Arrows in the Dark

The Scheme

I was running running hard. My breathing was rapid and my heart pounding in my chest. I looked behind me but all i saw was darkness. The light was ahead of me just out of reach. I had to keep going. I had to keep running. The darkness couldn't catch me. It would kill me if it did. But the light was fading growing smaller and smaller. Farther and farther away. "No!" i shouted. Somehow i tripped. Falling on my palms and scraping the skin. they bled immediately. I turned over and sat on my but looking at what i had tripped over. Peeta. "Peeta?" i whispered crawling up toward him. He was dead. Blood pouring from a wound in his head.

Then there were bodies all around me. Glimmer, Marvel, Cato, Ash, Rue, Clover, Cordella, Thresh, Foxface and all the other tributes i didn't know the names of. "What?" i whispered scared now. My hands felt horribly sticky i held them up to look at them. They were covered in blood. My clothes, my shoes. They were caked in it. Blood everywhere. Then a voice boomed overhead.

"May i present to you the winner of the 74th Hunger Games!" it shouted. There was an uproar of cheers and clapping.

"No." i whispered. "No!" i screamed jumping up i ran. the light. I had to get to it. I had to get away. "I'm not a killer! I'm not a killer!" i screamed. But the cheering didn't cease it just grew louder. Deafening. I fell to the ground again and watched the light fade away. I fell sideways and felt my head connect with the floor. Then i was falling. No ground beneath me. I screamed.

I woke with a start. It happened so quickly i banged my head on the log. I bit my tongue and whimpered an ow. I laid my head back down on the ground. It was a dream. I had fallen asleep. There was sunlight pouring through the branches of my hideout. What time was it? I guess that didn't matter. What day was it? How long had i been out? My throat was dry. Really dry. I smacked my lips and moved my tongue around my mouth. Water. I needed water. I pushed away the branches hardly caring if somebody was out there that could kill me. As i stood up leaves fell away off my body. My hands, chest, head. I hadn't noticed them before and i didn't remember putting them there. Had they blown in and fallen on me. No. There was no way...

I tried not to think about it. I went to the spot where i had placed my backpack. There were fresh leaves on it not the dried dead one's i had put. Someone had definitely been here. Hiding my stuff. Hiding me, better than i had. I looked around but couldn't see anyone. Who would do this? I could only think of two people. But since one of them had been nowhere near the scene with the Career's that left one person. I opened my mouth. "Rue?" i called out quietly. Nothing. There was a slight rustling in the tree's. I looked around slowly trying not to miss a single thing. I made a face and looked down at my bag. Water. I needed water.

I opened my pack and found some food missing. Not a lot. Just enough for maybe a day or two. I found my canister of water and chugged it down. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked around deciding to try again. "Rue? Are you.. Are you out there?" i asked. Still nothing. "Please. Rue. If you're out there. I.. I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." i noticed my knife i had gone to sleep with was missing. Maybe she'd taken it. Or i had left it under the tree.
"Rue. I promise." i said again in almost a whisper. Suddenly a curly head popped up from behind a tree. her bright dark eyes looked at me curiously. "It's ok." i said slowly staring at her. I motioned for her to come join me. Rue seemed unsure biting her lip.

Then seeming to not care she took a couple steps out from behind the tree and stepped towards me. She stopped a couple feet in front of me. I was guessing that was as close as she would get. "You covered me? And my stuff?" i asked. Rue nodded slowly. "Thank you..." i paused. "You didn't have to but.. Thank you.." i stuttered. She was only twelve maybe but i found it hard to talk to her. She was so innocent. So unlike the rest. "Are you hungry?" i asked. Rue hesitated but slowly nodded. "You're not squeamish about what we eat right?" i questioned. Rue shook her head again. "So would it be alright if i killed some small animals?" Rue looked scared by the idea but shook her head yes. "Alright." i grabbed up my bow and arrows.