Sweetest Downfall

I smirked as I saw both Nita and Jude in the sky that night. Cyrus and I had been wandering through the forest, pushing toward the mountain. I could see it from where I sat now, the bold peak of the ever terrifying mountain. Barely visible in the moonlight, but just I had on the first day of the Games, it occurs to me that climbing the mountain would give us an advantage. Not only would be get a view of the competition, however ant like they may seem. We could easily survive until the final three or so, and if anyone found us, it's pretty easy to defend.

Cyrus sighed and leaned back against the grotto's wall, putting his hands behind his head. I'd started a fire with the matches I was lucky enough to find in my pack and Micah had been kind enough to place some of the boar meat from the other night in there as well, neatly wrapped up. Out of Cyrus's pack, he'd produced a pan for cooking and handed it to me. After that, I boiled some water from our canteens -and trust me, I was surprised at our extensive amount of supplies- and carefully plopped the meat into the boiling water. Neither of us could cook, but this is possibly the best I could do- cleansing and cooking the meat at the same time.

"I like being on our own," said Cyrus. I looked down at the ground and that's when I spotted it. It was tiny little plat with a thick green stem and tiny purple petals stemming out as it traveled up the length of its spine. If I remembered correctly from training back in the arena this plant is poisonous to eat. I gulped and looked over at my partner once more. His big, strapping muscles were apparent as he flexes his arms out. He seemed so strong and I knew for a fact that he's ruthless.

This is my chance to take him out, kill him now before he kills me.

I shook my head and focus back on the pan. Slowly, my gaze fixed upon the plant. I need him alive, I told myself. If another tribute were to come after us, we could have easily protect each other. Then again, if things get to crazy or we get lost, he could end up killing me as means for food or any other way to survive.

Finally, I com to a decision. I leaned over and pluck two tiny petals from the plant in my hand. Two tiny leaves couldn't possible kill anyone, especially not a boy of his size. Recalling what I heard about them in the lessons, they're not highly poisonous unless given in large quantities. At the most, it would weaken my companion. At the least, it wouldn't even harm him. I close my fist around them and quickly grab my piece of meat from the pan. It was hot but I just ignored the pain. I glanced at my partner, who still has his eyes closed. I bit down on my lip and dropped the leaves into the water, letting the poison soak into the meat.

I gulped and sigh. "Dinner time."



"Emilyn!" A voice shouted out at me and I rose with a start. Over in the corner of the grotto was Cyrus, doubled over in pain and surrounded by a silky yellowish liquid. The bile smelled foul and as he looked up at me, it just spouted out from his lips and fell to the stoney floor. I covered my mouth, trying to fight my own bile.

"We can stay here for the day, Cyrus, if we need-"

"No," he coughed out, clutching his chest. His face was pale white and green-blue eyes were empty and placid. "We have to keep moving."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he breathed. I nodded slowly and stalked over to help him to his feet. He was a little wobbly in the knees but he managed. I lead him out into the forest and leaned him against a tree. Quickly, I ran and ducked back into the grotto, grabbed both our packs and threw them over my shoulder. I spied the poison plant and picked it from its base and put it inside my pack for later use. Finally I grabbed both my sword and his mace and tucked them into the belt loops of my snow pants. Cyrus was very sick and it was going to be my duty to carry the supplies, I realized.

Once I returned to Cyrus, he looked even sicker than before. I patted him on the back softly. "Ready to go, Big Guy?"

He nodded and wrapped his arm around my shoulders and off we went. We started walking, slowly but surely through the forest. Along the way, we heard little of anything- no animals, no tributes, just the sound of the colder-growing window and the crunching of our feet upon leaves and twigs. Unfortunately, we did lose a lot of time because I did have to stop every few minutes to let Cyrus puke his guts out. He would always wipe his mouth and he say he was fine.

I sighed, shifted uncomfortably, and watched the sky above me. We were done marching for the day- it'd grown dark already and Cyrus really needed the rest. He laid out in the fresh night air, leaving me to watch all night. I didn't mind though, since this was my fault. Seeing him so sick did make me feel guilty, but my baser instincts -the ones that were telling me to win- made me feel as if it were just a necessary step in the direction of my victory.

There were no faces in the sky that night but as I kept glancing over at my partner, I couldn't help but feel guilty knowing that I would be the reason his face would appear there one day soon. I clenched my eyes shut tight for just a moment. This is the sort of thing that would make my father proud.

I cocked my head to nowhere in particular, hoping the cameras were somewhere nearby. With a cruel tone to my voice I called out in a hushed voice, "I hope you're enjoying yourself, Panem."