The next week was pretty fun. The five of us got the whole arena to ourselves, just like last time. Except for this time, we didn't have a tree house to build. So we pretty much just ran around the arena acting like complete hooligans.
However, memories were still biting at the back of my brain. I'm grieving over Rhymer, although I didn't really know her. I keep grabbing at the necklace around my neck to make sure it's still there. Also, I'm thinking about Luke. It had been two weeks since his visit to the arena. He hadn't come back since then, although I haven't stopped thinking about it. Luke has ultimate power. He can do whatever he wants. The only person he doesn't have power over is President Snow himself, and he's not getting any younger. One day, President Snow won't be around anymore and Luke will be waiting to take his place.
When the week had passed, 24 new Tributes entered the arena. Soon after, a parachute came down right next to the tree house with our names on it. We opened up the canister and inside was a folded up piece of paper. When opened, I saw that it was a sheet of paper with all the Tributes' faces and district number. Also, it told you what score they received. For a moment, I wasn't sure why we were sent this paper. Then I noticed the male tribute from District 8 was circled. His name is Reid. He had blond hair, a thick jaw line and black eyes. Even from his head shot, I can tell that he's very intimidating. He had a score of 12, which is the highest you can get. I got an 11 and Talon got a 12. Underneath his picture, the words He's dangerous were written. It was signed with a K for Katniss.
"We haven't had a problem with any other Tributes before," Titus said. "I'm sure he won't be a problem."
I shook my head. "Katniss has also never sent us the Tribute score sheet before. Something about him is dangerous. More dangerous than the other Tributes we've faced."
"Then we'll have to keep an eye out for him," Tetrick suggested.
We definitely should've been paying more attention. A week after the new Tributes arrived, we were all sitting in our tree house. None of us were sitting in front of the window, which turned out to be a good thing. Reid had found us. He threw a knife straight into the open window, sticking it into the ground of the tree house. I flinched, surprised by the sudden knife in the room. I looked out the window and recognized Reid, who was running away. We had no time to hit him.
The next week, the situation was much different. This time, I was the only one who was in the tree house. Tetrick was staying behind and guarding the tree house from the outside. The other three boys had gone out to hunt. My back was aching exceptionally bad that day, so I stayed in the tree house all day long. Up until Reid came back, that is.
He came from the back side of the tree house, where the beach is. Tetrick was on the front side, looking out to the forest. Neither of us heard him approaching. I had no idea he was there until I heard the small laugh. I sat still for a minute, waiting to hear another noise. After a minute, I didn't hear another noise. However, just moments later, I could smell the smoke.
I got out of the tree house as fast as I could and saw that the tree house had been lit on fire. Tetrick was just noticing. In the distance, I could see Reid running away. The fire grew quickly; it was too late for us to put it out. So Tetrick and I grabbed our bags and ran, letting the tree house burn to ashes behind us.
When we found Titus, Gale and Talon, we explained the story to them and then we all started to travel. We went past the chasm, to the rain forest section of the arena. This is our second home, where we camp if we can't get back to the tree house by nightfall.
We spent the next two weeks camped out at the rain forest spot. Tetrick and I slept in our usual tree, while everyone else slept in different trees. I didn't get much sleep for those two weeks. Even with Tetrick's arms around me, I couldn't will my mind to slow down enough. My hands and feet are swelling. Then, one fateful night, exactly two weeks after the tree house burned, I felt the kick.
For a minute, I thought that I was just imagining things. Then it happened again. And again. It was the middle of the night and there was no way that I was going to sleep now. I can feel her! There's actually proof that she's alive in there!
By the time morning rolled around, I hadn't gotten a single moment of sleep. I was exhausted beyond belief. Not to mention that my back hurt like hell.
"You look like you slept like a baby last night, Willow," Talon said to me, his voice thick with sarcasm.
I smiled sarcastically back at Talon. "Why thanks, Talon. Can't you tell that this pregnancy thing is doing me a lot of favors?"
"What week is it now? 18?" Gale asked.
I nodded in reply.
"Still almost half way there!" Titus yelled out. I laughed.
Titus, Gale and Talon went out that morning to hunt. They're also looking for some water. All of our water was at the tree house in several canisters. We need to find some more soon. Tetrick and I stayed behind. I stayed behind because my pregnancy is slowing me down big time. Tetrick stayed behind because he didn't want me to be alone (or because he wanted us to be alone.)
"How are you feeling?" Tetrick asked.
"Alright. Exhausted," I replied. "She kicked last night."
"Wait, you mean..." Tetrick smiled and put his hand on my stomach. Then he pressed his lips into mine.
"I love you," I said to him after he had pulled away.
His smile widened. "I love you too."
We kissed again. And again. Until we were making out beneath our tree, the place where we first kissed. However, in all of our distraction, we didn't hear Reid coming. Not until it was practically too late.
When we did hear him, he was right behind me. I pulled away from Tetrick and rolled just before he slammed his fist into the ground. He would've slammed me in the head, had I not moved. Tetrick got to his feet and started to run. I followed, although I didn't go nearly as fast. Not fast enough to outrun Reid. Not by a long shot. He tackled me to the ground. I landed on my side with him on top of me. He pushed against my shoulder so that I was laying on my back with him on top of me. Out in the distance, I could hear Tetrick screaming my name.
Reid put one hand on each of my arms, pinning me to the ground. I struggled under him, although it was no use. He was much stronger than me and had the clear advantage.
"This is all your fault!" Reid screamed at me.
"What are you talking about?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"These are my games to win! MINE! You're ruining everything!"
"I don't understand."
"I'm made to win these games! I got a score of 12! I can kill anyone without them even understanding what's happened! No one can hear me coming! No one can catch me! So where are my sponsors? Why are my fans? Then I thought about it... It's the pregnant girl. Willow Undersee has been all the rage for the past 4 months! It's all I ever heard about before I came here. You're stealing all of the sponsor money. When I watched, I never saw anyone else receive packages unless they were you or had something to do with you. You're my competitor. If I kill you, then all the attention will focus on me. I'll get the best weapons, all the food I want and I will win!" Reid had deranged eyes, as if he was going insane.
I laughed, despite my fear. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction and make him think that I was afraid of him. "You think that you're going to get sponsors after killing me? Everyone's rooting for me. If you kill me, everyone will hate you. Not to mention Luke Corwin..."
"You mean the Head Gamemaker? What does he have to do with anything?" Reid asked.
"Oh, you don't know?" I smiled. "Luke Corwin is the father of my baby."
Reid clenched his jaw and flared his nostrils. "That's not fair!"
I shrugged. "What's fair about the Hunger Games? Even the best killers can die simply if they're unliked. It's all about favoritism. And I'm the favorite."
Reid lifted one of his arms to stab me with his knife, which freed up my arm. In the same moment, a small pebble hit Reid in the side of the head. He growled and looked in the direction the pebble came from. The moment of distraction was all I needed. I used my free arm to punch him in the face. Then I used my bottom legs to kick him in the "sweet spot." He rolled off of me. I got up and started to run. The adrenaline that pumped through my veins sped me up, although my pregnant-belly still slowed me down.
I could hear someone yelling my name, although I wasn't sure who it was. Or maybe it was multiple people. I couldn't really tell. I just ran forward, letting my legs carry me away. Until I almost ran into the chasm. I barely stopped myself from falling straight in. I turned around and saw, to my horror, that Reid was approaching. I turned back around and started running to the left, alongside the chasm. However, that wasn't bringing me farther away from Reid. It brought me closer. It was my only option, though.
Reid ran at me. If he hits me, I'll go straight into the chasm. So I jumped out of the way and continued to run. Reid almost fell into the chasm himself, although he managed to stop himself. My adrenaline is starting to run out. I'm exhausted. The baby is putting pressure on my lungs and it's making it hard to breath.
Suddenly, I found myself running towards the chasm again. I had run in a full circle. I turned to the left to run on. Reid, however, was closer to me than I had realized. Right behind me, actually. When I turned to the left, he took his knife and stabbed me straight in the side, 6 inches above my hip and a foot below my armpit. I gasped, the pain hitting my instantly. The pain was hot and searing... my vision started to falter instantly. I fell to my knees, clutching the knife. It had been stabbed all the way into my stomach; only the handle was still visible, sticking out of my side. Blood gushed from the wound, getting all over my hand and dripping to the ground. Tetrick was screaming my name, although it sounded miles away.
I fell to my right side, the side that doesn't have a knife jabbed in, and tried to pull the knife out. The pain only multiplied. I screamed out in pain and let go of the knife. There was no way I could pull it out. So I simply lay there, the blood now streaming across my stomach. Not too far away, I could see people, although the image was blurred. There were five people. I couldn't tell who was who. One person fell to the ground. Two others knealed by the fallen man. One sat on the ground. One came running straight at me.
Just before the man reached me, everything went black.
***
That chapter was kind of short too, huh? GRR! Well I think that it was pretty exciting. So not so bad.
Well what do you think? Vote if you like it. Comment your thoughts.
See you next chapter!
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-emukid96