Goodbye For Now ~The 80th Hunger Games

12.

"Ray, wake up," I hear Zander whisper.

I slowly open my eyes to meet Zander's eyes.

"Hey," I say with a smile and stretching.

"Hey," he laughs and helps me up. The sun is just rising.

"We should get going to make it to the cornucopia before the arena gets smaller," Zander says, "how's your head?"

I touch the back of my head with my hand.

"Better than yesterday," I say.

"Good. Let's get packed up and head towards the cornucopia," says Zander.

I pack up my pack and sleeping bag and so does Zander.

"Ready?" Zander asks.

I nod.

He reaches out and takes my hand, our fingers lacing together, and we head out towards the cornucopia.

********

After walking for what seems like forever, we finally reach the waterfall.

"Do you want to go to the cave behind the waterfall until Ryan and the girl from 11 show up?" Asks Zander.

I gulp. I don't want to go to the cave, it brings back memories, but I know we have to hide.

I nod and we head towards the cave.

When we enter, I automatically feel the tears start to come.

I look over at the corner where Gemma slept every night, and at the rock near the entrance where Annabella sat all the time.

A tear runs down my cheek.

"It's ok," Zander says and he squeezes my hand tighter.

I take a deep breath and force the tears away.

"So, what do you want to do?" Zander asks as he let's go of my hand and sets his backpack down.

"Um, I don't know. Play a game?" I suggest.

We make up a random hand game which we play for a while, then play rock paper scissors after we get bored with that.

Suddenly we hear rumbling in the distance.

"There goes the arena," I say and sit down next to Zander.

He puts an arm around me.

"Don't worry everything will be ok," he says and gives me a kiss.

I sit there next to him for the longest time, and I think I drift off to sleep a few times.

"Ray," Zander says, shaking me awake.

"Huh?" I ask.

He points to the ceiling, and a rock falls.

I look at him.

"The cave is going to collapse," Zander says.

I jump up and grab my backpack.

We run towards the entrance of the cave, and it starts collapsing behind us.

We dive out of the cave and make it out just in time.

I stand up and brush myself off.

"That was close," I say.

"Yeah," says Zander.

"Where should we hide now?" I ask.

Zander looks around for a minute.

"Near the trees of the forest down near the cornucopia," he finally says.

He takes my hand and we run down the path. We run through the field and eventually get to the woods.

"Attention tributes, the whole arena is gone except for the cornucopia, so, this will be a feast, or should I say, bloodbath," says Claudius Templesmith.

I watch as Ryan from district 1 walks out of the cornucopia.

I look at Zander.

"Ray, if I don't make it, I love you," he says to me.

"You will make it, I promise. I love you too," I reply.

Zander gives me a quick kiss then runs out. I follow.

"Well well well, look who showed up," says Ryan.

I aim my arrow at him, and Zander has a knife.

Suddenly, Ryan turns around and stabs the twelve year old girl from district 11. I think her name is Indigo.

"Hey Rayleigha, don't let Ryan win," says Indigo.

I nod and her cannon goes off.

I feel tears coming. I barely knew her, but her death hurt me. She was too young.

I turn around and Ryan is on top of Zander.

They're wrestling on the ground, throwing punches and kicking.

I don't want to go over, because Ryan will surely kill me, but I don't want Zander to die.

I aim an arrow at Ryan's back.

I'm just about to shoot when Ryan gashes Zanders stomach.

I let out a shriek, and luckily, Ryan doesn't notice.

Zander tries to punch some more and ends up slashing Ryan's chest.

Ryan screams in pain before he cuts Zander's arm.

I want to shoot and save Zander, but it'll mean death for both of us.

And if Zander dies, I can't let Ryan win.

I stand there with my arrow aimed at Ryan's back, ready to shoot.

I can't take it.

"Hey!! Leave him alone!!" I yell.

Ryan stands up and turns to me.

"Oh look Zander, your little girlfriend came to help, how sweet that you'll die together," Ryan taunts.

Ryan charges at me, and I take out my knife and stab it in his stomach. He slashes at my leg as he falls. I scream out in pain, but manage to shoot an arrow at his head.

Boom.

Ryan's dead.

I run to Zander.

He's laying in a pool of blood.

"No, Zander, stay with me," I beg with tears streaming down my face.

"No Ray, you need to live. You need to win this thing. For your sister, for your whole family, for me," Zander says, "you'll see me soon enough."

I lean down and give him a kiss, then lay my head on his stomach.

I taste his blood on my lips, but I don't care. I cry until a cannon goes off.

I scream.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the victor of the 80th annual hunger games, Rayleigha Braxton."

The ladder comes down from the hovercraft to take me away.

I start to climb, tears still streaming down my face.

I look back down at Zander one last time as I get to the top.

Then I feel a sharp prick in my arm and everything goes black.

********
A/N

Sad ending:(

Im sorry its short but the next few will be longer and have some really interesting things