Capitol Pawns

It’s a relief I have an alliance. It’s six strong. There’s Booker, Caraway, Freya, Caspar, Equinox, and I and despite the Careers strength, we stand a good chance against them.

Dinner is nothing more than a few crumbs of cracker and bottle after bottle of water. The dehydration has faded and the water helps fill our aching bellies. Booker says tomorrow we’ll hunt for game and my stomach growls at the mere mention of real food.

The sun begins to set on day three and we find a safe place to camp. Exhaustion is evident on everyone’s faces but we still designate Caraway and Equinox to take the first watch. I’m sure I’ve passed out before any faces show in the sky because when I wake up, the sun is up and the birds are chirping.

“Good morning,” Booker says with a smile as he drops a string of squirrels on the ground and tends a fire nearby.

I rub my eyes and sit up, trying to make sense of everything around me. Freya is still out cold but Caraway and the tributes from 6 aren’t anywhere to be seen.

“Don’t worry, Scout,” He smirks. “Caspar and I doubled up on shifts last night so you could get some rest.”

I hate that they allow me to bum my way through the Games, but I’m also glad for the night’s rest. For the first time since I entered the arena I feel like I can think straight, which is a huge relief. It also opens the door to think about my family and how they’re holding up back home. I feel a lump grow in the back of my throat and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

What are mama and dad doing right now? Are they plastered in front of the television, watching me like a hawk and praying to god that I’m not next? Or what about Bug and Cadence? Do they even understand what’s going on right now? Do they understand that they’ll never see me again?

It’s all too much to think about. I have to keep my head in the game and not let other things get in the way of them.

Booker pulls out a knife and eyes me as he picks up the first squirrel.

“Wanna learn?” He asks.

I nod, curious and also thinking ahead. Who knows when skinning a squirrel is going to come in handy?

I watch as he runs the blade carefully under the skin, just deep enough to sever it from the muscle and after a few moments of work, he holds up a skinned squirrel proudly.

“Your turn,” He says, handing me the knife and a plump squirrel from the pile.

My work is nowhere near as clean as his, but every time I mess up, he nods and smiles and reassures me I’m doing just fine. By the time I’m finished, the squirrel is so mutilated, it’s hardly recognizable at all.

“Well, there goes half a meal,” I say, handing him my attempt at breakfast.

He laughs and his dark grey eyes glint with playfulness.

“Don’t worry about it,” He assures me. “There’s plenty to go around.”

Booker skewers the squirrels and sets them to roast over the fire before wiping his hands on his pants and sighing in content. This is the closest thing to peacefulness I’ve had since I sat in the trees the morning of the reaping. The still air, the cool breeze, and the quietness surrounding us are a nice break from reality.

“So, where exactly are the tributes from six?” I ask, breaking the silence.

“Caspar and Equinox? They’re off hunting.”

I think about it for a minute and can’t decide what they’re hunting.

“They’re hunting game, Scout,” Booker laughs, obviously reading my mind. He’s becoming more and more like a big brother to me the longer we’re together. I’d like to think that if we weren’t in the situation we’re in now, we’d be friends outside of the Games. But the reality is, in order for me to go home, he has to die.

Freya stirs slightly and my attention turns to her. Her eyebrows are furrowed in worry and she twitches a few times.

“She’s having a bad dream,” I announce.

“What gives you that impression?” Caraway jokes as she takes a seat next to Booker. She throws down a quail and looks dissatisfied. “Not much, but it’s something.”

“It’ll take the edge off our hunger when it gets bad enough,” Booker says, taking the skewers off the fire. He hands one to Caraway, who picks a chunk of meat off and passes it to me.

It’s still pink, but it’s cooked enough to be clean. I take a bite and the taste floods my mouth. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever had, but you’d think it was. After not having protein for almost four days, even squirrel tastes delicious.

I scarf down the small ration of meat and chase it with half a bottle of water. My belly is full and satisfied and I let out an approving belch.

The three of us laugh so hard, we wake Freya from her sleep. She’s disoriented and confused at first, but when she sees us standing over her, her expression lightens.

“What time is it?” She asks.

I look at the sky and still can’t tell time by the sun, so I shrug my shoulders and pretend I can.

“I’m going to say 10:32 am, but I can’t be positive.”

After Freya eats and Caspar and Equinox return empty handed from their hunting expedition, we decide it’s probably time to move out from camp. It’s tempting to stay, but the Game Makers will surely have some trick up their sleeve to drive us back together sooner or later, so Caspar smothers the flames and we’re on the prowl.

Shortly into our hike, a cannon sounds and startles us all. We follow the railroads back towards the cornucopia and a bad feeling starts in the bottom of my stomach. We’re headed back towards the unknown half of the arena and the acid lake.

As bad as it is that I’m glad a cannon went off, I know it keeps the audience entertained and keeps our butts safer from the Game Makers cruel ways for a while longer. It eases everyone’s minds without having to say anything.

We walk for hours and even though my leg isn’t 100%, I’m able to keep up with the group with little effort. When night falls on day four, we climb high into the trees and set up a makeshift camp for the night. Freya, Booker, and I share a branch while Caspar, Equinox, and Caraway share one a few trees away.

Soon enough, the Capitol Seal is shown in the sky while the anthem plays dramatically and the girl from 11, Nettie’s face is shown. So it was her cannon a few hours ago.

Ten down, only thirteen to go.

Only, five of those thirteen are my friends and allies. They’re helping me through this game, but in order for me to go home, they all have to die.

I’m so tired from the day and the emotions and confusion that sleep comes naturally tonight. I’m out cold by the time I nuzzle into Booker’s side.