The 49th Hunger Games

Day 3: Tyger and Nightlock

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"Cody..." I whisper, "We should go back now..." 

"It's okay Night." he tries to assure me. "We'll be okay." 

"But it's been dark ages now!" I whisper-shout, "What if the Careers come back? Then we're dead meat."

He sighs. "Okay. It's not like we can fight them if they do get here." he blinks, "But at least let me fill your water bottle." 

I groan, but pass it to him. If there's one thing about Cody, he's stubborn. Sometimes I admire that, and other times it's a real pain in the neck. Like now. I stand, dancing on my tiptoes in worry. We're at the Career camp, and I'm terrified they're going to come back. "We picked the wrong time to come out here..." I mutter hoarsely, absolutely convinced they're going to come back, most likely with Truth in a rage. We've heard no cannons tonight, which will probably make the Careers angry. I don't want to risk being here when Truth wants to take her anger out. 

"Okay, we can go back now." Cody says, making me leap almost a foot in the air. He holds my water bottle out to me, which I take, breathing out a slow, shaky breath. "I haven't put iodine in it yet, but we can do that when we get back to the den."

The root cave is our den; a hollow that can barely fit both of us, but is pretty much just right. It's underneath a tree, where we can wriggle through the twisted roots. My guess is that we're at least among the smallest tributes, and it's certain that no Careers except possibly the District 2 boy can penetrate it. Buried under roots and leaves, it's almost concealed completely. 

"Just come on." I snap. 

"Okay, okay."

Then there's a sound. A loud, human sound. 

"No." I whisper, as if saying it might make it untrue. I slip away from the waterside, fumble with my bag to get my bottle in it (Not that I'll need it anymore if Truth gets her hands on me) and duck behind a tent. 

"Cody!" I hiss, "Are you mad? Hide!"

He ignores me, and I start to panic. I can tell he's trying to be brave for me, but all he has is a knife, as opposed to the Careers' various weapons and skill with said weapons. I just crouch there, hardly daring to breathe as I wait to watch Cody torn up at the hands of Truth Fireheart. My heart is beating in my stomach by the time the crunching of feet on dry ground and an irritated voice come within audible distance. 

"...cannot believe we didn't even kill one tribute! Not one!" Truth's voice, high with indignation, says, "Not even those pathetic little District-" I can't see her because I'm not looking, but I can tell that by now she's probably spotted Cody and her annoyed frown is twisting into a smile. She's like nightlock more so than I am. Beautiful and sweet, but only to mask the air of certain death. I'm suddenly thinking that we should switch names, and the thought at a time like this makes me smirk darkly to myself. I can pretty much imagine the scene unravelling just over a metre away from me. Truth, the District 1 boy and the District 4 boy with cocky expressions, maybe arms crossed or brandishing spears or knives. The District 1 girl and the small District 2 13 year old looking almost dismayed about killing a kid. Then the 11 boy's - who I'm still surprised is with the Careers - stony indifference. "Oh, hi District twelve. Where's your friend?" Truth's sweet voice grates. 

"Hey, two. She's okay, probably. Haven't seen her." Cody replies. I can hear the quake in his brave front, and all I can think is: Idiot, idiot, idiot.

Again, I have a vision of a false innocent expression from Truth as she giggles, "Nice night, isn't it?" then she adds almost casually, "And to think I haven't made a kill yet. You could be the lucky kid who gets to be my prey!" I hear a clap, and my mind's eye sees her with a pearly grin and hands together. 

"Whatever." huffs Cody, but I can still sense his fear almost as if I can smell it. 

Then I hear his yell of pain and Truth grunting as she attacks. I clamp my hand over my mouth as I dare to peek out from my hiding place. Truth is straddling him, and Cody's reduced to begging for mercy as she slices and dices. Luckily, Truth's body is blocking my view of the massacre so all I can see is her back and Cody's legs sticking out from under her. 

The other Careers are distracted, the blonde girl from 1 pale-faced but unable to look away, District 1 boy in silent fascination. 4 and 11 not quite knowing what to do but listen to the blood-curdling shouts of pain and terror. Truth's poor brother staring at his monster of a sister.

Truth picks herself off of his body and I can see, with belly-curdling horror, the mess of blood and cuts that is Cody's face. One eye is missing, gouged out. And blood bubbles around and from his lips. Tufts of his brown hair lay on the floor, matted with blood, and a few deep slices mar his cheeks and forehead. I fight the urge to throw up as with the eye he still has, he looks at me. The usual green glimmer is hidden by the red liquid blinding him, but he mouths a single, barely comprehensible word. Run. 

Now I see. He did this for me. He got himself killed for my sake. I want to do the honorable thing and stay until the bitter end, but I know it will be futile. And how can I ignore his dying wish? As the other Careers are Distracted by Cody's pitiful coughing and gurgling, I flash out from hiding and make a break for it. As my feet are flying across the bare terrain, I hear an angry shout from one of the guys. Probably 1. I ignore it and concentrate on leading my pounding feet into the trees. 

With a traitorous feeling of relief, I burst through the undergrowth and my hard footsteps are cushioned by the soft dirt and grass floor of forest. I don't break my full-out sprint until I'm wriggled safely in our - my - root den. I collapse on my back, panting hard as my shaking hands pull my water out and add iodine. As I'm waiting for it to purify, I finally hear the haunting sound of a cannon. Now, I'm on my own.