The Price of Fame and Fortune (Hunger Games)

17

I was panicking. I'm not alone. The thought shouldn't worry me that much. After all I'm a two hour jog away from the door. That gives me time to think. The person who entered might not be a career or apart of the trio that's probably out for me. Hell, it could even be Trent.

Two hours...until they reach this cornucopia. I sighed as I looked down at my dirty feet. So far, unless they have the dagger I've given them the advantage of a second pair of shoes. Fuck. Why am I like this?!?.

Okay, just breathe. I exhaled and frowned at the many bows before me. What if it's Terrance and Poppy?. What if they've come here after finding out that arenas are behind every door?....What if they've come specifically for these?.

I bit my lip and picked up another bow and looked around me in trepidation. I could always hide them or even break them. That way the Mellark's won't have weapons and less tributes will die sooner then they have to. 

I shrugged to myself, not like it's my weapon of choice at the end of the day. Besides, this is technicality playing without playing, if you know what I mean. Like Trent said, you can still win without killing people. Without further thinking it through I picked up all five bows and started walking towards the river behind the cornucopia. 

With no hesitation I dropped them all and watched as water carried away the bows while some broke along the river bed. I smiled. There. Now everyone is still on an even playing field. Apart from the cousins from District One, who I assume still have that dagger. But alas they could be anywhere, in any arena. 

I sighed and turned back towards the cornucopia. I can't go back to the door without bumping into whoever's entered here. Plus, I like this arena. It's homey. I like that it smells of pine and that it's covered in trees. I suddenly smirked to myself. Trees I can hide in.

Quickly, in no less than twenty seconds I was in the highest branch of a tree facing the cornucopia. I don't plan on leaving this arena but I also want to know who exactly it is that I'm up against. 

I waited. I cloud watched. I counted the many trees around me. Tried not focusing on the fact that many children have died in this very arena. At the very cornucopia that my tree is facing. Until I heard rustling below me, followed by twigs snapping. I shrunk a little to be fully covered by branches as I watched a tribute enter the clearing.

Fuck. 

Golden hair, tall and yep, as he faced out at my lone arrow randomly stuck in the grass my biggest fear was confirmed. Liam Odair. Already armed with a trident in one hand and...my eyes narrowed at the weapon in his left hand in anger. That's mine!. An axe?!? Why the hell does he have an axe!?!.

I scoffed from up in my tree, unnoticed by the Capitol golden boy below. He's already been to two arenas. Finnick's and my mother's. I swallowed, I couldn't imagine ever stepping foot in there. I'd feel like I would be trespassing and finding out a side to my mother I already feared. The place in which she's killed so many...I shivered.

Liam smirked at the arrow before turning to the cornucopia and he chuckled. There was no bows just arrows and berries. Huh. I have to admit, I'm surprised he's alone. Maybe he thought the Mellark's would be here. But it doesn't explain why he has that axe. 

I was seething in my tree. I don't why I was so angry. Was I angry he'd trespassed into my mother's arena?...Maybe. 

I watched him rub his forehead and look around him before he angrily threw his trident across the field. Look, it was nothing short of impressive. A scary thought entered my head. He knew I came here. He saw me...maybe he's trying to hunt me down?

I cringed as I noticed the trident had dried blood on the ends of the blades. It caused me to draw in a small breath of fear. He's hunting me....

I decided then while up twenty feet in that tree that I'm not going to let him out of my sight. So I did just that. I watched him from in between branches. I jumped like an insect. Precise and quiet with barefeet. Never not letting him out of my sight. And Liam Odair, who really should no better. Never looked up at the tree tops. Not that he'd see me anyways. No, he assumed I was on the ground.

I watched as he was able to make a fire. I am admittedly freezing. My light jacket is not all equipped for this arena. The seventy-fourth arena apparently gets super cold at night. I'm shivering, in fact my teeth are chattering. It's probably the only thing that would give away my location to Liam Odair. That is, if I wasn't so high up.

Instead, I'm forced to shiver while I watch as Odair stretches his hands out to the fire with a satisfactory smirk. As if taunting me. Although, he doesn't know I haven't left his side since the second he entered the cornucopia. 

I need him to fall asleep, that way I can steal my axe and hide his trident. Or throw it into the river like I had with the bows. Suddenly an echoing Capitol tune played across the arena while the sky lit up with the symbol of Panem. I tusked as I stared up at the dorky looking boy from District 3. The fallen. I watched in distain, both from five, six and the girl from four. That's it. I smiled up at the sky and tried not to giggle. Trent is still alive and well.

Admittedly he could be anywhere. Trapped in any of the hundred arenas. But safe. And really that's all that matters. I stared down at Liam Odair. Which one did you kill?...