Bridget:
I sigh in relief as the two girls shake hands. There was something in Renée's voice that made me believe she wasn't going to kill Summer. There was also Finnick, too.
"Don't worry, Renée won't kill her allies unless her allies attack her first." Finnick assures me.
"How can you be sure?" I ask suspiciously.
"Because I know her family. She's the younger cousin of my good friend Annie Cresta." He explains.
"Oh. She's a victor in your district too, right?" I ask.
"Yeah."
After that we sit and watch the Games. It's day two and 11 tributes are already dead. That is quite a high amount. Not much else happens today besides what happened earlier. Mostly they show the careers and Summer and Renée. They mostly try to find a water source while hunting a little. The careers recruited the District 8 kid, Flax I think, to be the new guard dog for the supplies. Augustus almost killed him but then his district partner, Sparkle as I heard him call her, and District 2's male, Ryker, convinced him to keep Flax to watch the supplies.
I can see on the screen that Summer and Renée are close to a waterfall. Granted a small one but it still will supply them with water. They are pretty dehydrated and so is the District 11 boy who... Just got to the waterfall.
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Summer:
Renée and I have been walking for about a couple of hours. As we have been trying to find some water, Renée has been using her bow to kill some animals for food. So far she has killed 2 rabbits and 4 squirrels. The only times we've stopped toay have been to cook the animals or to rest every now and again because we are a little dehydrated an running low on energy.
As we walk I hear a faint rushing noise to my left so I enform Renée and we agree to check it out. To me it sounds like a waterfall and I only know the sound from watching a previous Hunger Games. As we get closer we can smell water lilies which just strengthens my suspicions and hope that it is a waterfall. It has to be a waterfall. It just has to be.
As we walk closer there is a lot of vegetation. We finally brake through the brush an come to a small waterfall that rops into a small lake or a rather large pond. The smell was indeed water lilies. I take a look of the surroundings of the waterfall an see that it is hidden by layers of lush green vegetation around it that include climbing ivy to beautiful full weeping willows. I have to choke back tears as i catch sight of the beautiful trees because they bring forward painful memories of home and the more painful memories of my sweet little sister.
I hear the sound of metal scraping along metal as Renée loads her bow quickly just as a pair of strong arms wrap around my neck in a choke hold. I twist me head around just enough to see who my captor is and it happens to be the 16 year old District 11 male. I remember him saying his name was Spud.
I start to panick as i feel the blade of a machete press into the skin on my neck.
"Let her go." Renée tells Spud sternly.
"No. You'll just kill me when I do. You always do. You're a career." He spits back at her.
"Do you see Augustus? Do you see Sparkle? Or even Ryker or Anwyn? No. I left the careers." She names the careers like they disgust her.
"Sure..." Spud doesnt believe her.
"It's true. We ran into each other and she refused to kill me so we became allies." I tell him.
"Don't you think she could be lying?" He questions me.
"If she was lying I wouldn't know things about her that a double agent would keep a secret. I wouldn't know she has an older brother and a younger sister. I wouldn't know that she works with her older brother in her father's shop making nets from 4:00pm until 10:00pm without a break everyday after school after she picks up her sister and takes her home. I wouldn't know that she would do anything to protect her little sister, who's name is Coral, even if it meant taking the blame for something she didn't do or even result in her possible death." I tell him and he seems convinced.
He loosens his grip slightly but doesn't let me go. "Why did you leave the careers?" Spud asks still cautious.
"They only kept me for a guard dog and I know I would be the first person they kill." She tells him honestly. He must believe her because he let's me go.
"Well I guess we either become allies or we fight to death." I say and both Renée and Spud prepare to fight. Something tells me we won't be allies...
I stand frozen as I see Spud lunge at Renée, who jumps out of the way and manages to shoot an arrow that grazes Spud's right arm. Unfortunately he is left handed so it didn't affect him. His machete cuts Renée's forehead a little when he takes a swipe at her. She aims an arrow at his head but it misses and lodges into a near by tree. Spud then lunges at Renée again and this time she falls back and he pins her to the ground. He has his back facing me and I see his arm raised in preparation to stab my ally. Without thinking I pick up the spear that Renée had taken from the careers, that I had dropped as Spud put me in a head lock, and throw it in their direction as I close my eyes. I hear a canon sound. I open my eyes to see my first kill.
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Bridget:
Summer looks terrified as she realises what she's done. She has just thrown a spear into the District 11 boy's back and killed him. She apologizes to Renée but Renée just thanks her and assures her that it's fine because if Summer hadn't of killed him then he would have killed Renée. It is obvious that Summer feels bad about it but it ha to be done. I just want to give her a hug.
Nothing else really happens in the Games although the servant girl Kara gives Haymitch a note about sponsor money. Finnick and Mags send Summer and Renée 3 empty bottles to hold their water. That gives them 4 bottles in total because Summer had one from her pack. They fill them up and decide to make camp. They find a willow tree with two large sturdy branches so they can sleep near each other.
After that they wait for the faces to appear in the sky. When they do, Summer is surprised to see Harman's face shining in the dark night sky after the District 6 girl and District 11 boy that she killed. She seems sad for a minute but then composes herself after deciding something in her head. When the anthem plays and the night goes silent Summer and Renée go to sleep. I count the tributes in my head. Twelve tributes gone in 2 days.
I'm getting pretty tired. I yawn and stretch as I say good night to the Victors and Peyton who is fine with me and understands about the press twisting everything. I go to my room an put my silky pajamas on and slip under the covers into a dreamless sleep.
I wake up and decide to put no effort into what I'm wearing so I put my hair up into a sloppy bun and put my black leggings and a t-shirt, that is a size to big, on. I pull on my fluffy Ugg boots and head down to the Victors Lounge. Everyone is already there. Including a sober Haymitch. I smile. He's actually going through with this. I sit down next to Haymitch who is talking to Chaff. I look over at the screen and nothing interesting is happening. It's a slow day and I hope for Summer's sake that the Game Makers don't decide to spice it up.
"Hey Bridget." Finnick whispers into my ear. I jump and he laughs.
"Don't do that!" I slap his arm playfully.
"What, tell you hello or make you jump?" he asks smiling.
"Make me jump!"
"Okay... I'm bored. Want to do something?" Finnick has the attention span of a 5 year old.
"Okay just let me change."
"You look fine."
I laugh at him. "I threw my hair into a bun and put on the first shirt that touched my hand."
"And?"
"I'm changing." I walk out and go upstairs to put some jeans on and a white strappy, tight top along with a three quarter lenght sleeved grey and white stripped sweater. I meet Finnick in the Victors Lounge and we go to the mall.
As we walk around we talk. We talk about our favorite things like sights an smells, we talk about our homes, we talk about our histories. I learn that Finnick's father used to be a fisherman and that's how he learned how to use a trident. I learn that he is an only child. I learn that he loves the sound of laughter and the smell of the salty sea breeze. I let Finnick in on my family before I found out about Haymitch. He learns that my father died in a mine explosion about 2 years ago. He learns that I was an only child in my previous family because my mother couldn't have children. He learns that I love the sound of music playing and the smell of campfires. After we go in a couple of stores Finnick asks if I'm hungry so we go to The Purple Palm restaurant that we went to on my first day in the Capitol. We share a peperoni, ham, mushroom, and olive was delicious.
Finnick stares at me for a while.
"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" I ask.
"No. But does Preston know half of the stuff I know about you?" He asks trying to figure something out.
"No." I blush.
"Why didn't you ever tell him?" He questions.
"I don't know... I guess we never really had a heart to heart conversation like you and I have." I admit.
"Oh."
"Don't get me wrong we had good conversations but I don't think I really felt like I could confide in him."
"But you can confide in me?"
"Yeah. You've kinda been like what I imagine a caring older brother to be like." I smile and he returns it.
"Well you seem like what I imagine a little teenage sister would be like. You know with all the boyfriend dramas." He jokes and we laugh.
"Shut up! I'm single remember! Not boyfriend dramas... EX-boyfriend dramas." I joke.
"Whatever." We laugh.
When we are done with lunch we walk around some more. We end up outside the movie theater and Finnick acts like a five year old begging to go in a candy store when he notices a movie called 'Midnight Shadow' is out. We see it. It's a horror. I hate horrors. I ended up hiding in Finn's shirt the whole time. When we get out he laughs at me.
"If I don't sleep tonight you have Haymitch to deal with!" I tell him.
"Why don't we have a slumber party?!" Finnick asks like a bubbly teenage girl.
"Oh my god! We could totally like paint each others nails!" I reply in a bubbly sarcastic way.
"Fun!" He looks all giddy. We burst into a fit of laughter.
After that we walk back to the training center and take some pillows and blankets up to the roof. We decide to do a bit of cloud watching until sunset. We spot the shapes of clouds and laugh and mess around like 6 year olds. We talk about our hobbies. Mine being guitar playing that's been postponed until I get a guitar seeing as I have already given Preston his back. His being swimming and holding swimming lessons for little kids.
"Stay here. Give me one second!" Finnick gets up suddenly and dashes back inside and about 10 minutes later he comes back with a rather large present. I eye him suspiciously.
"What have you got Finn?" I ask.
"A late birthday present! Here! Open it!"
I unwrap the pink happy birthday paper and uncover a black soft guitar shaped case. When I unzip the case I come across a beautiful guitar. The wood on the front is a very light color but on the back it's darker wood. It's beautiful. I have officially found love at first sight. I am stunned at the generosity.
"Finn! I can't take this! It must have cost like 700 Pancs!"
"You'll be surprised how much a Victor can get for free."
"Really? Well then I can accept this gift. Thank you so much Finn." I kiss his cheek in a friendly way.
Its dark now that the sun has set so we get an avox to bring up some candles and hanging lanterns that hold candles so we can make the roof brighter. We hang some lanterns on tree branches and put some candles on the edge of the roof or on the rim of the plant pots or even on the ground. It looks so pretty all lit up. Finn and I decide to camp out here tonight so we get more blankets and pillows and comforters and make a pallet on the ground.
"Thanks Finn." I tell him quietly as we lay staring at the stars.
"What for?"
"Today. I needed to get my mind off Summer which it did. Thank you."
"Anytime. Besides I didn't need to watch the games anyway. Now that Summer and Renée are allies all we need are Haymitch, obviously, and Mags."
"Oh okay cool."
"Any boys who are chasing you back home?" Finn asks after a long silence.
"Nope. They are all just friends. Nothing more."
"Pity. I could have embarrassed you on live television using them if Renee or Summer win. Guess not."
"That's mean!"
"C'est la vie!"
"Wow! You know what 'That's life' is in French! Impressive!" I say really sarcastically.
"I know I'm amazing!" He replies, equally sarcastic.
"Hey Finn?" I turn and Johanna is standing in the doorway.
"What's up?" Finnick asks and she comes over.
"I wanted to update you on the Games. The tribute count is down to 10. First off I need to tell you that my tribute Barker and the 10 girl, Sable, left the pair from 5 and went their seperate ways and Sable ran into that 1 girl, Sparkle, who was filling up her water bottle so Sable saw her chance and killed her so Sparkle's District partner found them and killed Sable. I'll spare you the gory details but on the bright side your tribute's alliance is still going strong." Johanna tell him.
"Thanks. Two more until the final eight." Finn sighs.
"So what are you guys doing up here?" Johanna asks.
"Camping... want to join?" Finn asks her an looks at me for approval. Why not?
"Yeah it will be fun!" I say.
"I'm good. I was going to stay up later to make sure Barker is okay." She talks about her tribute with more sadness than she did when she talked about the girl.
"Okay. See ya tomorrow then." Finnick tells her as she turns to walk away.
"Come and get us if something happens to Summer or Renée please. Bye Johanna." I say.
"Bye." She turns as she walks through the door.
After she's gone I ask Finn about why she sounded so sad. It turns out that Barker is Johanna's younger brother. He turned 12 only two months before the reaping. He was her only family left. I don't see how Johanna can even stand talking about the Games without crying. It couldn'thave been an accident. No one with there name in ONE time and is a younger brother of a recent victor and is the only family that victor has left just has their name picked. No one. Snow really is the most devious, two-faced, cunning rat.
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I still have my eyes closed when the strong rich smell seeps into my nostrils. I sniff to confirm my prediction and it definitely smells like it. I open my eyes to two steaming mugs of steaming black coffee and Finnick reading a magazine with... You guessed it! Me and Finn on the cover. Oh the joy more dating accusations!
"So how else have they twisted what we are doing to make it look like we're dating?" I ask Finn.
"They think that when we went to the restaurant we were on a date because we went to the movies after and they have a few pictures of you hiding in my shirt." Finnick smirks.
"How can you smirk at that?! Finn?! They are making it look like we are dating!" I say in high pitched horror.
"If you don't laugh about it, you cry." He shrugs.
I sigh. "I guess you should check on your tribute and I need to see if Haymitch has actually used the sponsor money yet." I announce.
"Good idea. Here's your coffee."
"Thank you! I have been craving fresh coffee!" I say clutching the mug in case anyone try to take it.
"Wow."
"I'm a coffee addict. I can't help it."
We walk down the stairs and to the elevator which stops to let in a red puffy eyed Johanna who hasn't slept and now has dark circles under her eyes. I pretend as though I don't notice for her sake. When we walk out into the victors lounge Finn and I go over to Mags, Chaff, Haymitch, and Johanna who just got there before us.
"Why do you two always seem to come as a package deal?" Chaff asks.
"Because Peyton hangs out with that other victor kid girl that doesn't seem to like me and the boys my age are career victor kids and Finnick has the attention span of a 5 year old so he gets bored so we go to malls and stuff." I explain.
"They had a slumber party last night though." Johanna pipes in.
"We camped out on the roof, yes."
"So are these magazines right then?" Haymitch jokes so I give him the death glare.
I turn my attention away from Haymitch to look at the screens just in time to see the snow off one of the mountains melt as magma bursts out of the top. The volcano spits the burning hot rock out everywhere causing some trees to catch on fire. Summer and Renée notice and try to get back to the edge of the cornfield where they are far enough away from the cornucopia but also on the outskirts of the forest. They just miss a wall of fire shooting up behind them. The duo end up staying there for a while because Summer hurt her ankle although thankfully it isn't broken or sprained.
I ask Haymitch if he has sent anything to Summer yet and he hasn't. I sit there watching Renée do anything she can to help Summer. She isn't a heartless bitch like I thought. Oh! I mentally face palm for cussing. I need to stop that!
I watch the screens for anything and I come across the pair from 5 who are caught in a ring of fire. The 13 year old girl, Vida, is panicking saying she doesn't know a thing about fire and the 15 year old boy, Watt, is getting frustrated with her as he tries to remember what he knows. He finally remembers that it might be possible to run through a thin wall of fire so they try to see if they can find an area around them where the flames are thinner. They do. But not thin enough. They both end up catching on fire and aren't able to put it out so they die slow painful deaths. The 2 cannons sound. The Five mentors leave the Victors Lounge.
Welcome to the final eight.