The Very First Hunger Games

Chapter 13

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I assumed no one was reading it, but when I came back to wattpad I noticed people had commented on my story. Thank you so much. I'm so glad someone is interested on my story. i will be updating more often now. :)

Chapter 13: Day One in The Arena

BOOM! An explosion, but not an earth-shattering one, like the one before the games. More of a dull thud somewhere in the distance. At least I think it was an explosion...

Another one! Where could they be coming from? More importantly, who or what is causing them? Several other booms come thereafter. I count them. Nine.

There must be tributes nearby. After hours of wandering around, trying to find food and water, I managed to evade any contact from every one of the tributes. Until now.

There are hurried footsteps, and the sound of leaves rustling as bodies brush past them. Whoever they are, they are coming for me and fast- therefore I must think fast.

I hastily search for somewhere - anywhere - to hide. I spot a leafy bush to me my left, quickly dive into it and pray that they don't find me.

"Willow, no use hiding. I know you're here"

Antonio! At least it's not April, who seems to have a personal vendetta against me.

"Willow" Antonio continues to call in a sing-song voice.

That was a smart move, Antonio. Informing anyone nearby, including your prey, of your exact location. Idiot.

I hear footsteps coming and going. Maybe he has past me. I hope the coast is clear because I can't crouch down here much longer.

I brush the leafy twigs away from my face and sneak a peak. Antonio seems to have moved on. I slowly creep out the bush, brushing little leaves and jaggy twigs off myself. I recognize the leaves. They come from the Sanitatum plant.

A few years ago, mother took ill. I wanted to help her, I really did but I was no healer. I offered to pick up the herbal leaves at the apothecary shop in the merchant section of District 12, despite only knowing my way to Luca's house.

I inevitably found myself lost in the seemingly perpetual row of fancy houses. Well, they were fancy to me. I don't know how long I wandered around looking for the exit before I found Luca's house by sheer luck. He, of course, teased me about it for weeks after.

The apothecary shop was just as I expected it to be: dinky, with rows upon rows of herbals and remedies stored in jars, set atop rotting wooden shelves. It took a while to locate the correct leaf but when I did I hurried back to my poorly mother.

Staring at the Sanitatum leaves brought back a lot of memories. I decide to pick a few just for the sake of sentiment. I'm about to move on and explore the arena further, when I find my golden pin in my left jacket pocket. Sapphire must've have snuck it in there. But why? Whatever the reason I know it was well intentioned, so I fasten the pin to my jacket and trod on.

It doesn't take long for Antonio to find me again. I must've been walking round in circles but how could I have known. The arena is covered in identical-looking trees apart from the Cornucopia. The area around the Cornucopia bears a resemblance to a desert. If deserts had golden horns, pedestals, landmines and teenagers engaging in bloody battles.

"CLEO" Antonio shouts.

I change my pace from walk to a sprint. I can't let him catch no matter what. I run as fast as I possibly can but Antonio still manages to catch me. He grabs my shoulders, I struggle against him, but it's futile. He has me in headlock. Cleo sweeps through the trees as fast as a frightened deer.

"I found it. I found her spear!" Cleo shouts, looking triumphant.

MY SPEAR! How could I have forgotten it? I squeeze my eyes shut, preparing for the hit. It doesn't come.

"We're not going to kill you, silly" Cleo says, laughing.

"We're not?" Antonio answers for me.

"No, we'll just raid her anything useful"

"I-I don't have anything" I protest.

"Check her pockets" Antonio orders.

Cleo starts rummaging through my jacket pockets and finds nothing but the Sanitatum leaves.

"Nothing. Just some leaves. Wait a minute" Cleo pauses. "Your pin. It has a Mockingjay on it. Where did you get it?"

"What's a Mockingjay?" I ask, genuinely wanting to know.

"Quit stalling. Answer the question" Antonio shouts, obviously aggravated.

"Luca gave me it" I say meekly

"Where did Luca get it?" Cleo says, tapping her foot, impatiently.

"It was his mother's. I have no idea where she got it from. I don't see how it matters" I say, suddenly gaining a new steak of courage.

"Just curious is all" Cleo says, with that stupid smirk of hers.

"Why don't we just kill her now?" Antonio says. "If you think about it, it would actually be more humane for us to kill her than let's say, April. We all know that April is sick in the head and would without a doubt torture Willow before murdering her".

"I believe that Willow is more use to us alive than she is dead. At least for now. Don't even try to deny it. Everyone knows that it was you that set the training centre alight. It was no accident either. You're not as weak as you pretend to be."

"No, I'm not" I admit "I would only slow you down. Just let me go".

"So you don't want to be our ally?" Cleo says, with mock surprise.

"No. There's only one person I trust in this arena and one person only"

"Somehow I knew you wouldn't cooperate with us willingly" Cleo sighs. "Release her but keep an eye on her".

Antonio follows Cleo's orders and releases his grip but pushes me forward. He keeps his spiked mace close as kind of a non-verbal threat. I don't dare to make a break for it. Cleo starts to retreat further into the woods and beckons Antonio and I to follow her. We do.

Because of her high-pitched, girly voice it's almost comical when she tries to be menacing. It's not so funny when she has a deadly weapon in her hands. Her next words come out a squeak but they shatter my world.

"Don't try to run. We'll catch you. Don't try to hide. We'll find you. And don't think for one second that your knight in shining amour is going to rescue you because we've already killed him"