I had the hardest time deciding what to do today.
Since I have accomplished food, water and shelter I had originally planned to sleep all day, save my energy for when I need it, but something is holding me back. The gamemakers. They will most certainly not approve of letting me rest peacefully for an entire day. One way or another they will lure me out. They could turn off the waterfall, collapse the Cliffside cave, or, well, they are pretty creative at this kind of thing. Come to think of it, the gamemakers have us all completely under their thumbs. I don't like that. Now who controls the gamemakers?...The Capitol?...No. The audience. The action of the gamemakers is completely based on the pleasure of the audience. And who controls the audience – I do. We do. It's all a big triangle of influence. And if I wish to keep my sanctuary under the waterfall, I have to keep the audience entertained. But I already owe district three so much more than an apology, so I'd rather not spend the day plunging myself deeper into debt with killings. I think as long as I'm doing something, anything at all, the gamemakers will lie off a little. After a less than satisfying night on cold hard stone I'm in no position to be on my feet all day. And with half as much sleep I need twice as much food. So that's what I'll do today. I'll stock up on food.
After packing up everything I clamber down the tree and plant my feet on solid ground. I have a path memorized up that tree now. I felt so sure about my plans, but now I have no idea where to look for food. The gamemakers don't make it easy to get enough to eat. What now? The cornucopia? No way – Careers. Set snares? Yeah, I'll set some snares, but in the meantime I should gather. Not a lot of stuff grows on a mountain's side, so I'd best take a day trip to the valley. I'll hike beside the river so I can have access to water.
The hike feels longer than it should because my sore body groans with every movement. The backpack provided some relief for my head and shoulders but I can't say the same for my lower back. I should be grateful for the shape I'm in though, because many of my opponents are in far worse condition. It's only been what, 10 minutes since the day started and already the artificial sun beats down. I roll up my pant legs.
The ground is rough and climbing down it takes a toll on my body. I'm huffing and slowing until I give in and boil up some water in the frying pan. Take a bite of an apple. I know it's only been a day or so, but I'm getting tired of eating nothing but apples. I kind of miss that creamy blueberry mousse, and the rice and vegetables in mushroom sauce...oh...I'm dreaming about food. Already? It's been one day! I better get stockpiling some food. Not just to eat, but to ease my mind. Knowing it's there would bring me so much peace.
My confidence builds as I hike onwards. The rocky path is beginning to cease and morph into a leafy forest floor. I spotted two rabbits already meaning there are more out there. One rabbit was drinking directly from the stream and proved that the water was in fact, not poisonous. I decide that next to the river is the best place to set snares, so I leave a couple on the way. Now that the rocks have become soil, my big clonking hiking footwear is leaving tracks, so I take it off and walk in the stream to conceal my footprints. It feels fantastic. The cool water caresses my skin and the mud feels heavenly between my toes. I take a moment to just be here, splashing in the water, carefree. Not in the arena but at home, where even a growling stomach can be ignored when the environment is familiar and safe. I toss water over my clothes and hair to keep cool. I'm in such a dream that I forget the mission at hand and sit on the bank to clean up. First I rub the grime out of my hands and feet, and work on the nails, which have lost some the nail polish they had when the games first started. Then I rinse out the dirt on the knees of the pants, finger comb my hair and voila! Fresh as a daisy...almost. It felt so good I realized that even something as simple as hygiene is a good medicine for the spirit in a situation like this. But back to business. Food. An apple per meal has already proved to be not nearly enough.
I keep walking and figure I'm about 45 minutes away from the Cliffside cave. All around me is trees, trees, and more trees. I think about my family now, what a wreck it's become. Jackson doomed to serving the Capitol, not that he wasn't doing that before, just more indirectly. And poor Marly must be drowning in her own emotions right now. I have to be strong for her. I have to do my absolute best, just like she asked me to. And me, well, I'm in the easiest position ironically. If I die, then bang. I'm dead. Quick and painless. But for my friends the pain will never end. There's a flash at my feet and I freeze when I catch sight of a single fish fluttering away from my toes. The perfect size for my frying pan...
Weaving a net takes time, and it turns out a little sloppy, but it was...how I shall say it...fun. It's nice to have something to focus on, to pass the time. All the while I was keeping an eagle eye on that fish, who was trying to swim upstream but wasn't making it very far. Gingerly, I place my net on the riverbed, holding on to the ropes, and standing still as a statue. A couple times the fish wandered close but I am determined not to move until the perfect moment. A little closer and...
I yank up on the ropes and trap my prey in a tangle. It breaks free but meets hard ground and I'm on it with the grappling hook poking its eyes out. Yeah, I know, nice. But am I going to be humane and give my only dinner a chance to escape? I clean it up a little and store the raw fish in my sack for later. I'm so hungry by now I give in and finish another apple. I'm down to 5 apples, a fish the size of my hand and possibly a rabbit. Enough for today, but not for tomorrow. A good start though.
Through my travels this afternoon, I stumble upon some mint plants, which I plucked clean, a meagre raspberry bush which I ate all the fruit off because it didn't have much on it anyway. And get this! I even made a little fish hook out of one particularly long thorn on a raspberry branch. Not sure if it'll work but it made my proud all the same. A chestnut tree filled my pack with a good meal for tomorrow. I was thinking about starting to head back when I spotted a nest in a tree. Eggs. Those would make a nice breakfast tomorrow...
I scaled the tree real easily. It was almost effortless, the branches made a kind of ladder, and they were thick and sturdy. How lucky to find such perfect thing to use to look out! I should remember where it is. I'm almost at the top when a cannon fires.
It scares me so much I almost fell over. Someone just died! In an instant my mind is racing. Who? Where? How? About a soccer field away from my tree, a hovercraft is lifting someone's bloody corpse. The only conclusion I can come to is that the Careers have made their first kill as a pack. And now the killers could be headed my way. I was so focused on my food expedition I forgot there are other players in this game. I finally get to that nest and discover it's some kind of joke. Well, very funny Gamemakers. The eggs are all decorated in beautiful neon colours. Easter eggs. I pick one up and it's hollow. They all are. I crush the empty pink shell in frustration and start to scamper down. But a swift wind catches the branch I'm on and its swinging up and up and up until I crash into the trunk of the tree. Ouch! My back is throbbing and I try to contemplate what just happened. So wind had swept the branch up? No. It's a calm day. Something smacks me in the side and my gut twists as I find myself free falling smashing into branches as I try to gain purchase on something. I'm screaming now and I would be a big splat on the ground if I hadn't caught myself on a tree limb by the armpits. Still making a racket, I inhale and exhale, my whole body aching, head swirling, dazed in shock at what was happening. It's not windy. The tree itself was trying to shake me off. I see it now; up above the tree is moving like big angry arms. SO OBVIOUS. The tree was a booby trap, and I fell for it. I'm smoked in the head by another branch causing me to drop and hang by my fingers, but my burned fingers refuse to grasp hold and again I'm falling like a stone. And then as if by magic, I land like a cat on my feet, safe on solid ground. I sprint away from the killer tree and out of range. It realizes it cannot reach me anymore and resumes a rest position. Glad that's over. A trick by the Gamemakers most definitely. Damage? Bumps and bruises, and some seriously messed up fingers, but other than that, fine. My brain is still bouncing around in my skull at 90 miles an hour, but if I had not had a helmet, the hit to the head could have been fatal. Only then does it click in to my mind that the Careers are here. Uh oh.
I grab a rock and get to my feet and sure enough, there they are with weapons at hand. The only thing separating us was the tree trap. I almost threw the rock at Jelena's head but then I remembered the district 3 boy at the blood bath...
"It's the red-head! Shoot her Dandra!"
"No duh!"
"Shut up!"
Dandra pulls back her arrow but her feet are knocked out from underneath her by a tree limb. I bolted into the woods before they could figure it out. What did I hit with the rock? A little something we make in April to celebrate on a Sunday. The thing that tried to kill me was now saving my life. Ironic, isn't it. I ran almost the whole way back to the Cliffside cave, except I stopped a few times to retrieve the snare ropes and one unlucky rabbit.
Night fell when I got back to my cave. I passed through the waterfall and into my little space. It was great for me, just enough room to sit up and lie down. But unfortunately I was soaked again and shivering cold. It's a good thing I found the gift in the tree before it got too cold tonight. Chawny had sent me a fleecy blanket, baby pink in colour, with the money from my sponsors. I was absolutely thrilled. Sponsors! I guess the Capitol was impressed by how I warded off the Careers in the same sort of way I defeated the district 3 boy. I wrapped myself in the welcoming blanket and fried up the fish in my pan. It was pretty tasty.
"Now all I need is a lemon to go with it." I joked. I didn't leave any of it behind, except the bones which I kept because I thought they could be useful. My mum and I used to love experimenting with recipes, so I tried brewing up some new kind of tea. I started with water, squeezed in some apple juice and threw in a couple mint leaves and let it boil. I love this frying pan! Once the mint leaves had withered away, I let it cool a bit and tasted it.
"It's surprising good. Sweet and minty, with the tang of the apples! You gotta try it!" I'm speaking aloud because I want to keep the audience liking me. I can only imagine in the Capitol; 'Paris de Claire's mint apple tea!'
They've had enough entertainment for today. I can finally sleep in peace.
