RIBS, the hunger games

chapter eight, the beast of the night

Felix's eyes widened once he heard the scream, he sat up when he heard the cannon go off, signalling that someone had died. He clutched his spear tensely, his knuckles turning white when he heard footsteps outside.

"That— that thing— it...it just took Calista, and we're running?" whoever spoke sounded on the verge of tears, it belonged to a male.

"We're running because we can't take that thing, there's only three of us now with Calista gone and Barty being the bastard he is," the sharp voice of Jade replied, though she also sounded like she was about to cry.

With the sound of roar becoming louder, Felix heard the rustling of the leaves underneath shoes as the three tributes ran off.

Calista was dead. Just like that.

Felix felt his eyes water but he forced them closed, screwing his face up as he told himself not to cry. You only cry for people you love and care for. Felix had only talked to Calista once. He shouldn't cry because she would have had actual people who loved and cared for her.

Felix didn't dare fall asleep after that, he didn't dare look outside other than a handful of times. One time, he saw these glowing, red eyes. Whatever monster was outside hadn't seen him though, and as dawn broke, Felix made his way out of the cave. He started walking the long way to the north end of the arena, where he saw Ethel last with Barty. To his surprise, he stumbled upon a sight that made his stomach do about seventeen flips and break it's nonexistent neck.

Blood was splattered everywhere, a knife was left on the ground, equally matted with blood. Perhaps in front of Felix was where the Careers had been camping, before the beast took and mauled one of their own. Trying not to throw up, Felix picked up the knife, both happy and sick at the sight of it. He cleaned it as best he could with his clothes before sheathing it.

As he continued walking, all that Felix could think about was the blood. How whatever took Calista was messy, and Felix didn't know if it would stay in the swamp or if it would roam anywhere in the arena. What if it was staring at him from afar right at that moment, lurking in the shadows? The lack of water only made his paranoia worse, he was sure.

Shaking off his shivers, Felix continued walking when he saw a small heart engraved into one of the trees. He walked closer to it, seeing that it had 'J+V' etched into the middle of it. Ethel. His pace quickened as he followed the heart, finding another one and then another one, noting the rush of a stream becoming louder and louder. A waterfall, it turned out to be, Felix got out his canister and filled it up, drinking it all before filling it up again. He heard a rustle behind him, his hand immediately went to his spear as he whipped around.

"Woah, woah, watch where you're pointing that thing," Barty said, his hands up, the silver bow he had used to kill the girl from Seven in one hand.

Besides him was Ethel, a little more dishevelled and tired-looking, but overall she was still the peppy Ethel Felix knew. The girl went up and hugged her brother tightly, "I'm sorry for not...running fast enough, it's just, I heard the explosion, it freaked me out, I hesitated—"

"It's fine, it's just me and you now,"

"And Barty," Ethel added in, glancing at the boy who was just standing there, not really knowing what to do.

"...sure,"

"Hey, I'm only doing what Haymitch told Gloss, that if I wanted you two as allies, I would have to protect Ethel," he shrugged, "And also, snagged a couple of spears from the Cornucopia for you, they're back at our base,"

Felix furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know what Haymitch told that mentor of yours but we declined your request, so whatever he said—"

"Came right out of his ass? Yeah, I figured that out from that one over there," Barty muttered, gesturing at Ethel as the three of them walked upstream, "And here's home base,"