Chapter 13
"Hello sweetie." said Haymitch
"No more Ms. nice girl. My name is Michelle!" Michelle barked
"I've noticed this abrupt change and I really wonder what caused it."
"Now let's get on to the important stuff. A bunch of corpses have captured me after Patricia betrayed me and it seems they are going to head into the mountain first thing in the morning."
"The gamekeepers have allowed me to show you this map of the arena. Most likely you are going to go with them through the red path. It leads directly to the top of the mountain. If I were you I'd assume that path is so easy to go through that at this point someone has blocked it. There is going to be some fighting."
"I love fighting. Is there any other place where it is more likely to pick up more bloody fights?"
"Wow, you really changed. I think you really will have enough to worry about through the red path. At least it seems most of the snow has been cleared off it."
"Do you really have anything to give me or are you just here for a pep talk?"
"Well, all I have to give you is an injection to stop an infection-"
"I meant weapons! I want something that has any value. I really cannot fight all these wire-controlled corpses by myself. Is an infection your biggest worry?"
"Please I never meant-"
"You never meant anything. You and your friends want to have fun watching these games. Now I am going to give you a big shock. This really is not any fun for me! I hate this 'game' and I hate-"
"Listen, you are going to have to face this game one way or another. I am not here to listen to these complaints. However, if you want to know about wire-controlled corpses I am more than happy to tell you about them."
"What about them?"
"They say they have a really united cause. That is not exactly true. By the way, they are really simply controlled by the capitol and have no form of life within them so you should have no troubled feelings if you have to destroy them."
"I have no troubled feelings at all! All I care about is my-"
Haymitch carried on as if he had not heard this. He just hoped he could get through this talk before getting stabbed by this maniac. She really was changing for the worse
"The former rebels programmed them with hate. All they want is to seek revenge against the people who successfully killed them before the game started. You were supposed to duel Cynthia Rogers before she died on her own. You are the only tribute without a corpse that specifically is programmed to go after you. Anyway, Patricia already destroyed the wire controlled corpse that uses to be Cynthia.
All they will want from you between now and by the time most of the other tributes are dead is your alliance. If you obey to their demands they will not have to harm you in any way. Basically, my point is that between now and when all tributes are dead you have a lot of time to betray them. With luck the other tributes will kill them before you have to do that."
"That is good enough. Seeing you have something good to offer I will gladly take the injection."
"Now is too late. If you want it you are going to have to fulfill my request."
"Let me hear it."
"As you might know, I am also the mentor of Max Boswell, your nephew."
"Yes. Bring it on."
"I want you to promise to protect him even if it endangers your cause for survival. If you cannot convince the corpses to take him in then you have to go on your own to find him in the next few days."
"Please, he will kill me when he sees me. There is no point in trying to help him."
"You want to die of an infection?"
"No."
"Then there is a chance for his survival. When you find him I will make sure it gets to you."
"No thanks. He betrayed me as much as Patricia did. If he wants to go with his group after killing Nooria then let him do it at his own risk."
"Please, is there any compassion left in you?"
"Not a molecule of it!"
"Well that is a shame because you are going to need it sooner or later. Perhaps this game might not be all about fighting."
"Why then are the rebels enjoying it? It is a revenge game after all."
"Or maybe they are trying to teach all of the survivors from the capitol a lesson about compassion and-"
"What is wrong with you? You have a creative mind for nuisances. In any reasonable mind it would be a pointless game without fighting."
"There is fighting. Are you trying to make any point?"
"Well there also-"
"Maybe fighting might be enjoyable but what they really are trying to show is that it is pointless to…time is up I have to go!"
That is how the meeting went with Haymitch Abernathy. The question is if he managed to restore Michelle's compassion after the bitterness following the betrayal. Haymitch knew Michelle could not survive with such an unstable mind. There was really no danger of infection and Max Boswell had died at this point. All Haymitch wanted is to see if Michelle had any human sentiments left in her. That was what had made her unique before the games started.