Safe and Sound || Hunger Games

Chapter Nine - Eleven Down

NOTE: I haven't edited this chapter, so it might go a bit weird and incorrect in some places. I'm not quite sure if it does, but if this is the case, it all can be blamed on my awful typing and over excitement to get this one finished :P Don't be afraid to tell me if there is something major or if there is something confusing, I won't bite as long as it's polite :) Thanks guys and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Nine - Eleven Down

I only stopped running when I knew I was quite well hidden from the bushes and trees, relatively far away from any immediate danger. As I stopped to catch my breath, I decided it would be a very good time to take a look at what was actually in my black and orange backpack.

It turned out that I had actually picked up a quite a good pack. It had a thin, black sleeping bag, a coil of rope, some crackers, three knives (that were sadly blunt, but still useable) and an empty drinking flask. I put the contents back in the pack and was about to get up, when the first cannon shot went off, which startled me slightly. The bloodbath was over. There were more cannon shots. Eleven precisely. Eleven dead, thirteen left alive. Thirteen was known to be an unlucky number. I shuddered at the thought, then stood up again and started what I knew what was to be a lengthy trek to get as far away from the Cornucopia as I could before nightfall. Plus, I had to find water, otherwise it would be a very short Games for me.

I started walking, considering my plans for the night, which would consist of getting up high, so I could be away from everyone and therefore, any immediate danger. I was good at climbing and I could generally scale pretty much any tree. By day, I could travel quite fast on the forest floor, by night I would be a mockingjay and take refuge in the trees, call them my home for the night. I was good at staying hidden at great height, it was something that seemed to come naturally. My family were, even before we started starving more than usual, were built naturally quite thin and agile. I held on to that hope that if I stayed hidden, I could win the Games. As I walked further with that thought in mind, a pang of guilt suddenly ran through me. I felt bad about Grayson. He had many talents, but he didn't seem to know it. He was amazing with a knife and he looked deadly when holding a sword. I hoped he had bagged something like that at the bloodbath, instead of getting caught up in it. If he was one of those who had died, I knew I would never forgive myself. Grayson wasn't my friend as such, but he was quite likeable, what with his quiet ways and random comments and kindness. If there was a choice of who would have to be sent into the Games, I definitely wouldn't send Grayson. He was too innocent and far to good and pure...even when he looked deadly carrying a sword.

I continued onwards, my bow poised with an arrow nocked in the bowstring. I liked this bow, it was comfortable and light. My quiver held many arrows. So many, in fact, that each arrow was secure because of how tightly together they were packed. I could have turned my quiver upside down and it would have been most likely that none of the arrows would have tipped out. For now, I felt I was more or less ready for what the Games could throw at me. But most likely not.

I kept on the move, looking about for water. I decided I was quite safe so I put the arrow I had previously nocked into my bow back in the full quiver and held my bow horizontally with my left hand, using my right to push aside branches and check for any signs of water. I was getting a little bit thirsty now and I really didn't want to go mad because of dehydration. That really wouldn't appeal to the people of Panem and I would be lucky to get a single sponsor if they all thought I was crazy. But I supposed it would be a more entertaining death for them if I went mad.

I walked for a good, long hour and I still hadn't found a single water source. This did worry me slightly, seeing as the only one might have been that small river right beside the Cornucopia. I wouldn't be able to go back without being caught and most certainly killed, so I figured that I would walk slowly and continue drinking my own saliva until I had found a place where I could fill my flask.