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when i open my eyes, the sun is slowly rising, hidden behind the thick tops of dense trees that protect me from curious eyes. the kind of darkness that still hovers over me indicates the rather early hour and allows me to keep some sense of time. the air is fresh, not as stifling as the day before, but i know in advance that it won't last. a few sunbeams will be enough to warm up the atmosphere.
although i have just woken up from a restless night, i am already alert. and i don't forget the two gunshots i heard during the last hours of the night ; i keep telling myself that willow is fine.
she can only be fine.
i wedge a slice of beef jerky between my lips before working my way back down from my perch. i undo the rope that held me in place before folding it carefully to put it in my bag. then i let myself fall from branch to branch until my feet finally touch the ground, with a spongy noise dampened by the carpet of leaves and branches.
the plan is simple : i intend to search the island again with the hope of finding my sister - maybe i missed some clues ? maybe she didn't show up the day before to protect us both from potential danger ? still, if there's even the slightest chance that she's on this piece of land, i won't let it go.
that's why i set off, before the first rays of the sun manage to pierce the thick foliage that protects me, through the forest that i already explored the day before. everything looks the same but i scan each top, each thicket, in the hope of a miraculous clue that doesn't come.
very quickly, the stifling heat identical to the one of yesterday rises and makes me sweat profusely while i cross the islet in length, in width and in crossing.
in vain.
on my passages, i set a few snares with the hope of making at least one catch in spite of my disturbing presence for the hunting game ; the only prodigy of the day is to succeed in catching a rather small rabbit that i recover after an umpteenth round trip. i also fill my water bottle that i emptied far too quickly under the blazing sun that reigns supreme and that burns my neck exposed to its deadly rays.
in the middle of the afternoon, despair starts to threaten me.
i did not cross any human presence whatever it is, no clue being able to indicate to me that i am not alone ; i have to face the evidence.
willow is not here.
nobody is here.
i decide to stop by the fresh water stream i have found to refresh myself - both body and mind. as i quench my thirst, my brain spins at full speed. if my sister isn't here, it's because she decided this island wasn't safe enough and had to seek safety elsewhere. so i have two choices : the island on the right, or the one on the left. impossible to guess which one might be the right one ; it will only be a matter of luck.
the initial plan was to find each other on this island ; but i've been here for two days already, and the more time goes by, the less chances i have to find willow alive.
and i refuse to stand there, waiting for her, when she could be in danger anywhere in this damn arena.
an hour later, my decision is made.
on the beach, the salt water comes to lick my feet in the form of waves. my eyes fixed on my destination, i still weigh the pros and cons, before finally entering the water with the objective of the island to the right of the one i was on.
much further on, a golden spot shines in my field of vision. as i begin my swim, i can't help but turn my head to see the cornucopia. glistening under the sun's rays, almost blinding, its presence reminds me where i am, why i am here ; left to my own devices these last hours, i had almost forgotten that at any moment, death was lurking there, ready to take me away.
whether it takes the form of another participant, a cruel trap of the games, a mistake of survival.
when i set foot on the new islet, i'm out of breath - i'm really not made to swim. the salt in my eyes make my vision blurring, and if the cold sea refreshed me at least for a few moments, i'm already beginning to dry under the sun, sand burning my hands and knees.
i look at the forest in front of me ; there is no indication that i have changed location. i could be on the same island than before and not even be able to recognize it.
i need to be logical and practical. i can't afford to lose time by switching islands and be misplaced because of this stupid arena made to loose track of space.
so i cut a little piece of my rope and knot it around the trunk of a tree, at the edge of the forest. it's not much, but it's a beginning to keep track of what i do.
then, i'm back again to exploring. cap on the head and panting breath, abundant sweating, burned skin ; but i continue to put one foot in front of the other. and the day goes on like that, with no trace of willow at all or any other human being.
it's like i was left totally alone in this arena.
when the sun sets, i repeat my gestures of the day before ; installed in a tree, i swallow some beef jerky while waiting for panem's anthem. on the inky black sky, only the faces of rachel from the six and abby from the eight appear. i finally close my eyes, with one last thought in mind.
