Nothing Personal

Love - 11

"Must be...close...now," Court groaned. Raylum flinched, wishing that he had a hand spare to stroke her forehead with. Sweat was practically dripping from her nose and she must have been in a lot of agony. Every so often her whole body contorted with spasms, but she bit her mouth shut and never screamed.

"A minute. Maybe less," he judged. It was hard to think straight with Court falling apart in his arms. If there were other tributes around, they were staying out of sight. Maybe they thought she was contagious, though the bite was obvious now. Her right thigh was almost twice the size of normal and going slightly green. She'd torn off the trouser leg herself; she'd insisted on it.

"Then put me down...here..." she croaked.

"But..."

"Just do it, Raylum!" Her voice was strong, amazingly, and it was the first time she had said his name, he was sure of it. Very carefully, as if she would break if he was too rough, he laid her out on the floor. She gazed up at him piercingly, one arm twitching. Was the poison taking a stronger hold?

"I'd...be no...help at the Cornucopia..." she croaked, "Even...if the Careers...aren't there." Her face wrenched. Raylum had to bite at the inside of his lip to stop himself from screaming in her place.

"The bow and arrow will be good enough," he promised.

"Hurry up."

"I will," he said tenderly. He couldn't leave her; what if she was to go while he was gone? But if he didn't go, then she would certainly die.

Inside his head, his father's voice snapped "This is the Games, Raylum! You win or you die! And you are going to win!" He ignored it. 

"Court..."

"What?" she snapped, grabbing a clump of grass and tearing it out of the ground. Damp mud splattered all over the floor and onto his knees. He faltered, but pressed on. "Can...can I kiss you?" he asked.

She went silent and stopped moving. For a heart-stopping moment he thought she'd died, but then her eyes flickered open, her expression suddenly sad. Yes? No?

He did so anyway.

She grabbed his hand, her nails digging into his palm. He didn't care.

"Raylum..." she muttered.

"I'll be back soon," he promised, turning away so she couldn't see him crying.

Megan was certain that something moved. She was leaning on the outside of the Cornucopia, breathing in the crisp air, the spear hanging lazily at her side. She immediately gripped it tighter, glaring at the point in the bushes where she was sure something had rustled.

She was about to call Vedran, but she told herself not to be so stupid. She could deal with this on her own, and he was probably still sleepy. No help at all.

Now she could see whoever was there. The guy from Ten, probably. Either that, or that one from District Two. But Careers didn't hunt subtly. So it was the District Ten guy. She couldn't remember much about him. She couldn't hit him from here, anyway.

She pretended she hadn't seen him and wandered around to the other side of the Cornucopia. Maybe she could draw him out.

The girl looked straight at him, held up the spear briefly, then decided she hadn't seen him and stalked off to the other side. He could see the little blue box now, quite close in and out to the right, but if he was quick he could get there and back before she could get to him.

He could still feel Court's lips on his.

No. Concentrate. 

Wait; where were the Careers, or what was left of them anyway? Not here, so it didn't matter.