There's Nothing More Important than Family, chapter 17

Like he promised, Jason woke me up when I started to have a nightmare. I didn’t see much; just various angles of Addalie’s corpse. Even that is enough, that when Jason wakes me, I’m covered in cold sweat.

I decide going back to sleep is pointless at the moment. Even the first glimpse of my nightmare scared me to bits. Jason is on watch, so I go outside to sit with him. There’s still a lot of blood on the grass where Addalie died, and I’m sure I see a piece of a Payla’s intestines on the ground. It takes a lot of self control, but I manage to keep my breakfast down. “Ugh.” I sigh.

“I know.” Grunts Jason. “I’ve been staring at Payla’s guts for the last hour. Did I tell you that all of her innards fell out when Nathan was carrying her?”

“That’s disgusting!” I cry.

“That’s where we decided to leave the bodies.” Chuckles Jason.

“Now I have disturbing pictures in my head, thanks a lot!” I complain. He laughs some more, and I stick my tongue out. The fresh night air is crisp and cold. It’s stuffy and smelly in the tent, so I drag the third sleeping bag out to beside the campfire and climb into it.

“You’re unbelievable.” Jason teases. “What if the Careers come?”

“You’re right there!” I point out.

“Yes, I am. Although, I’m glad you’re trying to get some sleep.” I give him a half smile. I have horrible nightmares when I sleep, but my dreams aren’t as scary as the arena. I decided I kind of like my nightmares. When I’m dreaming, I can see Georgie, Addalie and my family again. It’s my way of escaping the cruelty of reality, even if not for long. The warm fire and Jason’s company soothes me and I drift off to sleep. My friendly environment helps numb the pain of losing Addalie. I dream that Georgie, Addalie and I are sitting on the hill by my house. We’re all alive and healthy, which is a bonus. I see Father, Nathan, David and Louisia in the fields. Nathan is carefree again, not the brooding boy he is today. I see another boy with them, which turns out to be Alex. He’s having such fun, I can’t help but smile. I’m actually having a good time. It doesn’t last. The sky turns red. The Careers appear behind me and push Georgie and Addalie down the hill, which has turned into a sharp cliff. I see their broken bodies fall to the ground. Kelly jumps down and kills Nathan on the spot. I see my father go into shock as David is struck down and Alex is slain. Louisia is the last to fall. The Careers somehow fly back up to where I am. Vella throws the dead bodies of Katie and my mother over the side of the cliff. The fields erupt into flames. My district has become hell on earth. The Careers circle around me. Before I can see what they’re going to do to me, I wake up gasping. Jason is standing over me, looking worried.

“I would’ve woken you up sooner,” he tells me, “But it looked like you were having a good dream at first.”

“I was, at first.”

“But you were screaming. It seemed pretty bad to me.”

“At first. It was a trick. My brain was teasing me.”

“We need to move from this campsite.” Jason says unexpectedly.

“What?”

“One tribute found us, what’s to say others won’t? And we’ve got too many bad memories here.”

“True.”

“The others are awake.” Jason changes the subject again. He looks nervous, but I can’t figure out why. “Breah’s sitting in the tent. I think Nathan said he needed to use the bathroom. He walked over that way. He’ll be-“

“Jason.” I interrupt. “You’re rambling.”

“Am I?”

“Yes, you are. What’s up? You look shaky.”

He smiles weakly. “Sorry. I just feel bad that I broke my promise, I suppose.”

“Promise?”

“That I’d wake you if you had a nightmare.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I say. “You didn’t know. It was a good dream at first, remember?” Nathan comes stumbling into the site. He looks dazed, like he just woke up. I laugh; he looks stupid. There are dark, purple circles under his eyes. Nathan smiles when he sees me awake, but isn’t watching carefully. He trips over a tree root and I crack up. I’m giggling so hard that there are tears running down my cheeks. He lies on his back, chuckling at his clumsiness.

“Well that hurt!” groans Nathan theatrically. He sits back up and makes a big shoe of crawling over to where we are. He stares at us innocently. “What, no sympathy for the guy who nearly broke his back?” I shrug, and throw an apple at his head.

The mood around the campsite is lighthearted as we pack up the camp. Nathan picks me up and we’re on our way. I have no idea where we’re going, but I’m border than I’ve ever been before. I’ sleeping before I know it. I have another nightmare, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. Sue, I’m shaken, but no longer scared.

Jason leads us to a small cave in the side of one of the mountains. We don’t even bother setting up the tent. Nathan sets the sleeping bags out and I crawl in one immediately. I fall asleep in an instant. My mind is mysteriously empty during my slumber. No dreams invade my brain as I sleep. It’s almost peaceful, but I’m still on edge. That uneasiness multiplies when I am awaken by a cannon.

I gasp and look around anxiously. “Is everyone okay?”

“We’re fine.” Groans Breah sleepily. She’s been awake for ages, as she is on watch.

Nathan smirks, and says to Jason. “I’ll bet you the rest of the beef jerky that Carter just kicked the bucket!”

“Why would I bet you when I know you’re right?” snickers Jason. I roll my eyes and fall back onto the ground. Only a boy could laugh at another human being’s demise.

The day floats on lazily. There’s not good place to set a fire, so I have nothing to do but sit. I hope the boy from 8’s death was entertaining, so the Capitol audience will be pleased. It’s only a matter of time before the gamemakers release some kind of mutt on us.

“Ugh.” I hear Breah sigh. “I’m so tired; I don’t think I can watch much longer.”

“Don’t look at me!” exclaims Jason. “I was up all night yesterday!”

“Why can’t I take watch?” I argue. “I’m the only one who’s fully rested!”

“I’ll take watch.” Nathan says, ignoring me. “You two go to bed.”

“Nathan!” I cry in exasperation.

“What?”

“You know what!” I say impatiently.

“Zania, you can help me watch.” He says slowly, like he’s speaking to a two-year-old.

“Oh, spare me.” I grumble, but I sit by the cave entrance with Breah’s old knife. It’s quiet, so I can hear all the wildlife in the woods. Birds chirp and the wind whistles through the trees. I hear leaves rustle around, but it’s nothing suspicious. I watch my surroundings carefully. I want to prove to Nathan that I can take watch without any help.

Suddenly, I hear weird chattering. It sounds like when you turn on a radio and all you hear is static. “Nathan?” I call nervously.

“Shh! I hear it too!” he mutters. “Hey! You two!” he says to Breah and Jason. “Pack up. I have a bad feeling about this!”

“I wonder what’s making that noise!” My grip tightens on the knife’s plastic handle.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t sound good.” Mutters Jason. We make a beeline for the mountain next to us, but something stands in our way; a pack of rabid chipmunks.

I can tell they’re not normal chipmunks. There are spikes on their backs and their claws are longer than Palana’s nails. White foam drips down their jowls and their eyes are blood red. I know they must be the mutts the Capitol has sent after us.

“Don’t make any sudden movements!” whispers Breah tensely. The mutts pounce.

I scream as three of the chipmunks come after me. Foolishly, I wave my knife at them. One of them falls, but the other two sink their yellow teeth into my flesh. I gasp in pain, and grab the tail of one of them, when I realize the spikes are venomous. My vision becomes fuzzy and I fall to the ground. Nathan rips the furry demons off me, but it’s too late. I black out on the cold, hard forest ground.