7/12/15

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or anything else I may mention

Hi again! Sorry for skipping a week, I've been practicing my driving ('cuz I got my permit! ^.^) and it's been a little too stressful for me to write. But I'm over it now, and I found a new writing program that blocks out distractions, so I should be good. Yet at the same time I'm volunteering at my church's bible school this week, so if I don't update next week you know why.

Thank you HisStoryLover for following and favoriting

Reviews:

Josephm611- Trust me, it's a tearjerker. I almost cried writing it.

Stellaslomp- Denial seems to be the way she'd react to something like that, especially with all that's happened to her. I know, I feel so bad for her!

SibunaMockingjay- I wish I didn't have to kill them off :(. That's the main problem with rewriting a story from another character's POV.

Meeeeeee22- When I hear the phrase "don't say I didn't warn you", Blank Space is seriously all I can think about. Sometimes I end up singing it instead of just saying it…

On with the story!

…

The Manipulation Games 2: No One Left

Chapter Twenty-Six: Tick Tock

My eyes threaten to shut as I struggle to keep watch. I guess I got the wrong dosage of my meds. Or maybe it's because I'm so freaking thirsty. Either way, I'm sleep deprived and risking dehydration. There's no way I'll last against anyone who comes to attack us. Maybe it would be easier if I do go sleep…

Just as I'm about to give in, a loud bell starts toiling in the distance. One ring, two rings… dang it. 12 rings, one for each of the districts the Capitol wants us to know about. Does this mean something happened to 13? Is this Plutarch's way of warning us?

"Do you think it meant anything?" the now (unfortunately) awake Beetee asks.

I'm about to answer with a snarky comment when I realize he's talking to Wiress. She responds with a simple shrug.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hits the giant tree in the section next door. We all jerk out attention to it, as it's followed by yet another strike of lightning. The lightning continues, and we soon realize that it won't stop anytime soon.

"Well, where there's lightning there's rain," Blight says.

"We don't know that," Wiress says. "Could just be trouble..."

My eyes wander to the trees around us. Maple trees, to be exact. And trust me, when your best friend's name was Maple, you learn a thing or two about maple trees. I check to the leaves, and sure enough the leaves have flipped over. Pine once told me that whenever he heard me mention Maple, it reminded him of an old wives tale. Apparently whenever you see a maple tree's leaves turned like that, it means it's supposed to rain. While I've never tried it myself, according to Pine it works about 75% of the time. I'm not superstitious or anything, but this is the 75thHunger Games, so it's worth a shot.

"Come on, let's try to get closer," I say.

"You're sure?" Blight asks.

Gee, it's not like this is a life or death situation or anything. Blight needs to chill. This was pretty much his idea, anyways. "Well, we're not here to kill defenseless baby squirrels," I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Besides, it's just hitting the tree. The Gamemakers are controlling it, so I doubt it would hit us."

Not with us being so important to the plan, I add to myself.

"Puzzle," Wiress agrees.

Beetee pushes up his glasses. "She's right. The arena is some kind of puzzle. They wouldn't dare to mess it up."

"Okay," Blight finally agrees, "To the tree it is."

It takes us a while to even get out of the general area we're in, because Beetee's back wound is starting to slow him down. We eventually decide to go farther back, away from the beach in case the Careers have the same idea about getting water as we do. About 45 minutes pass, and we decide that we're probably nearing the end of the arena so we pause to take a break. Blight and I momentarily break away from District 3 to look for food. We haven't eaten anything since our arrival in the arena, so we're not only thirsty but also starving. All we can find are some nuts that fell from a tree, though. Luckily they're edible, so we gather them up to take back to the others.

"So I can't be the only one worried about the plan," I scowl, breaking the silence between us.

Blight rubs the back of his neck and sighs. "Don't be worried, okay? We've got it all under control."

"But what happens if we both get out? You know, if we die? Will the plan still..."

I subtly wink to show Blight that it's not what I mean. He seems to pick up on what I really meant, that I have no idea what happens when we get to 13. He winks back and I barely nod my head.

"Well, after the hovercrafts get us, I guess that part of the plan is over- for us, at least. Maybe we can do something to influence our allies' victory, still. If you know what I mean."

"So we've got a backup plan for us to win or something? I ask. Blight nods and I feel a little better about this now. But I still don't know what's happening after the arena. Too bad Blight can't tell me right now, with the security cameras and all.

I look up at the sky and notice clouds starting to form over our section. "We should go back to the others."

"Good idea," Blight agrees.

Why do I feel like this isn't a good idea? Part of me just wants to turn around and flee the section, but I don't know why. Water isn't anything to be scared of! So why am I nervous about something so silly?

We hurry back to the rest of our small group, and the four of us eat the nuts while waiting for the rain to start so we can finally get a drink. You know, Plutarch is going to pay for making it take this long. Wiress seems a little uneasy too, so I guess this means I'm not alone. But of all the people, why Nuts?

Finally, a single drop of rain falls from the sky. I stretch my hand out to catch it, and it splatters on the palm of my hand. It must be reflecting off my hand or something, because it looks almost red. I shrug it off and lick it off my hand, but it tastes so… metallic. Wait, I know this taste. It's almost like…

"Blood," I whisper.

"What was that?" Beetee asks.

"Didn't you hear me, nitwit! I said it's-"

Before I can finish my sentence, the blood rain starts pouring down on us, staining our uniforms red. Great now I'm really going to kill Plutarch! I furiously try to wipe the stuff off my face, but it continues to run down. It wouldn't have mattered anyways, because I can't see anything. Blood stains everything, turning the jungle red. It eventually becomes impossible to distinguish one red shape from another. Red is all there is. Nothing else exists.

I stumble around and try to find my group. A puddle of slick red blood materializes under my feet, and I slip down on my butt. My tailbone aches as I make contact with the ground, and a harsh squeal escapes my mouth.

"Johanna?" Blight yells. From his voice, I can safely judge that he's nearby.

I struggle to push myself up, but I keep slipping back on the blood. "Blight!" I yell. "I'm over here!"

I feel him grab my hand before I see him. Blight pulls me up and holds me close the way you would a scared child. In a rare moment of weakness, I let my guard down and lay my head against his shoulder. "I'm okay Dad. I just got a little scared," I try to tell him, but the thick hot blood fills my mouth as I speak, leaving me choking. I use my arm to block rain from entering my mouth and I try again, succeeding this time.

I can barely see Blight nod his head. We stand there for a moment, covered in blood. Somehow I feel that I should hold onto this moment, so I do.

"7," Wiress calls. We turn our attention to her and Beetee, or their red outlines at least. Did I mention I'm ticked off at Plutarch for this?

"We need to exit the area. Perhaps there's a way to escape."

Although Beetee's speech is mangled by the rain, I get the jist of what he's saying. Blight and I link hands and walk towards Wiress and Beetee. This continues for a good 45 minutes as we follow them. We aren't sure what direction we're going in, but I'm sure it doesn't matter. This rain has to end somewhere.

I'm getting used to the silence when Wiress screams. Blight and I let go of each other and run to her aid.

"Tick tock!" she squeals in delight. "Tick tock!"

"What's wrong?" Blight asks before chocking on some blood. Blood. It's freaking everywhere. What the actual heck is Plutarch thinking?!

"She's in shock," Beetee says.

"No duh, Captain Obvious!" I snap.

Wiress shakes her head and runs off, laughing like a maniac. "Hickory dickory dock, the dog barked up the clock! The clock struck 1, the mouse ran down, hickory dickory dock!"

But this is a maple forest, not hickory…

"We have to catch up to her, before she tells everyone in the arena where the heck we are!" I growl, spitting the hot metallic blood out of my mouth.

Where did they get this from, anyways? I mean it wouldn't surprise me if Snow drank this stuff, so they might have a supply of it stockpiled somewhere, but that still doesn't answer my question! Is it real blood? Ewww!

Beetee suddenly drops to the ground, clutching the knife in his back in pain. His coil of wire falls down next to him, completely forgotten.

"Infection," Beetee coughs. "Getting worse."

I throw my arms in the air. "Whoop-dee-freaking-doo. I'll get Nuts, Blight, you stay here with Volts."

"Johanna, I don't think" Blight begins, but I ignore him and start chasing Wiress down.

I slip on the blood, but manage to pick myself up this time. Wiress keeps singing, and seems to be running towards the next section of the arena. Oh no she doesn't! Not without the rest of us! Something could happen to her, being in shock and all. She's so helpless, and as much as I hate to admit it I really do care about her. Not enough to endanger my own life for her, but enough to want to keep her out of trouble.

Wiress suddenly stops in her tracks and plops down on the ground. She crosses her legs and starts rocking back and forth, quietly singing to herself. I sigh in relief and stop about 8 yards away from her to give her some space. Well, that was mildly pointless. But I wonder why she stopped.

The crackling of lightning rings through my ears as Blight yells "Johanna! Look out!"

I turn around and see a tree falling towards me, ready to crush me. My heart is beating a mile a minute. I guess this is the end. I close my eyes and brace myself, but instead of being crushed I'm roughly shoved out of the way.

My eyes snap open just in time to see Blight roll out of the way of the tree…

And into a forcefeild.

"Dad!" I scream, running towards his unmoving body. The rain starts to let up, leaving me with a clear path of vision.

Blight barely sits up and starts coughing up blood. I make it to him and wrap my arms around him gently. "It's okay, you're okay," I whisper, though its myself that's being convinced.

Blight looks straight ahead, his eyes turning glassy. "Ivy?" He asks.

I turn around, hoping to see if I too can see this dehydration induced illusion, but I can't. "She's dead, Blight- has been for years now."

"I'm so sorry Hanna," he whispers. "I'm on borrowed time now. I just want you to know… how proud I am of the woman you've become. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect daughter."

"No, Dad. You'll be okay… You can't leave me! You said you'd always be there for me!"

I'm crying for the first time since Mom and Ivy died. Tears wipe away the blood on my face and trickle onto Blight's arena suit. I look him in the eyes and add, "Please. Just stay with me. You're the only one I have left."

Blight kisses my cheek. "I'm so sorry. It's my time." His voice is breaking, and I can tell that he wants to stay just as much as I want him too.

"Oakley's waiting for us," I think I hear Aunt Ivy's voice say. I swallow the lump in my throat and barely nod my head.

"I'll always be with you, okay? Stay strong for me… show Panem what Masons are made of."

I nod my head. "Okay, "I whisper as the rain stops.

Blight's eyes glitter with pride as they start to go dull. "I love you Johanna."

"I love you too Dad," I whimper.

It's the last thing he ever hears.

…..

On the list of things that are okay, this chapter is not included. If you want to make it worse, listen to the song "I Learned From You" by Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus and think about the chapter. Upsetting, huh? Yes, I really did listen to a Miley Cyrus song while writing about a character's death. But it's kind of "their song" (aka the song I listen to when writing most of Johanna and Blight's scenes together) so I felt that it was only fitting.

Also the thing about maple trees was something either my grandpa or my dad said (I can't remember who it was though) and when I heard it I realized that I had to use it somewhere because of Maple. Like Johanna, however, I have no clue how accurate it is. So don't base your weather forecast on it.

Quote of the day!

"The word I'm looking for I can't say because there are preschool toys around!" –Toy Story, Woody

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Spectrobes Princess