Survivor | The Hunger Games

ch.15

Lana and Emery walked around the large, almost empty field behind their cave. The girls have been out here hunting since dawn and it's now close to noon. So far all they managed to catch were a few lizards, thanks to Lana's quickness and skill with her bowie knife. At first when Emery invited Lana out to hunt with her, Lana refused as the thought of using her knife to kill something else scared her, but she quickly got over it when she caught a glimpse of how skinny and small Declan was. It reminded her of how easily Iris was able to catch him and do such cruel things to him like bury his face in sand and strike him unconscious. "We should call it quits for today and head back." Emery said.

Lana agreed and walked alongside her newly found ally, back to the cave. "Can I ask you a serious question and could you answer it as honestly as possible?"

Emery shrugged knowing she has nothing to lose but her own life which she already plans on giving up for her brother. "Sure."

"Why haven't you killed me? I mean I know you haven't because Declan thinks I'm a good person but you're older, you know better, and you can make the final decision." Lana said.

"You want to kill yourself that bad?" Emery asked.

"It's not really about me wanting to kill myself anymore, it's more about me not caring if I live or die." Lana answered truthfully. The note from Finnick didn't make her want to suddenly live again, it just made her want to take her feet off the ledge and sit on it instead, legs swinging in the air while allowing the harsh gusts of wind that blew in her direction to decide whether it was her time to fall or not.

"Okay, if you want to know so badly it's because after the games, after I get my brother out of this arena and back home, I want him to still be him." Emery explained. "The games change people. It doesn't take a genius to understand that being in this cage, where you have to endure the very worst to survive, twists you into a person that not even your own mother would recognize." Lana understood completely. She didn't like to admit that the more she got to know Emery and Declan, the more she grew to like them. "I just want my brother to leave here with a clear conscious and clean hands, because once I'm dead, I'm dead. I won't get to know what happens after he leaves this arena, let alone help him get through the trauma this place has given him and will continue to give him."

Lana realized Emery had been holding back tears. She most likely hasn't been able to talk about any of this with anyone else. "You're such an amazing sister, Emery. Declan is lucky to have you."

"Thanks," The girl smiled. "Do you have any siblings?"

Lana thought of Terrance then immediately pushed him out of her mind. "No, I wish I did though. I feel as though it could've saved me from a lot of unnecessary pain."

Lana didn't care whether Terrance was paying attention to the games or not but if he was, she hopes that comment hits him where it hurts the most. Just as Emery opened her mouth to continue their conversation, a canon erupted, frightening both girls. "Declan?" Emery said. "Declan!" She began running the few feet they had left to reach the cave, Lana followed quickly behind her. Once the girls crawled inside, a sense of relief washed over them when they saw Declan sorting through his bookbag.

"Oh god." Emery held onto her chest.

"You're okay." Declan said also worried. "I was just about to get my dagger and go out looking for you."

"No!" Emery said. "Don't ever do that. That's a good way to get yourself exposed and killed. If you hear a canon while I'm gone just sit tight and wait, I'll come back as soon as possible."

"But what if you don't come back?" Declan asked.

"Then you hide until the games are over! Please, Declan when I heard the canon, I thought something bad had happen to you." Emery cried. "I need to sit down. I feel like I'm about to pass out."

"That's because you haven't had any water in two days." Declan said.

"Seriously? Did you give Declan the portion I gave you last night?" Lana questioned.

Emery nodded, tiredly. "Oh my god." Lana cursed as she walked over to her bookbag. "And then you go out there for hours, in the hot sun, hunting. Seems like you're the one who's trying to get themselves killed now." Once Lana pulled out her water, she gave the last few sips to Emery. Once she drank it, Lana took a seat beside Declan. "We need to find water soon or none of us are going to make it pass the next two days."

"We're in the desert, there is no water." Emery pointed out.

"There are cases of water at the cornucopia. Maybe if we come up with a plan to distract the---" Lana didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence. "Hell, no. You nor Emery are going up against the career pack. I took on two and barely got away."

"What should we do then?" Declan asked.

Lana paced around the cave trying to remember what she learned in her 'Environmental Studies 2' class at the academy. They would go deep into the importance of every living and non-living plant, animal and organism in every Biome. She rolled her eyes at how long it took her to remember one of the biggest natural resources of water there is in the desert. "Aloe Vera."Lana blurted out.

Emery gave her a confused look. "Aloe what now?"

"Aloe Vera, it's a plant. Have you guys never heard of them?" Lana questioned.

"Never even seen one." Emery answered.

"There's not many plants where we come from." Declan pointed out. "Just a ton of factories."

Feeling bad for the people in district 3, Lana held back a pitiful look. "Well, Aloe Vera is a plant that's native to desert biomes. It's a good source of water in the desert." Lana said as she grabbed her backpack. "I'm going to try to go look for some."

"Let me go with you." Emery said.

"No, you can barely sit up right." Lana said. "I'll be fine alone, it'll only take a few minutes."

Once Lana made it out the cave, she began her search for the V shaped plant. Lana's not sure where her newfound motivation is coming from. It's clearly not for herself, she's already stated how little she cares for her own well-being. Maybe it's Emery and Declan, maybe seeing the good in them has motivated her enough to help at least one of them win the games. She's already gotten close to them on a personal level, to see them die would probably ruin her. 10 minutes into her search she finally came across a bundled-up section of Aloe Vera she swore she passed like 4 times when she was out here with Emery. She cut 4 of them out the ground with her Bowie knife and hurried back in the cave. "You're back." Emery said, in disbelief.

"Thought I'd make a run for it?" Lana asked. Emery shrugged her shoulders as in saying 'kind of.' "If I said I was going to get a plant and come back, I meant it. Although I've done things that have contradicted my set of beliefs, my honesty is one of the few things I still have, and I don't plan on giving that up any time soon."

Lana cut open the Aloe Vera and scooped out a piece of the inside that was white and slimy with a jelly like texture. She handed it too Emery. The young girl made a disgusted look as she ate it which got a laugh out of Lana. "Gross, right? Well too bad cause these bad boys will have to satisfy our need of water until we can find something else."

"That's if we find anything else." Emery cringed as she finished her cube of Aloe. For the next half hour, Lana forced Emery to eat the rest of the plant. Lana then cut open another one for her and Declan to share. Declan gagged at the aftertaste and Lana knew if he had anything in his system to throw up, he would've.

"I promise you the drinks they make out of these plants are 10 times better!" Lana swore. "They sell them almost everywhere in 4. Maybe, once one of you wins, you can try it when you go on your victory tour and stop at my district.