Sweetest Downfall

I woke to an intense burning my shoulder and I gasped out loud. I sucked in a deep breath and bit my lip as I unraveled the bandage to see the wound and I yelped. It was about a wide as a nickel and it had swollen halfway shut but there was still a thin trail of blood coming out and the muscle on the backside was torn out and would hang there if I didn’t wrap it. The rest of the arm was useless to me except my fingers so I tied my upper arm to my side and was left with a dinosaur arm.
I can do this. I had to keep reminding myself that I had to avenge Herring and Ari and return home to Opal and mom. My limbs cracked and ached as I slid out from my hiding spot under the base of a tree; it was the tightest squeeze that I had even known but it was so hidden that I didn’t think a mouse had even found it. That’s when I found it, a little silver box attached to a silver parachute.

“Yes!” I quickly covered my mouth; if any tribute were near they surely would have heard me. I took the gift in my hands, silently thanking my sponsors and Mags for sending it to me. I took the lid in my hands and gently opened the box and in it was a black ankle brace. I smiled big for the cameras that were surely watching and slowly slipped my boot off, my ankle had swollen even more and I involuntarily winced as I took the wrapping off of it. It was an ugly yellow-purple-blue color and if I had had any food in my stomach it have surely come up at the sight of my ankle and the fresh memory of the deaths of my two friends.

I slipped it on and locked it in place and I immediately felt relief and warmth. It must retain body heat, I thought because it was warming my ankle and the break was amazing. I stood and even though the ankle still hurt, I could walk a bit easier and even run a bit. I packed everything up except my spear, two knives and a beef stick, it was time to get moving back to the Cornucopia and see of any supplies were left in the deepest corners. I knew in the long run it might help if there was by chance a miracle and some type of infection-fighting medicine was sitting in a pack, but it would be dangerous going back.

I spent the whole day walking and by nightfall I even managed to climb high enough into the crook of a tree and lay comfortably. When the anthem played that night there were no faces in the sky and that meant unless someone died the next day, the Gamemakers would make someone die and it most certainly was not going to be me.

”Shay!” Someone screamed my name out and turn to face darkness all around me.

“Herring? Ari?” I called out but I was answered with silence. “Hello?”

A hand came up and covered my mouth before I could say any more, and it cut off my airway. A face leaned in close against mine and licked the length of my face, from my hairline to my jawbone and a shudder passed through my body. “Tick-tick-tick my lovely, tick… Tick…Tick.”

I shot straight up and my forehead was met with a branch and the world went out. I don’t know how much later I woke again from the self-inflicted knockout, but it was long enough for me to hear footsteps under me. There were two sets of feet walking and they were heavy footsteps, I held my breath and clutched my head, damn… that seriously hurt. If I have a concussion I’m screwed.

“Cyrus the coast is clear, come on.” The voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t see them, there were thick branches and leave blocking my view. Silently, I got out of the little nook and packed my sleeping bag away and took out a handful of dried fruit, eating it and hopping from tree to tree, following the heavy footsteps.

“Emilyn, hold on…” The voice coughed and I instantly felt the fire and rage burn into my skin. Emilyn was District 1, Emilyn was the boy. Emilyn was my next victim.