Starving

[Alicia Swather]

Alicia was impressed at how quickly Taylor had assembled the crossbow and taken out the rat muttation. And after Alicia scared away the flock, there was nothing left to be done.

“Here we are in an empty tower. No threats or anything and I’m still going to die tomorrow if I don’t get some food. Any chance I can trade this shot of morphling to one of you for a meal?”

[Derrick Voss]

Derrick sighed, "I'm in the same boat as you. I have enough points for a couple of meals. After that," Derrick shook his head. "Done. But that doesn't mean we can't get anything on the next level!"

Derrick paused for a few moments. "You have a kid back home. Don't you, Alicia?"

[Alicia Swather]

"No Derrick, there is no next level for me. I'm going to die here without food. I should've tried harder in the training days to get more points. If one of you could buy me a meal I'd be forever in your debt. I'll defend you to the very end. Or even put me on a hovercraft and I'll spend my dying breaths defending our teammates. I just can't die sitting here accomplishing nothing," Alicia pleaded.

[Alicia Swather]

Aug 15, 2014 17:19:41 GMT -6 Derrick Voss said:

 "You have a kid back home. Don't you, Alicia?"

"Yeah. Her name's Rowan. She's just a bit older than your niece, Taylor. But they took me away from her. I wish I was as smart and brave as Rosa and Taylor. They did everything to keep and protect Rosa's child. If I die here Rowan will be left to be raised by my monster of a father. He believes the Hunger Games are some sort of holy ritual to purify the districts and keep the gods from annihilating Panem. He will send Rowan to her death."

"If you can't afford to share a piece of bread, I understand the need for self-preservation. But then can you at least promise me something? When you win the Hunger Games, please save my daughter."

[Derrick Voss]

Derrick snorted. "The thoughts some people have." He shook his head, "Crazy. Sorry you had to grow up with that? How did you escape that? Don't worry. I'll ask the sponsors for two meals. You can have one. If your daughter is anywhere near as strong as you, I'm sure your dad is going to have a hell of a lot of trouble converting her to that way of thinking." Derrick tried to give Alicia a reassuring smile.

[Alicia Swather]

Alicia flung her arms around Derrick.

"Thank you so much! I promise I'll make it up to you, no matter what it takes."

Sorry you had to grow up with that. How did you escape that?

"My father tried to force me into volunteering. Each year when I refused he would become violent, but I figured that was still better than dying in the Hunger Games. Then when I was sixteen and didn't volunteer, my father threatened to turn me in to the peacekeepers for all the liquor I had stolen. I cried and pleaded for my life and he agreed to forgive me if I confessed to the store manager, Marcelo. I confessed, but Marcelo said he would have me hung if I couldn't find a way to make it up to him. Of course I couldn't pay for it, so I slept with him, and consequently got pregnant with Rowan. I thought becoming a mother was a blessing in disguise because it meant my father would stop trying to get me to volunteer. But when he found out he forced me to marry Marcelo. And after all that, I ended up here anyway."

[Alicia Swather]

Alicia's stomach growled. The hunger and exhaustion caught up to her and she collapsed to the ground.

"Derrick... did you get the food yet? We're running short on time..."

[Derrick Voss]

Two boxes drifted down from the sky. Derrick handed one to Alicia with a grin.

"Chow down. And hope we catch some food next level." Derrick started chowing down, "I'm glad you made it through all that shit. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to meet you. I'll get you back to your daughter. Wouldn't want her to go through the same thing."