I wake up to the sound of birds chirping. I get up from my sleeping bag, still strapped to the tree, and sit up, leaning on a branch.
My vision is a bit foggy. I then remember I still have my night vision glasses on. I take them off and put them in my backpack. I then remember the necklace. I reach in the sleeping bag and grab the necklace and put it on.
I look down through the branches, and see Peter and his gang. Danny’s still not with them and neither is Tortian. I see them beginning to wake up.
“Where are they? Danny and Tortian should be back by now!” Peter yells sounding and looking furious. His face is red and his hands are in fists.
“How should I know?” Conner asks. "No, how should we know?" He says correcting himself.
Just then, I could see Tortian run through the trees. He has blood on his forehead and a black eye. “Peter,” he yells catching his breath. “Danny, he, he got away.”
“What?” Peter yells in disbelief. “How could you let this happen?”
“He, well, all of a sudden, he jumped on me and started attacking me. We then got into a fight, but he punched my eye, and I couldn’t see. So I fell to the ground and I guess that’s when he got away. But don’t worry; he won’t make it out there. I cut him under his eye and threw a rock at his forehead, so he most likely won’t survive.” Tortian says still catching his breath. Peter then gives him a water bottle, and Tortian drinks.
“We don’t need him.” Sundre says. “Let’s just get going. He was no help anyway.”
“Fine, let’s go to the lake. She might have tricked us and headed there instead.” Peter says. “She is clever, probably even cleverer than we can expect.” Soon they all disappear to the lake.
I sigh in relief once they are out of sight and get up. I pack up my stuff and grab my bows and arrows and decide to go hunting. I’m hungry, and my stomach feels hollow, and I don’t want to waste the crackers or dried fruit. I put on my backpack and climb down the tree and head in the opposite direction of the Career’s path.
I end up shooting three rabbits and put them in my bag. By the time I’m done, the sun is high in the sky. It must be noon. I then make a small fire and cook a rabbit in it. Once I’m done, I put out the fire by stepping on it with my foot and start walking again, eating the kill. It’s warm and tender, and fills my stomach immediately. I also drink some water to quench my thirst. The day goes on and I’ve set already two fires to cook the rest of the rabbits. I’m also almost done with the water. As time goes by, I grow tired. The blazing sun is beating down on me. I decide to rest, and get some sleep. I think about climbing a tree, but I’m not in the mood, so I sit down under a shady tree and fall asleep.
“Get up!” Someone yells at me.
I open my eyes and look up to find Peter. “Oh no…” I murmur under my breath. I’m surrounded by his gang, and can’t get up, because I’m tied to the tree.
“So, you’ve been hiding here, haven’t you?” He asks leaning down, glaring at me.
“I wouldn’t call it hiding. I would call it trying to survive and distancing myself. Besides, I know about your little plan. How you tried to get Danny to tell you about me. How you’re going to try and kill me. I heard you. I was in that tree, above you last night. You are so dumb to not have figured it out.”
This makes Peter’s face turn red. “How did I not know?”
“Maybe because you’re stupid,” I say taunting him. At this, his face turns bright red, his eyes crossed, and his glaring at me with a murderous glare, and I smirk at him. I keep cool, hoping this strategy will work out and I won’t get killed. I’m terrified inside, and desperately want to get out of here.
“Let’s just kill her!” Conner yells.
“Yes, let’s,” Peter agrees.
Conner takes out a knife from his pocket and faces Peter. “She’s all yours.”
“Thank you.” Peter says and takes the knife.
Peter puts the knife against my neck, and I hold my breath and close my eyes. Without thinking, I lift my leg and kick his stomach, pushing him off me.
The knife flies out of his hand and lands at Conner’s feet. He leans down and picks it up. As he stands up again, all of a sudden, an arrow flies out of nowhere, and stabs Conner in the heart. He then falls down on his back, dead. And the cannon blows.
“Conner,” Peter yells. He glares at me, forming his hand into a fist.
“Wasn’t me.” I say, shocked at what I just saw.
“Step away if you want to live.” A voice says coming from behind me. I look over at the person who spoke. Lily!
Peter and the others step away. Lily quickly cuts me free from the ropes with the knife Conner was holding. I get up and grab my stuff.
Lily looks at me. “Run,” is all she says. I grab my things and run away from there. I hear foot steps behind me; I look over expecting it to be Peter or Sundre chasing after me with a weapon. No. It’s Lily. “Run!” she yells at me. I continue to run. Why is she helping me? We’re not allies. I trip on a rock and stumble to the ground. I get up and quickly climb the nearest tree. I then hide up in the tree with my bow fully loaded, incase Lily tries any tricks on me. I watch her as she climbs the tree. I climb a bit higher, unsure if I should trust her not to kill me.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” She says following me.
“How can I trust you then?” I ask, climbing a bit further from her.
“Because I trust you,” is what she says in response.
“Why? Why did you save me back there? I’m thankful, but I want to know why.” I ask. “We aren’t allies, and I hardly know you, in fact, I don’t know you at all.”
She looks at me as she settles down in the tree, “Because I admire you. You’re strong, brave, and clever. You have the strategy to avoid everyone, and you can easily climb and hide in trees. Kind of like me.”
“So?” I say, pretty sure where this is going. She’s probably going to ask if we can be allies.
“I want to be allies.” She says. “I want an ally I know I can trust, who’s strong, and tough.”
I look down on her. “I’m sorry.” I say. “I don’t want to have an ally. It’s not my thing. I’m better off alone, especially that it’ll be harder as we get towards the end of the Games.”
“We could separate then. Plus, I just saved you back there. I killed the guy who was going to help kill you. You would be a goner if I haven’t decided to follow you. If we’re allies, we can work as a team.” Lily says. Her green eyes are bright with determination. She is serious about this.
I’m still unsure, but I know if I refuse, she’ll just follow me around, so all I could do is say yes to her request. “Fine,” I say. “We can be allies.”
“Great!” She says. We then shake hands. I just hope I don’t enjoy her much, and so far, I don’t. Which is good, in the Hunger Games, I am not supposed to make friends.
As night falls, I set up my sleeping bag. I take out the night vision glasses from my backpack and lay them on my sleeping bag. I look over at Lily who is on top of a branch, huddling in her jacket.
I sigh, and decide to play nice. “You want to share my sleeping bag?” I ask her.
She looks up at me, her green eyes glowing. “Really,” she asks and I nod smiling at her.
I put on my night vision glasses and we both get into the sleeping bag. We watch the anthem play. The only death today was Conner. I’m not surprised; I only heard one cannon today. I reach into my backpack and grab the rabbit I cooked, but still haven’t eaten.
“Are you hungry?” I ask. She nods and I cut off a piece of the rabbit and give it to her. I eat my share and she then eats hers.
“You’re an excellent hunter.” She says. “How did you learn?”
I smile. “Thanks. And my father taught me when I was younger. Plus, you’re pretty handy with a bow and arrow.”
“Not as good as you. You’re amazing! You got a twelve for your training score.” She says.
“It’s nothing.” I say. “I mean, it doesn’t prove anything really. I might die out here anyway.”
Lily shakes her head. “I doubt it. You’re really strong. You have a really good chance in winning these Games.”
“What made you trust me so much?” I ask her.
She sighs. “From your interview, how you cared so much for your sister. How you were even more determined to win because of your brother’s death. You seem like such a kind person.”
“Yeah, but I’m actually not.” I say and look down. We then sit there for a few minutes in silence.
Lily then speaks again, “Do you think we should also team up with Danny?”
“No…” I say trailing off starting to remember the night of the interviews.
She looks at me. “Why not, do you care for him?”
I nod. “That is exactly why I don’t want to team up with him. If he dies, I will regret it. He’s my friend.”
“Do you like him?” She asks.
I look at her. “No. I only think of him as a friend. And on the other hand, he’s the one who likes me.”
“How could you be certain he’s not faking, just to get the crowd going?”
“Well, I’m guessing he’s not. He treats me different from everyone else, a special kind of way. Another way I’m sure he’s not faking is because, one, he wouldn’t be my friend. And two, explain why he tried to kiss me the day of the interviews?” I say.
“He tried to kiss you? What did you do?” Lily asks, getting all excited and interested.
“Nothing at first,” I say. “Our lips were about to touch, but then I turned away.” I reply. “I couldn’t do it, especially since I don’t feel that way about him.”
“How did he react?”
“He was really upset. He begged me, but I kept refusing, so I finally left. Anyway, I’m getting tired. Let’s get some rest.” I fall into the sleeping bag and look up at the stars.
“Okay,” Lily responds and slides in next to me. We both then fall asleep, and wait till morning.