The Hunger Games of Bengui

Chapter 25

I woke up in a sudden jolt, tingles spreading up my body. I looked around, but all I could see was bright light. Is this what heaven's like? I blinked and looked back and forth as the room around slowly formed. I was lying in what seemed to be a hospital bed, with straps across my arms and legs. There was a monitor on the wall in front of me, a blue couch in the corner and a small window. On my left there was a small table with wheels, the door in the corner. Thankfully my arms were skinny enough that I was able to wiggle myself out of the straps, unbuckling my arms and then my legs. I lay back, panting hard. Reality just hit and I realized that I wasn't in the arena anymore.

"Guess your oh so genius plan worked, Mike," I muttered under my breath.

To my right there was an IV needle in my arm, pumping in what seemed to be blood. Aren't you supposed to be paying attention to things like this? I ripped it out my arm, stabbing the needle into the wall behind me.

"What the heck?"

I looked down and I noticed I was in a clean white muscle tee and some black shorts that showed my bare legs. The giant cut was gone, and the scar was barely noticeable. It looked like it was slowly disappearing by the minute. My arms were smooth and free of any wounds. I put my hands up to my face, surprised when it was all smooth.

"Woah..."

I looked down at my hair, which seemed a bit longer than it was before. But the thing that threw me off was the color. Before it was a dark brown, almost black, yet now it was as light as dirty blonde. My bangs were gone, and my hair was parted down the middle. I tipped my head over and parted it to the right as usual.

Slipping out of bed, I put my ear to the door. Silence. I slowly opened it and checked down the hallway, surprised when there was nobody there. I looked around the room for any shoes, finding a pair of black canvas shoes under the bed. Slipping them on, I carefully shut the door, trying to make as little sounds as possible. This place looked new, foreign. Everything was white and brightly lit a blinding white, something I still wasn't used to yet. Tiptoeing down the hall as silent as a mouse, I stopped at the first door and looked at the name tag.

Brooklyn Esrig.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the door and quickly shut it behind me. Brooklyn was lying in the center of the room on the bed, his eyes fluttering open when he saw me.

"Cara," he huffed, a smile I hadn't seen for so long returning to his face.

I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, his arms going around my waist.

"You made it," I teared.

"Born a fighter," he smirked.

"Oh, um let me help you out of these," I laughed, shuffling with the buckles from the straps.

"Thanks," he grinned. "How did you get out of yours?"

"Skinny Minnie."

"You look better than before. You're not as bony." He poked my rib cage.

I sat next to him on the edge of the bed, staring at the piece of paper on the side of his table.

-VICTORS-

MIKE AHRI

BROOKLYN ESRIG

SAMMIE LITZ

CARA MONROE

KRISTEN SPECKS

LILY SPECKS

JACK TEEMO

KYLE WEBS

"Sammie...Jack..." I gasped, running my fingers along the fine print.