No Place Like Home

Part 5

They decided to camp out on the beach, planning attack.

"So we killed Cameron and Alice," Dan stated. "And then the monkeys killed two other careers, 1 and 3 I reckon."
"I heard 1 cannon go off whilst the monkeys were after us and 2 this morning," Phil said. "So, 32 left. Including us."

There was a pause before Dan said, "I wonder whose genius idea it was to go have twice as many tributes."

"There's still Alex and Rudy from District 4," Phil said. "I wonder if they're dead."

As soon as he said that, the holograms were in the sky and the music came on:

Alice District 1

Cameron District 1

Michael District 1

Alexis District 6

Dakota District 2

Alex District 4

Rudy District 4

Dan and Phil looked at each other, "Looks like we're the only two people left from District 4," Phil pointed out.
"Yeah," Dan said softly. "It's sickening, isn't it?"

"What?" Phil asked quietly, as the crickets from the jungle chirped.

Dan shook his head, "Everything. These games. They sound sickening? Imagine being someone from outside the Capitol and Districts, 'Oh yeah, there's this sick place no one knows about where they force young people to enter a deadly arena filled with killer monkeys and other creatures that are genetically modified to kill. And then the rest of this horrible City sit in their nice, warm homes, watching these people suffer? Oh, and I should mention, they fight to the death. Let's book the plane tickets for next Monday, eh, Debra?' Imagine being a parent and having to tell your 10 year old children they'll have to sit in a big town square, and listen for their names. And then they'll be taken away to fight older and stronger tributes? You can't escape this place; you have 3 choices in the Hunger Games, and they're to kill, hide or die. And to add the fact they doubled the tributes, just to piss us off? It's sickening."

Phil looked down and sighed, "For what it's worth, they give us weapons and stuff."
Dan scoffed, "Yeah, to kill people with."
"Hey," Phil said softly, but defensively, "at least they're giving us a chance. But we don't have a choice. The chances the games are cancelled are a million to one. We don't have a very likely chance of getting out of this place alive, but we damn well have a chance of fighting a long fight. We can do this. Together."

Dan shook his head, jaw clenched, "You're missing one flaw in us getting out together. And that's that, these games? Yeah, they're to the death, until there is only one human standing."

Phil sighed, "I know that, but the deal was until the last 4. Who knows, we could both be killed. Before the last 4. I mean, there's 32 tributes—"
Another cannon.
Dan and Phil paused before chuckling, "—31 tributes left. And our chances of winning are rather unlikely."

Dan sighed, "I hope I lose."
Phil stared at Dan, "Why?"

"Because," Dan said. "If I win, I'm going home to an empty house. Nobody would care if I won. No champagne, no applause, no hugs, no nothing. And nobody would care if I died in these games, no funeral, no flowers, no tears, nothing. There wouldn't be a point. I want someone with a family to win, so they can go home, and the family doesn't have to mourn. Take you for example. Fast, savvy, helpful, survivor and damn good with a bow. I couldn't even fight off a f*cking monkey for God's sakes. You have a family who would miss you and a family who would welcome you home. I want someone like you to win, if not you."

Dan wasn't angry at Phil, Dan was angry at himself.

Phil looked at him, and then – out of instinct – grabbed his hand.
Dan looked down at their hands, and then up at Phil.

"People would miss you," Phil said. "And people would welcome you home."
"I don't want your pity," Dan yanked his hand back.
"I'm not giving you pity," Phil grabbed his hand again. Dan's hand was cold but was quickly warmed up by Phil's. "I'm telling you the truth."

Dan looked at Phil, "I'm not asking for sympathy. And why do you care? I just sound like I'm attention-seeking."
"You don't sound like you're attention-seeking," Phil said softly. "You sound like you're in pain."

Dan was slightly taken aback by Phil's comment, "Well, I've been used to it for a while."
"How long?" Phil said. "If you don't mind me asking."
Dan looked down at their clasped hands, "About 2 years."

"Where have you been living?" Phil asked.
"At home," Dan said. "I got a job at the docks and earned a bit of money. I was fine, living on my own. Got a bit lonely, but I coped."

Phil smiled, "Well, I would miss you if you died."

Dan grinned and slowly unclasped his hand from Phil's, to get an axe, "Hey, you're not that bad, are you, kid?"

Phil smiled, and after a while said, "So, tomorrow? I reckon we should head back through the jungle, see if we can find some tributes. And if not, at least find some food."

"We can get food by fishing," Dan stated. "Easy. We just need a weapon to fish with."

Phil held up an arrow and Dan shook his head.

"Nah, it needs to be longer. At least 3x that size." Dan said.

"Like," Phil smirked. "A spear?"

"Yeah, exactly like a..." he trailed off when he saw Phil nod his head towards the Cornucopia behind him.

There, stood upright, was a long, pointy, spear.

Dan grinned. "It's a bit dark to get it now," Phil said. "And you look tired."

Dan looked at him, "Are you taking first watch?"

Phil nodded, "Yeah, get some rest. You could use it."

Dan smiled, he was actually starting to like Phil as a friend.

But he wasn't going to withdraw the deal of being allies until there was only 4 people left, because then they would have to kill each other.

And the last thing Dan wanted to do was to kill that man who made him feel welcome, who make him feel not alone. Not empty.

Dan instead, walked to what looked like a comfy patch of sand – if there was such a thing – and laid there, axe in hand.

He slowly closed his eyes as he took another look at the black-haired boy protecting him.

Like his own guardian angel.