Which Direction? [Axel & Sarella]

Panama waited for his breathing to finally regulate itself before he spoke. "It's no problem, at least I made it out Alice. I just have some singed skin, it should heal itself eventually. As for walking I agree, the farther from District 4 we get the better. We'll stick to the beaches though as long as we can. I feel most comfortable near water, plus there are some ledges we can use for cover. With the sun setting and closing another chapter of our lives we need to find some place to set up camp."

Taking Alices hand he walked over toward the beaches. A rocky ledge jutted out infront of him, and he came to a halt. Taking stock of the situation he placed his hands on Alice's waste and set her down from the ledge. Than jumping down himself he took her hand again and walked into a "cave" formed by erosion from high tide. Sitting down he opened the singed pack to find that the supplies given them would last only about a week if rationed properly. Taking out some of the supplies he handed them to Alice to eat. He didn't take any for himself figuring he would eat when he felt hungry. It was more important that she ate than him.

Panama waved his hand motioning he wasn't hungry. In truth he was very hungry, but he wanted her to keep up her strength. Only when the hunger became to much would he eat something. He was glad that she was enjoying the freedom. However long it lasted it was freedom none the less, and he would use his trident to make sure that the Peacekeepers suffered before they were taken back. He wouldn't feel completely safe until he was far away from District 4. Though once they entered another district the fear would begin anew. He wouldn't voice his fears though, better that he worried than her.

"Yes, the weight of tyranny has been lifted from our shoulders. We are no longer slaves of the Capitol, we are free people. We're alone in our freedom, but at least we have eachother." He leaned up against the wall beside her and put his arm across her shoulder. Yes, just him and her, two kids plagued by nightmares, the only company they will have on this new adventure.

To be honest he had no idea what to do. He was afraid of sleep, sleep invited nightmares. Free or not the nightmares would still plague him. He inched slightly closer to Alice and held her closer. He knew exactly what they could do, they could watch the water. Perhaps learn a little bit more about eachother, that would be nice, especially considerng neither of them really knew that much about eachother.

The sound of the water was peaceful, and it sounded even better hearing it from the other side of the fence. "So what drove you to originally run away Alice. Where did you want to go? Did your parents ummmm....well were you separated from them because of running away?" He knew that it was alot of questions, but he wanted to start somewhere. "Feel free to ask me whatever comes to your mind Alice. Oh, and if any of my questions bring about bad memories you don't have to answer them."

Panams listened silently to her story, up to the point of District 11. Apparently that was where the story went wrong for her and her family. When she mentioned her father protecting Abigail he remembered one of his own failings. What he could have done but didn't for the sake of a friend. He wished to know more only so he could console her, but a respect for her caused him not to ask anymore on that subject. Than she asked about the origin of his nightmares. Where to begin, from loss of family to friends it seemed he had experienced it all.

"Well, where to begin, I suppose at the very beginning. I used to have a group of kids I would hang around with in District 4. We were a bunch of troublemakers, bothering Peacekeepers and disturbing the peace. Well the Peacekeepers caught on to our act, me, Jesse, lawrence, and Geoffrey got caught against a wall by the Peacekeepers. They told us to turn ourselves in, and come quietly and we wouldn't be harmed. I paniced and ran for it, and behind me I heard the sound of bullets. My friends were killed in cold blood because I ran away, I wouldn't come quietly. I returned to the spot later that night, my friends hadn't even been buried, and if only to put my mind at ease I buried them myself."

Panama's voice got quieter as he neared the end of the story. The memory of that day was still fresh on his mind. As he recounted the tale it was like he was back there trapped, reliving the memory over and over.

Panama let a laugh escape his sad features. It was an interesting story the loss of his ear, to this day he still had no idea who to blame. It was interesting how his and Alice's stories intertwined in some ways. Both of them had abandoned the people that had needed him the most. He watched her gaze settle on the ocean, yet another thing they had in common, they both loved the ocean. Staring out at the ocean he took a deep breath and began his second tale.

"Well, it was about two years after the incident with my friends. I had slowly gone deeper and deeper into myself. It marked the real beginning of my nightmares, a world of torture. I was part of an early morning fishing expedition, the sun wasn't casting much light as it wasn't daybreak. I was part of a crew that hated my guts because they blamed me for the passing of my friends. Well a fight broke out between me and two of the guys, and...a knife got involved and chop went my ear. Lucky for me that vision was bad otherwise I probably would have been killed. Once my ear was gone I jumped ship and swam to shore. That's how I met granny, she helped me out."

Not wishing to recount any more of his story he fell completely silent. He just stared out at the ocean the sound of the waves his only solice at the memories of his past.

Panama took note of the track of her eyes. She was staring out at the water, he tried to follow her gaze, but when he looked on the water memories pounded his mind. He began to zone out, oblivious to the puddles now forming from the waves. The trouble on the boat, his friend dying. All the memories were so clear before him, reliving them again and again. With a yell he rose from where he was sitting, and looking around his eyes fell on Alice. Because of his memories she appeared to his mind as Jesse. He grabbed her hand and spoke quickly to her.

"Come on Jesse, come on, we can run, we have to get away." Without waiting for a responce he charged out of the overhang and up the ledge once more. Upon getting up the cliff he seemed to break from his trance. The sound of gunshots rang through his mind and he immediately released Alice's hand. He fell to the ground in a state of shock, unsure of what to do.

Panama shook his head to clear his mind. "I'm sorry Alice, my retelling those stories renewed my guilt. It triggered my memories and caused me to relive them. It's a state I've only gone into twice before, both times when I was with granny. She just let me believe she was one of my lost friends until I snapped out of it. Now you understand the extent of my nightmares." He let his gaze fall from her face ashamed that she had to lead him along.

"I'm sorry Alice, I'll try not to let it happen again." He heard the sound of the Peacekeepers approaching and took Alice's hand. Removing the trident from his pack he hefted it in his right hand. Than he began to sneek through the woods, it was dangerous to get to deep into the woods, but safety was number one right now.