The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 6

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Dove watched as the careers looked at the river, still trying to figure out how to get water. They even walked up and down the river, looking for a spot without dangers. There wasn't. The whole river was full of dangers anywhere you looked. Either Crocodile mutations or Piranhas, probably mutts too, but the careers hadn't given them a chance to prove it.

The careers were hiding behind the trees, so the mutts wouldn't go after them, or other tributes wouldn't attack them while they were with their guard down. Abruptly, a girl appeared on the other side of the river. Running for dear life. She wasn't the one from Seven or Ten, and the ones remaining from Four and Five were males, so there was only one option left, Three. However, her district partner was nowhere to be seen.

Narrowing her eyes, Dove saw what was chasing the girl. They were some kinds of birds which were pulling off her skin. In a desperate attempt to get them off, the girl threw herself into the river. Bad choice. Dove thought. In less than thirty seconds, her cannon roared around the sky in the Arena.

Fifteen dead, eight to go. She thought. Now only the tributes from Two and Seven had their district partners alive. The camera still recorded the entrance of the woods, where the girl had appeared. Was her district partner in the same condition? Or was he just trying to find her? Then, the male tribute from District Three appeared, screaming his partner's name. Bad news. She's dead. Dove thought. The boy from Three noticed her body still floating in the water and was smart enough to not get close.

A Hovercraft would have come already, unless other tributes were nearby. As if on cue, a knife fled in his direction. He dodged it and noticed the Careers still hiding behind the trees.

"I think the one from Three has figured out what is happening," her mother spoke up. "Really? He looks confused to me," Angel replied. "He's probably still processing everything that's happening. After all, he has evaded death twice in less than a minute, and has seen his partner's almost mutilated corpse," her mother commented.

Three started calling out to the Careers, saying something along the line that if they helped him with his plan, he would get rid of the mutts and leave the river safe to drink. That seemed to convince the group, who accepted the offer. Unexpectedly, the camera changed from the newly formed alliance to another part of the forest. Melo! The girl hadn't seen her brother since he fled the cornucopia. She was thrilled, seeing him alive and well.

The boy was planning some sort of plan with both from Seven. They were making a net trap around the cornucopia. At some point, the careers would go back there to get more supplies, and there they would be to ambush them.

The second day came to an end, and the faces of the fallen tributes shined in the sky. "My district partner is dead? I thought they would let her live a little longer," she heard her brother wondering out loud from the television.

However, there was a surprise that came with the anthem. The face of the District Five male tribute appeared on the sky. Dove hadn't see his death or heard his cannon either, which was an abnormality. Sixteen dead, seven to go. She thought.

"Dove, you've been almost two whole days in front of the television. You need sleep," her sister told her.

"You want me to leave now? When they're so close to the final battle? What on Panem is wrong with you?" Her sister grabbed her arms, looking into her eyes.

"Dove, how many are there alive?" her sister asked. "Eight. Why?" she answered. "And what happens when it gets to the final eight?" her sister insisted.

"They interview the families." She said, unsure. "They interview the families!" she said again, realising what it meant.

"Exactly, so we need to look our best. OK? Mum will watch for some hours while we get some sleep. Then we'll take her place while she sleeps. If anything happens, she'll wake us up and the same for us to her," her sister explained.