It's after noon when we finish setting up camp.
Us boys collected lots of firewood, while the girls sorted the supplies.
I'm surprised that the careers are taking survival precautions, most of the time careers don't know the first thing about survival.
The more I talk to Flash and Titon, the more I like them. Which is very bad.
I can't be getting close to them, I'm going to have to kill them...or do I?
After all, isn't this what I wanted? To die in the games? But do I really want that?
The games killed Quin, do I want to just through my life away. Or do I want to make a statement?
Do something to say "you are responsible for the murder of children, everyone in the capitol is to blame."
Do I want to do something to defy the capitol? Rebel?
Rebellion is punishable by death, as my father found out.
But if that's what I am killed for, at least I died making a statement.
"Bruce!"
I come back to reality. Flash is standing in front of me with an expectant look on his face.
"Sorry. What did you say?"
He lets out a sigh.
"I asked if you think we have enough firewood."
I glance at the large pile we have stacked up.
"Uh, yeah. That should be plenty."
Flash whistles.
"Titon! Let's go! We're heading back to camp!"
Titon seems to materialize out of the trees. We pile the wood onto a large canvas tarp, and begin dragging it up the mountain side.
We are almost at the foot of the mountain, and the entire base of the mountain is covered in a thick forest. There are so many trees, that we can't get a good look at the rest of the arena.
It takes us almost an hour to drag the wood back to the campsite.
We leave the pile to the side of the cornucopia, and go see what the girls are doing.
Jewel and Felicia are looking through the food for something to make for dinner. I don't see Sheira anywhere.
"Hey you two. Where's Sheira?"
Felicia smiles when she sees me.
"Hey Bruce. I don't know where Sheira is, do you Jewel?"
She nods, and continues sorting the food.
"She went off to look for a tribute from ten."
Flash strides up, and watches her for a minute.
"What are you doing?"
She gives him a look,
"I'm sorting the food, we'll eat the stuff that will spoil faster first. That way we won't waste any."
He seems satisfied with this answer, and walks off to stack the firewood.
Felicia straightens up slowly, both hands on her lower back.
"Ooh! My back hurts."
I walk over and hold her arm.
"I'm sorry. Where does it hurt?"
She rubs her back, as she answers.
"Low down. But it's kind of sore everywhere."
I start to lead her to the cornucopia.
"Why don't you lie down for a while? It's cool in the cornucopia."
She stops suddenly, and grabs her stomach.
"What is it?"
She cries in pain, and doubles over. Holding her tummy tightly.
"Felicia what's wrong?"
I put my arm around her waist to support her.
She takes a deep breath, and straightens up.
"I'm fine."
I stand in front of her, and tilt her chin so that she looks me in the eye.
"Felicia. What was that?"
She shrugs.
"I don't know. It was just a really sharp pain all of a sudden. Then it was gone. I feel fine now really, except my back is still sore."
I jump as Titon speaks right behind me.
"Did it feel like all your muscles tightened at the same time?"
Felicia looks up surprised.
"Yeah. How did you know?"
He shrugs.
"That's how my mum described contractions."
I stare at him.
"You mean she's in labor?"
He nods. I feel Felicia grab my arm tightly.
"Bruce..."
I put my arm around her.
"It's okay, you're going to be fine. Titon, would you get Jewel, and ask her to come to the cornucopia? Then can you and Flash go look for Sheira?"
He nods, and rushes off. Felicia starts gasping, and I hold her arm tightly as I take her to the cornucopia.
"Felicia calm down. It's alright. Let's get you in the cornucopia."
Jewel runs in.
"What can I do?"
I look around.
"Um...Can you get a sort of bed set up?"
She nods, and quickly grabs several sleeping bags and blankets. She sets them up near the back of the cornucopia.
We ease Felicia down onto the makeshift mattress. We step back to the mouth of the cornucopia.
"What do we do know?"
Jewel asks quietly. I sigh.
"We do what we can and wait for the others to get back."
Two long hours drag by, with still no sign of Titon, Flash, or Sheira.
Felicia's contractions have gotten closer together, and I'm afraid is no one else shows up soon, Jewel and I are going to have to deliver the baby ourselves.
We have been taking turns keeping watch, and staying with Felicia.
I hear her cry out in pain again, and Jewel walks up to me.
"She's having contractions every twenty minutes, the baby's coming soon Bruce."
I sigh, and pat her shoulder.
"I'll take a turn with her now. You keep watch."
She nods, and I walk into the cornucopia.
I sit down next to Felicia, and hold her hand.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
She sighs, and leans against me.
"I'm scared. But I guess I'm doing well under the circumstances."
I put my arm around her, and rest my cheek on the top of her head.
"Do you think it's a boy, or a girl?"
She holds her hand to her stomach.
"It's a boy."
"Really? How do you know?"
She smiles.
"I just know."
I smile, and put my hand on top of hers.
"Have you thought of a name yet?"
She almost crushes my hand, as she squeezes it tightly, and screams. It's only been around ten minutes.
She gasps, and releases my hand.
"Wow, he is not being very patient."
Jewel appears at the mouth of the cornucopia.
"That sounded worse than the others."
Felicia nods.
"Oh yeah, it was."
I slide my hand back into hers.
"Any sign of the others?"
Jewel shakes her head.
"Do you want me to take a turn watching now?"
Jewel shakes her head again.
"She needs you right now, I don't mind watching."
Felicia screams again, and clutches her tummy tightly.
"That's five minutes. I don't think it's supposed to happen this fast."
Jewel says sounding almost scared.
"Well I don't think the baby cares how it's supposed to go!"
Felicia yells.
"Jewel, go get some water. Do we have anything like a towel?"
She runs to the supply piles, and comes back with a thick blanket.
"Will this work?"
I run over to the wood pile, calling back over my shoulder.
"Yeah. Get the water and the blanket into the cornucopia, I'll be right there!"
I grab as much wood as I can carry, and run back inside the cornucopia.
Felicia is half laying, half sitting. Holding her stomach tightly.
Jewel has several canteens of water, and the think blanket.
I throw the wood in a pile, and start making a fire. Calling instructions to Jewel as I do.
"See if you can find something that is like a basin, or a bowl. Then rip that blanket into thick strips."
She searches around the supply pile for a while, finally returning with a helmet.
"I didn't know we had armor."
She hands it to me, and shrugs.
"A little, but it doesn't really fit any of us, and there's no point wearing something that will only get in the way."
I shrug, and empty the canteens into the helmet.
"At least it's come in handy. Will you get to work on the blanket?"
She starts cutting the blanket into hand towel sized strips.
I hear a sound behind me, and whirl around. We didn't leave anyone on guard.
I sigh in relief as I see Flash and Sheira.
"Where have you been? Never mind. Did you find district ten?"
Sheira shakes her head.
"I was tracking someone, turns out it wasn't ten. I didn't bother exterminating them, it would just waste time. I was on the trail of another tribute when Flash and Titon found me."
I look around.
"Speaking of which, where is Titon?"
Flash glances at Felicia.
"He's still following the trail. How is she doing?"
I look over at Felicia, just as she bends over and screams again.
I turn back to Flash, almost laughing at his terrified look.
"She's doing as well as can be expected. Why don't you wait outside?"
He nods, and walks out.
"Sheira, do you know anything about delivering a baby?"
She shakes her head.
"Alright, why don't you wait out with Flash, and keep an eye out for Titon?"
She takes one last look at Felicia, and walks out to join Flash.
Jewel stands up, and hands me the blanket pieces.
"Here. What do you want me to do know?"
I test the water that is heating over the fire, then soaking one of the blanket pieces. I sit next to Felicia, and place the towel on her forehead.
"I'm going to need you to deliver the baby."
She looks at me shocked.
"What? I can't do..."
I cut her off.
"None of us know how to! But I need you to suck it up, and just do it. Be ready to grab the baby and clean him off okay?"
She glances nervously at Felicia, and sighs.
"Alright I'll do it."
I hold Felicia's hand as she screams.
"Thank you Jewel. Felicia, can you feel the baby?"
I wipe the sweat from her forehead as she answers.
"I can't tell, the pressure is everywhere."
The next hour or so drag by long and loud. After what seems like forever, Felicia lets out one final long scream, there's a silence. Then the quiet cry of a newborn child.
Jewel is beaming, and cradling in her arms a small bundle wrapped in a blanket.
"Oh! He's beautiful!"
She whispers in awe.
I'm still holding Felicia's hand, and I rest my forehead on hers.
"Do you hear that? It's a boy."
She is panting, but she smiles.
"Told you."
Jewel walks over, and sits next to us. She hands Felicia the baby.
"Say hello to your new son."
Felicia holds her tiny son in her arms, and the look on her face is worth a million dollars.
"Well hello. Hi baby. I'm your mommy, yes I am."
She talks quietly to her son, and he opens his eyes slowly.
He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.
He is tall for a newborn, and every feature is perfect. He has a head full of hair the color of his mothers, and his newborn eyes, have a hint of green in them.
He looks so cheerful, and waves his arm in the air.
I rub my finger against his tiny hand, and he grips it tightly.
"Woah, don't you have a strong grip. You're going to be a tough one."
To confirm my prediction, he makes a little growl.
After everything we just went through, we all start laughing.
I look up, and see Flash, Titon and Sheira standing tentatively in the mouth of the cornucopia. I wave them over.
"Come see our little miracle. Tribute number twenty-five from district four."
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