Stargazer • The Hunger Games

FOURTEEN

"Let's set up here." I nodded to the ground, brushing away the few moments of weakness that I had just shown.

"In the sea of grass?" Eric questioned.

"What better place for seafaring folk?" I mused, plopping myself onto the grassy floor. Amusement flickered onto Eric's face as he picked up on my attempt of humour. When he joined me on the ground, tall grass swallowing up into our own little retreat, I huffed at the bad side of setting up camp in the grassland. "We won't be able to make a fire."

"Oh well," Eric grinned. "We can use your hair as fire instead."

I glowered at Eric as he crumbled into laughter. I had almost missed his jokes about my flaming ginger hair. Until now, he hadn't cracked one of those jokes since we were out at sea.

"Aren't you hilarious." Sarcasm coated my words. Eric's laughter died off as the last rays of beautiful orange sunlight faded from the sky, leaving us with subtle inky indigo and hundreds of stars twinkling above us.

The world around us went dark, the grass turning into a muted grey and Eric almost faded from view. It was only the bright full moon and the soft starlight that kept the surrounding areas visible.

"The fire went out." Eric frowned, flopping onto his back so he could gaze up at the stars.

"Good." I chuckled. My hair had probably become a brownish shade in the night light. I then scooted over, laying down next to Eric and draping an arm over his torso. Eric easily shifted his position, allowing the both of us to make the most of comfort.

It was then that the perfect timing that was the Gamemakers doing, that the seal of Panem and the anthem appeared in the sky. Only one face followed the seal - Clover. In her tribute photo she looked so innocent and beautiful. Her face lingered in the sky for a few second longer than the others usually were up there for. When her face finally disappeared for a final time, tears welled up in my eyes. The pain from earlier today became fresh in my mind, bringing back the numbness that had captured my body not too long ago.

"It's alright, Alice." Eric's soothing voice answered my unspoken plea. Next to him, I was quivering and tears coursed freely down my cheeks, dampening the corner of Eric's shirt that I was resting on.

"It's not alright." I shot back weakly, my small whimpered grew louder as the flow of tears and body quivers grew stronger.

"I'm sorry." Eric sounded as if he had given up. Of course, I don't blame him. He knew better than to reassure me when he also knew that reassurance would not help. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay." I nod shrilly before closing my eyes. The quivers slowly subsided and my eyes ran dry of tears. Not long after I returned into a mostly normal state, my mind gave way to the comforting realm of sleep.

— • —

"Tributes," Claudius Templesmith's booming voice startled me out of my slumber. "Sorry to wake you all but I have some very important news."

I opened my ears and shot a curious glace over to Eric who was shocked awake just like I was.

"Since we are very generous hosts, I invite you all to a grand feast. Food and weapons can be rare to come by but never fear, we have what you need. Tomorrow at dawn the feast will start at the cornucopia. It would be dreadful if you missed this feast as it will be filled with everything you will ever need." Claudius chuckled lightly before finishing, "Don't be late, you have a very important date."

When I was certain that Claudius had finished talked, I let out a stifled sigh before slumping back onto the ground. "It will be the bloodbath all over again."