Silence [The Hunger Games]

Chapter Twenty-Four

My knife pressed against the throat of the tribute, and she let out a strangled cry.

 “…Clementia?” I said, weakening my grip “Sorry, I thought…”

 We both got to our feet, staring at each other. She had her slingshot aimed at my head, and my knife trained itself over her heart. I wasn’t sure what to do, and I don’t think she was either. We had been friends in the Capitol. Didn’t that count for something? I sighed and let my weapon clatter to the ground, holding my arms up in surrender.

 “Let’s not do this, Clem. I know you don’t want to kill me, and I’m not going to hurt you.

 Clementia’s face was panic stricken. I was terrified that in her fear, she might kill me anyway. But she dropped her slingshot and threw her arms around my neck, crying loudly.

 “Hey, hey! Cut it out! You’ll lose sponsors if you cry. It’s a sign of weakness,” I hissed in her ear. She managed to pull herself together, and wiped her face with her sleeve.

 “Sorry. Where is Logan?”

 “Not far from here. Let’s go wake him,” I suggested. Clementia picked up the dead squirrel, and we walked in awkward silence to where we’d set up camp, ashamed that we’d almost killed each other. I kicked Logan lightly with my boot and he woke with a start.

 “What? What is it?” he panicked.

 “Calm down, Logan. I just found Clementia.”

 “Clem?” the two of them embraced quickly.

 “I was out hunting and me and Raven crossed paths…” Clementia explained.

 “Have you been alone since the beginning then?”

 Clementia bit her lip “Not exactly. Come on, I’ll show you. It’s not safe here anyway. We’re out in the open.”

 I wavered. I wasn’t sure whether to fully trust Clementia.

 “Come on. It isn’t far,” Clementia insisted. I looked at Logan, hoping he’d give us a reason to stay. He didn’t. He shrugged at me and followed Clementia through the trees. Rolling my eyes to myself, I set off after them. Once again, a certain sense of jealousy clouded over my brain, as I watched Logan and Clementia laughing and talking. It was a good job the walk was short, or I would have started feeling seriously hacked off at Clementia. She led us to an area back near the water, where there was a cluster of bushes. I guessed that was where she had made camp. Sure enough, she beckoned us to duck into the centre of the bushes. After a short battle with some twigs, we were in a small, well concealed area of land. And right in the middle, whimpering, lay a tribute, covered in blood.

 “What did you do to him?” I demanded to know, horrified by the mangled mess of a boy before my eyes. Clementia shook her head wildly.

 “No! No, it wasn’t me! One of the others got him…”