Audrey Carpenter
There's only so much you can do to clean out a wound when the only thing you have is water. I try to look on the bright side; at least I found water. Somehow I ended up in a dense forest, not that I can complain, it provides places to hide. I wanted to stay up in the trees, but I'm afraid of making the hole in my side bleed again. Blood loss or infection could become my killer if I'm not careful.
I lean back against the tree behind me. I can't hold my eyes open, but I must. I haven't slept since I was in the comfortable bed at the training center. I reach the zipper on my jacket to take it off. The heat is getting worse. My eyes find the patch that is sewn onto my shirt, my token from Oliver. I wonder how he is. He must be watching… actually I know he is watching. I wonder how much footage I've gotten. I imagine it's not very much since all I've been able to accomplish is walking and finding water. No footage provides good news though. It says that I am still alive.
My mind drifts to the last night we were in the woods together. The night Oliver brought weapons and sweet rolls. In that moment I couldn't believe that anything terrible could happen to me. That day feels like it happened forever ago, in another time, to another Audrey. If I hadn't been drawn in the reaping bowl would I have grown up to marry Oliver? Would I have been forced to work in the textile plant my entire life, and then watch our children get pulled from the bowl? Maybe it was better that I'm here to die rather than later. This world is not one I want to live in.
I don't want to fight sleep anymore. I'm so tired. So tired.
"Don't move, or I'll stab you!"
My eyes shoot open to see the point of a spear aimed at me. It's the same spear that gave me my side wound. It's the same spear that killed the brute that almost killed me.
"Ashley? Listen I'm unarmed," I put my hands up.
"I want to trust you, but I don't know if I can."
"You saved my life. I owe you," and I mean it to.
"I didn't mean to stab you. I guess I didn't know my own strength." She doesn't lower the spear though. "Open your bag."
I do so and show her the contents. A few bottles of water and food I managed to scrap from the cornucopia leftovers. She looks caught in confusion. She lowers her spear, and then hesitates and lifts her spear back up towards me.
"You don't want to hurt me," she glances to my side. "If you kill me I won't be able to heal your wound, and it'll get infected."
"I'm aware Ash, believe me."
She finally lowers her spear, and leans down towards me. She lifts my shirt up, and undoes my make-shift bandage. She examines the injury, glancing up to me every now and then, her spear clutched in her hand.
She then gets up and moves to her pack, which looks like it's stuffed full.
"How did you get so many supplies?"
Ashley does not look up from her bag.
"I had help."
"From who?" I ask. "Where's your help right now?"
Her eyes lift from her bag and meet mine. "He died."
She pulls open a small first-aid kit, filled with plants. First thing she does is give me a bunch of seeds.
"Chew on them," she commands and turns back to her supply.
"Why?" I ask.
She sighs. "Just do it. Unless you like being in pain."
I do as she says and watch her as she takes out a few plants. She chews of them, and mixes them in a bowl. I don't know if she's extremely intelligent or crazy. She takes the poultice, and spreads it across the wound. She then pulls out bandages and dresses it.
"The only thing I got in this stupid kit is bandages, and medical tape. They couldn't throw any kind of real antibiotics in; I guess that would be too much trouble, but that should help."
"Do I smell garlic?" I thought garlic was a cooking ingredient.
"Yes, it's good for stopping bleeding, and preventing infection."
"Huh, interesting. How did you learn all of this?" I watch her lean down into the stream and wash off her hands.
"My mother. I was her apprentice. She's one of District 12's healers. Many of us cannot afford to visit a real doctor so they go to healers. Healers use what they can find, mostly plants and cheap medicine. I think you have to be smarter to be a healer." She stands up and wipes her hands on her pants. "Now that I've helped you, you must help me."
"Of course, you saved my life. What do you need help with?"
"I need somebody who can use weapons, and kill. I'm not very good at either. I killed Orion, but I still felt terrible afterwards. I'm a healer not a killer. All of this goes against my beliefs, but I must win. When I realized you get hit I went looking for you."
"You've been following me?"
"Kind of…" a big smile spreads across her face, "I'm sneaky!"
"So, how would you have killed me a few moments ago when you pointed a spear in my face? Or was that just for show?"
"No!" She puts the spear back at me. "I don't want to kill you, but I will!"
"Okay, okay! I understand."
"Don't get any funny ideas. You don't know how to care for your wound. You need me!"
"I understand Ashley. I promise," I hold out my hand to her.
She lowers her spear slowly and reaches out to shake my hand. Her hands are so tiny that my hand completely encloses hers.
Ashley releases her hand and smiles at me.
"It's a deal then."
Faunas Dunois
Water. I need water. My mouth feels like it's filled with cotton. I can't swallow because there's nothing. Yesterday I had found myself among the barren land in the bottom left-hand corner. I don't know what motivated me to crawl across empty land, but I knew I would not run into other tributes. Also, I had a feeling that there was something among the land. Why would the Gamemakers create it if there were nothing here?
Yesterday the weather was not so terrible, but today there is absolutely no shade and the temperature must have risen at least ten degrees from yesterday. I do not believe this is of any coincidence. I imagine the temperature will be even hotter tomorrow. Without shade it's like I'm stuck in a furnace. There is no escape, no turning back, I must keep moving on.
Escule Hirosho
How am I still alive?
I ran through the cornucopia. I fought there, and somehow here I am. I remember the chaos that occurred. I remember watching Stephanie drop to the ground by Aeron's knife. I remember reaching for a bag that had supplies. I remember seeing little Ashley darting to the cornucopia. I remember how Noah knocked me over, and pointed his knife at me. He was about to cut me up into a million pieces, and then Daryl attacked him. Somehow my life was saved.
I lean against the trunk of a large oak tree. Being here reminds me of my old home; the one that I had in District 7. I haven't been in the forests since that fateful day we lost my father. District 5 is void of trees. There's not even any forest. It's just miles of flat ground, and it's always hot. Hot like today, but at least I have some shade.
I hear the sound of a bird echoing out a song, and then something strange happens. The song spreads from one bird to another sounding through the entire forest. They all sing in unison, like a practiced choir. I have never experienced such birds, even in District 7. The moment is so surreal, and now I want to know the origin of the birds.
A black bird suddenly swoops down near me. It is not one of those beautiful birds that I just heard. I know what it is all to well: Jabberjay. I take a swing at it, and it jumps into the air dodging the blow and landing on my shoulder. Stupid birds were muttations made by the Capitol to transmit rebel conversations back to the Capitol. They are the reason District 7 was infiltrated before we even had time to attack. Well nobody knows if it was the Jabberjays for sure, but I can make a pretty good inference. District 7 is one of the largest districts, and so we don't have as much control over us as the Capitol would like. We are far from the Capitol as well. We have to be in order to find an area with enough trees. That combination of factors made District 7 an optimal place for rebellion to both arise and succeed, yet somehow the Capitol found out before any action was even taken by the rebels. The only answer is Jabberjays.
I pull my hand back to swat the devil off my shoulder again when it lets out an earsplitting squawk.
"Jasten, we must kill everybody. Everyone is an enemy. They want to hurt you."
Jasten? Who is he with? I leap from the ground and run. They're probably coming towards us right now and I should find a hiding place. My stocky build has never allowed me to be an expert tree climber, but when I see one with low branches, I force myself up. I can't climb very high, but this will do. I could probably stay and fight, but if Jasten is still alive, the other tribute must be a threat. I am no coward; I am smart.
I see the red hair first, and then I see David. How did they make it out of the bloodbath? They are both so young, and so weak... at least that's what I thought. Wait… was David the one who said those things? I look down at the black-haired boy who cried during his reaping, and his interview. I see the boy who got a training score of 2 and is now carrying an axe. I thought he was just an innocent boy. He's only twelve.
My foot suddenly slips off the branch, and I come crashing down from the tree. I grab the branch and try to haul myself back up. Luckily they don't see me, but I have caught unwanted attention.
David turns sharply. His eyes look like a predator who is searching for a tasty meal. I could take them on. David is so small and frail, but something tells me to get out of there.
"Jasten! Go check to see what that was."
Jasten wobbles over. I take a good look at him, and his face is so empty. There's something not right, and I yank myself up higher.
"I don't see anything!" He whines.
"Look harder Jasten. I think it's your mother. She's probably looking for you."
Jasten turns back around and stares up at my tree.
"Mommy? Mom, where are you?"
I squeeze my eyes shut wishing I could blend into the tree.
"David, she's not here!"
David looks annoyed.
"Try climbing Jasten."
Jasten looks up at the tree.
"I can't David. It's too high!"
"Yes you can Jasten. If you want to see your mom you will."
Jasten jumps and grabs onto a branch, but his fingers slip off right away and he crashes to the ground. He suddenly bursts into tears and begins attacking the tree with his tiny fists.
David goes from annoyed to angry in a second, and I use this distraction to move clockwise around the tree in order to distance myself from the two.
He grabs Jasten by his shirt and yanks him until he stands on his two feet.
"What's wrong with you? Crying is for babies!"
"I want my mom! I can't reach David."
"You're an idiot Jasten."
Suddenly I hear something fly by. It's an axe, it sails through the leaves in a perfect arc right by where I had been standing just moments before. The axe lands on the ground and David goes to pick it up.
"Your mom isn't here. Now come on."
I hear them shuffle away. Jasten's small sniffles tell me how far away they are. When I can no longer hear them I assume that I'm safe, but wait longer anyways. I'm glad I decided to run; sometimes running is safer. My mother's words suddenly make sense to me.
Alice Leigh
Mika is dead, but Shoal is alive. He has not found me though, and I do not care either way. I must look out for myself. I may never be able to see Shoal again. He kept me company, and brought me books just as Robert had done for me, but that was all. It was nice while it lasted, but now it's over. Shoal made his decision anyways.
"Shoal, what is this 'Alice in Wonderland'? I've never read it. Are you trying to imply something?"
He laughs. "You are Alice in wonderland. You're always gazing off into nothingness. What do you think about all the time?"
"Well… everything, and anything. I've contemplated life struggles, changed my destiny, and solved problems I never could if I was too focused on what was going on around me. Sometimes you have to dream."
"Hence why I thought you would love this book."
"Will you read it to me Shoal? I've had terrible nightmares, and I don't want to be alone."
"Of course."
He thumbs open the pages so carefully. They show a lot of wear. The book looks like it could be hundreds of years old, and it probably is. How did Shoal get his hands on such a treasure?
As he reads half of my mind lies in the story, but the other half wanders away from me. Why is Shoal here? He looks distracted, and keeps staring at the clock between pages. It makes me uneasy, and I can't concentrate on his words, only on his thoughts that are displayed so clearly on his face.
"What's wrong Shoal?"
He frowns. "Nothing Alice."
"Your mind is somewhere else. I would know."
A lack of response tells me that it is.
"It's Mika isn't it Shoal?"
"What?" He closes the book.
"I know there's something between you've two. I've seen it. People often assume that I am oblivious, but I see more than most. I know you love her, and she loves you too, which is why I am so confused as to why you are here with me."
"Love? Love is a strong word, Alice. There can be no love here when we are all destined to die."
"Don't kid yourself Shoal. You're here because you're afraid. You don't want to face this head-on. You don't want to love her, so you have decided to come to me. SI cannot help you Shoal, I'm afraid too. I would never run away from my feelings though. You shouldn't either. You should go back to her."
"No, I want to stay here with you."
"Shoal this is your last night before we have to leave. Go now while you still have time."
I'm not bitter. I am happy that he left and did what he needed to do before she died. A part of me is frightened of seeing him here. Would we be able to fight one another? Would we be able to kill each other?
I got out of the bloodbath quickly, and ran towards the woods. I didn't need any supplies, I wanted to feel like I was home. Besides I can fashion anything I need right here. I have many sides of my personality, and I will play the role I am given. At home I was the housewife, at school I was the good student, when I was with myself I was the dreamer, and when I'm in the woods I am a hunter. I didn't need to fight in the bloodbath to manage on my own.
My brother instructed me the day I left for the Capitol to use my knowledge of hunting. I know how to live off the forest; I am from District 7, and Mark taught me. Leaving my brother hurt worse than anything I've ever experienced, and I don't want to do this without him. My fingers reach to the back of my neck and I unclasp the silver locket from my neck. I open it so I can see my brother, my father, and the mother I never met.
Seeing my brother's face makes me feel like I am more capable. I've always felt that way with him when we were hunting. If I had Mark with me, I could do anything I needed to. I stare at the picture until I regain my composure, and then I close the locket and I re-latch the clasp around my neck.
I stare down at my leg and the metal that holds it anchored to a nearby tree. This was not a hand-fashioned trap. This was from the Capitol, either it's from the bloodbath, or the Gamemakers put it here. I am a prisoner now, but I am not dead yet. If I cannot run, I will fight. I don't have any weapons but I will make one. This isn't over yet.