𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟕𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 ✔️

𝕏𝕏

Aurora and I dry ourselves on the shore of the lake for the rest of the day, exhausted. Luckily, we have plenty of food from our sponsor gift, so we eat big meals to get our energy back.

Soon before night descends on the dome, I walk to the edge of the forest and pick some flowers for Aurora.

"To surviving the day," I sigh, lifting the flowers up in celebration. Aurora giggles, grabbing the small bouquet and placing it into her backpack.

"Who do you think died today?" I ask as I sit down.

Aurora stops and thinks for a moment. "The two cannon shots were close together, so maybe the two from District 11. They're the only pair left."

I think about all the other tributes left, and I realize I never told Aurora about what I saw all those days ago. "I just realized I never told you something I saw a few days ago," I admit, and she raises her eyebrows at me.

"If you didn't tell me, there must have been a darn good reason," she says, both jokingly and threateningly. I hold my hands up in defense.

"It was for our own good," I laugh. "I promise. Remember when we came across where the girl from 3 died?"

Aurora nods. "Did you see the boy nearby?"

My mouth falls open in shock. I know for a fact that Aurora didn't see the boy. I was watching her. Or did she?

"How did you know that?"

She just shrugs. "Just a wild guess. Of all things for you to see, that would be my guess."

I just shake my head. She knows me too well. "I saw the boy in a tree nearby, dripping with blood," I tell her. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want Phoenix to go insane and kill another kid. I guess he went crazy anyway, but whatever."

"So you think he died from the acid?" Aurora says, and I nod.

"Out of all the others, he's my best guess. I don't know about the rest. Maybe Selina."

Aurora gives me a subtle look as I say Selina's name. I think she's still jealous of our encounter during Training.

I hear a pinging sound from above me. At first, I think I'm imagining it - we just got a gift - but there it is: another sponsor gift, drifting slowly down to us. Aurora reaches up to grab it, cracking it open.

"We got some medical supplies!" she cheers. "A first aid kit."

Aurora has some medical knowledge from back home, and she uses an ointment on my hand and face to soothe the acid burns from earlier. I tuck the rest of the medical supplies into my bag for safekeeping."

"We must be getting lots of sponsors," I say giddily. Finally, things are going our way. I stand and kiss Aurora just for cameras. Just for the sponsors. Well, a little bit for myself, but whatever.

It's not long before the Panem anthem begins to play. I look up to see which tributes were the unlucky ones to die today.

I was right - the first one is the boy from 3. He looks tiny in his portrait, and completely different from when I saw him bleeding in the tree. His face looks blissfully unaware of the horrors he was about to endure in the Arena.

After the boy from 3 is Jesse from District 11. I'm surprised to see him up there, considering his sister, Phoebe, is still alive. I wonder what happened to her. I'm sure they wouldn't split up since they're siblings, but who knows.

"I guess we were both half right," I say as the music fades.

I catch a glimpse of Aurora's face as the Arena fades into darkness around us. She looks deep in thought.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, moving closer to sit next to her.

"We're the last pair left in here," she whispers in disbelief. "Twelve entered the Arena, and we're the only one left."

"Of course," I respond. "We trust each other. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses and we have faith in each other."

"And Phoenix hasn't found us yet," Aurora sighs.

I don't have anything to say to that.