The Game to End all Games [COMPLETED]

Chapter 38

"So..?" Lyam asks.
"We just need to keep going in that direction. We should be close now," Jasper points in the direction we've been following as he jumps down from the last branch. The sun skims the back of my neck, no longer having the compete with the violent wind. Snow still falls around us, delicate.
"Man, I'm exhausted," Jasper complains beside me. "After this Feast, I wanna sleep for like a week straight,"
"Me too," Lyam says. "And I need a good bath, my muscles are tortured,"
"And you absolutely stink," Jasper adds. Lyam gasps audibly, Jasper sniggers and I can't help laughing behind my hand.
"If you weren't being poisoned, I'd shove you headfirst into a snow drift,"
"Try it!" Jasper taunts. "I dare you,"
"Ah, well. I can't refuse a dare," Lyam lunges at Jasper and gently shoves him, barely causing Jasper to take a step back. "Ugh! You're too strong for me. I can't move you!" Jasper laughs and playfully pushes Lyam into the snow drift. Lyam flails his arms and falls deep into the snow.
"No fair!" He cries. "I didn't push you in," Jasper extends his hand which Lyam takes and uses to drag him headfirst into the pile.
"Well, that's not fair either," Jasper whines. He pushes his arms under the snow and as he brings them back up, a wave of snow hits Lyam.
"Oh, that's not nice," Lyam jokes, hauling himself to his feet. "That went right down my back," he shakes the back of his top vigorously. He turns to me, grinning. "D'you trust me?" I don't even have time to respond before I'm flying through the air. Cold explodes across my back and through my trousers. I gasp with shock. I scramble out as Lyam and Jasper are doubled over laughing.
"You should have seen your face," Jasper wheezes. Lyam widens his eyes to imitate me causing them both to laugh even harder.
"That was just mean," I respond, dusting the snow off my trousers and arms, wincing as it melts through my clothes and onto my skin.
"I'm sorry," Lyam says, brushing snow out of my hair. Kneeling down and patting two snowballs into shape, I launch them. The first misses Lyam by a whisker but the second hits Jasper smack bang in the face. The laughter stops. Jasper doesn't move, as if suspended in time. Then, powerfully, he charges at me, nostrils flaring. Lyam intercepts him and tackles him to the floor with a thud.
"Jasper, I'm sorry," I whisper, crouching beside him. He snorts and flails, trying to get Lyam off his back.
"Stay still," Lyam commands but Jasper doesn't relax. Like before, he ties his hands together. "Just to keep us all safe. We won't have to do this once we've got your antidote. I'm sorry, bud,"

Snow hangs in the air as the light ahead of us grows in intensity. A huge beam of golden light shines like a beacon through the trees. As we approach, the glade becomes more defined and we can see the Cornocopia giving off a brilliant white light that cuts through the amber glow of the late afternoon sun. The mouth the the Cornocopia is closed, concealing whatever lies within. We crouch in the tree line, eyes on the Cornocopia.
"When it opens, I'm going after it," Jasper says. "I'll just grab it and run straight past,"
"Okay," Lyam nods. "We'll follow you, once you've got it, and protect your back,"

Shivering and cold, I watch as the sun slides between the branches as it emits less and less heat. I'm shaking so badly that I have to slide off the balls of my feet and onto the floor. My breaths fogs the air in front of me.
"Come here," Lyam offers, unzipping his jacket. "I'll keep you warm," I crawl across to him and bury my face into his neck and warp my arms around his warm body. "Jeez, you really are freezing," Jasper snorts and pulls his knees up to his chest. Lyam's smell fills my nostrils, the smell of sweat and fresh air and melting snow and greenery.
"Good afternoon, Tributes," Claudius's voice sounds so close that if I close my eyes I can see him in front of my. "And congratulations on making it to the final five. The Feast will commence in an hour's time. Good luck and may the best Tribute win," Jasper leans against a tree and rests his sickle across his lap.
"Thank you," he whispers. "For sticking by me,"
"Hey," I reply. "No worries. You did the same for me when I fell into the chasm," he smiles tightly and refixes his gaze on the Cornocopia.