Chapter 11
Rin
"I suppose I should tell you about my family first," Urea said. "Since you two don't know. My parents are both victors."
Jack gasped and Rin said, "What?"
Urea sighed. "Look," she said. "you guys can't say anything while I'm telling you all this because then it'll take all day if you do, understand?"
They nodded solemnly and she continued.
"Like I was saying, my parents were both victors." She paused to cough weakly for several moments before continuing. "Gordon Triton won the 50th Hunger Games at age seventeen. Hannah Eliza won the 51st Hunger Games at age eighteen." Her voice was filled with venom was she said her father's name, but her tone turned soft when she said her mother's.
"It was all so perfect. Two prodigy District 4 victors, on after the other, now the same age. They hung around together a lot and they fell in love. When they turned twenty, they got married. After four years, they had a baby girl and named her Evelyn Triton. Everyone knew about it, about her. Everyone expected her to become a Career and carry on the 'tradition."
Urea continued talking as if this wasn't her life story, but someone else's.
"So Gordon and Hannah trained Evelyn to be a Career. When Evelyn turned eight, they had another girl and named her Urea. Three years alter, they had one more girl and named her Mari."
"My mother gave me this when I was really young, maybe four or five," Urea continued, fingering her necklace. "She told me to never give up, to always give it your best in life. She told me as long as I had this necklace, she would protect me, no matter what. It's the only thing I have left to remember of my real family."
"It was the 74th Hunger Games," Urea continued in a doomsday voice. "Evelyn volunteered at age seventeen, but she wasn't the only prodigy going in. Cato from District 1 was entering the arena too, and…" She paused and took a deep, calming breath. "Katniss Everdeen, the Girl On Fire, popped out of the woodworks of District 12."
Jack and Rin exchanged a glance. It sounded like Urea had a grudge against one of their mentors.
"It was the fourth night when Katniss Everdeen dropped a hive of Tracker Jackers on the Careers and killed my sister. She may not have been the best sister anyone has ever had, but we loved each other, and I looked up to her."
Jack and Rin stared at her.
"My family was in shame for weeks after the Game were over. The blinds were closed, the door was locked, and they wouldn't let Mari or I leave the house. Finally, the incident was forgotten and my parents started training me to be a Career. My mom was gentle even though she was a victor. She never seemed to get mad and she always had this happy, calm feeling surrounding her. And even though my father was stern, he wasn't mean or out of control. Between the two of them, they got me a long way in a single year."
Her voice dropped, laced with sorrow.
"Then the third Quarter Quell came. You guys remember that, don't you?"
Jack, Rin, Lily, and Jute all nodded. How could they forget something as horrible as that?
"For the 75th Hunger Games," Urea recited, as if the words had been imprinted on her brain. "In reminder that age does not matter in times of war, two tributes, a boy and a girl, between the ages of four and six, shall be chosen from each district to enter the Game with the original tributes."
Urea had tears in her eyes, and Jack swallowed hard. The face of stone he had come to know so well was crumbling right before his eyes.
"Mari was reaped alongside a Career tribute, and there was nothing I could do about it." Tears ran down her face and her voice was filled with sorrow. "They made it to the final eight before they were both killed by the District 2 boy."
"My mother changed after that," urea continued, her tone now childlike with sadness. "She was always staring into space, and she barely moved at all. I learned to cook myself, how to buy things at the market, how to protect myself from street side robbers, all at the age of nine."
"Then, one month after the 75th Hunger Games, on the day Mari's birthday would've been…my mother committed suicide."
The other four gasped and Lily said, "Bu- But everyone said that was an accident!"
Urea's body was racked with another series of coughs before she answered. "That's what the cover story was. Killed while training herself at the top of our house. Tripped on the railing and fell on the stone courtyard. Everyone sent us letters and gifts, but my father and I knew what really happened."
"A week later was the funeral. Almost all of the District 4 was there. She was always so nice to rich and poor alike, and everyone loved her. Then a week after the funeral was what I call the First Day."
"The First Day?" Jack repeated, his voice cracking with dread and anticipation.
Urea's voice had transformed into one of anger, and slight fear shone in her eyes. "My father came home late on night, and I instantly knew something was wrong. He was acting weird, stumbling, and he had a glass bottle in his hand."
"He was drunk," Jack realized.
Urea nodded, coughed a few time, and moistened her lips. "He, um…he told me to go upstairs, and he followed me. I thought he was going to tuck me into bed or something, but instead he took me to his room. Then he locked the door behind him and he just…started kicking and hitting me, calling me names. And I was only nine, I had no idea what was wrong with him."
Jack knew hi eyes were wide, his mouth agape.
"He knocked me onto the ground, and I landed next to the desk beside his bed. It had a picture of my mother on it, and I turned to look at it just as my father threw his bottle at me."
Rin gasped as Urea traced the scar on her face with her finger.
"if I hadn't looked at her picture, he would've blinded me, if not killed me. He came home drunk every night and dragged me out of bed, even if I locked the door. He's done it ever since. I found way to cover it. I put on makeup every morning before I went out, and when the effects were to visible, I'd excuse them as training accidents."
"Is that how you got all those scars?" Rin asked quietly.
Urea nodded.
"Scars?" Jack asked.
"When I wrapped her shoulder, she took her shirt off and she had a lot of scars on her back," Rin explained.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Lily gasped.
"I didn't know any better at first," Urea answered. "But by the time I turned twelve, I could see this wasn't right. I would try to tell people, but they would never listen. I mean, my father was one of the most renowned victors in District 4. He would never do that, you know? The only one who kept me from doing the same as my mother was Michael."
"Raymond?" Jute asked.
"He was my only friend," Urea said, and her eyes softened. "He was the only one I couldn't push away after my mother died. He was just so stubborn, and he was too innocent to see any flaws in anyone. But I never told him anything about what was happening between my father and I. I didn't want to put him through that."
There was dead silence as they processed her story. Then, before he knew what he was doing, Jack was crawling forward on his hands and knees. A moment later, he was holding Urea in a tight embrace. He heard her and the others gasp, and after a long moment, he pulled back
Urea stared at him and their eyes met. Jack felt affection and protectiveness that had been growing but lying dormant inside of him suddenly blossom. He decided in that moment, he would not let her die, no matter what happened.
Jack moved away and she smiled a small smile at him, but it was the first genuine smile from her he had ever seen from her. The shell surrounding her had shattered, showing the real person trapped within.
"I've been counting the days since the First Day," urea continued, her voice now light. "I lost track after two thousand, about the time I turned fifteen. And since Mari died, I've been making a list."
"What kind of list?" Rin asked gently.
Urea look up and stared each of them in the eye. "I've been making a list of tributes who would've made a great change through Panem if they hadn't been reaped. A boy and girl for each district. I was waiting for two more." She looked up at Jack and Rin. "From District 12."
"Us?" Rin asked, pointing to herself.
Urea nodded.
"Well," Jack said, sitting back with a gigantic sigh. "I guess…I'd think the same of you too."
Urea's head snapped over to stare at him and a sad smile touched her face. Then she dropped her face back towards the ground and whispered, "Thank you."
…
As the night wore on, Urea fell into a fitful sleep, and Jack had a sickening feeling she wouldn't wake again if they couldn't find something to help her. She was burning up and taking short gasps, her skin coated in sweat. Despite her burning temperature, she was shivering, and her brow was furrowed. She was muttering as if having nightmares, and her pulse had become unsteady.
The other four of them, Jack, Rin, Jute, and Lily, gathered around their still-burning fire in the center of the clearing and stayed silent for a long time. Finally, Rin spoke up.
"We have to help her," she said quietly, her tone absolute as she stared into the fire.
Lily nodded and said, "I can't imagine living like that…"
"If I had the chance to get out of that, I would do anything too," Jack agreed.
Jute opened his mouth to say something as well, but was interrupted by a booming voice.
"Attention, tributes," Claudius Templesmith's voice echoed throughout the arena. "There will be a Feast at the Cornucopia tomorrow at twilight. While many of you may already be declining this offer, there is something each of you desperately needs. Think hard before refusing. Good luck, and my the odds be ever in your favor."
Each of them looked at each other and the understanding was evident.
"We have to," Lily said.
Rin nodded, "I know they'll have medicine for Urea."
"Not to mention," Jack added. "We lost all of our food during the flood and we can't find any berries or animals."
Jute was silent and the three of them looked at him. He nodded slowly but said nothing.
"I guess it's decided then," Jack said. "We're going to the feast."
…
Jack woke groggily the next morning. He had taken second-from-last watch, and Jute had been after him, but he had been forced to furiously shake the boy to wake him.
Now Jack sat up and rubbed his eyes. Fresh, cold air stung his dried eyes and he blinked rapidly until he could see. Nothing looked abnormal except for one thing, and it caused Jack to jolt awake.
He leaped to his feet and said loudly, "Where's Jute?"
Lily and Rin stirred and awoke a few feet away from him. He repeated his panicked question and the two of them instantly came to their senses. Rin just looked around, but Lily dashed throughout the clearing, looking for the boy.
Finally, Lily turned to Jack and Rin and said in a tone of disbelief, "He's gone."
"I knew something was up," Rin muttered. "He didn't say anything last night when the Gamemakers announced the feast."
"He didn't want to go," Jack realized. "So he left."
"That idiot!" Lily exclaimed. "What was he thinking? He'll get himself killed all alone like that!"
Jack rubbed his face with a hand. "This made our job harder," he said. "I know you're worried about him, Lily, but we've got to just keep going. We need to rest up for the feast tonight."
"But-"
"Lily," Rin said, laying a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Jack's right. We have to keep going."
Lily's shoulders suddenly slumped. "Fine," she said quietly. "I just….don't know why he would've left. He told me he would stay with me no matter what."
"Were you guys friends back in District 7?" Rin asked.
Lily nodded. "For a long time," she replied. "We were in the same work group and everything. It was only coincidence that both of us got reaped."
A chill ran up Jack's spine. "Did you guys ever…do anything?"
Lily looked up at him, a frown on her face. "What do you mean?"
"Like, did you do anything to upset the Capitol?"
Lily's frown deepened. "Well," she started, her voice dropping low enough that the cameras couldn't hear. "We played pranks on the Peacekeepers."
"It can't just be coincidence then," Jack murmured to himself.
"What?" Rin asked.
"Nothing," Jack responded in a louder voice. "With Jute gone, we'll have to make sure we're extra rested up, so just try to go to sleep again. I can't think of anything else we can do until then."
Lily and Rin nodded at him.
…
"So," Jack said as he stomach growled noisily. "How many have we got?"
"Well, there's the boy and girl from District 2," Rin started. "Urea and the boy from District 4, Lily and Jute, the boy from District 11, and you and me."
"So we've got five people working against us and nine of us in all," Jack concluded.
"Jute isn't against us!" Lily exclaimed.
Jack looked her straight in the eye and said, "If I have to kill him to protect myself, then I consider him our enemy."
Lily stared at the ground for a long time before she looked back up at him and quietly said, "Okay."
"Well," Jack said, looking up at the sky. "We'd better get going."
He picked himself up off the ground along with Rin and Lily and grabbed his four discarded katanas. He strapped them all to his back as Lily picked up he hatchet and jammed it into her belt. Rin looped her remaining quiver of arrows over her shoulder along with her bow as Jack checked Urea's condition. She was even worse off than before, and her fever was only increasing.
"Come on," Rin spoke softly. "Let's go."
The three of them climbed through the forest, pushing aside brush and branches as quietly as they could. After a long half-hour, they found themselves at the edge of the forest, looking into the plain.
The Cornucopia remained in the center of the plain, gleaming in the dropping sun. In front of the Cornucopia was a long, thick pedestal, which seemed alien to Jack in this natural environment. Atop the table sat seven bags of varying sizes, marked with different numbers. One had a silver 2 on the side while two other bags both had 4 on them. Two had the number 7 on them and the other two had the numbers 11 and 12 on them.
Jack, Rin, and Lily glanced at each other, the realization in each of their gazes. There was one for both from District 2, meaning they were together. There was one for Cole and another for Urea, as well as two separate ones for Lily and Jute. Then there was one for the District 11 boy and one for both Jack and Rin.
Dead silence.
It lingered in the air as the world became still. Jack looked at Rin and Lily before nodding at them. They nodded back and Jack prepared to burst from the bushes surrounding them.
He halted when Jute and the District 11 boy rushed through the clearing side-by-side. The two of them dashed past the table. Jute snatched up the bag marked with 7 that was farthest to the right while the District 11 boy grabbed the bag marked with 11. The two of them ran to the opposite edge of the plain, Jute trailing slightly behind the District 11 boy.
"Jute!" Lily exclaimed in a quiet hiss.
Suddenly, the District 11 boy jerked backwards and collapsed to the ground, red liquid spraying out from his chest. Blood.
Jute slid to the ground behind him and rolled before shooting to his feet. He zigzagged, running as hard as he could. Then he disappeared into the foliage on the opposite side of the clearing.
BOOM.
"We can't wait!" Jack realized. "Come on!"
He sprinted for the table, Rin and Lily slightly behind him. He grabbed the bag marked for his District and Lily snatched up the remaining District 7 bag. Rin seized the left bag marked with 4, and the three of them turned to go back.
Jack ducked and a dagger whizzed past him. The three remaining tributes of the Career group dashed towards them with terrifying speed.
Jack unsheathed two of his katanas while Rin instinctively started firing arrows at the oncoming killers. Lily pulled her hatchet out of her belt and, alongside Jack, dashed forward. Jack went for the District 2 girl and Lily charged for Cole, the District 4 boy. The District 2 boy headed for Rin, but Jack knew she could hold her own.
Jack thrust forwards and the District 2 girl dodged around his stab. She slid to his right and slashed at his arm. He leaped back and tried to cut her hip. She twirled around the attack and thrust her dagger at his thigh. Jack deflected her blade and the noise of metal scraping against metal filled the air.
Jack ducked and dropped into a roll as she slashed at his head with her other dagger. He came up into a crouch and swept a leg out, knocking her feet out from underneath her. She collapsed to the ground and he stabbed downward with the full intent to kill. She rolled right and his sword buried itself into the ground. As he struggled to yank it out, she got to her feet and charged at him.
Jack finally pulled his sword out of the ground and skittered backwards out of harms way. When she lunged at him, he kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying back a few yards away. As she slammed to the ground a safe distance away, Jack turned away temporarily to see how Rin and Lily were faring.
Lily was barely holding off Cole, fighting with all her heart. She was on defense the whole time Jack watched her, which wasn't long, because Rin's fight caught his attention almost instantly.
Her remaining dagger flew from her hand as the District 2 boy knocked it away. He slashed her knees and her legs gave way. She looked up at the boy in front of her but did nothing else to try and defend herself.
Jack opened his mouth-
The District 2 boy slashed downwards.
"RIN!"
Next Time...
"What's your name?"
"Just leave her alone, will you?"
"I have no other choice!"
"Get out of here!"
"I hope you win."