brown hair into a ponytail. I glare at her, and she gives me a small smile. Next to her on the branch are two spears, and she has a couple strapped across her back. Her backpack hangs from a branch above her. I study her for a second, and she studies me with her green eyes, which are so vivid I can see their color from fifty feet away. She's medium in every way; medium build, medium height, strong but not too strong, not too fast looking but still fast enough. I have the advantage here with my small size and fast feet, but not much, considering I'm still a little weak from getting stabbed. But, she has a huge advantage; she can throw her weapon, as well as use it in close-combat. I can only throw my knives. Unless I steal one of her spears, I'm dead. I'm still dead, because spears aren't my favorite.

        Once she finishes tying her hair back, she hops down the tree with her two spears, leaving her backpack behind. She obviously thinks she'll win this fight.

"Hey." She says, taking a step forward. Even her voice is medium; casual but not too casual, arrogant but not too arrogant. 

I throw a knife instead of responding. It goes from my belt, to my hand, to the air in a couple seconds. But, she still manages to dodge it. "Hey." I reply bitterly, watching as she picks up my knife and examines it. Adam's still screaming behind me. I don't turn around to look at him.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to face you two." She explains, tossing a spear in my direction. I sidestep it easily. "I thought District Seven was in this area, and I was planning to take him on. It's brutal, two against one. Unfair." 

I pluck her spear out of the ground. "If you killed him, you still would have had to take us on eventually." I say, watching her closely. She still has three more spears.

"Yes, but it would've been nice to postpone my impending death." She sighs. 

"This is the Hunger Games. You can't postpone anything, especially not death." 

        She stares at the ground a moment, thinking. I consider killing her then, but something makes me hesitate. She looks up at me slowly, finally deciding on whatever she was thinking about.

"Kill me." She says, dropping her spear.

"What?"

"Do it." She urges, pulling the spears off her back. She throws all her weapons to my feet(including my knife) then, pulling knives out of various places. "There, I'm unarmed. No tricks. Do it, do it now. Quickly, please."

I look at her strangely. "You want me to kill you." I state.

She closes her eyes. "Yes."

"Why?" I wonder. 

She keeps her eyes closed. "I never cared whether I lived or died. I didn't want to look weak, so I didn't let myself get killed in the bloodbath or at the feast. I didn't realize I was in the final four until last night when District Four was in the sky. I figured I might as well kill off District Seven, or hurt him severely before I went down." She opens her eyes and explains, "He's an asshole."

"Oh." I reply. I realize Adam is silent behind me, but I don't look. Not yet; I still don't totally believe her story.

"If you can't do it, I'll go to District Seven. But I'm sure he'll make it painful." She offers.

I purse my lips, and slowly draw a knife from my belt. "I'm assuming you can't do it yourself." I mutter. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive." She assures me, closing her eyes. "And I'm sorry I speared your boyfriend's hand. He would've killed me." She makes a circle with her hands over her heart. "Right here. You probably know that, though."

I step forward, raising my knife. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

"Don't be." She replies.