9: Farewells
I wake to the sound of cannon, cutting sharply through the sweet, night air. I bolt upright and look to my left; Jotham has woken and also sitting up, but Seger is nowhere. I bolt up and look around me, desperate to just see his silhouette in the darkness.
"Seger?" I call into the night. No reply. Where is he? I begin running out frantically, trying to find him.
"Seger!" I scream "SEGER!" I'm half crying, half choking on my own voice as I scream his name, not caring about whether it gives away our whereabouts. Suddenly I crash in to a sturdy figure that's undoubtedly him.
"Where did you go? I thought you were dead!" I gasp between tears.
"I heard something, girl from 9 was creeping up on us, trying to get to the supplies, and probably kill us. I had to" He says regretfully, obviously referring to the cannon. I calm my crying down as he awkwardly pats my shoulder, and we head back. Jotham is on high alert with his axe and when we appear in to his vision he goes to throw it until he recognises us.
I insist Seger sleeps as he took over Jotham's watch, but he refuses, so we all sit together, watching the sun come up. We make breakfast from some leftover berries and nuts we had in our bags, and drink some water.
"So, what're the plans for today?" asks Jotham.
"I don't really know, the Careers are injured and unwell, and none of us want to kill anyone..." I say.
"Why don't we explore the Arena a bit more?" Seger suggests. Jotham shrugs and I nod, so it's settled. We all rise and walk in the opposite direction to yesterday. After a while I decide now is the perfect time to explain my theory.
"Well, I guess now is a good time to tell you I worked out the Arena" I tell them as they both look at me quizzically. "This whole Arena is split into 12 sections; each one contains a Cornucopia filled with essential items relating to one District that it also specialized in. Like how Seger and I immediately noticed the lake, and the Cornucopia contained flasks, the item was water. You had to swim to get there. District 4- the fishing District. Like how Jotham noticed the trees, and could easily get to the Cornucopia, which contained axes. District 7- the lumber and paper District" I explain. Jotham clicks his tongue and Seger smiles.
"Annie, you're a genius" He says. I smile and look down as we carry on through the wasteland.
Eventually we reach new terrain, this looks different, it's rocky and uneven, and I can visibly see mines placed everywhere. Connecting them all together are wires, thousands upon thousands of them. I guess you're supposed to join them correctly to turn them off and get to the Cornucopia. This is no place for us- A rope maker, a fisherman's boy and a lumberjack. District 3 or 5, surely. I look at the boys to see what their view is, and I can tell by their doubtful expressions they agree with me. We all move on in silence; the breeze blowing softly against us. We reach another rocky area, the grass dips down slightly as the rocky canopy leans over it- a cave.
"Should we have a look?" I ask. They nod and we walk down the slope into the cave. Inside it is pitch black and very, very cold. This must be District 12's coal mine. We wander around for a while; the cave is very wide but not particularly long. I can hear a bird whistling sweetly from somewhere. Suddenly I trip, and land on some kind of plate. I hear it click, and the bird stops singing. This can't be good.
"We need to get out of here" I whisper. I get up and we start running back to the cave entrance, about 100 metres away, and just jump out as an explosion rips through it, I can barely hear two cannons go off at the same time.
I'm instantly reminded of my parents' death, and I hold my hands over my ears and breathe in and out deeply a few times before regaining composure. Seger and Jotham both sit on the stubby grass, shocked by the sheer force of the explosion. There must've been two people in there when that went off, we killed two people.
I look back in the entrance of the cave, but all I can see is blackened rock and ash floating about before settling on the ground. I place my head in my hands and try to convince myself we didn't kill those Tributes, the explosion did. It did it did it did.
It takes me a while to notice the burn on my forearm, and when I see the raw and fiery flesh I gasp and grit my teeth against the pain. I fumble in my pack for some water and pour it straight over my burn. I can practically hear it fizz and I hiss in pain, blinking back tears. I hear a parachute next to me, and I hastily open it. Inside is a pot of cream, with the note-
Put this on the burn, and bandage it up. Keep doing what you're doing, (except exploring caves filled with bombs) and at this rate you'll all be the final 3. Just make sure to get some real rest tonight, Sleeping Beauty.
-F
I mouth thank you at the sky, and walk to the boys, who have only received minor burns. I give them some cream anyway, and I slather some over my arm. I sigh in pleasure as I feel the heat being drawn out, and the skin blistering over. I wrap a bandage from the District 11 Cornucopia round it, and secure it with a knot.
"So... What next?" Seger asks
"I'm not really up for anymore exploring right now" Jotham laughs.
"Maybe we could wait until tomorrow?" I suggest. The boys both agree, so we begin to look for a new camp.
We come across a large field of grain, District 9. Knowing both their Tributes are dead we head in, the yellowy plants scrape my knees, making a scratching sound against the fabric of the jumpsuit. We find a clearing containing the Cornucopia and decide to set up there. I go into the Cornucopia and I'm bewildered by the sheer mass of food in there, bread from every District piles high everywhere, vegetables in crates litter the floor, and nuts and beans hang in bags from the top. I instantly take as many District 4 loaves as possible and dump them in front of the boys, who are sharpening their weapons.
"Jotham, what bread is from District 7?" I ask. He gets up and heads inside, and his eyes also widen at all the food. He picks up an armful of thick, deep brown loaves, littered with a few seeds on top. He carries them like babies and puts them down next to our loaves, which Seger has already helped himself to. I go back in and bring out a crate of assorted vegetables, and then several bags of nuts and beans.
We all have what could be considered a feast, the salty bready reminds me firmly of home, and we pick out some vegetables we recognise. I'm nibbling on a carrot when we hear a shriek in the distance. We all turn our heads towards it and watch, a few minutes later 2 cannons boom consecutively.
"Well, whatever is over there, we're not going" I say. They both nod and I pull my blanket out my bag and wrap it around me. We eat until we feel sick, and even then we all cram a little bit more food in. The anthem plays and the faces of the dead show. The girl from 9 who Seger killed, the two people who must've died in the cave- the boy from 3 and girl from 6, and the two people who died with the scream- the girl from 8 and the girl from 11. 5 more are dead. 11 yesterday, 6 today...
That six is us and the Careers.
"It's just us" I whisper.
"Yeah," says Seger
I hear some rustling and Jotham is stood up. I look questioningly at him, and he smiles sadly at me.
"Annie, Seger, it's been great being your ally, but it's just us and the Careers, I don't want it to end up just us three," I know where he's going with this.
"Jotham," I begin
"No, I've got to go. I have to. Good luck" he says sadly "You both deserve it" his voice cracks on the last two words, and I spring up and hug him, starting to cry.
"Don't get yourself in trouble" I choke
"I'll try not to" he promises. He slaps Seger on the back, and just like that, he's turned round, and is heading into the folds of darkness from the night, and is gone.
It's just us, the Career Districts, in a two versus one free for all.
And now I know I'm going to have to fight.
A/n- Hi there, you amazing people! New chapter, I didn't want to kill off Jotham, I've bonded with him :( So he's left. Bam. Gone into the night! Just Annie and Seger now, with the watchful eyes of Finnick and Mags observing their every move, ooh!
Suzanne Collins ect ect ect ect.
-G :)
