Never Nightlock

Chapter 6- The Arena

I tuck the knife into my jacket pocket. It would be better to keep it with me.

I reach back into the satchel and pull out a small bottle, smaller than my hands. I shake it, and pills rattle inside. In tiny print on the side it says WATER PURIFIERS- TWO PER QUART. Maybe there's a bottle inside the bag.

There is one last thing in the satchel, a very small water bottle. It's no taller that my hand, and as wide as my wrist. Dark green. It matches my jacket. It's about a cup, so that means I have to use half a water purifier.

My bag is empty now. What I have is all I have. A salt packet, a dagger, some purifying tablets, and a water bottle. I need to find a water source, to fill up the water bottle. I need to find a place to sleep too, where I won't be found. And I need to find food. Plants will be easy.

The forest is quiet. Birds occasionally chirp, but otherwise it's quiet. The Careers are most likely sorting out supplies. I've seen them hunt in past Games, waiting until night to find unsuspecting tributes. Who says that these will be any different?

The tree branches are dry and sturdy under my feet as I climb down. My path of direction is already clear- the animal tracks lead west.

I make my way through the dense forest, shifting my vision from the ground to the trees to behind me. I must keep alert, anything could be following me. Muttations, even.

The Capitol has genetically engineered animals to use in the Games before. They've varied from neon yellow puppies with the venom of a cobra to the jabberjays, which could mimic human voices and sounds. I've noticed something back home before that looked like a cross between the jabberjay pictures I've seen in my textbook and a mockingbird. It was quite odd looking.

I arrive at a narrow stream within minutes. It's incredibly tiny, though, no more than a puddle that runs. But where does it lead?

I pull a leaf off of a bush and drop it into the water. It quickly flows to my right, and I duck around a tree to follow it. The running water will hopefully lead me to another water source.

My deduction is correct. The tiny flow opens up to a pond, which I dash over to. It's round, and the diameter is about the length of my legs. I don't know the depth, but I can test it. Small plants bloom around the edges, a couple flowers hide. I pick a few dandelions and stuff them in my satchel.

I hitch the satchel over my shoulder again and turn to the trees. I'll need a long stick, preferably straight. I search some trees, finding nothing. Maybe I'll have to break a branch, although I don't want to. I was silent coming to the pond, breaking a branch would ruin my cover. It could draw other tributes or muttations to me, ensuring my death. I'll have to keep looking for a stick.

There are none. It's ridiculous, in a forest this thick. But perhaps the Gamemakers did this purposely. I'll have to get water without knowing the definite depth.

The pond looks to be to my knees, but water is an expert illusionist. I've heard rumors from District 4, the fishing district. Not that we have much water back in 5. A couple ponds, maybe. And the old wells, sealed up and kept intact for no reason except for the Capitol to lord its power over us. Look how we can control you, they seem to be saying.

I kneel on the edge of the the the pond, dipping my bottle in. I watch as the air inside escapes, bubbling as it goes. I lift it out and set it beside me while I dig for the water purifiers. Half a tablet should be enough.

I cap the bottle again and put it back inside my satchel so that it can purify. Half an hour. Then it's mine. But for now, I need to find dinner and a place to wait out the night.

Plants. I can find them. I think of the plants that grow near water. Watercress, wild rice, katniss. And I picked dandelions earlier.

Finding the plants is the easy part. Where to spend the night will be trickier. I don't have a sleeping bag or blanket, and my jacket won't keep me warm for long.

I settle on a nook between a boulder and a bush. It's decent camouflage. The Careers will have plenty of weapons, food, and supplies. They'll be tribute-hunting soon.

I pull my hood over my hair again. Arranging my satchel around some leaves so that I don't lose it in the night, I pull my water bottle out and drink some. Sunset will be coming soon. That means the death count.

The anthem plays, and the tributes begin to appear. Just a photo and their district numbers, not even their names.

The girl from 3, Alice. The young boy from 4, Ethan. So most of the Careers have survived. I guess that Ethan wasn't part of the alliance.

Then Rift. He's gone. I wonder who killed him. Maybe Jason, they were fighting when I left. Rift had family back in 5, they're surely grieving now.

Camryn and Jason from 6. Dead. If Jason did kill Rift, then someone killed him after. Both from 7, Jeyna and Jacob. The boy from 8, Zach. Jessica from 9, and I knew that Destan was dead. One left. The girl from 10, Josie.

Thirteen left, then. Most of the Careers, all from 11 and 12, me, and a couple others. The only alliance I know of is with the Careers. Other will show soon.

I curl up into a ball on my branch, wishing for sleep. It's cold, but my jacket keeps me somewhat warm. Tomorrow I can try to build a shelter, one that keeps in heat. Plans for it drift through my mind as I doze off. I'm lucky I stay stone still while I'm sleeping.

I am awakened tree branches snapping and fire crackling on the ground only a few yards from me.