Part 10. Treed
(The game makers Control Room)
(Standard point of view)
...(Day 3)...
"Sir." One of the game makers addressed Seneca(Who now had his beard styled to show off the Apple logo). "I got two tributes almost at the edge."
"Which two?" Seneca asked.
"The girl from District 8, and the girl from district 12." The game maker replied. "They're about 500 metres apart and about 2 kilometres from the other tributes."
"The Sapphire Noble and the Girl on Fire huh?" Seneca stroked his beard as he studied the map showing the current locations of Julia(moving at a walking pace) and Kantmiss(moving faster than a deer being chased by ravenous wolves). And how close they were to the edge of the Arena and how far they were from the pack. "Well… let's see if we can't turn them around first thing tomorrow."
The rest of the day was uneventful as they watched both tributes eventually stop for the night.
...(Day 4)...
As the new day started, things were humming along in the control room as Seneca entered, now sporting the MacDonald's logo(again) oversaw the events of the first half of the fay unfold. "Okay, people, let's get those two moving..." Seneca announced. "… Oh, and don't forget the thrilling action music."
(In the Arena, day 3)
(Julia's point of view)
I hid for a few hours, it was almost noon before I decided to check my snares for game. I managed to recover the snare that Frank robbed, and I acquired another… rabbit from another snare I set out. I returned to Cora's campsite to check for anything of value… Stripped clean. Only thing left was a mound of grey ash that was once a campfire
I remade the campfire, just big enough to cook and boil water, and used it to roast up the rabbit I caught. I noticed one of those hover cameras watching me as I cooked and consumed the rabbit and burned the hide and innards. After finishing my meal and boiling up some water for my canteen and some tea, I put out the fire, covered it in dirt and water to fully extinguish it it, I moved on… In the opposite direction that the pack headed in, of course…
The mid afternoon sun was rather bright as I searched for a new campsite to settle down for another night. I tried out those sunglasses from my backpack, but apparently they weren't self adjusting as my holo-glasses. So back into the backpack they go… Wish my holo-glasses had an auto-shading feature…
It was late afternoon when I came across some berry bushes. I was getting rather hungry. As I picked some of the berries, I noticed something about their shape and color… I thought they were blueberries at first, but their black skin and blood red pulp and the odor of bitter almonds tell me that these were… "Nightlocks…. UGH!" Absolutely disgusting berries so poisonous, that even eating just one will kill you in mere moments. I toss them away in disgust and rub my hands in the dirt to try to clean off the residue… I even had to use up a quarter of my canteen to further wash off my hands. I'm not taking my chances with those evil berries… Ugh!
I eventually set up camp in a small cave as evening approached. Even managed to find some real blueberries to settle my growling stomach. I didn't bother to check for game trails as the light was failing. Didn't find any water sources this time, so I'll have to stretch out what water I had left in the meantime.
Night falls, and the anthem plays, and in the sky I see the image of Cora of District 6. The one that was viciously tortured, and mercy-killed by Phillip. I wonder is that also happened to Kyoko…? Let's just say I didn't have a very good night's sleep…
...(Day 4)...
Well here I am, Fourth day in this arena and I haven't been killed yet. Time to search for another site. It takes me several minutes to gather my gear. I check the contents of my canteen… nearly empty. Gotta find water. Back home, Larchwood cautioned me on the consequences of going too long without keeping hydrated. Let's just say that dehydration sickness is not very pleasant, not to mention fatal. So where am I going to find water…?
Lake's too far… Rain…? Doesn't look like it's going to…. Just have to keep looking.
Wait a minute… What about the sponsors? No… Doubt they would help me. I sighed in exasperation.
Anyway I throw on my backpack, grab a nearby branch to use as a walking stick and set off…
(a couple of hours later)
What luck! I finally found a pond! After refilling my canteen and purifying, I practically gulp down the entire contents of the canteen. No problem, still have plenty of purification tablets. I just refill my canteen and drop in another tablet. I was about to go and set up some snares when…
I heard this rumbling noise, smelled wood smoke, felt the air suddenly get warmer. Not to mention there was ominous music playing. I turn to notice this… Great big wall of fire bearing down on me! There was barely enough time to re-pack. I just shoved everything back in, slung it over my shoulders, and ran for it like a… AFREAKEDOUTTEENAGEDNOBLEGIRLBEINGCHASEDBYAWALLOFFIRE! WAAAAAH! GETMETHEHELLOUTTAHERE!
The whole place was transformed into flames and smoke! Burning branches and red hot sparks fell like a searing hot evil shower from the underworld! The heat was just horrible! But the smoke was even worse! It was almost thick enough to choke on, threatening to suffocate me at any moment! I hat to pull my now sweaty shirt up over my nose just to keep from choking! And while all this was happening, that ominous creepy music just kept playing!
I kept on running, choking, my backpack thumping against my back with each frantic step. My face was getting scratched by branches that suddenly appear in the choking grey haze.
As I looked over my shoulder, I saw what looked like some kind of floating blastia with a turret with a bunch of nozzles attached to it, shooting those very flames that were chasing me! Zaude damn it! This fire was caused by the game makers!
"I knew it! I ABSOLUTELY KNEW IT! THIS MUST BE THEIR REVENGE FOR THROWING THAT KNIFE AT THEM!" I shouted as I continued to run from that accursed fire.
"SHIT SHIT SHIT! THIS MUST BE THOSE ASSHOLES WAY OF GETTING BACK AT ME FOR SHOOTING ONE OF 'EM IN THE ASS!" Someone else shouted at the same time.
I look to my left and see… "Huh? WHA!? YOU!" Both me and… Kantmiss Evershot gasped in surprise as we just realized that we were now running side by side for our lives from this accursed fire.
Just then. "Oh CRAP!" I shouted as I noticed this fireball hurtling towards us! I dodged to the right as Kantmiss dodged to the left, the fireball passing between us. "YIKES!" Another fireball shoots across my path of flight forcing me to turn right. "EEEEK!" And now a burning tree falls in front of me, forcing me to double back! I barely managed to dodge another fireball, but… "GAAAH!" I screamed as I felt searing PAIN on my right thigh… I think I might have been hit! Oh, Zaude! IT BLOODY HURTS! Even worse than having your privates waxed (I should know)!
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" There's another fireball coming straight at me! Those accursed game makers REALLY have it in for me! I barely got out of the way, tumbling down the slope.
I just kept on running and running! The flames and fireballs hot on my heels! "KYAAAAAAAAH! DON'TWANNAGETBARBECUED! DON'TWANNAGETBARBECUED! I DON'T WANNA GET BARBECUED!" I shouted in hysterical panic as I ran like mad, trying to get away from that inferno! Then I saw Kantmiss again. And It looked like she was fighting off the fire with a… Fire extinguisher…? Where did she get that? Never mind! Right now that's the only safe place in that chaos, so I ran to her.
By the time I reached her, the fireballs stopped attacking me. I suppose the Gamemakers decided that they had their fun with us. Because the fire vanished as suddenly as it appeared, and that ominous music stopped playing.
"Hah… Hah...You again...? Hah...Hah..." Kantmiss panted when she noticed me gasping for breath.
(Back at the control room)
(Standard point of view)
After watching Kantmiss pull out a fire extinguisher from her back, and use to stop his fire cold in its tracks. "Can someone explain to me how a backpack of holding got put in the Arena.?"
Sorry, sir..." A game maker named Siri replied. "...But the big boss insisted that we put one in to make things interesting. That pack's has all kinds of stuff in it short of firearms and explosives."
"I see..." Seneca watched Kantmiss put out his fire. "Turn off the fire..." The fire is extinguished. "So, miss Evershot… miss DuBois..." He glares at Kantmiss's image as she noticed Julia. "… You two wanna play, huh...? Okay… Siri?"
"Yeah, what you need, Delta?" Siri asked.
"Lets hit those two with the latest technological weaponry we have." Seneca ordered. "I want to have a bit of fun with them..."
(Back in the Arena)
(Julia's point of View)
"Don't you come any closer!" Kantmiss threatened, pointing the fire extinguisher's nozzle at me. "I got a fire extinguisher and I know how to use it."
"I can see that..." I replied, keeping my distance. "I'd rather not kill you if I could avoid it. I just wanted to keep from becoming a roasted noble. But if I have to defend myself..." I point at my hunting knife, tucked in my belt. "...I will." Then I remembered something. "...Now what's this about you shooting a game maker in the butt?"
"You overheard that?" Kantmiss replied. "Um...yeah… I was just shooting at some targets during the evaluation when one of my arrows bounced off the target, off the ceiling, off a peacekeeper's helmet, off the scoreboard, over a rafter, through a ceiling fan, off the floor, through the balcony opening… nothing but gluteus maximus of a 30-something bearded game maker(Seneca screaming…Wilhelm style of course) Well... Whoops..."
Good… Grief… Now that… I thought my own angry stunt was stupid… But this… Words don't even… I don't know what to even say…
"...So yeah..." Kantmiss quickly packs the fire extinguisher into her backpack. "...I'm gonna take advantage of your surprised reaction and, um, run away that way, 'kay?" Sure… go ahead… I'm not stopping you… I'll just stand there looking completely dumbstruck, mouth hanging open, eyes swirling and what not… Ah wa wa wa wa… I still can't believe that… idiot went and shot one of the Gamemakers… In the butt, no less... No wonder they sicced a forest fire at us…. Well at least it can't get any…
… Why am I suddenly hearing really corny music? And maniacal laughter? I look up and see this… red ball shaped bird, with a silly grin on it, come sailing over the treetops in an arc towards Kantmiss. "Oh, shit!" Kantmiss yelps as she ran away from that weird bird. The bird suddenly dove in and struck Kantmiss square on the head, knocking her silly. Did I just see a '5000' appear as that bird struck?
Heh heh heh. I'll have to admit, that was rather funny...
Then I heard more silly music and laughter as I saw another such bird come sailing over the trees coming right at me! "Again!?" I said. At first I thought I should run, but seeing as that what Kantmiss did, and it didn't quite work out as planned, I chose to stand still and wait for that bird to dive at me. I spun to my left at the last instant, causing that thing to miss me my mere inches. It bounced off the ground kicking up clods of dirt and grass. Now I'm all dirty "EYAAH!" And some of that dirt sprayed onto my burns! "GAAH! That STINGS!" I tried to brush the specks of dirt off my burns.
Just then, as Kantmiss was getting back on her feet, we both heard a whistling sound as if something heavy was being dropped. We both looked up to see.. a couple of large watermelons falling towards us. We both quickly got out of the way as the watermelons missed and split open on the ground. Then they flickered and disappeared.
Then these two wooden katanas appeared near both of us. I picked up mine as Kantmiss picked up hers. They felt like those hard light stairs I once climbed up back when I boarded that flying ship weeks ago. "What going on?" I asked.
"Great… first Angry Birds, and now they want to play Fruit Ninja." Kantmiss replied. 'Angry Birds'? 'Fruit Ninja'?
Then dramatic music started playing and a whole bunch of fruit came flying at us. A quick glance at Kantmiss shows that she was going to use that hard light katana to defend herself from the incoming hard light food. Okay… so that's how this...Fruit Ninja is played; You use your sword to fend off the attacking fruit. Okay… Let's do this… And we start swinging away…
(One hard light food fight later)
By the time the fruit barrage ended, A scoreboard appeared in front of us. According to it, I scored 315 points, Kantmiss scored 325. We both got the rating of 'sensei', and this 'Fun Fact' message mentioning someone named Kim Kardashian having an… apple bottom? Don't know who she is, and why should I care about the shape of her behind… Considering that I'm more concerned about my own.
Then both our swords disappeared from our hands. "I wonder what they're going to throw at us next?" I asked myself.
"Oh no… You and your big British mouth." Kantmiss said as she looked down at an orange on the ground. An orange that… has a face on it?
"What? Orange you glad to see me? Ah ha ha ha ha ha." The orange… replied with a really annoying laugh.
"Talking fruit…? Now I've seen everything. Good grief." I sighed. And I happen to come from a world that has highly mobile sentient plant monsters, mind you.
"Hey hey, Kantmiss, Julia, whaddya get when you cross an orange with Quentin Tarantino? Pulp fiction! You get it? Pulp? Ah ha ha ha ha ha."
"...And it tells really bad jokes..." I shake my head. Those Gamemakers…. Honestly. By the way… Who is this Quentin Tarantino person anyway?
That… rather rude fruit continued talking. "Hey, Julia, last time I saw tits that small, I was staring at a pair of ha ha ha ha ha."
What!? OOOOOOOH! THAT'S IT! TAKE THIS, YOU ABSOLUTELY ANNOYING CITRUS-FRUIT-MONSTER! I kicked that thing as hard as I could.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" That obnoxious orange screamed as it sailed through the air until it went splat against the tree I angrily kicked it into. Something tells me that wasn't a hard light fruit, but one of those so called muttations I've been hearing about. Didn't know they came in talking plant versions.
(Back at the control room)
(Standard point of view)
"Oooooh, She sure showed your sorry ass there, Delta. Ha ha ha ha." Siri, along with several game makers, giggled.
"You…. You shut up, Siri! You shut it!" Seneca snapped back.
"Sheesh, Delta, Don't hate the players, hate the game." Siri replied.
"Besides, sir..." Another game maker added. "Look how close those two are to the pack." He brings up the location of both Julia and Kantmiss and the location of the approaching tribute pack.
"Well well..." Seneca grinned, villainously stroking his beard. "Lucia… Get the cannon ready. This day might not be a complete loss."
(At the same time in the studio)
"Wow! I've never seen anyone do that before!" Claudius commented as the scene of Kantmiss putting out the fire, Both her and Julia engaged in Fruit Ninja, and Julia kicking the Annoying Orange into a nearby tree played in the background.
"She's badass..." Cleaver added. "… Respect… Reminds me a little bit of myself. I'll stop before I get too emotional."
"And which tribute are you two referring to…? Julia or Kantmiss?" Caesar asked.
"Both." Claudius and Cleaver answered.
The background played Kantmiss and Julia saying "Eat my ass!' and "HUMPH!" Respectively.
(Back in the Arena)
(Julia's point of view)
"And, Evershot, may I remind you that I'm not Brit..."
"Eat my ass!" Kantmiss rudely interrupted as she dashed off.
Well I never. "HUMPH!" stuck my nose in the air and was about to find someplace to tend to my burns when…
Guess who came running back. "Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" And runs right past me. Then I hear faint laughter and running footsteps behind me. I turn around to look and… Oh no… It's the pack! That stupid woman led them right to me!
"There she is! There she is!" Hideo shouted pointing at me. "Hey wait! It's that meganekko(glasses girl) from D8! I call dibs!"
"She mine!" Pimple-Face added as the pack broke into a run.
"Not if I get her first!" Marco shouted as I broke into a sprint.
"Where you gonna go, four-eyes?" Frank shouted.
"Mine mine mine!" Clovis declared.
I ran for my life through the woods as the tribute pack followed. I can hear them laughing and gloating about the horrible things that were going to do to my body. Not to mention the game makers thought it was amusing to play some chase music to… set the mood (They were playing the 'Ad Avis Battle music' from 'Quest for Glory, Shadows of Darkness' soundtrack, If you're wondering, Author).
I came across Kantmiss pulling a ladder out of her backpack(Just what manner of backpack does she have!?) and use it to climb up an oak tree. And she pulls the ladder back up into the backpack.
"When I see her, she's mine!" Pimple-Face voice sounded behind me. They're getting closer. I don't know how much further I can run, that burn on my thigh's really starting to hurt. And that tree looks like a good place to hide.
Might as well climb up… Luckily, the oak tree had a few decent enough handholds for me to use. I place myself in a nook in the branches opposite of Kantmiss. Burn's really stinging… Nngh…
"What are you doing? Get outta here!" Kantmiss said. "Get your own tree!"
"Quiet, you fool..." I hissed back. "They're coming!" It wasn't long before the pack showed up.
"You sure that Julia came this way?" Marco asked Peter.
"I know it..." Peter replied. "I was sure I saw a flash of yellow over here..." If I ever survive this, remind me to do something about my jacket.
"How can we be sure we can trust you?" Marco asked. "I mean, didn't you volunteer to be in the games just so you can be closer to Kantmiss?"
"No..." Peter replied. "… I mean...Maybe at first… But I don't like her anymore..." Oh, that's right, Peter's gay isn't he. Eww.
"Really?" Marco crosses his arms.
"Well… Back in Selzberg, She's known as quite the whore." Peter replied. The look on Kantmiss's face when he said that. I wonder if that's true though… Ugh, just my luck, I'm stuck in a tree with a lower class sex-obsessed bimbo.
Just then Matilda looks up. "There." She points. But not at us for some odd reason.
"Nice work, Peter." Marco grins.
"Um...thanks." Peter replied.
"I'm gonna bust her gut wide open!" Marco declared as he… borrows Phillip's spear. Is there another female tribute in this tree besides me and Kantmiss? "This little princess is all mine!" And he starts swinging the blunt end of the spear at a… Pinata made to look like a princess? Where did that come from? He strikes the pinata several times until it bursts open, showering the tribute pack with all manner of candies and treats. Which they all start gobbling up like...kids in a candy store.
Then Marco looks up again. "And there's Kantmiss and Julia!" He point right at us! Yikes! We're caught! "We're gonna kill you two… Right after we eat all our delicious treats!" He declared as he licks on a lollipop.
"Well, I hope you all choke." I replied.
Kantmiss and Peter look at each other as the tribute pack, excluding Phillip gobbled down those treats. "How can you be with them?" Kantmiss demanded.
"Well..." Peter replies. "I don't know… I guess… I just… I really liked them." He started acting all giddy. "… They're soo cool and popular and stuff… I mean, I'm in a high school glee club… I've never been able to hang out with the In crowd before..."
All the while, Hideo, Marco, Clovis, Frank, Pimple-face, Matilda, and Malachi continue to gobble down on those treats like starving pigs. I don't think they're even bothering to remove the wrappers.
Peter continues to talk. "… And they said they want to go to prom with me. And we're gonna rent a limo and everything! Isn't that awesome!?"
"Then you are a complete fool, Peter Malarkey." I said back. "They are only using you just to get..." I look at Kantmiss. "...Her. After all, there can only be on winner of this accursed games." Then I look at Phillip. "… and what's your excuse for joining up with those..." I look back at the pack. "...Things?"
"Well, let's just say they made me an offer I couldn't refuse; They let me live until you croak. Then they'll give me an hour's head start before hunting me." Phillip replied. "Though I doubt they'll even give me five seconds before… Well you know… Sorry it all came to this, Julia." He sighed.
"Is that so? Well, I do hope you'll understand that I am simply in no position to accept any apologies at this moment." I said.
Just then, Marco approached the tree. "Alright, Kantmiss and Julia, game over!" He stated. Looks like they were finished pigging out on those treats and now they were going to kill us.
"Marco Windgarden, isn't it?" I smile down at him. "How are things with you?"
Needless to say, Marco was taken by surprise at how cordial I was, given the situation.
"Well enough, four-eyes." Marco said. "Yourself? Not that it's gonna matter."
"Well, It's been rather warm for my tastes." I said. I can almost hear the viewing audience in the capitol laughing. "The air is quite nice up here. Would you be so kind as to come up?"
"I think I will..." Marco grins. "I'm gonna enjoy doing it in the trees."
"Are you crazy?" Kantmiss said. "And you call me a fool."
"Hey, Marco…!" Hideo approached. "No fair! I called dibs on that meganekko!"
"Oh yeah, so you did." Marco replied. Then he looks back up at me. "Hey, four-eyes..."
"My name is Julia." I corrected.
"Whatever… I'm gonna pass you up for now. I'm gonna let Hideo cut you, Then it's my turn… Hope you don't mind."
"Oh please, go right ahead." I invited. "Assuming mr Kitagawa can climb."
"Oh I can climb all right." Hideo gloated. He pulls off his jacket and starts climbing up.
"Oh you're not going to enjoy my kukri, meganekko." Hideo gloated as he climbed up. "I know Kyoko and Cora didn't, Ha ha ha…"
I didn't answer as that tribute came up to my branch, pinned me up against the trunk, and pulled out his kukri knife.
"So, where do you want it…?" Hideo caresses the kikri across my cheek. " Neck or chest?"
"Can I take a third option?" I asked back.
"What are you talking about?" Hideo said.
"Oh this!" And I punched him right in the crotch.
"GYAAAH! MY BALLS!" Hideo screamed in a really high pitched voice, dropping his kukri. I quickly followed up with a left hook to his face, stunning him long enough to grab him by the shoulders and fling him back down to Marco. Both boys fell to the ground..
Kantmiss looks at me with no small amount of surprise. "Crazy, you said…? Like a fox." I said to her. I looked down at the two boys as they broke away from one another. "I changed my mind, Hideo. I am simply not interested. HUMPH!"
(Meanwhile, in the studio)
(Standard point of view, of course)
"Oooooh..." Claudius winced after just watching Julia punch Hideo in the nads and tossing him down to Marco. "That has got to hurt… Both the punch and the shoot-down... Let's see that in instant replay."
The scene where Hideo gets punched is repeated several times in slow motion. Also, Hideo's high pitched scream of "GYAAAH! MY BALLS!" gets lowered to Cleaver's octave due to the slowness of the replay.
"...That makes me laugh, Claudius." Cleaver said.
(Back in the Arena)
(Julia's point of view)
Then that Marco looks at Pimple-Face. "Patricia you're up!"
"About time… I've been wanting to nail that stuck up snob ever since I met her..." Pimple-Face takes out a bow and nocks an arrow into the string. She aims her bow at me and draws back on the string. She lets the arrow fly and it… misses me completely, lodging the arrow into a branch above me.
"Dammit, Patricia! Gimme that before...!" Marco takes the bow and quiver from Pimple-Face.
"Com on, come on, get her already!" Hideo encourages as Marco pulled back on the string and let another arrow loose at me… Not even close.
"Really, you two…?" I said. "Maybe you should just throw the bow up here." Obviously archery isn't their strong points. Schwann Oltorain, or maybe Raven, and even Katniss, they certainly weren't.
"How are we going to kill her?" Pimple-face asked.
"You're not!" I retorted waving one of the arrows teasingly at them.
"Hey what am I? Chopped liver?" Kantmiss added. "I'm up here too, you know."
"Oh yeah… And how are we gonna get her too?" Matilda said.
Peter coghs, getting their attention gets their attention. "...um… Why don't we just take off… And go kill some other tributes, and come back later?"
"That's a stupid idea, Malarkey..." Phillip replied. "...They'll just climb down and get away. I say we just wait them out." They all look at Phillip. "They've gotta come down at some point. It's that or starve to death. We'll just kill them then."
"Okay, Phillip..." Marco agrees. "We wait.. They ain't going anywhere. Let's set up camp. We'll deal with 'em in the morning" They begin to make camp.
Well, Marco's right. Me and Kantmiss aren't going anywhere. And those burns are really hurting. I reposition myself in that nook and try to relieve the pain with the water from my canteen. It was then and there I got a good look at my injury… Ugh… It was about the size of my hand, red and blistery. And it stings when I pour water on it. I gasp from the pain, but I needed to wash the dirt from it. Oh, Zaude… It just hurts soo bad.
Night has now fallen…
I'm weak from both pain and hunger. I try to rest but my burns won't let me. I can hear the birds settle down for the night. And the creatures of the night stir to go about their routine. I thought I saw something in a nearby tree looking at me. Wait a minute… Those aren't animal eyes… Those are human! Who could be up here? I adjust myself to get a better look… And I make out who's watching me…
Ruth.
How long has she been there? The whole time, perhaps? Still and unobserved as the drama unfolded beneath. Maybe she went up the tree before we did, when she heard the approaching pack.
We look at one another for some time, until she points her finger upwards. I look up to see this blinking sphere parachuting down towards me.
The sphere lands in the branches above me. I climb up to retrieve this strange metal object and return to my nook. I open it and inside was a container and a note. The note read 'Apply generously and stay alive, princess. H.A.'. It's from Haymitch, my first gift from the sponsors. But what did I get? I open the container, and judging from the smell, this looks like medicinal ointment.
"Thank you, Haymitch..." I whisper. This ointment must be expensive. I gingerly dip my fingers into the ointment and cautiously apply it to my burns. The effect was just magical, the stinging pain vanishes like it never existed, leaving a relieving cooling sensation behind. This is certainly not like the gels back home that's for certain. This is very advanced medicine only Panem could produce. I applied as much as I needed to coat my burns and store the remainder in my backpack.
Now that the pain's gone fore the time being, maybe I can get some sleep. Tomorrow I'll have to find some way to escape…
...(Day5)...
When I woke up the next day. I looked down to see that the pack was still there. All of them sleeping except for Phillip, who was currently on watch. I examine my burns… amazing... they're completely gone, only smooth normal skin showed beneath the burn holes in my trousers. I look over to the nearby tree and see that Ruth was also still there, watching me and Kantmiss.
...Speaking of Kantmiss…
… She was whistling away at a group of mockingjays in the branches up above. The mockingjays were repeating her whistling perfectly…
...And they took a dump on her… Yuck.
"Guess the 'jays aren't a fan of your music, Kantmiss." I said as she wiped the bird droppings off her face. "...Do you need a towel?"
"Eat my ass." She rudely replied.
"Honestly..." I sighed. "Is it true that you purchased a chicken pin?"
"How did you know about that?" Kantmiss asked.
"Cinna told me..." I replied. "Days ago in the launch facility." I know, I know, I could've told her that Oswald told me about her pin, but something tells me that seems… a bit out there… So I went with Cinna.
"Yeah..." Kantmiss shows me her … chicken pin? "I bought this off some pin selling dude that looked like Ozzy Osbourne back in Selzberg. It's the most courageous bird there is after all."
Is she serious…? A chicken…? The most courageous bird in the land…? Oh good grief, it's official… I'm stuck in a tree with a total moron.I mean, isn't that hawk-like bird they call an 'eagle' considered the courageous bird of that world?
"… And it better looking than that stupid pin you're wearing..." Kantmiss continued. "...I mean, what the hell's that… thing supposed to be anyway?"
I was about to retort, but then I notice Ruth waving, trying to get my attention. I look in her direction and she points upward again. I kook up again, expecting to see another parachute from the sponsors… But instead… I saw this rather large wasp hive… Then Ruth points downward at the pack. Something tells me she wants me to drop the hive on the pack to scatter them and use the confusion to get away. This could be tricky… Cutting down a wasp nest without alerting them and getting stung.
"Oh… Have the bees land on their heads." Kantmiss whispered. Same idea as me, wrong species of bug.
"They're wasps, actually..." I whispered back. "...You stay there.. I'll go cut down the hive..."
I climb up to the branch where the hive was, pull out my hunting knife and start sawing, being careful not to shake the hive and aggro the wasps. As I slowly sawed into the limb, I saw one of those wasps emerge from the hive and climb up the outer wall of the hive. First thing I noticed was how big it was, about the length of my hand and it look like it was dipped in gold… Gold…? I just felt a chill go down my spine. Oh no… don't tell me…
(The Studio)
(Standard point of view)
"Claudius, I think those are tracker-jackers." Caesar points at background screen as it zooms in on the large golden insect crawling up the hive that Julia was trying to cut down. Then it pans over to Julia's face, showing an expression of sudden realization, and fear, at what that insect was. "Am I wrong?"
"Oh, boy..." Claudius leans back in his chair. "Those guys are very lethal, Caesar."
"Very..." Caesar agrees. "Now those of you who don't know, tracker-jackers are wasp muttations created back in the days of the demon invasions. Their venom causes searing pain, powerful hallucinations, and in extreme cases, death."
"Don't have to remind me..." Cleaver said. "… Got stung by those little buggers quite a few times. Spent three whole days flippin' and tripping'."
The background image then shows an image of young Cleaver dressed in hippie clothes, sporting a big purple afro, and playing a really trippy rendition of 'purple haze' at the top of his lungs on a guitar that a sponsor delivered to him.
"...Please excuse me while I kiss the sky..."
(Back in the forest)
(Julia's point of view)
… That these are tracker-jackers! A rather vile golden wasp that packs a really painful sting that can cause one to suffer hallucinations or die a horrible death. Or worse, turn you into a tripped out hippie.
My palms were getting sweaty, it was getting difficult to saw with the knife handle slipping in my grip. A couple more tracker-jackers emerge from the hive and begin buzzing around me. I try my best to ignore them and keep sawing but.. "KYAAH!" One of them lands on me and sting my left knee through the trousers. It's like being stabbed with a white hot needle."AAH!" Another one stings me on the neck, and a third stings me on the wrist "NNGH!", forcing me to let go of the knife and move away from the hive. These stings REALLY hurt!
"Hey… Lemme have a crack at that..." Kantmiss said as she climbed up next to me. "...You're taking to long."
She makes her way to where I was, pulls out my knife and tucks it into her belt, reaches into that weird backpack and pulls out a… Just what manner of sword is that. "Say hello to mr, chainsaw, you mother-buzzers." Kantmiss yanks back on the cord attached to this...chainsaw and... My word! That device is rather noisy.
She positions the… blade into the groove I cut in that branch, squeezes the handle and... GAAH! THE NOISE! MY EARS! That thing is even louder than Father! I had to cover my ears, but they are still ringing like mad!
The noise of that device woke up the pack below and they all looked up to see what the fuss was about.
"Those are tracker-bee-bees..." Marco warned. Is that what they call those things in District 2? "… Getting stung causes serious hallucinations."
"...Or death." Peter added. Those things, I already know. And I'm pretty sure I'm about to suffer in moments… Because I'm starting to feel woozy.
The branch breaks free and hits Kantmiss causing both her and the hive to plummet to the ground…. Right in the middle of the pack.
The hive bursts open on the ground and the reaming swarm, now completely aggro'd, was causing complete and utter mayhem amongst the pack as they scrambled for their lives from the angry insects.
"GAAH! MY ASS! MY ASS!" Peter shrieked.
"I think I just swallowed one!"Marco gagged as he tried to swat the angry tracker-jackers. "GET TO THE LAKE! GET TO THE FUCKING LAKE!" The pack fled to the direction of the lake, shrieking in pain and madness as they went. Half the swarm chased after them…
The other half caught up to Matilda, when, in her panic, tripped over a root. She was shrieking and trying to swat off the hundreds of tracker-jackers as they swarmed all over her thrashing body, stinging her from head to toe. After a few minutes… her agony was over, and the remaining tracker-jackers dispersed, leaving me alone...
...But, not unscathed… I guessing I was stung about three times. I felt pain and numbness in my left knee, on my right wrist and my neck, and I was starting to feel woozy. Got to get down before I fall down.
…*BOOM*...
The only things that remained on the ground was the now empty hive, a few packs, some dropped weapons, and Matilda's and Kantmiss's still bodies. Both were entirely covered in big swollen sting-welts. From that cannon shot I'm certain Matilda's done for,
I climb down the tree and reach the ground… Ugh...Wooziness getting worse…. Odd… didn't hear the cannon go off again… Though there's two dead bodies on the forest floor… Unless… "Ooooh..." I do not believe this… How can Kantmiss be still alive? She looked like she took enough stings to knock out a giganto. Or… Maybe I'm starting to hallucinate…
Next thing, the forest sTaRtEd To BlUr, ZoOm In AnD oUt, AnD AlL ThEsE wEiRd SpLoTcHeS oF BiZzArE CoLoRs StArTeD fLaShInG iN fRoNt Of My EyEs… WoOoAaAhHh… ThIs Is JuSt AbSoLuTeLy… WhAt Is GoInG On WiTh MeE…?
I NotIcEd SoMeThInG oN MaTiLdA's SwOlLeN wRiSt. Is ThAt a BoDhI bLaStIa? I rEaCh DoWn AnD dEtAcH iT fRoM HeR WrIsT. WoAh… I aLmOsT pAsS oUt WhEn I sToOd BaCk Up. I dElIrIoUsLy fOnDlE tHe RuBy CoRe AnD lEaThEr WrIsT sTrAp.
"RUN! RUN!"
HuH…? PhIlLiP…? AnD pHiLlIp…? AnD...AnOtHeR PhIlLiP…? TheRe'S ThReE PhIlLiPs RuNnInG tOwArDs Me…? Oh My HeAd Is SpInNiNg…. WoOoAaAhHh…
"RUN!" ThE tHrEe PhIlLiPs YeLlEd At Me. "Julia! Go! Get outta here! Go! What are you doing!? GO!" I tHiNk He WaNtS mE To RuN…
...So ThAt'S wHaT I dId… I rAn DeEpEr InTo ThE fOrEsT aWaY fRoM tHe CaMp. ThE wOoZiNeSs iS gEtTiNg WoRsE.. HuH…? WhO's ThAt…?
"Stanley Kaisermann here to give you all a little fun fact about tracker-jackers… Not only are their stings potentially lethal, The venom of a tracker-hacker can produce hallucinations more powerful, more vivid than if you took LSD. Enjoy the trip, Julia. Heh heh…"
NuUhH… JuSt HoW MaNy TiMeS ArE YoU GoInG To ReMiNd Me…? NoW If YoU WiLl ExCuSe Me… I'm GoInG tO pAsS oUt NoW...
End Part 10