July Cartwright Solo - Alone In The Darkness

[Loki]

July Cartwright, Day 3

In the darkness, alone.

Alone at the spire once dead - how could she be dead? She was only fourteen! - Emery's body was taken away, July found herself full of despair. For the moment, all was quiet (all too quiet, she could occasionally hear something rustling and it made her jump, everytime.) There was only herself, only July, alone in the darkness with her remorse for Emery, who she not only hadn't been able to save, but whom she'd actually wounded in the blind confusion of the snake attack.

She'd been bitten, but fortunately, she had received a little package with antivenom in it and been able to administer it without needing to see; everything she was doing was without being able to see. The same with her other first aid efforts - she had had to work blind but seemed able to mostly get herself bandaged and mended without too much difficulty, though still, July was in pain everywhere.

July wondered if she could perhaps hide behind the spire that dominated the room, and ambush the next person to come in; maybe, if there was only one of them, but, though her own alliance had all been slaughtered except for herself, she was sure there would still be intact groups of hunters, some with torches or other lights, coming to kill her.

The District Seven tribute tried climbing the spire; wet as it was, it took forever to gain any ground, and, she had to proceed very carefully so as not to slip and fall to the floor of the cavern, and all too soon, July gave up and slid back to the ground, even though she was thinking it would make more sense to climb to the top and fling herself off. She wasn't
able to give up like that, even in the face of almost certain death.

Knowing that there would be - had to be - cameras down here capable of seeing her in the darkness though she could not see herself, July also knew that her beloved family would be watching, and they could not see - must not - see her commit suicide, however much her heart was breaking at the unfairness and impossible odds. For the same reason, she could not sit down and just bawl her eyes out: they would be watching, her dad and her siblings.

She was so hungry - she hadn't eaten anything in a while, she had no real idea how long, three days? Only two? Time, even with the nightly anthems, seemed to be losing it's hold on the girl, trapped as she was, blind in the total darkness. She spent some hours feeling her way around the cavern, searching for a way out, not wanting to be trapped in here; her only chance might be to hide and keep out of everyone else's way.

Wanting to scream, too, July bit down on her bottom lip and then clenched her teeth afterwards, keeping the sound in. Emery was just as dead, no matter how she felt her way around down here; she was still all alone against all of the other tributes, her situation seemingly hopeless. Overwhelmed by emotion and hunger, July allowed herself to sit down and just feel sorry for herself, and sorrow for a dead little girl; she told herself she was only resting for a little while. July used the iodine tablet on the water she'd collected, and then drank, after waiting the torturous time limit. Unbidden, unwanted, almost unaware, tears slipped silently now, down her face; she leaned against the rock wall and just waited.

Alone, in the darkness.

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[July receives iodine tablets from sponsorship]
[July purifies her full water jug]
[July drinks purified water]