Silence [The Hunger Games]

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I ran.

 The sound of the Career’s footsteps behind me could be heard as I ran as hard as I could. It was one of those times when I appreciated my small and nimble body. My lungs burned, but I didn’t dare stop, for I knew they were close behind me. I made certain I wasn’t heading anywhere near camp, not wanting to endanger the others, but I was unfamiliar with my surroundings, and it wasn’t long before I felt completely lost. Then, to my despair, I tripped and fell, tumbling down a hill into a stream. I accidently scraped my head on a rock and a deep gash formed across my face. But it was then that I realised the sound of the Careers was getting further away. I had lost them.

 But I had lost my bearings too.

 Standing up slowly with my head thudding, I tried to see if I recognized where I was, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make sense of it. However, it was nearing midday and the sun was beating hard on my shoulders, so I decided to attempt to retrace my footsteps back to camp, this time prepared for attack. Knife at the ready and having eaten a small meal, I clambered back up the hill and began to head north. As I wondered aimlessly, I began to wonder how Drew was coping. I closed my eyes for a moment, picturing him curled up in a ball hugging his knees. The thought made me shiver, and I tried picturing him happier. Helping Valeria get me and Logan sponsors. Then a thought struck me. What if we didn’t have any sponsors? We hadn’t received anything since the medicine when I awoke from the attack on the first day. Then again, medicine like that must have been expensive. I just hoped that if we needed it, we could receive help from Drew and Valeria.

 Around mid-afternoon, I stopped to rest. I began to worry that I would run out of water before I reached camp, and so pressed on further. However, it wasn’t long before I realised someone had been near recently. I passed a small pond, and in the mud, deep footsteps had been made. I bent down to examine them more carefully, and found there were two different sets of footsteps, one with very large feet, and one with dainty ones. I suspected a boy and a girl. Curiously, I followed them east, and as I did, I began to hear the shouts of voices. My suspicions were confirmed. For the second time that day, I was dealing with the Careers.

 Through the foliage, I watched as Avery sat huffily by a campfire, whilst Cerebus and Biff shouted obscenities at one another in jest. Roger, however, stood alone, scanning the area like he had earlier. I made sure I was completely hidden this time, not wanting to be caught again.

 “I can’t believe you let her get away,” Avery smirked, twirling a strand of golden hair around her finger as she ridiculed Roger. The other two snickered too and I couldn’t help smiling at the scowl on Roger’s face.

 “May I remind you that you also let her get away?” Roger said coldly.

 “Who cares? She’s easy pickings. We just need the element of surprise,” Biff said calmly, even sitting down and leaning on a tree with a look of pure relaxation, his shoulders slack and sagging in a way that was so casual, you’d think he was on holiday. Roger obviously disagreed with him.

 “Don’t you see? She’s the biggest competition we’ve got!”

 “What about that girl? Clemence?”

 “Clementia,” Avery corrected “And I doubt it. She may be pretty, but she has no skills that we know of. Raven’s District partner…well that’s another story.”

  “We mustn’t underestimate anyone,” Roger said, pacing back and forth “But she’s the one to beat.”

 “What makes you so sure?”

 Roger smiled “I just know.”

 I turned away then. All things considered, I knew I had to sort Roger out. But I couldn’t do it alone, and I had the perfect plan.