The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 24

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Day four in the Arena started with a sudden death. After waking up, Dove heard someone scream, and seconds after, the cannon made its presence. Fourteen dead, eight to go. She thought.

Sitting up, she looked around her. To her surprise, Alder was still sleeping even after the cannon. His light blond hair fell on his eyes. Dove carefully put them behind his ear, not letting them bother him as he slept.

She ate breakfast alone without doing much noise. She didn't want to wake Alder up. Neither of them had much sleep during the last four days they had been in the Arena. Now that he could, she wouldn't take that privilege from him.

It was almost noon when another cannon sounded. This time, the noise woke him up. He looked around him, confused. "Morning, sleepyhead. It's almost noon now." Dove spoke up as she watched him sit up next to her.

"Who died?" he asked. "I don't know, but it's not the only one. This morning, another cannon sounded too," she replied.

"So. . . Fifteen dead, and seven to go?" Alder asked, looking at Dove for a reply. "Pretty much. We're dangerously close to the eight left," she replied in a whisper.

The fourth day wasn't eventful for them. Another cannon roared around the Arena barely minutes before midnight. Dove looked up to the sky once the anthem played.

The girl from Three, the boy from Six and the girl from Eight. Sixteen dead, six to go. We're now in the last eight tributes. Let hell begin. Dove thought.

The next day, hell definitely started. Dove woke up to the sound of rocks falling. She looked around, startled at the sound, only to find all the waterfalls around the Arena entirely destroyed.

However, the lake remained intact. The Gamemakers had made their move. They were forcing everyone to go to the lake, or they would die from dehydration. The careers, knowing that, created a base on the left side of the lake. They were expecting tributes to appear at any moment.

"Alder, we have to move. Wake up," Dove whispered as she shook him slightly. Alder woke up, startled at the sensation. "What? Is there anything wrong?" he asked worryingly.

"The waterfalls are destroyed. If we want water, we have to go to the lake, where the careers are conveniently around. So we have to move now. There are two forests between us and the lake." Dove told him.

"You can't be serious. You want us to go to the careers. Do you have a death wish?" he replied. "OK, genius. Tell me your plan because that lake is the only source of water we have, and our bottles are half empty." she commented mockingly. "Either way, we're closest to the part of the lake where the careers are far from. If we get the water quickly, we'll lose them once we're back inside the woods," 

"I hate it when you're right. OK, we'll go. But we have to collect berries on the way. We can't hunt anymore, or they'll catch us quickly." Dove agreed to his plan and prepared everything to leave.

It was noon when they arrived to the next forest. That one had a few berries here and there. But what was worrisome were the number of animals, especially birds, there were around. Dove collected the edible berries as Alder looked around, making sure they had no company.

As night approached, more birds surrounded them. She didn't like that one bit. Just when she convinced Alder to move on to the next forest, they flew directly at them. Dove hurriedly grabbed her bag and ran away, Alder right behind her with his own bag in his hand.

As she ran, the birds tried to peck off her skin, but thankfully the hair and the jacket covered her enough not to do any severe harm. Once she was outside the treeline, she looked back. The birds were no longer after her, but neither was Alder.