TheGirlWithTheStories
Haymitch – Maysilee Donner
CHAPTER NINE:
It was the eighth day when I had circled the woods and reached the center again. I saw the tree where Jahna had died – a couple of fluffy squirrels pranced atop them. There was no way in hell I was going to test their patience or tolerance with my human presence. I saw my tree; the one I had slept in the first night. Suddenly I tensed up – someone was coming in from the right. I bolted up the tree and took my position to shoot whoever it was. I took a poisoned dart and loaded it just as three careers came into the clearing. They began speaking about how they should go about finding "those stupid District Twelve assholes". The tallest of the three males unsheathed his sword, thrusting and jabbing it into the air. He was pretending to mangle "the District Twelve boy who killed his cousin". Something told me he was only upset that he could not have the opportunity to do so himself. I heard a rustling of leaves and brush from the left. My heart sank and I almost swore aloud; who should it be walking into the clearing but the one and only Haymitch – and there was no way in hell that I was going to let him die at the hands of those assholes. I took aim, but before I could even shoot, Haymitch had disarmed the two Careers who were armed and slit their throats. The third Career, unprotected but not defenseless, had somehow maneuvered the blood-soaked knife out of Haymitch's hand and had lifted it up to his neck. Even though the Career held Haymitch in a body-lock, I still had a fantastic view of his exposed neck. I took the shot and the dart drove deep into the Career's neck. He let go of Haymitch and ripped out the needle – dead in seconds. Haymitch grabbed his knife and looked around cautiously for his savior. I hopped down and appeared from behind the tree.
"We'd live longer with the two of us," I pointed out.
"Guess you just proved that," he replied. He rubbed his neck. "Allies?"
I nodded. I knew that if I could not win, I wanted Haymitch to. At least he could bring prosperity to our district. We were in dire need for nothing short of a miracle; the amount tessarae signed up for was at an all-time high. Either of us wins and our district is fed for a good amount of time. I followed Haymitch, who was walking in the same direction he'd been walking since the games started.
"Why have you been walking this way since the first day?" I questioned. He responded with an uneasy silence. I left the topic alone for a while.
We worked very well together. We got more rest (which I needed very badly), worked out a way to salvage rainwater, fought as a team and evenly divided up the dead tributes' packs. I never questioned him when he suggested something crazy even though at times he did make me feel on edge. Nevertheless I had this odd feeling stir up inside of me – trust. I inexplicably yet wholeheartedly trusted him with my life. There was only one thing I felt nervous about; we kept walking in the same direction. He was always in the lead, never me. Always with his back to the mountain. I feared he was trying to corner me into a place where I would be incapable of fighting back. I began to ask more frequently where we were headed. He never replied with anything more than a grunt. There were only eight tributes left. I know what I had thought earlier, but that was so many tributes ago. I could not afford to die now; I had a sister to think about.
