28. The Hidden Truth
I was woken up early the next morning by Shane moving under me. I sat up, seeing him thrash around. I knew what was going on: he was having a nightmare. I restrained his arms carefully, trying not to hurt him.
"Shane," I whispered. "Wake up!"
His eyes shot awake, wide in fear. I shushed him, he stopped fretting. He panted, looking at me.
I gave him a sad smile. "Morning."
"Morning," he mumbled groggily.
"You were having a nightmare. I figured I'd be nice and let you get away from it before you got worse." I shrugged.
"Thoughtful," he complimented me.
"Do you want to share it?"
"Since when did you become Miss Compassionate?" he teased.
I snorted. "Since I haven't wanted to kill you," I retorted. "Now, are you going to share or not?"
"I'd rather not. Being in it is one thing." He shuddered. "I can't really explain the details I saw."
I kept the sad smile on my face. "How's your body feeling today?"
"Well, judging by how sore I am, I'd say not well," he huffed, tilting his head to look at the cave ceiling.
"If I had something, I'd help you," I whimpered.
"Don't act like you're the reason I'm hurting."
"I'm trying not to. I feel useless since I can't help your blisters. But I guess I'm not entirely useless, I can still go out and hunt."
"What if I didn't want you to go?" he prompted, tilting his head back down to look at me.
"Why wouldn't I go? Shane, we need food. You can't move very much without being in pain. Right now, I'm healthier than you are." I touched my wounded shoulder. I unwrapped my arm to see a pink line where the slice to my arm was made. That was sure to be a scar. Oh well, what's being a tribute in the Hunger Games worth if I didn't have a scar from battle?
Shane's fingers brushed my newly healed arm. "You're a fast healer," he murmured.
"So I've been told." I giggled.
"Wow. That's another first."
"What is?" I looked at him.
"You laughing. I don't think you've done that once since I rescued you."
I couldn't remember the last time I laughed, either. It had to have been a while.
I looked out past the waterfall. I wasn't going to possibly catch anything by sitting here with Shane. I rose, venturing over to grab Shane's bow and arrows.
"You're still going out?" he croaked.
"Saying that you don't want me to go is a poor argument if you don't have a reason. Besides, I don't know about you, but I don't want to starve," I said.
"I'm used to starving. I'm from Twelve, remember? Starvation is sort of a common thing there."
"Right."
"You're leaving me alone defenseless."
"Goodness," I whined. I grabbed the knife and handed it to him. "There. Now you're armed should anyone come to try and kill you."
"Crystal." Shane grabbed my wrist. I gave him a severe look; he didn't shrink away from it. "Please. Don't go."
"I won't be long," I assured him, "I promise. I won't abandon you. If you don't want me out that badly, I'll be back by sunset."
"I think I can believe you on that." He gave a meek grin.
Gently pulling my wrist out of his grip, I let Shane lay on the blanket as I carefully avoided the spray of acidic water. I looked disapprovingly at the lake. So much for having a place to bathe.
I moved further away from the waterfall, the water fading behind me.
* * *
It was pretty much silent like always. Even my footsteps were quiet as I stalked, hoping to catch a glimpse of running prey. I was more focused on food than killing tributes today. Maybe I'll finally get to shoot at something, I thought, hopeful. I hadn't gotten a chance to use the bow and arrow yesterday, only because I found nothing, and Shane's cries of pain made me abandon hunting duty. I was actually glad I had found him when I did, I couldn't imagine leaving him alone in that state he was in.
I didn't pass any berry bushes. I did pass one or two tracker jacker nests, which I happily avoided. One encounter with them was good enough for a lifetime.
I decided to keep relatively close to the site this time and slowly made my way around the area. It wasn't like it made any difference, I found nothing. No berry bushes, no animals to shoot down for food. The Gamemakers loved to torture me. The only good thing around was the shelter. The water used to be good as well before the Gamemakers turned it into a weapon.
As I leaned against a tree, the silence was broken.
"Attention, tributes," Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed. I didn't realize it was that loud. I guess I was so used to the silence. "Starting at sunset, a feast will be held near the remains of the Cornucopia. Now, some of you may decline this offer. However, I doubt you'd want to pass this chance up. Some of you need something desperately, and we intend to give it to you as a gift from us. Don't miss this chance, because it'll be the only one you'll get."
Each of us needed something desperately...Shane needed his medicine! I knew there would be something for District 1, but I didn't want that. I wanted to get something from Shane's district. If Claudius's words were true, Shane would get his medicine.
I needed to think this through. If I went, I had no doubt whoever else was still left would make their appearance as well. It was a risk I was going to have to take. Shane couldn't get what he needed. He was lucky that he had me; otherwise he would never get what he wanted most. I knew it was breaking my vow to be back by sunset, but he'd know I did it for a good cause.
I've got to get it first and make it back alive. Everything was a task in the Hunger Games, but so far I managed to last this long. I might as well make myself memorable if I wasn't already in these Games.
With the mindset, I headed for what was left of the Cornucopia. For some of us—Bane, Jenna, and me—we'd be going back to the place of a horrible memory. For others, they'd see what Claudius meant by what was left of the silver horn. They'd realize that the Cornucopia was down in the earth.
* * *
I was just on the border of the woods. The journey had taken me quite a while since I took my time walking it. I had made it to sunset, and there the table was, sitting where the Cornucopia used to be. There was the hole left after Rachel—Shane's district partner—blew up the Cornucopia, causing the Career pack to be reduced to four.
I saw there were five bags—Districts 1, 4, 10, 12, and 13. There had to have originally been six bags, because Shane told me both of 7's tributes were still alive. I assumed they were quick to grab their pack and leave.
I eyed the one with the number "12" on it, Shane's. I was betting my life that medicine was in there, probably water and food as well. I was banking on the medicine more than anything, but the food and water would be a nice gift. Come on, Gamemakers aren't that generous, I told myself harshly. They were just charitable enough to give each district a bag containing what the tribute needed most.
I scanned the border of the woods all around. I didn't see anyone, so maybe they weren't here yet. Cautious, I stepped out from the cover of the woods. I didn't see anyone charge out to meet me in battle. Now is the time. I sprinted for the table, checking to see if anyone was coming at the same time I was.
I reached Shane's bag, nearly dropping it after I retrieved it. Something tackled me from behind, shoving me into the ground. I screeched in outrage, the bow flying from my hand, arrows still in the quiver on my back. Shane's pack tumbled away from me. I managed to grab an arrow and roll onto my back.
It was Bella, from 7. Blood was dribbling from the corner of her mouth, her brown eyes malicious. Her hair was in a funky ponytail, held tight so that her hair wouldn't whip in her face. This was the girl who could have easily joined the pack. She seemed to be alone because I didn't see anyone else come to join our confrontation.
She rammed into me, I scratched her cheek with the arrow. She roared in outrage, shoving me to the ground. I crouched, trying to feign a move, but Bella wasn't stupid. I swiped at her again, but she ducked, ripping the quiver of arrows from me. She threw them on the ground, breaking them all. My jaw clenched. Time to go; she's not worth my time.
As Bella stalked towards me, I stumbled to my feet, grabbing Shane's pack and his bow, and ran for it. I dropped the arrow since I knew it was useless at this point. I saw something streak past my neck—an arrowhead. I yipped as I crashed into the woods, bow and Shane's pack in each hand. I was starting to lose light. At least I knew where to head. No matter how far I was off from Shane, the waterfall would guide me to him.
My legs ached from the sprinting I did. I never heard feet pursue me, so I assumed Bella gave up on our fight. But I knew that it wasn't over between us. If she was anything like a Career, she would want to hunt me down and kill me. She and Jenna would make good allies—they shared the same interests.
I tripped myself with my tired legs. I staggered up and slowly trotted towards the roaring water. I could hear it now. My shoulders bumped into trees since I couldn't adjust to the dark yet. I howled when a few trees hit my sore shoulder. I wanted to stop so badly, I felt a stitch in my side, and I had labored breathing. No, come on, you're close. Think of Shane. He's in pain. Whatever is in his pack will help him.
I was beginning to realize my answer as to why I couldn't kill Shane: I was beginning to like him. I would have never accepted it because my brain was stuck in survival mode, not controlled-by-hormones mode. How could I not like the boy? He had saved me twice, sort of. He gave me food and shelter; he never tried to kill me. If he hadn't tried to, what reason would I have to kill him? No wonder I couldn't slaughter a boy like that.
Of course, I was being a hypocrite. I never thought about that with the other two tributes I killed. Still, they had attempted to murder me; so really, I had a reason to dispose of them. I would be able to slay the rest of them, just not Shane.
I had fallen for the boy from 12 without realizing it. How long it had been going on, I wouldn't know. Love could definitely be found in a televised fight to the death. It had been found before, thirty-three years ago, and it had been found now.
I laughed with relief as I saw the waterfall. A full moon was overhead.
I dragged myself to the small path to the cave. My steps echoed. Shane picked his head up. He looked like he hadn't moved all day. He was still shirtless, gauze still on him, a sign that he definitely hadn't moved an inch since last night. I would have thought he'd at least try to sit up or something. Being condemned to one position had to annoy him to no end.
"You said you'd be back by sunset," he called.
He's not scolding me for going to the feast? "I had a little problem." I wiggled the pack in front of him.
"Where did you get that?"
"The Gamemakers gave us a 'feast' at what was left of the Cornucopia." I sat down, cross-legged. "You didn't hear the announcement?" I looked at him.
"No, I was asleep. It didn't carry into here because of the water, I guess." He shrugged, wincing. He eyed the pack. "What's in that?"
"What you need most." I opened the pack, finding some jerky first and fruit, followed by a water canteen, and a small container of medicine. I dug through to also find a few extra arrows. I beamed. It was worth going to get it after all.
"Why didn't you grab your pack?" Shane asked.
"I knew it wasn't for me."
"You should have taken it still."
"I was too focused on getting yours to even think about stealing."
"Where are my arrows, anyway?" Shane looked at the ones I held.
"Oh yeah...the girl from Seven snatched the bag and broke them all," I admitted sheepishly. "I had to fight her off so I could come back here in one piece. The arrows weren't well-made anyway."
"I can agree with you on that."
"Where do you want me to start?" I grabbed the medicine.
"I'll get everywhere else, you can get my arms," he said.
I made sure to unwrap him before we lathered him up. We poked our hands into the gooey medicine and gently rubbed it into his blistered skin. A few times I felt his arms tremble under me, but I bet he was shuddering with relief. The medicine had to feel good against his skin. No doubt he'd be healed by tomorrow.
"You don't know how awesome this feels, Crystal," he sighed. His eyes locked onto something. "What's this?" He brushed my neck.
"What? My necklace?"
"No, this cut."
"I have a cut?" I didn't hold back my surprise.
Shane sat up, taking his time to do so. He was feeling better already. "It's bleeding a little bit still."
It looked like Bella got a hit on me without even realizing it. That made it two times now that I got struck without being aware of it. I gently touched the small cut on my neck. Shane was right, it was still leaking blood.
"Here, let me do it," he offered. He worked the medicine onto my cut. I hissed. It stung, but that went away in a second. A cooling sensation swept over it. Shane grinned. "That's got to feel better."
"It has to feel like heaven for you, too."
"It does," he confessed. He put a strand of red hair behind my ear. "You continue to amaze me." His brows knitted together. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." I shrugged.
"I still want to know why you haven't killed me, and why you've stuck around this long. And I want to know why you went to the feast and got this for me."
"I can finally give you an answer to that." I smiled. "I've lost the will to kill, so to speak."
"I think I've gathered that, but I wasn't sure whether or not to believe it. So...are you going to tell me the answer?"
I showed him the answer. I grabbed his face and kissed him gently, feeling a bit nervous since I was actually kissing someone. His arms brought me closer to him. My nails bit gently into his cheeks.
"This isn't a dream, is it? Or a trick?" he crooned.
"Not at all," I chuckled. I pressed my forehead into his. "This is real."
"Good." He pecked my lips. My hands rubbed his neck. He laughed to himself.
I opened my eyes to stare at him, confused. "What's so funny?" I probed.
Shane opened his eyes. Just looking into them made my heart sprint—at least I knew now why my heart raced. "It's such an odd pairing, don't you think? A tribute from an outer district and a member of the Career pack? Doesn't that seem odd?"
"A little," I admitted, flushing. "But I don't care."
"I know someone who would."
I knew who he meant, too. He was the last tribute I wanted on my mind at the moment. "He doesn't know," I said simply. "I don't care what he thinks. I never loved him. He was chasing after something that would never be in a million years."
"He'd be pissed if he saw this."
Shane did make a point there. If Bane knew about me and Shane, he'd get so enraged that nothing would stop him. I knew he didn't forget about me. How could someone easily forget someone they love? Bane wasn't capable of it; everyone could see it except himself. He'd see this as taking me away from him, when really I was never his to begin with. I wasn't anybody's then.
I was Shane's now.
"I noticed you in the Tribute Parade," Shane confessed. He snapped me out of my thoughts. "I thought I was dreaming of something that would never be when I realized what was going on with me."
"Your mentors probably didn't like what was going on."
"I never told them, but they had their suspicions. Mentors have a knack for being able to tell what's going on in their tribute's head."
Shane and I settled down on the blanket. The temperature wasn't too cold yet, so we were fine for now. My fingers glided across his chest. I closed my eyes, a smile playing on my lips. I liked this more than I ever had anything in my life. This bested training with my dad by a lot.
My dad. Mom. They had to be watching right now, as they had to have been every day since the Games started. Was Dad fuming over me not killing Shane? Was Mom proud that I found someone and didn't want to hurt him? I could only imagine my parents arguing back in District 1 as they watched me on TV.
"The bombing of Twelve," Shane murmured randomly. "That's what I dreamed about."
"Shane, you weren't alive, then. Neither was I. All the children that are in the arena weren't around!"
"True, but hearing stories is enough to give me a vivid image." He shuddered. His hand rubbed my arm. "It was like I was there when the bombing happened. Explosions, people trying to find cover and loved ones, buildings being obliterated and the debris hitting innocent people, even children..."
"Okay, you don't need to spill out everything," I said quickly. I opened my eyes, staring at the cave wall.
"You're thinking."
I looked at Shane. "I am?"
"You've got that look."
"There's a look?"
"You ask a lot of questions, don't you?"
"I've just been thinking about home, that's all." I shrugged. "How my parents would react if they were watching this now, seeing me."
"I bet they'd hate it."
"Not true. My dad would, my mom not so much. My dad is full support of me going into the Games; my mom is probably still a wreck. She hates my dad for being pro-Hunger Games. I wish I had parents who didn't want me to be here."
"Then you'd like my parents, they aren't happy about me coming in here. My older sister couldn't stay long when I was in the Justice Building. It almost killed her."
"You didn't volunteer, did you?"
"No, nobody volunteered for me. I figured since I got picked, why not come here to win?" He shrugged. He buried his face into my hair. "After all, Twelve is in poverty, and so is my family. I might as well win to help them all out."
"That's everybody's goal. That's still your game plan, even now?" I asked uneasily.
"I don't know now. This changes everything."
I paused. "Your parents surely have to be watching, same goes for your sister."
"They have no choice but to, my parents more than my sister."
"Is watching the Games that strict in Twelve?" I didn't hold back my surprise. I didn't consider watching the Games mandatory as much as optional. It felt mandatory when it really wasn't for most people. "I didn't think Peacekeepers were that strict. I mean, I heard a long time ago they were rough..."
"No, it has nothing to do with Peacekeepers. My parents coached me for everything, even for what to do here in the arena."
I tensed. Something clicked in my brain when he let that slip. I had to be crazy to even think what I was thinking for one second. It was definitely possible theoretically, but for it to be really possible; they had to agree to have him. It made so much sense, he looked so much like his father, too, and he somewhat acted like him as well.
I had fallen hard for Katniss and Peeta's son.
**So some major game changes here in the Games. Which has surprised you so far? Who's still shipping BanexCrystal instead of CrystalxShane? Who's got other pairings! I want to know!**