Chapter Eight

As soon as I could see, my eyes were wide. Before me, as the platform rose, was the Capitol's Center. But it was the glamorous spot it used to be, and right in the canter sat the Cornucopia. I glared at it, while trying to marvle at the awesome recreation. But then I noticed the space that should have been taken up by the mansion was filled by fake stores. That's when I remembered that this isnt home, it isnt safe. I am now in the Hunger Games. Above me, the voice of some new person - I can only imagin Ana crying at the memory of her uncle - telling us the games are about to start, then counting down. I remember every year having a big party with my friends at this time.

"FIVE!"

I took a deep breath, unmoving.

"FOUR!"

I glanced around at all the other cages, placed the same distance away from the Cornucopia.

"THREE!"

I noticed Ana, clutching at her token, which i think was a doll.

"TWO!"

I saw Water two cages away from me, crying.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET THE 76TH HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!"

Then the cages burst open and we all stepped out, dazed. I vaguely remember Fara dashing away. Snake, though, barrled into my side as soon as he was out. He had only been ten yards away and it didnt take long to cover the distance for him. I let out a pitiful yelp before Slaier was on top of me too. I for sure thought I was a gonner, until Snake and Slaier rolled away and Ana was lifting me to my feet.

"Mickie, come on!" I glanced around. Gale was right. As soon as these kids were thrown into a life or death situation, they were vicious. Xander and Satose had been the first ones at the Cornucopia, then Fara, who had thrown a spear right at Licorice, killing the blonde girl instantly. Walter was soon at Fara's side, a snarl on his face. Water and Rhanona were nowhere to be found. Shia, Kaulke, and Plaite were running into an alley, backpacks in their hands. Ashton was slumped over next to his cage, an arrow in his neck. I dont know who killed him. Then I noticed Satin help Slaier before they both ran right passed me and Ana. Snake hardly gave us a glance before chasing after the two cousins. He shouted to Satose and xander and the two young boys pelted after him.

Me and Ana rushed forward to grab something, but were quickly set back when we noticed Fara trying to find someone to kill. So we retreated into a dark alley. Eventually, everyone else left the area, except Fara and Walter, who were soon joined by the other three 'Careers'. They werent leaving any time soon, and I wanted at least a random backpack, who knows what might be in it.

I pulled Ana behind a dumpster. "We have to get supplies."


"No. Too dangerous."

"There's a pack hardly fifteen yards away, come one, Ana, we need something!"

She shook her head again and started to pull me away, but I yanked my hand and dashed out of the hiding spot. Ana tried to go after me, but didnt make it past the opening to the street. As if in slow motion, I heard Fara scream my name, and then an arrow whooshed passed me somewhere. I made it the last few feet and ducked behind the large crate that had been hiding the pack from the 'Careers' view. I hooked it over my back, glanced at Ana - who was trying to indicate that they were now giving chase. I peaked, and yep, here comes Walter and Satose.

I braced myself before sprinting back to Ana. An arrow struck the pack just as I entered the alley. But the two boys were still chasing, so I grabbed the redhead's hand and yanked her. Luckily, the alley wasnt a dead end. But it wasnt like the real alleys in the Capitol, they were winding, and eventually I heard the boy's footsteps stop and me and Ana slowed.

We caught our breath before Ana spoke, "Where are we?"

"I donno..." I trailed off and brought Ana further down the paved alley. We passed through two more before we came to a wide opening in the wall, outside sat a forest.

"I think we should try those store fronts before we head into the forest," i nodded my agreement, but after trying three stores, we realized they were locked and the glass was break-proof. We resigned ourselves to the forest, and as soon as we entered, who do we find huddled against the stone walls in the leaves: Water and Rhanona. i noticed Rhanona was bleeding from a scrape on her knee. I ran to the two girls while Ana glanced both directions, seeing if anyone was coming. I heard two cannons in the distance - Licorice and Ashton. That means Snake hadnt killed Satin or Slaier. I almost sighed in relief before opening my sack.

I thought the Rebels would be cruel, and leave us Capitol children with hardly anything, but no, this was like a real game of the Hunger Games, not a rigged one. And inside my backpack were three roles of bandages, four bottles of water, several packets of food, some rope, and a beautiful knife. I bypassed everything, grabbing only a role of the white clothe, and a water bottle. I wet the clothe, adn then cleaned the blood off of Rhanona's wound, then quickly wrapped it.

I stood. "Where'd you two go when the bell rang?"

Water looked at Rhanona before answering, "Walter's token is a really heavy, metal ring. Rhanona went running for a bag, but the boy hit her, and then took it before running to the Cornucopia. Then he killed A-A-Ashton!" Then the water works. These two girls had been close to the little boy. I gently pat their headsand hugged them before telling them we have to keep moving. Eventually, the four of us were on our way, skirting along the back of the Capitol Center replica.

I didnt know what to do.

Normally, I'm level headed in dire situations. Like last year, when I was standing next to my tempermental grandfather as he tried fixing the Katniss/Peeta double suicide incident. I calmed him, and then helped him figure it out. When Govini Nolina went out of fashion, and his clothes were the only thing Ana would wear - I totally solved that problem. When I was seven and Shia and Kaulke played a prank on a teacher and were almost caught, I totally talked their way out of it. I'm always the looker-afterer. I watch out for people, and now I had three other girls - crying and weak - that I had to make sure didnt die on me. I think I would collapse if any one of them died on me.

But I didnt know how to take care of them, at all. I knew, when my grandfather got out of control, he only needed to be surrounded by his roses to calm down. I knew Govini Nolina practically stole all his designs from an up-and-comer and told Ana about them. I knew any teacher would believe that the President's granddaughter never lies. I know how to care for people in the Capitol. But this isnt the Capitol, and I had next to no power.

I didnt know how to get food. I didnt know how to treat Rhanona's wound if it got worse. I didnt know where we should sleep tonight - or if we'd get any sleep. I didnt know where those 'Careers' were. I didnt know where my former friends were. I didnt know anything. And I felt helpless.

I ran into Water and the stumbled forwards. "What is it?" I asked, leaning down to her height. She pointed through the woods to a deer that was grazing. I gave her a pitiful look.

She wanted me to kill it for us. She knew my faux score of 12 and assumed I was just plain awesome. I wasnt. But I also knew she couldnt get it - her score had been a measly 2. Rhanona had a 5. At least Ana had a 7, but I think she might have gotten it by bribing the Gamemakers. Because at the stations, she could only just hold her own.

Suddenly, I had a knife in my hand. Little Water Dellingshire was staring up at me with her large brown eyes, begging me for food. I cringed at the look in her face. I gave a reluctlant nod before taking a tentitive step forwards. I wasnt watching myself because I stepped on a pile of leaves. The deer looked up straight at me before turning tail. I threw my hand forward, letting go of the knife. It went at a dangerously fast speed, zinging right passed the poor deer and lodging itself into the tree. Water hung her head as she went to get it.

"I'm sorry," I said grimly, following the girl. Ana and Rhanona scampered behind me.

Water merely shrugged, retreived the knife and shoved it back into the backpack. I threw the thing over my back and we started walking again. After a few minutes Ana stopped us all. "What's our plan, guys?"

"Huh?" was our confused reply.

Ana bit her lip. "You know...What are we gonna do now?"

Rhanona looked at me. "I'm with Mickie... I dont wanna fight, or die. I wanna get outta here." Water nodded her reply and I looked at Ana.

"Then we gotta find some water or food, right? Remember the 74ths? How Katniss and everyone almost died from no water in the body syndrom?"

"Dehydration?" Water questioned, raising a brow at my clueless bestie's lack of knowledge. Yeah, she totally bribed those Rebels.

"Yeah..." she trailed off and I sighed, nodding my agreement. That's another thing. I had no clue where we were. "So, which way?"

"Not back into the city area," Rhanona said. "You cant get into the stores at all, and there's no fountains." Oh, that was something I didnt notice. There had been a large water fountain in the middle of the Capitol Center, but it had must have been taken up by the Cornucopia.

"That's smart, Rhanona," I smiled at her and she blushed.

"Then where's some water?" Ana demanded

I was inclined to make a cute remark about Water, but decided jokes are not good at that exact moment and shrugged. We four stood there for a few minutes before Ana started leading us further into the woods. After walking for half hour or so, we heard the steady stream of water, but also some rapid splashing. "stop," I said, pulling Ana back behind some trees. She glanced at me, then the two 12 year olds.

"Stay here, you two," she said maternally, before grabbing my hand and pulling me forward. What we saw terrified us.

Blood poured into the small stream from the bodies of Rose and Eevaline. Clayre was hunched over them, trying to quell the bleeding. Herc came from a bush, carrying wads of leaves. When he saw us, his expression changed to releif - as if two city girls could possible help these dying children. He dropped the leaves next to Clayre and motioned us over. Ana and I both knew it was best not to call over the little girls, for they would only break down or something. So me and my best friend staggered forward.

That's when I noticed the two girls were still awake. They knew what was happening, and they were in pain. Silent tears dripped, but they werent crying out. That only made me want to help them more. So I pulled out the bandages in my bag, gave a roll to Ana, and then went to work on little Eevaline. You could see her arm bone, where she must have broken it and then it popped through skin. I only wrapped it so the bleeding was lessened. Then I wrapped her head, which had been cut. Her shoulder had a would where it looked like she had been slashed by something. I left her littler cuts and bruises unattended - we may need the bandages for something else later on.

I glanced at Ana and Rose to see that the 13 year old was propped against a rock and Ana was dabbing blood off of Clayre. I slowly moved Eevaline to sit next to her friend before looking at Herc. He Clayre was in shock or something, rocking back and forth on her heels as Ana tried consoling her. The singer boy seemed the only one able to speak.

"They were attacked. A hog or something just burst out of the bushes," I felt some kind of relief flow through me that these two werent hurt by another tribute. "I was up in a tree when it happened. The pigs ran away."

I nodded, "Can you go get Water and Rhanona, they're in the bushes or something."

He nodded, and ten minutes later the three were back. But the little girls were brave. They just stared at their three new companions with this kind of pity before sitting down next to the water. So we stayed like that the rest of the night. I opened the food in my pack and gave some to everyone.

As the sun fell that first night, we all looked towards the sky, awaiting the faces of our friends. Water and Rhanona were clinging to each other as Ashton's face showed up in the sky. As Licorice's face boomed into the sky, we all turned away to silently mourn them - but Herc collapsed after a third face popped up in the dark clouds. He rushed over to Rose and I followed his eyes to the sky. She was dead. Clayre let out a yell, lurching over to Eevaline. But that's when the other girl's face showed up in the sky. I heard Clayre's wails of pain and suffering.

Water and Rhanona retreated to the little creek again, arms linked as they talked in whispered voices. Ana went straight to Clayre, holding the young girl and rocking her until her crying stopped and she fell asleep.

Herc and I took the bodies away from our small clearing, dragging them a dozen yards away. We each gave both of them the customary double kiss on the cheek before leaving.

I told herc to go back to the others, and I bit my lips before returning to the two girls. They were dead, and I had known them. Simply throwing them out into the woods was no option. Instead I sat vigil, falling asleep leaning against a tree.

I woke up to find the bodies gone, and Ana poking my shoulder. "Mick, come on. Your back must ache or something. Have something to drink."

I nodded, grabbing her hand and she helped me to stand up. We both just stared at each other for a moment before she led me back to the makeshift 'camp.' Herc had a fire going, heating some water in our metal water bottles. It was safer that way - or so the trainers said. Water has bacteria in it or something. Clayre was sitting by herself against some rocks while Water and Rhanona were still sleeping.

The second day went by uneventfully. We ate the remaining packets of food, and started to munch on some berries Ana found a few yards away. But it was uneventful.

Until early the next morning.