Chapter Ten, Another Kill

❝ i know there's a blade where your heart is, ❞

❝ and you know how to use it. ❞

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I CONTINUE RUNNING, PANTING AS I TRY TO FIND AN EFFECTIVE HIDING PLACE. AFTER A while, the sun starts to set, and I choose the back of a tree as temporary camouflage. 

I wipe my used knife onto the grass, red liquid staining the ground. In all my hours of preparation, I hadn't realised how quickly the thirst to kill for survival came. I had planted my blade into a tribute without hesitation, putting my life over his.

The lack of guilt and empathy I feel dawns on me, and, biting onto my bottom lip, I think of the extreme measures I am obligated to apply to survive in here. This has been my first kill, and it certainly won't be my last.

Sitting at the roots of the large, thick tree, the realisation of how unhidden I truly am leads me to stand up, and eye the brown wood curiously. I could do what I practiced with Gale, in case any Peacekeepers came to disturb our illegal fun, when we were hunting in twelve.

I place my hands onto the sapling, and start climbing until I reach a lengthy, strong branch. I hoist myself up, ignoring the aching of my muscles, and not daring to look down at the ground. I put my two legs at either side of the branch, balancing my tired body. I make sure my knives are at no risk of falling from my belt, and, with one hand, open the green bag.

I slide my machete into it, but take out the other items, curious to see what I have been blessed with. A long rope, a pack of matches, a torch, a heated sleeping bag. I smile when I also notice a metal water bottle, quickly opening it, and somewhat disappointed at the lack of liquid inside. 

My throat itches with thirst, and I know I need to start looking for a source soon, like a lake or a pond. Well, I certainly owe a thanks to the tribute I had taken this from.

Suddenly, the Capitol anthem jolts my entire body, like an electric shot. Lights appear onto the bubble containing the arena, and images of fallen tributes appear.

One. 

Two. 

Three. I count, with the use of my fingers. 

My heart skips a beat when I recognise the boy that died at my hand. The boy I murdered. I tell myself it's important to remember that this is not my fault, but the Capitol's fault. They are the ones that put me in here. I couldn't let emotions guide my actions, only my determination to win. Ten tributes died today. Only thirteen left.

I try and focus on the positives. Peeta is clearly alive. So is Rue. And, for some reason, relief blossoms at my heart when Cato's picture doesn't appear in the sky. However, it's not that surprising, considering that he is a Career after all.

 I smile in contempt as the thought that I had indeed survived the bloodbath at the Cornucopia, and had retrieved my precious weapons.

Focus on the positives Jade, not the boy you just killed, I repeat in my head, like a constant, ongoing loop ringing loudly in my mind.

I lay the upper half of my body against the tree trunk, letting a shaky breath seep out of my mouth at the same time. My feet dangle in an empty void, resting from the run they had orchestrated. Slowly, I feel my bones let go of built up tension and relax progressively against the tree.

Soon enough, the light smell of smoke plays at my nostrils, and I wonder who could possibly be ignorant enough to make a fire the first night, revealing their position to every single tribute. I try to notice the origin of the smoke, with no success.

Unsurprisingly, a shriek follows the appearance of the grey cloud, and a cannon blows, symbolising the death of the tribute.

I close my eyes, trying to shake off the goosebumps rising on my skin. I ignore the reflection of my murder inking in my mind, focusing on the caress of the wind against my body.

My thought process is yet interrupted by the sound of loud, multiple footsteps on the cracking leaves. My head shoots up, suddenly alert of my surroundings, pondering on who could possibly be advancing towards me. 

My question is rapidly answered by the giddy, loud sound of Glimmer's irritable laugh. I make the rapid conclusion that the whole Career pack is most likely at her side, as they scan the forest for more murders to complete.

The whole group emerges in the dark, and I gulp as they walk closer, and closer to me. There's Cato, standing awfully near to the girl from District 1, giggling away. It's disgusting how entertained they look.

"Oh no, please don't kill me! Oh no!" Glimmer imitates their last victim, causing laughter among her allies, her two blond braids bouncing off her shoulders.

"That's actually a pretty good impression!" Cato answers, chuckling loudly as well as the others.

Then, his gaze wanders up wards for a few seconds. 

A few seconds too long. 

I freeze as our cold eyes meet. I already lay my hand on one of my sharp knives, knowing that I could never take all of them at once. 

However, the boy doesn't mutter a word, just urges to rest of his pack to continue their way through the woods. I raise my eyebrows, relieved and shocked at the same time.

Cato Hadley, bloodthirsty, murderous boy from District 2 has just saved my life.

However, my luck is short-lived. I hear Marvel loudly ask, "Hey, lover boy, you sure Jade went this way?", and Peeta materialises through the green bushes. 

I clamp my hand over my mouth, trying to prevent myself from loudly gasping. This is the second betrayal he's handed to me, and this one weighs terribly on my heart. How could he? Did he want to get rid of me that badly?

"Yeah, I'm sure. Those were her markings back there." my disloyal district partner answers, pointing to the left side of the dark forest, where I had actually come from. 

I am aware that no sort of deal was made between Peeta and I to protect each other in the arena, but him not hesitating to deliver me to the Careers on a silver plate was definitely not what I expected from someone that I had been close with the past few days. Someone from my district.

"You sure we shouldn't just kill him?" Glimmer whispers to Cato, and, for a second, I wish they did.

"No, he's our best chance at finding at her." Cato answers, a small smile spreading onto his lips, ad they continue their way through the trees, and he sends me a last smirk, translating the fact that, after all, I owe him. 

I have no idea why he chose to spare me, but I was incredibly thankful for that gesture.

After I can finally say that no Careers are around, and I am indeed safe, I try and doze off, my eyes slowly closing, and body completely relaxing.

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All of a sudden, a bloodcurdling scream violently wakes me, and, for some reason, it brings me back to the Reaping, where Prim was chosen, where her scream brought chills to my spine and sadness to my heart. 

I stay frozen for a second, staring at the pitch-black sky. I try to ignore the voice in my mind, telling me to follow the sound. It would be stupid of me to deliberately put myself in a dangerous situation, right?

Yet, another chilling scream rings through the night. The shriek sends goosebumps to emerge on my skin, because it feels so innocent, so helpless.

Driven by my impulse and instinct, and before I can look back, I grab my supplies, holding my machete firmly in one hand, and run towards the origin of the yell, that reminds me so much of my little sister. 

I quickly arrive at the scene, and I see Rue being assaulted by another large, male tribute, a second away from pulling out their knife and killing the twelve year old child.

With no hesitation, I leap onto the body of the boy, using all my power to get him off the little girl. Recognising my presence, his attention is now on me, machete in both our hands. 

I lunge. Steal meets steal. He barely recovers from his surprise, blocking my weapon at the very last second. He returns my attack with a thrust so quick I have to jump out of the way. His blade whizzes across the space where my stomach was less than a second ago.

My opponent slashes at my arm, a rent in the fabric. The sting of blood rushes against skin. I don't look at the wound; my concentration on the combat. Instead I take a difficult parry, channeling all my strength into the action.

He tries to recover, but it's too late. His body sways before me like the rocking of a ship, and I know the rhythm of this bout. It was in my bones, in the throb of my wounded arm, in the beat of my heart. In a final movement, I leap and slash my knife across his neck, blood squirting onto my face and hands. 

My second kill. A cannon is heard into the night.

I grunt, dizzy from the altercation. This was the boy from 5, that had gotten a score of 9, presumably thanks to his knife skills. I wince at my wound, my hand a swirl of my blood and his.

Rue's sudden sobs bring me back and remind me of why I had taken part into the combat, and I directly go over to her, taking her into my arms. She holds me tightly, mumbling a series of thank you's.

I crouch down and smile at her, despite the blood on my face lingering like a tattoo kiss.

"It's okay." I whisper, stroking her hair.

I don't know why I was so quick to defend the child, nevertheless, I know it was worth it. There was something about Rue's doe eyes that reflected Prim's own, and imposed me the obligation to defend the girl.

"Can I - Can I stay with you? Just tonight?" she asks, hope and fear noticeable in her expression.

"Of course you can, Rue. How about you stay with me for as long as you want. Is that okay with you?" I gently ask, taking an immediate liking to the little girl, feeling the need to protect her from any near danger.

At my response, she kindly smiles, and puts her short arms around me, burying her neck into the crook of my shoulder. 

Taking her hand, we quickly head back to the tree I was previously sleeping on. She climbs with ease, and so do I. 

We both thankfully fit into my sleeping bag, and she falls asleep almost immediately, laying her head onto my shoulder. I take a little longer to doze off, thinking back to the kill I just made. 

Focus on the positives Jade, not the boy you just killed. I saved Rue, an innocent, fragile girl that was so alike my sister. This wasn't my fault. Right?

I manage to put my mind at ease and flutter my eyes shut after approximately a half hour. Before, I reach into my bag, and take out a plaster. I roll it around my arm, sticky with blood. 

My teeth grind against each other from the pain the tribute's attach causes, and I hope it will fade soon. Thankfully, it's on my left arm, not impacting my knife throwing.

My second kill. And it's only the beginning. 

𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯'𝔰 𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢

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