When The Canary Sings

Paying The Ferryman

First Person-Picker Sparks

"I mean, there's a reason we left Shippe behind," Valor laughed, his blonde hair flopping in his face. "Might as well break the weakest link early." He added, shrugging his shoulders. Gemma, the brown-haired tribute from One broke out laughing, Ace scoffed.

"We should find Camilla." He said bluntly. Camilla, the girl from Two ran ahead of the group, swearing she heard a laugh. No one believed her, because who laughed in the HUnger Games, so we just let her run ahead.

"Relax, she ran straight ahead," Gemma said, twirling her black hair. Ace just sharpened his knives.

"So,'' Valor started, "where do you think your songbird is, Picker?" Valor asked, nudging my shoulder. "She'd be an easy kill, I'd shove my sword right through her singing throa–"

"Shut up, Valor." I said before I even heard myself speaking. I only heard what I actually said when I heard Gemma's laugh.

"Why do you care?" Valor teased, getting in my face. "You already left your 'little canary.'" He mocked, making his voice higher when he referenced Becca.

"Bastard.'' I muttered.

I felt Valor's calloused hands on my shoulders, and then I felt my back on the cold concrete.

"You watch your mouth, Twelve." He spat, "I'll kill you right now." He hissed, I pushed him off me, and he lunged at me with his sword. I rolled to dodge it, and I pushed myself up. I grabbed the pickaxe and swung it.

I started work in the mines early, so I had some practice with it. I stood facing Valor, his sword at the ready.

"Back off, Val," Gemma said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We need him alive if you wanna kill the kid so bad." She said, pushing him to turn him around.

"Watch yourself next time." Valor spat, but before I could respond, Ace interrupted me.

"Camilla!" He yelled, running straight ahead, all of us followed. When we got to her side, Camilla was far gone. Her face was pale, and it seemed like it was covered in something? Something Powdery? Blood dripped from her nose and mouth. Her body was tense, like stone. Her armor was gone, leaving her just in the tribute outfit. Along with her armor, her sword and shield were gone too.

"Is she dead?" Gemma asked, Ace responded with a glare that said, yeah, you idiot, then turned his head back to look at the dead Camilla. I knelt next to Ace, I wrapped an arm around him and gave him a comforting pat on the back. Out of the whole career pack, I liked him the best.

"There were other people here." Valor said, looking around. I picked my head up, only to see another dead body. It was the little girl from Three, the one Becca likes so much. My eyes widened in realization. Becca was here? Was she the one who killed Camilla?

"What's she covered in?" Gemma asked, pointing to small brown specs that were strewn across Camilla's body. "Her face is all powdery, and there are brown things all over her. Are those bugs or something?"

Ace's head picked up, and scanned Camilla's body.

"Bread crumbs..." Ace said, his eyes widening, "In Two...in Two we scattered breadcrumbs on," he stopped, "who?" he asked, I shrugged.

I knew.

Valor snickered as he stood over the other girl's body. He inspected her, and even went so far to dab his finger in her wound.

"At least she got a kill before she kicked it." He sneered, wiping the blood on his shirt.

I couldn't wait to kill him.

I looked down and spotted something shiny in Camilla's hand, slowly I took it from her hand. Ace was too busy mourning his district partner's death to notice.

My eyes focused on the coin, and I realized it was a coin from 12.

XII, it read.

To pay the ferryman.

I carefully slid it back into Camilla's hands, not wanting to take her passage across the river.

"Let's go." Valor said, "Twelve, get Ace. Whoever was here went that way." He said, pointing ahead. "It's getting dark, so pick it up." He commanded before walking ahead of us. I hoped it wasn't in the direction of Becca and the District Three Boy...

Valor made us walk in the direction he believed the killers had gone in until night fell, and the anthem played over the arena.

Camilla came first, her picture lighting up the sky. Ace soaked it all in, he stared at her picture, memorizing her face. When it disappeared and Trixie lit up the screen, he looked back at his knives and let the last tear fall.

Valor found us a good spot in a nearby building, and we camped there for the night. Gemma took first watch, and as soon as I laid my head on the cold ground, I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep at all. 

A/N:

Hey guys! Sorry for the short chapter! Hope y'all are enjoying the story so far, maybe in celebration for the Superbowl i'll post the next chapter! 

xoxo,

regina.