87th Games

Only A Pawn In The Game

I grabbed tightly around his neck and squeezed.

“First you kill Trouble then you go and make fun of me!” I screeched

He tried to flail his hands around, trying to point behind me in order to distract me.

I felt something nuzzle against my neck and I heard a loud neigh.

“Oh” I whispered, Trouble was attempting to cuddle me.

I let go of him in surprise and turned to wrap my arms around Trouble’s neck. She was alive! She had grass all over her and smelled a little dirty. I didn’t like the idea of her wondering during the night time without me to protect her.

I turned to apologise to Arrow.

He was rolling on the floor clutching his stomach giggling in fits.

I turned sour. There was no way was I apologising to him now.

I huffed, planning to get the hell out of dodge. “C’mon Trouble!” I beckoned attempting to lead her outside.

She wouldn’t budge. Instead she walked over to Arrow and nuzzled into his neck too. It only made him laugh more.

“What the hell is this?” my voice high in exasperation. I felt like I had been cheated on.

“Fine” I sighed and grabbed the bags. “I’m going to go get water”

“Can you get me some too?” Arrow asked between laughing.

I slammed the cornucopia barn doors in reply.

~

I twirled my chunky bracelet around as I walked to Zane’s river. The hover craft would have picked up his body by now and sure enough, the water was clean and pristine. There was no trace Zane had died or that I had coloured the water to say goodbye to him. The game makers must have removed the traces so that other tributes didn’t see. I wasn’t even sure if they televised the funeral. Last time they did that was in the 74th Hunger Games with Katniss and Rue.  

There were now five people left in these games, myself, Bloom, a girl from six, Arrow and a boy from eleven. The games had been going for almost a month now and I still didn’t want to team up with Arrow, or anyone for that matter, especially so late in the games. They could turn around and kill me at any second and I wasn’t okay with that.

I wondered what the other tributes were doing. Were they hiding? Were they hunting? Did they know about Trouble and that I was in the cornucopia? Did their coaches sponsor them like Avery sponsored me?

As I continued to twirl the bracelet I felt it cut my wrist slightly. I was about to disregard the splinter when I heard rattling. I panicked and jumped into the water so that the capitol, game makers and other tributes couldn’t see me completely or hear my bracelet. I wasn’t on a camping trip after all; I was in a hunger games arena with only five people left. Things were bound to get intense.

I pretended to wash my legs but grabbed onto the bracelet instead. I tampered with the wooden clasp and felt it open. I couldn’t see what it was but it felt like a key.

My eyes popped open in surprise.

I quickly remembered the last time I saw Avery.

All the tributes were receiving last minute guidance from their coaches in the hall. Each group was in deep conversation, especially mine. Magnus was busy instructing Arrow on proper cleanliness and how to be fashionable in the games. I had begun to laugh at them but before I knew it Avery had roped me into a private conversation of our own.