The Fandom Games

PART III: Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 – THE WOODS

I crept quietly through the woods, following Brendon. I knew he saw me as young. Everyone either saw me as who I really was – old, blind in one eye, and rather pitiful – or who I once was – young and sexy. He was one of the latter.

Narrowing my eyes at the back of his head, I drummed my fingers on my lips absently. I could easily use this deception to my advantage. I knew how to seduce if I needed to. I could act like I wanted him. Certainly he would fall for it, and right when I had him at his most vulnerable I could-

My planning was interrupted by a cold blade being pressed against my throat. I couldn't turn my head to see who had snuck up behind me, so waited for them to force my back to a tree and stare me in the face. It was Avril.

"Listen up. There's only one way to save yourself. Break your alliance and join me."

"You sell yourself so well," I smiled. She saw me as old. Why she wanted me on her side was beyond me, but I didn't mind. I hadn't even met my allies yet. I had no problem breaking it off.

She smiled wickedly and slowly lowered the blade. "Good. I think the two of us would do well together."

"I agree."

I looked back to where Brendon had been walking away from me, only to watch him turn a corner and disappear into the trees. Avril began sharing her personal strategy – essentially, hiding in plain sight – and we continued to talk until the night fell and the names of the dead were projected into the sky following the Capitol's anthem.

Louisa, Susan, Kirke, Oliver, Scarecrow, and Christina. All six of them were dead already. This seemed like a small number of dead considering how it had all ended in a fire.

Hoping Avril wouldn't kill me in my sleep, I set up a small shelter and rolled over. I'd need the energy later.