Hazel wiped away the delicate beads of sweat at her hairline, her dirt-covered fingers leaving grainy umber tracks across her pale skin. Stepping back from the tree, she felt her arms ache from exertion as she scrutinized her work. Before her stood a thick pine, its trunk straight as a pin, now sporting a deep wedge-shaped gash at its base. The flesh beneath the bark was light, flaky, and unnaturally soft. Sighing in satisfaction, her eyes drifted from the tree before her to another one several meters away with an identical cut. She scanned further down the slope of the District Seven tract, studying each trunk scarred by an axe's blade. The damaged trees formed a winding path leading toward the center of the arena.
Hopefully, it would be enough. It had to be enough. Breathing in a sweet lungful of the forest air, she turned back towards the top of the hill.
Silus labored, heaving his red-bladed axe at the base of a massive redwood near the summit. His arms tensed and stretched as he tore at the bark with his axe, his slices more precise, deeper, and well-practiced than hers. She watched the wood chip away as if he were cutting through an apple, his practiced strokes making the task seem effortless. The size of the wedge cut he was making was unnatural; it shouldn't have been possible for him to create such a large gash alone. What should have taken a team of men many hours, Silus was able to do in a fraction of the time. Glistening beads of sweat wormed their way down his back, and his shirt bore a growing stain.
Reaching into her backpack, she retrieved the last bottle of drinkable water. She raised it to her cracked, dirt-stained lips and closed her eyes as she swallowed a lukewarm but still satisfying mouthful. It had the earthy flavor of watered-down soil, but she couldn't care less. Once quenched, she trudged up the incline until she stood behind her brother. He was still hacking away when she interrupted, "Care for a drink?"
Silus paused and wiped the sweat from his brow as he rested his blade on his shoulder. He turned from his work to taking in her approaching form, eyeing the glass container in her palm. "Someone has to make up for your slacking," he said, nodding toward the more minor wedge cut in the pine behind her. The familiarity of the words and the interaction wasn't lost on her.
She handed him the bottle and played along, "First of all, my axe is much smaller than yours. Second, remind me to reconsider my generosity when I bring refreshments and get sass in return." She watched him take a sip, but his eyes never left hers. The conversation felt like home. God, how I wish we were home.
Hazel yearned to be back in District 7, far away from the arena, Caleb, the Capitol, and all the death and horror. However, there was no time for dreaming or wishful thinking. Afternoon had settled over the arena once again, and they needed the light if her plan was going to work.
"Without your five-star service, where would we be?" He responded, swallowing another large gulp.
She murmured, almost as if she were talking to herself, "Someone has to keep you in line."
"Some things never change," he echoed softly. His expression told her he knew they were reliving this conversation, but the context was very different this time. Still looking out for me... even when I don't want you to." He took a deep breath and rested the axe on his shoulder. She did her best to ignore the growing hardness that filled his features.
"I don't like any of this, Haze," Silus commented, handing the water bottle back to her.
Hazel reached out and took the glass from his hands. "I know you don't. But it's the best I can do at the moment," she said softly.
He shook his head. "I still think we should just leave together."
"We will. Let's do this first, and then we will," Hazel said, searching his face.
"Trust me, okay?" She offered him a slight smile. She hoped she appeared more confident than she felt. Silus watched her closely as she passed by him toward Ethan, Kai, and Ruby, who had gathered at the precipice of the slope. They all sported a pink bandage around their arms, courtesy of Ruby. Hazel laughed under her breath as she looked down at her pink adornment. Surprisingly, despite its absurdity, the hue made detecting each other in the woods overlapping green and brown tones easier.
"Are you all ready?" Hazel asked as she approached her companions, holding out the bottle.
She received three nods with varying levels of confidence. Ruby took the bottle, sipping daintily before passing it to Kai.
"We used up all the rope we had left," Ruby reported dutifully.
Kai nodded in agreement as he gulped down a few mouthfuls before handing the bottle to Ethan.
"Perfect," Hazel praised, reaching into her backpack to pull out three more glass water bottles, handing one to each of them. "And remember, those are not for drinking. Unless you're really into the flavor of salt and eels."
Ethan held the glass bottle up, studying it curiously before sipping. "I wonder what eel urine tastes like."
"Eww..." Ruby wrinkled her nose and elbowed him. She held the bottle out from her body like a snake about to bite her, gripping her pickaxe in the other hand. Ethan winked at her as he secured his bow and arrows to his back, Aaron's sword resting securely in his belt.
Kai held his bottle in both palms, the water sloshing within as his arms trembled. Silus, arms crossed, studied the boy before finally approaching him and pulling Mia's knife from his belt. Hazel bit her lip as she watched them.
"Remember what we talked about," Silus said.
Kai nodded and squared his shoulders. Silus turned the knife over and presented it to Kai, handle first. Kai shakily took it, running his fingers along the handle.
"We are counting on you to be a part of the team," Hazel said gently, her eyes still on Silus.
Kai swallowed hard. "You can count on me."
Hazel smiled softly at him. He reminded her so much of her little brothers. With a slight shake of her head, she pushed the images of Linden, Rowan, and Sage away.
"Alright then, looks like we're ready. When it's over, return to the designated meeting point on the backside of the slope." Hazel secured the axe to her belt and hefted the harpoon over her shoulder. The backpack felt heavy along her spine, as heavy as the burden she felt weighing on her mind. Chewing on her lip, she reprimanded herself. It had to be done. The sooner it was over, the better.
She studied each of her companions. They could leave if they didn't want to proceed, but here they were, ready and willing. She wasn't forcing them into anything. In her mind, they were just as Ruby had referred to them: a team, at least for the time being. "Let's head out to our marks," she said.
The group murmured in agreement as Kai, Ruby, and Ethan began to work their way down the slope, carefully avoiding the path of the wounded trees.
"Haze," Silus called from behind her, causing her to pause. "I should be going with you."
"We talked about this. You need to bring down the last tree. You're the best lumberjack we have on the team," Hazel gently joked.
"Please do me a favor," Silus sighed, ignoring her teasing.
"Yeah?" She asked as she adjusted the straps of her pack tighter.
She jolted as two strong arms wrapped around her, her head resting against his shoulder. "Come back," Silus's voice was low and deliberate, but she could feel the anxiety beneath the surface.
She patted his shoulder, trying to calm his nerves while battling her own. "I'll do my best," she said.
"That isn't good enough," he murmured, still hugging her tightly.
She tried to pull away, but he held fast as if he never wanted to let go. "Do whatever it takes to get back to me."
"I will. And remember, no matter what, when you get the signal...."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
He finally let her pull away. She scanned the path of prepped trees until her focus rested at the top of the slope on the last, largest redwood. "Bring it down," she said.
He followed her gaze and nodded.
"I love you, little brother, always," Hazel murmured as she took several steps away from him.
"Love you too, always," he repeated. His chocolate eyes locked with her jade ones, nearly breaking her heart as she backed away. Her legs had never felt as heavy as they did at that moment, leaving him behind.
She pushed away the fear boiling in her gut as she left her little brother. With everything in her, she prayed she would see him again. She prayed he would run or hide if he needed to and wouldn't come looking for her if it all went south, but she also knew better. She knew Silus better. It was just another reason to make sure this plan worked.
Hastily, she followed her companions, who were still descending the hill. The three walked silently, heads bowed; each appeared to be caught up in their own thoughts.
Just as they were almost out of sight of Silus, an 'x'-shaped carving scratched haphazardly but low on the trunk of a mighty redwood met her line of sight. "We are here," she called to the three ahead of her.
Her alliance partners paused. Jogging a few paces, Hazel approached Kai, who stared up the hill toward the top of the slope. A flash of bright pink winked at them from the summit. Silus was barely visible, but they all knew he was there, waiting.
"Okay, now let's test it."
Kai held the water bottle up to a beam of sunlight filtering through the trees. As the light met the seawater, a rainbow-like reflection colored the forest around them. He adjusted his palms, trying to aim the bright reflection up the hill.
Not long after, Silus's nearly invisible form let out a soft whistle. The sound, mixed with the hum of the forest, eased Hazel's stomach a little. She smiled softly. "Good. Remember, once you receive confirmation from Silus, get as far away as possible and as fast as possible. Meet us at the checkpoint. If any of them find you..." She searched his eyes. "That's what the knife is for."
Kai nodded, chewing on his bottom lip. Ruby approached and embraced him. "You can do it."
Kai hugged her back, the trembling in his hands dimming. With a final salute to Kai, they turned and continued their march downward.
Ethan grumbled once they were outside Kai's earshot. "I hope he doesn't flake out on us."
Ruby glanced backward. "I don't think he will. Have some faith, Ethan."
"Let's hope that faith isn't misplaced." Ethan stared straight ahead.
As they ventured further, Kai gradually shrank into a speck in the distance. Eventually, they arrived at another shallow 'x' and stopped again. Ruby lifted her water bottle toward the sun, causing the seawater to catch the light and create a dazzling glint. A faint, wavering whistle reached their ears.
"Very good," Hazel hummed.
Ethan bent over and hugged Ruby tightly. "After you see my signal and Kai confirms that he received yours, you run. No hesitation. Climb those trees like the little squirrel that you are. When it is all over, run like hell to the checkpoint."
Ruby buried her face in his shoulder, her muffled voice barely audible. "I will."
As Ethan let her go, Hazel stepped in front of Ruby, embracing her tightly. Ruby held on before finally releasing Hazel and giving her a determined look. Hazel whispered, "Toughest girl I know," Ruby's face lit up with a tender smile.
Once Ruby was settled into her designated spot, Ethan and Hazel silently continued toward the center. After several minutes of walking, Ethan glanced at Hazel. "This is quite the plan you have come up with."
Hazel took a deep breath of pine-scented air. "I just hope it works."
"Me too," Ethan said softly, watching Hazel out of the corner of his eye. "You think you will be able to draw him out?"
Hazel sighed, the weight of her plan heavy on her mind. "If he is out there looking for me like I think he is, it shouldn't take much." She turned her head up toward the arena's sky. Puffy white clouds silently floated above them, soaked in the afternoon sunlight. "I just hope it happens before we lose the light. If not, then we will have to try again tomorrow."
Ethan and Hazel slowed their pace as they approached the forest's edge. Ruby was now a tiny figure in the distance, appearing like a faint pink speck. Concern etched on his face, Ethan gazed at the distant figure. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, absentmindedly rubbing his fingers over his bottle.
Hazel let out a sigh. "She's a smart girl; she'll be alright."
Ethan shook his head slightly. "It's not her I'm worried about."
"Kai?"
Ethan grumbled, "If that kid doesn't come through, we'll all be in trouble."
Hazel bit her lip, glancing at him. "Well, as we agreed, if things go wrong, we'll regroup at the checkpoint."
Ethan used his bottle to send a glint of sunlight toward Ruby. A bird-like, melodic whistle echoed back in response.
Pocketing the bottle, Ethan pulled his bow off his shoulder and nocked an arrow. He scowled at the grassy corner of the arena. "I hope it doesn't come to that."
"Me neither," Hazel murmured, her eyes on the center. The ensnared tributes still swung from the arena ceiling, wrapped in a white translucent material. The cornucopia beckoned like a golden mirage. "You don't have to do this, you know."
Ethan smirked, studying her expression. "I know. But I want to." He stretched his arms. "I'm with you, Hazel. I just can't believe Silus agreed to this."
Hazel shrugged, a hint of worry in her eyes. "He's not a fan, but he didn't have much choice. Caleb won't stop until he finds one of us."
"I'm all for taking the fight to that bastard," Ethan muttered.
Hazel swallowed at the comment, thoughts of Ian and Augustus gnawing at the back of her mind. She had her theories but felt it was best to keep them to herself. Ethan had given her no reason not to trust him, but now was not the time to muddy the water.
Ethan continued, "Where did you get this idea anyway?"
Hazel looked over the center once again, "Actually, Ian..."
Ethan scrunched his brows, "You can't be serious."
"A combination of him and my eventful tour through this tract before the games." Hazel pointed and tapped a tree next to her with the harpoon, "Weak roots, soft wood grain. It is too soft. It is why those trees came down. They are primed to fall."
Ethan studied the trees before them and tilted his head to the side.
"It probably has to do with whatever engineering or modifications they used to grow these trees in the fraction of the time it normally takes to get them this massive. They mimic redwoods but are smaller, soft, and weaker. You should see the ones at home; they are amazing. But some are hundreds of years old."
"You lumberjacks do this crazy crap back at home?" Ethan replied, gesturing to the path of felling prepared trees.
Hazel scoffed, "Oh no. Domino felling is extremely illegal. Way too dangerous."
Ethan smirked, listening to her. "Look at you, Miss Dangerous, setting up illegal traps. I bet Senator Snow is somewhere either really insulted or highly impressed."
Hazel shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult. And it'll only be impressive if we can pull it off. "
Ethan nudged her gently. "Totally a compliment. Relax, Seven, I'm just teasing." His face then grew serious. "But seriously, what input did Ian have in all this?"
Hazel shrugged, "He made me realize what I need to be to eliminate Caleb."
Ethan asked, "What is that?"
"Bait. I need to be bait."
Ethan puffed air out his nose, "That dude was crazier than a bag of rabid chipmunks."
Hazel hummed in agreement before turning to him again, "Maybe he was." Hazel's voice trailed off as she mentally prepared for what lay ahead. She faced him once again; his grey eyes glinted in the afternoon sunlight, but the weariness she found in his expression did little to subdue the raw resolve etched into his features. "If I don't get a chance later, I just want to thank you for all you have done."
Ethan rested a lazy palm on her shoulder, "Forget it. And I don't want to hear anymore of that, alright? We are going to take down that asshole."
Hazel patted his hand as she relented, "Alright, you know what to do."
He nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips as he stretched his shoulders and winked at her. "I've got your back, Seven. Let's go hunting."
Hazel couldn't help but smile at his confident reassurance and gave him one last nod before turning away and striding purposefully toward the center.
Hazel's pulse reminded her of its unsettled presence as she made her way through the grassy field of the center star. Her boots crunched in the soft grass. The passing clouds cast bulbous shadows that drifted idly above, intermittently obscuring the sun's warm rays. Hazel adjusted her grip on the harpoon in her hand, feeling the reassuring weight of the axe secured at her belt. She couldn't shake the feeling of urgency and caution, as if she were simultaneously moving too slowly and too quickly. Despite the vast openness of the field, she remained vigilant, scanning the entrances to each tract for any signs of movement, but nothing stirred. Part of her wished she could avoid crossing paths with Caleb and his group, but she knew she needed to draw them out.
As she neared the center, the sight of the figures, their bodies swaying in an otherworldly rhythm, wrapped in a ghostly white, sent a chill down her spine. She forced herself to keep her gaze lowered, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she discreetly scanned her surroundings. A gentle breeze carried a peculiar, sweet, somewhat acidic scent. Suddenly, a shadow cast over her, and as she looked up, she realized it was not a passing cloud but a figure among the suspended tributes. She fought the urge to shield her mouth and avert her eyes. The figure swayed, its form concealed by a delicate, almost ethereal material that clung to every curve of its body. Only the faintest outlines of a head, shoulders, and legs hinted at the human form within.
She took several long strides toward the cornucopia, avoiding the scattered traps and the ensnared. While the central area appeared devoid of life beyond the structure and the two key stands, a few faint, nearly invisible snares remained. She gingerly maneuvered around them, which was significantly more manageable now that she knew they were there.
The air smelled peculiar, sweet like wine but sour like vinegar. It coated the inside of her nose, further unnerving her.
As she ventured further into the center, Hazel concentrated on keeping her breathing steady, straining to listen for any signs of movement. The interior of the cornucopia felt like stepping into a gleaming golden tunnel. As she peered toward the narrower end, a sudden movement caught her eye at the edge of the District Twelve tract. Hazel paused, squinting to get a better look at the figure. She pushed herself out of the structure's safety and into the open space. You need him to see you. You need him to see you. The sun's warmth on her skin did little to defrost the dread prickling at her nerves.
She saw another subtle movement in the branches of the dark forest of the Twelve tract. Biting her lip, she looked up at the sky. Evening would be upon them within the next hour or sooner. This needed to happen, and it needed to happen now. She murmured to herself, "This better not be a mistake." She approached the tract and called out, "Looking for me?"
The rustling of leaves and branches in the twelve tract's forest abruptly stopped, causing her to squint as she strained to make out any signs of movement. A deep, menacing voice resonated behind her, "You're late, red."