The Seed is Strong (Hunger Games Fanfic)

Karma

As Ela and Tomas settled in for another uncomfortable night, 2 more gongs sounded, signalling 2 more deaths.
Since the hovercraft had already listed the names of the dead for that day, they wouldn't be able to find out who died until the following night.
Even though the thought of 2 more people dying, filled Ela with dread and sadness, she was also filled with a sense of relief as it increased the chance of her or Tomas making it home alive.
Ela was glad that Tomas had been chosen as her fellow tribute, since he was a great companion.
She was the brains of the partnership, and he was the muscle. And without each other, they wouldn't survive.
The pair worked very well together, and knowing that he had her back, filled Ela with a confidence that she wouldn't have had on her own.

Ela and Tomas were just finishing up one of their daily water runs, when Ela heard the sound of a bow string being pulled back.
She spun around to see the girl from 4, whom she remembered was called Katia, pointing an arrow at her.
Ela had seen her shoot arrows in training, and she was good.
Tomas moved to protect Ela, but didn't draw his sword, as he knew he wouldn't be fast enough to attack Katia before she released her first arrow.
The lack of other Career tributes with Katia, made Ela think that their alliance had broken the night before, resulting in 2 of their members being killed.
Alliances only lasted so long.
The blood and wounds covering Katia's body also supported this theory.

"Please, if you're going to kill me, aim high on my body, so that my baby has a chance to live. My child is no threat to you, so please don't shoot my stomach" begged Ela.
Katia's eyes flicked to Ela's belly, and she swore under her breath.
"I didn't want to have to be the one to kill you" admitted Katia.
"Then don't kill her. Let her go. Kill me. You know I'm more of a threat than she is. Let her live and kill me instead" insisted Tomas.
"Don't be stupid Tomas, this isn't the time for heroes and self sacrifice. I'm dead without you anyway. So you sacrificing your life for me now, will not help me in the long run" replied Ela.
"We die together then"
"Together".

Tomas placed his arm around Ela's shoulders, and turned her head away from Katia, so that her killer wasn't the last thing she saw.
Ela tensed and waited for the shot that never came.
She turned back to face Katia, and noticed that the girl had the lowered her bow slightly.
"What are you waiting for?" Questioned Ela.
"Yeah, if you're going to kill us, get it over with" added Tomas.
"Quiet! I'm thinking" snapped Katia.
Ela and Tomas kept their mouths closed, hoping that it would win them their freedom.
"You haven't got long to go, have you?" Katia asked Ela, referring to her pregnancy.
"No" answered Ela bluntly.
"And if you give birth in here, they're going to take the baby out, right?"
"Correct"
"Then go".

Ela frowned, "I don't understand".
"Go now, both of you, before I change my mind. But be warned, if I see you again, and you are no longer pregnant, I won't hesitate to shoot" warned Katia.
"You're letting us go?" Questioned Tomas, not quite believing what he was hearing.
"For now. But like I said, if I see you again, I will kill you" threatened Katia.
"Understood" replied Tomas.
Not wanting to push the issue, Tomas and Ela began making their way back to their cave, as quickly as they could.

"Is she following us?" Asked Ela.
Tomas looked over his shoulder, "No, she's not".
The pair didn't say another word until they were safely inside the cave.
"Why do you think she let us go?" Questioned Tomas.
"I guess she felt bad about shooting a pregnant girl and her unborn child" replied Ela.
"I get that. But why did she let us both go?"
"Well letting me go without you to protect me, is a bit like signing my death warrant, which is what she probably wanted to avoid"
"Maybe"
"I don't expect the game makers are very happy with us. That's 2 times in the past couple of days where the tributes have refused to kill each other"
"Yeah, I bet they're itching for some bloodshed. So we'd better be extra cautious, in case they try to take us out"
"Mmm".

"What do you know about karma?" Asked Ela curiously.
"What, that one good deed leeds to another" answered Tomas.
"Yes"
"What about it?"
"Well, we spared Josh's life yesterday. And today, someone else spared our lives"
"You don't seriously think that Katia let us go, because we didn't kill Josh".
Ela shrugged, "Maybe".
"Don't be stupid. Karma is just a silly idea told to children, to make them be nice to each other. It has no place in the real world. Especially not in a place like this" replied Tomas.

Ela frowned and folded her arms, "Don't call me stupid".
"Well you're being silly. We are currently in an arena where 24 children fight to the death, until 1 victor is left standing. This isn't some fairy tale, and we aren't going to get out of here by doing good deeds" reminded Tomas.
"I know that! I was merely suggesting that saving Josh yesterday, might have saved us today. And now that the debt is repaid, we aren't owed anything. I am well aware that being nice to everyone, won't get us out of here. And who knows, perhaps if we'd met another less kind tribute back there, we'd both be dead right now. Maybe it's just pot luck that we ran into Katia, who didn't want to have to be the one to kill me".

Tomas's face softened, "Look, I'm sorry I called you stupid, especially when you aren't. But I just didn't want you to forget to be realistic. In here we can't afford fantasies and dreams. It's kill or be killed. Simple as that".
"In a reality as harsh as ours, sometimes it's nice to think about lighter, happier things" admitted Ela quietly.
"I know. And I'm sorry for trying to take that enjoyment from you, but it's a luxury neither of us can afford"
"I understand. Karma or no karma we are stuck in here, and the only way out is by fighting and killing our fellow tributes"
"Correct, so why do we make a start of collecting some berries. The stronger we keep ourselves, the better chance we have a surviving".
Ela nodded and headed out the cave to do some more foraging, with Tomas by her side.