^Acacia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 17
POV: Acacia (District 9)
Time: Day 1
Tributes Remaining: 26
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Della, Jomilee, and I rest under the shade of a tree. The forest is quite serene, and while it's not too hot, the sun still beats down on us when we're not in the shade.
Jomilee's a mess. In the chaos of the Bloodbath, we were unable to find Marnie and were forced to leave without her.
"I'm really worried about her," she says once again. "She would have heard the signal."
Della gives me a look. "There's nothing we could have done, Jomilee," she says. "She may have had to leave early."
"We'll see tonight," I add. "Don't worry too much."
Jomilee just shakes her head, worry written on her face.
Night falls fast on the Arena. We don't light a fire, but luckily, we picked up sleeping bags that keep heat inside them. Jomilee and Della share one, leaving me with the other. It was snowing earlier in the day, but it's stopped now. I can still see my breath, but my sleeping bag keeps my body warm.
It's not long before the Panem anthem begins to play. The sky lights up with the words 'THE FALLEN.' I shift so I'm able to see the sky through the canopy above me.
There were ten cannons after the Bloodbath. The first tribute in the sky is Amethyst, one of the Careers. I gasp in surprise - I wasn't expecting any of the Careers to die so early. She quickly fades and is replaced by Cada from District 3. Next to me, I can hear Della gasp in shock. I force myself to keep looking at the sky, both for Marnie and for my own District partners.
Next up is Wade from District 4. The memory of seeing him jump to his death is fresh in my memory, haunting me. I wish that I had been looking the other direction when he did it. I feel bad for the kid.
Wade fades and is replaced by Velia from District 5. After her is Leon from District 6. I feel myself holding my breath as Leon fades.
Marnie appears, her face somber as the hologram flickers. My heart drops at the sight of her. Jomilee lets out a sob, and I think Della moves to comfort her. I don't look away from the sky. I have to see who's left in the Arena.
After Marnie is Karrie from District 8, who is followed by Angelica from District 11, and both Nelly and Alf from 12.
The Arena is silent as the Panem anthem comes to a close. I can hear crickets making noise somewhere nearby.
I finally allow myself to look down. Jomilee has her head buried in her hands. "I'm freaking out! What's going to happen to us?" she cries, despair in her voice. "She was alive this morning. We're going to die!"
Della has her hand on her back, but I can tell she's barely keeping herself together from both Marnie and Cada's deaths. I'm just glad Maisy and Greta are alive, even if we weren't ever close.
"It's only a matter of time before one of the District 1 psychos find us, and what are we going to do when they do?" Jomilee continues.
"Hey, it's okay to be freaked out. Marnie was your friend. But, we are more than capable. You had one of the highest scores! And you have us," I say firmly.
We can make it, but we have to be determined. Without Marnie, we're more vulnerable, but without hope, we have nothing left.
I won't give up hope.