-sorry I forgot to update last week, so this week there will be two chapters to catch up the week I've missed. Hope you like the story so far-
Chapter 10 - Let the Games begin.
I couldn't focus. I just couldn't. After what I'd just seen I could not seem to take in my surroundings and think of my first move. I am in more danger now I'm vulnerable. I had to get my head straight...maybe Keeko helped him? Maybe Michael could be saved? Imagine how he would cope if I died because I was thinking about him...ok I need to focus.
I shook my head to rid myself of those thoughts. I looked around and saw water. I smiled. I was surrounded by water. This was my home! Well...it was an arena but Finnick and I had the upper hand.
I look over to Finnick who had a stern face on which was good...but his eyes were red and his muscles looked strained. What is wrong with him? It looks like he has been crying, why has he been crying? I then had this sudden, horrible, thought. Was I the only one to see one of my loved ones hurt? Did they do this to Finnick too? He certainly looks like he's just seen something painful. I want to know what's going on, I want to help, but I can't. An intense anger feeling takes over me, if they hurt Finnick...so help them if I get out of here.
I then remember I am being watched and took on a straight face. I look back to Finnick who nods at the Cornucopia, I nod in recognition that that was where we would meet. I figure a minute would be up and prepare myself to jump. The bell sounds. I jump. I swim at an incredible speed and make it to the Cornucopia in fast time. Finnick is here too. I grab a sword and spear, so it doesn't look odd to the public. Finnick smiles and grabs a trident. We look at each other, and I give him my signature 'I've just seen something horrible' look. He gives me a questioning look and I shake my head so it's clear I can't talk about it. He nods in recognition and this is when Katniss reaches us.
She looks as distraught and confused as I did when I entered the arena. As if she's just seen the same thing happen to someone she loves...I then realise...Katniss and I are quite similar. We have familiar events in our life. We are both targets of the cruel Capitol's game. Of course we are treated similarly, the Capitol are trying to break us both, and how better to do that than hurt the ones we love. Because in that sense Katniss and I are the same. We both entered the Games to get back to, and protect, our loved ones. I then conclude, because of this, that she probably did just have something similar happen to her, and then I empathise with her. I know how it feels. I want to hug her, but we're being watched so I restrain myself. That's three tributes and counting who have seen their loved ones hurt. They must have done this to a few of us then, I think. Then I understand. They must have done this to all the tributes who threaten the Capitol regime. Took someone they love and beat them up in front of the tributes to send them in the games unprepared. I bet it's happened to other tributes as well, I doubt they would have done this to the Careers though. Why would they scar people who are playing by the rules? They will only be hurting the ones who threaten the system. The Victors who are trying to do justice, they are the ones to be hurt, because justice is such a bad thing according to them. I hate the Capitol.
Katniss is unsure of what to do, she seems unsure of Finnick's motives, I think. I pick up a bow and some arrows and toss them to her. She catches and gives me a nod in recognition of our alliance. Finnick stands tall with his trident, as if standing to attention. Katniss suddenly readies her bow aiming at Finnick, I'm about to jump in and stop her, before something catches her eye. She glances to Finnick's wrist and sees the gold band he has on as his token. This is clearly a sign of alliance and she slowly puts her bow down.
"Duck!" Finnick shouts sternly.
And soon enough his trident is sunk into District 5 tribute. Finnick quickly pulls it out and comes back over to us.
"Ok you two search the pile and get what you think we'll need, I'll go get Peeta" I say firmly.
Katniss looks like she wants to argue, but she is then distracted by other tributes. She reluctantly nods before shooting several arrows at One and Two tributes.
"Good Luck Kay, don't trust One or Two!" Finnick says going around the pile.
I quickly drop my weapons, knowing my allies will cover me if needed. I make a dash for Peeta's podium. I finally reach it and keep myself a float whilst talking to him.
"Peeta, I'm on your side, you have to come with me in order to get to Katniss" I say calmly and firmly.
"How do I know you won't kill me" he asks suspiciously.
"How would I do that when my weapons are on the beach " I say hoping this will convince him.
"You could drown me, leave me to drown" he states.
"Well yes, but I'm not going to, we should get moving, we need to get out of here, Katniss trusts me, you saw me talking to her, come on Peeta" I encourage.
He kneels down at this point and jumps into the water, I quickly put my arms under his and swim on my back to the beach. We get there just as Finnick and Katniss come back to where my weapons are.
"Ok, so just Finnick and Kaylyn are our allies? Or are there more?" Peeta asks after giving Katniss a kiss.
"It seems Haymitch only decided on two" Katniss says a little bitterly.
I know she doesn't trust Finnick, but she trusts me and that's the best we can do.
"We better get moving, the forest, looks dense, I say we head for there, find shelter and food" Finnick suggests.
"Good plan" I say, seeing Katniss and Peeta nod, we head to the forest.
Finnick and I take the lead and Katniss and Peeta bring up the rear. Finnick is being very cautious of his surroundings. This behaviour is odd for him, I've never seen him so alert, it worries me slightly.
"So, how are you?" he asks suddenly.
I then understand he's trying to find out what happened to Michael, and to me before the arena, but how am I going to tell him? I'll have to talk in code.
"Erm...I'M fine, I fear there may be great danger for others though" I say choosing my words carefully.
"Oh yes, I know the feeling, but for who particularly" he asks looking at me knowingly.
"The younger or weaker tributes, who cannot fend for themselves, are much more likely to be injured and killed unless someone else helps them...the problem is, whether someone helps them or not...and I'm scared they won't" I say trying to get across what happened.
He looks pensive for a moment before I see in his eyes he knows roughly what I'm talking about. He nods and gives me a look as if to say 'You and me both'. I then know the same happened to him, I can see the pain in his eyes, it's the same I'm feeling. Annie must have been injured on the screen just like Michael was.
"Oh you mean people like Wiress and Beetee, well I'm sure we'll help them, they'll be good for an alliance" he says giving me a look as to say that people will be trying to help Michael, and hopefully Annie, as we speak.
"Yes, they could be" I say ending our conversation now, and trying to make it look like a normal conversation to not get the Capitol suspicious.
We're deep in the forest now, well it's more of a jungle, weird insects crawl the floor, which is riddled with vines anyway. I have to be careful where I step, I've already almost fallen over 3 times. We keep a good pace going, aiming for the top of the hill we are climbing. We had gotten far and were away from the cornucopia quite a bit before I request a rest. We all stop and Katniss climbs a tree, looking hopeful, to see what was going on at the cornucopia. I look to Finnick and he looks slightly annoyed. Uh oh.
"What is she expecting? Flowers and unity?" Finnick whispers to me.
"I don't know, but don't push it" I say noticing his irritable tone.
She climbs back down, I could feel Finnick's annoyance radiate off him, this wasn't going to end well.
"What are they doing? Putting their weapons down? Holding hands? Defying the capitol?" he asks suddenly and sharply.
"Finnick..." I warn.
He said we needed her, this was only going to get her to move away from us. She had her hand tightly around the bow, I could sense she was calculating if she could kill Finnick before he could kill her. Finnick had his hand around his trident ready to defend by the looks of it. He wouldn't kill her.
"No" she says sternly.
"Exactly, because at the end of the day, this is still the hunger games" he says.
I think Katniss had just about worked out she was going to be faster when Peeta deliberately stepped in between them. I internally sighed in relief. Whatever Finnick's plan was, I didn't want more people dying because he was mildly annoyed at Katniss for expecting peace. We all wanted peace, right? What was wrong with hoping for it?
Well I suppose Finnick gave up hope when Annie lost her mind, but he should have been easier on her. Maybe he's just trying to toughen her up, I don't know.
"What's happened Katniss?" Peeta asks.
I can see Katniss glaring daggers at Peeta, begging for him to move, but he holds firm.
"8 dead maybe, there is still fighting going on though" she says firmly.
" Well I say we reach the top of the hill and then set up some sort of camp and try to find food, yeah?" I suggest, hoping to keep people's minds on surviving, not killing fellow team members.
"Yeah" Finnick says taking the lead.
I quickly follow and so do Katniss and Peeta.
"Be careful, are you trying to get them to hate you?" I whisper to Finnick.
"No, she needs to realise the victors will never change, if they were going to defy the Capitol they would have done it years ago when they won" he says sternly.
"She doesn't know that though, so making her feel stupid will help nothing and will only get her to try to kill you, which neither of us want." I say in the same tone.
He looks at me and his face softens. He slows down and I look at him questioningly.
"I'm sorry" he says calmly.
"For what?" I ask, confused now.
"For everything that has happened to you, you're so young, none of this should have happened to you" he says, his voice full of regret and sadness.
I lower my shoulders and stop completely.
"We're all young Fin, we all don't deserve this" I say gently.
Peeta and Katniss catch up with us now.
"Why have we stopped?" Peeta asks.
"I was just talking to Kay that's all, we can keep going" Finnick says beginning to turn and move.
"We don't really need to actually, this is pretty much the top of the hill, we're far enough away from the cornucopia, why don't we just walk along here" I say, pointing to the right of me.
"There might be a safe base over this hill though" Katniss says, moving past me and Finnick.
We all stop and watch as she goes over to see if there is a suitable place over the hill. However at the top of the hill she stops suddenly. It's as if she's seen something horrific and is frozen in fear.
"Katniss?" Peeta asks going up to her.
As soon as Peeta reaches her she puts her hand out to stop him.
"Don't" she says firmly.
He doesn't move another muscle.
"What?" he asks confused.
I look to Finnick, I am also very confused.
"It's a force field. If you go into it you'll be burned to a crisp" she states.
"Oh...better not walk into that then" he says.
"How did you know it was there?" Finnick asks.
Katniss turned around and I can see her searching for an answer in her head, she's trying to lie.
"I can hear it" she says.
Lie.
"Hear what?" Peeta asks.
"Shush, listen" she says looking up as if listening.
"I can't hear anything" I say shrugging.
"That's weird...I can only hear it through my left ear" she says.
"The one that was blown up in your last games?" I ask.
"Yeah, they must have remade it up really well" she says with a smirk.
I can see why she's smirking, now all the doctors in the Capital will be being questioned about why she was super sensitive hearing, they probably deserve it anyway.
"Ok well you better lead then, considering as you can hear it" Finnick says, going up to where they are.
"Yeah but if you get tired don't be afraid to stop, we don't want you over exerting yourself, not in your condition" I say, nodding to her stomach.
She looks momentarily confused and then nods in recognition before walking on. She walks with the force field on the left but throws nuts ahead of her anyway in case she 'miss-hears' it.
This time Katniss leads, Peeta walks next to her, and Finnick and I walk together. I see Finnick looking between Katniss and Peeta, I can see him thinking and I know exactly what he's thinking too. Is there really a baby? Well that's an obvious answer, no. I don't think there ever was, it's just a plea to try and keep them alive, but if it works...well good for them.
I check behind me, I have some unnerving feeling we're being followed, but I see no one there.
"You ok?" Finnick asks, noticing my edgy-ness.
He's looking at me with concern and worry, I can see this, but I can't push it down. I really can't stop worrying about it all, the games, Michael, Finnick, I just can't calm down.
I nod, trying to hide it. It doesn't work. He stops and I stop too, wondering why he has stopped. He then pulls me into a tight hug. I wrap my arms around him, allowing myself to feel protected for a little bit.
"You can do this, just follow my lead" he whispers.
He lets me go and I nod. We then continue to walk on and catch up to Katniss and Peeta. When we're just behind them Finnick looks up as if he heard something and thinks it is in the sky, I look up too but see nothing. He nods to the sky and then looks straight back ahead.
I decide not to question his strange actions, they're probably something to do with the plan and I don't want to make him seem suspicious to the Capitol, it could just land us in more trouble.
"Ok, we should stop, find water and food, here is as good as any for shelter." Katniss says suddenly.
I stop too and look around.
"Yeah, we're far enough away from the cornucopia, this is a good spot." Finnick comments.
"Ok, I'll go and look for a lake or something" Katniss says.
She then looks at Peeta who clearly doesn't like this.
"I'll go no further than half a mile radius ok, I'll be back, I promise" she says.
She then walks over to him and kisses him, before leaving.
"Kaylyn, could you go the opposite way to Katniss, see if you can see if there is any food or water that way, it'll save time" Finnick says, motioning to behind me.
"Sure" I say, really not minding this.
In my last games I was alone for a little bit. I can handle myself, this was no problem.
'Yes it is, this arena is full of trained killers, who have also been in the games, you could be captured easier and sooner than you expect' my brain reminds me.
'Thanks' I think sarcastically back.
I pull out my spear and stay in defensive position, venturing out on my own in these games for the first time. I only realise how scared I am when I am completely alone.